Tag Archives: silly stuff

Oct15

Crafty.

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Arts and crafts were a huge part of my childhood… at school, through girl scouts, with my mom, my friend Jennifer, and her mom Ms. Susan.

We made jewelry and painted on wood blocks… and every holiday there was a project.

 

For the first time in a long time, a holiday has a project. :)

 

Mom and Ms. Susan saw a decoration in a store, and decided to make their own.  They sent me pictures and I immediately longed for the days of glue guns and puff paint.

 

So, Mom got me a plastic pumpkin, black paint, sequined trim, let me borrow her glue gun… and I got crafty today. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

xo.

Sep23

Self Reminders: Volume 20

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*  Embrace who you are, don’t run from it or obsess with “fixing” and “changing.”  Acknowledge what you need… nourish it… and channel your energy into what brings you peace.  Then, the balance will find its way in… and you will still recognize the person looking back at you in the mirror.

 

*  Just in case no one has told you lately, “Holy S#!*, you are STRONG.”

 

*  Always make time for silliness (even just for a moment, especially when things get tough… “Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion.  I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward.” ~ Kurt Vonnegut).

xo.

Sep22

Autumn’s Inauguration.

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My associations with Summer are not negative, however, as the season wanes on I long for the (hope) of cooler weather and the commencement of the holidays.

 

With my spirit and energy renewing… the first day of fall has me connected with the same giddy feelings I have had for this time of year since I was a little girl.

 

This day is special for Jerry and me as well… when we were newly dating the opening 24 hours of this season became a fun filled adventure where work was dismissed and love was welcomed.

 

… and here are a few of the autumn adornments that can be seen in the Harris Home. <3

 

xo.

Jul29

Greet Your Fears.

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Personally, being a mental health therapist has helped me to delve through the layers of “gunk” that seem to accumulate from the time we are born.  Although the word gunk sounds icky, it isn’t all so terrible.  The hope is that the experiences we go through can “oil” the inner workings of what makes us a healthy person, providing us with lessons and empathy through first-hand knowledge.  When our soul and minds are “greased” in a positive way, our life moves smoothly.

However, inevitably the previously mentioned gunk can (and will) clog up the system.  Especially when we try and just push through it, ignoring the system(s) failure(s).

When we truly begin to look at the core issues and stop just treating the symptoms… something incredible happens.  For me, I feel lighter… more free… more at peace… really, like I imagine I felt when I was very young- before the traumas and trials of life had started to pile up.

After I push through one of these tough periods, I call it “leveling up”. :)

The word raw most accurately explains how I have felt the past few weeks.

Ironically, a quote I have had on my Facebook profile for at least the past 7 years hasn’t made as much sense as it has in recent days…

“Some people are afraid of what they might find if they try to analyze themselves too much, but you have to crawl into your wounds to discover where your fears are. Once the bleeding starts, the cleansing can begin.”- Tori Amos

Now, I am healing… looking around at this new “level” I have found myself on after a time when my mind and body reached depths that I am so thankful to have seen and confronted, but even more thankful to have returned from.

This past week I have regrouped and found, again, what always brought me energy before some of the gunk got so heavy… planning trips, reconnecting with friends, refocusing on wellness, living in the moment…

… and just having some FUN that doesn’t need analyzing or processing-

For example, an awesome trip to Goodwill yesterday that resulted in some treasure hunting (and treasure discovering)… and a photo-shoot (of course!)

Clean out your wounds- it will hurt and it will be terrifying… but it will also bring you peace.

xo.

Jul4

Self Reminders: Volume 18

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* It’s never too late to make peace with your body, even if you just realized there was a war going on… (Quotes from an article I serendipitously stumbled upon)

“Illness comes for a reason, and in itself may actually be a positive opportunity to stop and examine one’s life, to get rid of an addiction or toxic lifestyle, or to turn from focus on strictly material matters to relationships, or to seek spiritual help or growth.”

“You are the one who knows your body best, and as you go through these observations try to expand your awareness beyond your own life to see also how these or other dis-harmonies are reflected in your own self, and the relationships with your friends, family, and even your community. As crazy as it sounds, ultimately it is your own choice to heal or not to heal as it is your own innate healing ability that is activated by your desire to get well.“

“It is possible that even a single period of intense stress lasting months such as occurs with a divorce, death of a family member, loss of job, a bankruptcy or other life-changing event may eventually lead to serious damage to the tissues which could trigger the development of a chronic disease such as cancer. Decades of habitual emotional distress can have a similar effect like living long term in an unhappy relationship or working for a boss who is awful to you.”

“The body itself has no power to generate illness; illness is merely the shadow thrown by the mind. A healthy mind will shadow forth a healthy body; an unhealthy mind will shadow forth an unhealthy body. Every new cell created in the body is either negative or a positive thought in form.”

It’s time for me to heal myself.  I feel like my real journey is just beginning… and I’m ready.

 

 

*  Make every day a day you would relive…

… beautiful afternoons with family…

 

 

* … Silly evenings with your best friend…

 

 

xo.

Jun10

My Atmosphere

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I have been sitting with my pastels and charcoal pencils for a week now.  I even dragged my drawing supplies with me  to work a couple times, in case inspiration struck me.

I did create a doodle on lined paper with permanent marker two days ago, but I still felt like I needed to express something  more picturesque… something with color.

 

Yesterday, the incredible place where I get to work held a Wellness Expo.   A woman was doing aura photography, and I had my essence captured on film.

 

Something more picturesque, something with color-

 

 

 

 

xo.

Jun9

Soothing Rumination.

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Like an energetic and curious child, my psyche needs direction and stimulation.

 

I keep notebooks close by so I can create to-do lists, doodle, or write.  I don’t think I am ever not creating… my brain is continuously marinating with words and phrases and ideas.

 

Here is a photographic look into my attempts at harnessing my vivacious mind.

 

 

 

 

xo.

 

Jun7

Self Reminders: Volume 17

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*  Tap into your childhood.  I have to remind myself to do things that put me in a place where I feel lighthearted and where time passes more slowly, i.e. write with a pencil on lined paper, eat salads with iceberg lettuce (not the bagged stuff), and/or watch The Butcher’s Wife (I was about 9 when I saw it on Cinemax and Demi Moore has such fun, curly blond hair and it’s a tragic love story that ends happily ever after).

 

 

*  Please, do not lose the excitement you feel right now.  Stick it in a bottle, open it up every morning… and breathe it in.

 

 

*  It’s been kind of amazing how my weekly quotes, perhaps subconsciously, have somehow highlighted the theme of my experiences with others.

…Welcomed subliminal messages…

xo.