Merry Christmas!

May the joy and love of the Season be yours throughout the year.

An Emptiness of the Soul

We are spiritual beings. Our souls desire a sense of purpose, a sense of fulfillment and a sense of belonging. When any or all of these things are missing from our lives, then a deep unhappiness settles upon us. This Emptiness of the Soul can quietly and quickly sneak up on a person. Entwining its tendrils into the very essence of ourselves. Once this occurs we become numb to what is taking place around us and our lives quickly lose meaning and purpose.

Today's society does not encourage a person's connection to the world or the people around us. We are encouraged to live by what our phones, our tablets and our computers tell us. We are not encouraged to think or explore beyond what the media and society deems as PC (politically correct), or necessary for the betterment of society, nor are we encouraged to doubt the powers in charge. The pressure to conform which is placed on Society has caused us to disconnect from each other and from Nature. People are encouraged to use material things as a way to nourish their souls.

Emptiness of the Soul can manifest in a variety of ways: Self-doubt, feelings of hopelessness or pessimism, low self-worth, inability to dream about tomorrow. An Empty Soul can lead to a myriad of physical ailments. Chronic pain, mental illness, insomnia, and depression can all be manifestations of an Empty Soul. Western Medicine will prescribe a drug to 'treat' one or more of these symptoms while the true cause of the condition will remain un-diagnosed. The prescription pharmecuticals will further numb the patient, causing him to think that this is how Life is supposed to be and any other way of thinking is bordering on the ridiculous. ***

If you find yourself in a frump, take a close, hard look at how you are leading your life as well as the people you choose to surround yourself with. Perhaps you need to make a career change or relocate to a locale where your soul can have room to grow. Do your friends encourage you or are they constantly talking only about themselves and how hard Life is? Get out into Nature for a walk or just sit in the park and enjoy the sights and sounds around you.  Try looking at your glass as half full instead of half empty.  A healthy does of optimism can go a long way in healing a soul-sickness. Remember to love yourself. Not only are we are own best friend but also our own worst enemy.

No matter how you choose to remedy the problem, remember to be patient with yourself. You didn't get to this point over night. May your Soul find the food it needs to nourish itself and soar amongst the heavens.

*** This post is not meant to replace a doctor's diagnosis of an illness. If you believe you are sick or ill then seek out a trained doctor's opinion. ***

Maintaining High Vibrations

The higher a person's vibration or frequency is the happier and healthier that person will be. Getting there & maintaining a high vibration can be hard in today's society. We are constantly bombarded by negative images and information - listening to or reading the news, stress at work, well-intended friends or relatives, even life's little occurrences can cause a cloud of doom and gloom to descend upon us. 

Let's begin our path to a higher vibration at home. 

• ·         Clearing away clutter prevents negative energy from lingering.
• ·         Perhaps re-arranging the furniture is in order. Reference a Feng Shui book so that energy may flow easier. 
• ·         Open the windows to allow air movement through your home - thus allowing positively charged air to push out any negative energy.
• ·         Burn a candle - the flame of the candle will clear out the negative.
• ·         Bring houseplants into the home, they will help neutralize the bad energy/vibrations. If you feel you have a brown thumb, there are quite a variety of plants to choose from, consult with someone knowledgeable and have them guide you towards the 'almost' indestructible flora. 

Now let's tend to you. We are our own worst enemy. We can sabotage ourselves and not even know it.

• ·         Wake up in a good mood - even during the week when the prospect of work is looming. Not everyone in the world has a job or even has the luxuries we have. Being grateful for what we have does a lot to raise one's frequency.
• ·         Meditate - this very process has been shown to help with so many problems. Students in school who meditate are more apt to get good grades and help others. Meditation can improve not only mental attitude but also physical well-being.
• ·         Be kind to others, and not just people. We are all so connected on this earth that an ill spoken statement or mean act can cause more harm than good.  
• ·         Get plenty of rest and exercise. Exercising, besides keeping you in good shape, releases endorphins (hormones secreted within the brain). Endorphins makes us happy.
• ·         Eat well. I'm not referring to filet mignon and caviar. But to organically produced food - processed food and GMO's can have a detrimental effect not only the body but also on a person’s attitude.
• ·         Surround yourself with people who support you and who have the same or higher vibration. Higher vibrations are contagious and will help raise the vibrations of those who encounter them.
• ·         Get out into Nature. Studies have proven that being in Nature for even short periods of time can reduce stress and bring about a more 'in the moment' train of thought.
• ·         Hold your head up & shoulders back (remember when your mom said to stand up straight?) How you present yourself can have an impact on not only on yourself but how others perceive you.
• ·         Look people in the eye when you interact with them. Give firm handshakes - even if you are a woman. These small things will give yourself a boost of confidence and make people feel more confident in what you have to tell them.

And lastly we shall tackle the work environment. Here a person is more limited as to what they can and can't do. So you may have to be a bit creative. 

• ·         Before heading to work every day, visualize yourself (and know deep down) that you will have a good day. The simple act of visualizing your intention can have a positive effect of your day.
• ·         Try to limit your exposure to office drama, gossip, and politics.
• ·         Keep a smile on your face and a positive attitude. This does more to 'derail' those on the negative thought train. Leave your place of work altogether at lunch, if possible. Just the change in scenery can do wonders to improve a mood and relieve stress.
• ·         Spend your breaks daydreaming. The change in 'scenery' even if in your mind has a positive effect.
• ·         Don't take anything personally and admit when you are wrong. Few people anymore will admit to an error but none of us are perfect and mistakes will happen. Admit it and go on. This release allows room for more positive things to happen in your life. 
• ·         If possible, personalize your space so you will feel more comfortable. When you are comfortable, you are calmer and vibrations are higher level.

A slow implementation of change is usually best. It is easier to incorporate new things into a routine if they are done a few at a time. This also allows a person to see what works for them and what doesn't.

This article was published in An Irie Life

Cat Tales ~ Mes Dream Home

Image Source

Since Mommy & Daddy have been looking at house designs, Me wanted to put my 5¢ worth in. 

Me found this MOST AWESOME design on the interwebs. It's a house with all sorts of pathways and ledges for Us Kitties! Mommy said she'd take it into consideration. Then Me heard her mumble something about 'in your dreams! cause I'm not getting up on a ladder to clean up the hairballs!'

Me will convince Mommy. Me has My ways!

Purz and Catnip Dreams.......Gomez

Tiny House

I grew up in a small adobe house. And lived in smaller houses most of my life. I would go visit people who had large houses and thought how fun it would be to live in one. Little did I know at the time, the effort it takes to live in a large house - the cleaning, the upkeep, the expenses!

So now Hubby and I are looking into Tiny Houses and Small Houses in which to live. Tiny or Small Houses are a logical offshoot of those who wish to Live Deliberately. Because if a person is living a deliberate life, then they won't have much clutter and can live in a small place. Even people who are rich and famous are moving into smaller houses. Here is an article about a Hollywood Film Director who has chosen to move out of his 17,000 sq ft mansion and into a mobile home.  Click Here!

Technically Tiny Houses are built on a trailer and can be moved from location to location while a Small House is just that - a Small House built on a foundation and is more permanent. And then in the Small House category a person can look at subcategories like Earth Bag Houses, made from dirt filled sandbags or Cob Houses, made from adobe like mix of straw and mud or Straw Bale Houses, made from stacked bales of straw then covered with concrete or stucco. Small Houses can also be made from old shipping containers, a Yurt, or a Gypsy or Sheep Herder's Trailer or a Geodesic Dome. And there's always the more traditional wood frame house. And these dwellings can be and are finished on the inside just like a 'normal' home.

Tiny Houses have become a cultural movement which embodies those who choose to live with Nature or even more simply. Here is a blog about Tiny Houses, Tiny House Blog; a website dedicated to pictures of Tiny Houses, Tiny House Swoon  or a website dedicated to Small Houses, Small House Swoon; and a website about living the Tiny House Life, The Tiny Life . And this is just the tip of the iceberg, there is a multitude of info on the web about Tiny and Small Houses and Living a more Simple, Sustainable Life.

Living Deliberately ~ Final Thoughts

Living Deliberately is just that - living Life in a manner to fully enjoy and appreciate each moment of each day. In order to live this lifestyle, a person needs to make a deliberate choice to change their habits and thought patterns. Do I do this ? I try very hard to enjoy what each day has to offer - both good and bad. Though sometimes I do struggle and have moments of transgression. This is normal and only natural. I just pick myself up when this happens and continue on down the path. 

I am going to leave you with a few quotes to ponder.

"That's been one of my mantras - focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains." - Steve Jobs

“The most solid advice for a writer is this, I think: Try to learn to breathe deeply, really to taste food when you eat, and when you sleep really to sleep. Try as much as possible to be wholly alive with all your might, and when you laugh, laugh like hell. And when you get angry, get good and angry. Try to be alive. You will be dead soon enough.” - Ernest Hemingway

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
~ Steve Jobs

Living Deliberately ~ Wants vs. Needs

Part of the Deliberate Living lifestyle is to live simply. Without a lot of excess. For many this would be hard. If those people cleared out their homes, what is being perceived as a 'need' for material items, would cause them to fill those houses up again. When in actuality their perceived need is only a want.

We are bombarded daily by advertising. And in those ads are the messages that if we own this (insert product), then that (insert positive activity/feeling) will occur. These messages are driven by industries who want to fatten their wallets. And they couldn't be more wrong! Yet, people continue to buy into these messages, these advertisements. Why? Well...that's a topic for another post. Today we're talking about want vs. need.

Needs are things which are crucial to a person's existence - food, water, air, shelter, rest, love. If these needs are being met, then a person is okay. Anything above and beyond those needs are simply wants. It is very important to learn to differentiate between the two. If needs go unmet, then a person can face disastrous consequences. But if a person's wants are not met then that person is still okay and can function. On occasion a person can want something so very badly, that the want can become to feel like a need. But, despite that yearning feeling, the want is still just that - a want.

Now, don't get me wrong. It's okay to want something, just don't get carried away. Learn how advertising and media can affect your desires. Then take action to prevent from "falling under the spell of the media". Find other things, other activities that make you happy. 

Next week I will continue this discussion. I will write about endorphins, society and Maslow's Hierarchy.

Living Deliberately ~ Clutter

One of the things that people who Live a Deliberate Life have in common is the lack of clutter. Clutter is a detriment. It prevents the flow of energy - energy will stagnate in a cluttered home and consequently a person's life will then begin to stagnate. Good, positive events will become fewer and farther between. But once a person begins the process of letting go, that person will notice higher energy levels, more clarity in thinking, and even a greater sense of well-being. And it opens the doorway (and space) to positive energy.

All of the 'stuff' we had packed away in boxes, oh so many years ago, soon became a distant memory. Amazing how things that a person thinks they 'can't live without' can disappear and not be missed! But I knew I would have to tackle the mountain of boxes sooner or later. Preferably sooner as the box mountain seemed to be growing (I know, it was only my imagination, but still...)

I wanted a small house to live in, less acreage to clean and maintain, which meant that a HUGE portion of our 'stuff' had to go! I was so tired of all of our 'stuff' dictating where we could live, how we spent our money and taking up so much of our free time! I began to go through the boxes of our stuff and our kids were the lucky recipients of many family heirlooms and the rest of the items went to a booth at a local curio market to sell. Amazing how unburdening ourselves of this 'baggage' gave us a chance to finally breathe! And have fun!

We are still currently decluttering. Progress has been slow because of time constraints but the mountain is now smaller. Because decluttering is a very emotional, yet therapeutic process, I would just as soon go slow. Giving ourselves time to go through 'stuff' means that we are able to really assess what is important to us. And to say goodbye to an old way of living. I won't lie, it hasn't been easy. I have kept many items that will eventually end up in the 'go pile' or in a box for one of the kids. Aren't they so lucky? 

I did learn some helpful tips during this process of decluttering. 

1. Allow yourself plenty of time to purge! Don't set goals which are unachievable, you are only setting yourself up for disappointment. In the beginning I set a goal of filling the outside recycle bin once a week with boxes, packing, etc. This was a very attainable goal while I had nothing else going on, but once I became busy with other projects this goal became a source of stress. So now I simply hope to go through a box a week. If I am able to go through more, then Huzzah! and if not, no big deal. The boxes will still be there waiting for me when I get a free moment.

2. Put on some energizing music. I love music. And I work best while listening to music.  The type of music has everything to do with motivation. If the music is mellow and sappy, then you might just find yourself taking more walks down memory lane than you care to make. Music with an upbeat is so much better!

3. Don't be afraid to keep an item or two (or three). Don't feel like you have to get rid of everything all at once! This will be a source of stress. Keep what truly speaks to your heart! You may find as time goes by, that even these items will lose their appeal. If in doubt about something, place it in a closet or storage box and then come back to it in a few months. You may be surprised by how you feel the second time around.

4. Decluttering is hard work! Not only physically but also emotionally. Be sure to eat properly and get lots of rest. And if you find yourself stressing about the whole process, take a step back and work on the project another day. You'll make no progress or feel bad about the progress you have made if the stress level is high.

5. Decide what items will best serve you in the next stage of your life. The multitude of antique books we had collected gave us very little enjoyment. So off they went to be sold. Maybe that old fruit compote dish is a gorgeous antique but does it really serve a useful purpose stashed in the back of the kitchen cupboard?

6. Re-organizing in not the same as decluttering! Decluttering means to physically remove the items from the house. Re-organizing is simply just re-arranging. Decide on a charity or organization to give your unwanted items to. If the charity truly speaks to you, then decluttering will be easier to do.

7. We all like nice things, but is that dollar store statue really that nice? Do not blame yourself for being materialistic. Our society brainwashes people from the time they are old enough to see to think that material objects will bring them happiness. As I stated yesterday, love, laughter and family is what nourishes the soul not that shiny, sparkly, do-dad! Stop buying numerous trinkets and save your pennies for that one item which is truly nice.

I have found that since I have begun the purging process, I want less and less stuff. Oh, I still hear the books calling me, but I am learning to like the Kindle.  And digitizing our music library got rid of BOXES of music and movies. Don't be afraid to explore other avenues for enjoying your vices! (Still not sure what to do about my plant hoarding....)
I wish y'all the best in your decluttering projects! If you have any good hints or tips, please feel free to share!

Living Deliberately

Living Deliberately.

What does it mean?

Thoreau coined the phrase in his book, Walden or Life in the Woods. He wanted to live each moment of his Life to the fullest by studying and understanding what it meant to be alive and be a part of the great plan of Life. The core meaning hasn't really changed much over the years.

How many of you out there are truly able to enjoy your lives? Are you able to make conscious choices about the Life you are leading? Do you work to meet all your obligations - car payment, mortgage, credit card bills? Or are you able to work to benefit yourself and your loved ones and achieve the dreams and goals you would like to? Do you volunteer because you want to make a difference or because it is what everyone else is doing? Do you have the free time you'd like or is every spare moment monopolized by others' requests?

Living a Deliberate Life takes thought and planning and an active choice. The best way to start is to take pen to paper and write down what your goals are and how you see yourself achieving them. Then take action. If you can dream it, you can do it!

When it comes time to leave this Earthly plane of existence, will you be able to say you have no regrets about how you lived your life?

In the coming weeks, I will share with you how Hubby & I are Living Deliberately.