Personal Mantras Etched in Silver

In the silver jewelry workshop I made a ring with my words that just popped into my head at the time, words that I can hang onto when feeling low and words that I can aspire to when feeling good. I didn't add spaces as I just wanted it to look like lots of letters scattered on the ring:

" BREATHEJOYLOVEBE 

  WHOLEHEATEDLETGO

  CREATEBRAVEWOW  "

The words on the ring has now become my personal mantras.

• BREATHE - mindfulness has been a big life changer, the easiest way to get there is through     my breath
• JOY - always look for it, it's never far away, most often to be found in the simple moments
• LOVE - feel the love, let the love flow, it's all about love
• BE - in the moment, in the now, it's all there is
• WHOLEHEARTED - far from perfect, being vulnerable, open
• LET GO - let go of expectations and the story surrounding it
• CREATE - I need to create, it opens me up, it brings me immense energy and joy
• BRAVE - receiving and giving love requires vulnerability, which requires courage, it's totally worth it
• WOW - choose to focus on the positives (Wow!) instead of the negatives (Ow!)

The ring is far from perfect but has such huge sentimental value to me. I love wearing it.

Baby Animals

 

There's nothing like a baby animal to boost your spirits and warm your heart, unless you dislike animals, which I can’t understand.

On our 3 day holiday/break in Napier we visited a goat farm with plus/minus 30 baby goats ranging from 2 weeks to 3 months age.

The delight on Julia's face just being with these was enough to warm my heart for another month at least.

Quirky Eccentric Artists

 

We are slowly building up our collection of art. I love how artists inspire others with their quirky ideas and recycling of such materials as door knobs, spark plugs etc. This guy is called sparky because he has a spark plug at the end of his body.  Sparky is sitting on our coffee table peering out at us and enjoying the fire when it’s cold.

AM Yoga

Doing a short yoga routine anytime during the day is a priority now, morning works best, it makes me more present, more relaxed, more open and flexible to what the day might bring. I do it in our art room and after the routine I lie on my back listening to the music, breathing, watching the sun creep over the house and light up the big old palm tree, staring into the sky - feeling grateful for this day, the gift of another day.

A Well Chosen Gift

 

Oh the delights of motherhood continue, through all the hard times we may have, there are so many more joy filled moments with laughter and spontaneity at the core.

For Julia's 6th birthday, I had mountains of fun filling a sewing box for her.  Mum and I hunted around for the perfect box, which took forever. We then had so much fun filling it with a whole lot of sewing bits and bobs from pins and needles, to scissors and felt, ribbon, thimbles, buttons, etc.

The joy of watching her bring that sewing box out now all by herself, to start sewing projects is adorable.  So far she has sewn a skirt and hat for our Boston terrier, Amy, along with a patchwork blanket that is a work in progress. She has just started beading, stuffing and stitching felt xmas tree decorations for gifts.

I’m grateful because I know in my heart that my daughter loves this gift from my heart to hers. Sewing has been a very big part of my childhood as well as Julia’s.  It comforts me to know that she will probably have that box forever and hopefully will always have fond recollections of us just chatting away whilst creating, needle and thread in hand.

Taking Action Now!

 

 

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Today I am remembering how important it is to act now.  It’s easy to keep saying to ourselves, to our children, to our loved ones….we will do this “once I have time” or “get the materials I need for that project” or whatever the case may be… do it now, sew, cook, mosaic, do it all – you never know when it might be the last time.  Remember my new fave quote.  How you live your life today is a reflection of how you live your life!

I love the pic a friend sent me – Live with no regrets and as though there really is no tomorrow…think about what you would do right now if there was no tomorrow.

A Peanut Butter Moment

This is a photo that captures the emotion of absolute present mindfulness -  which brings forth joy.

We made our own peanut butter by roasting red skinned peanut, shelling them altogether around the table, popping them in the food processor and whizzing with a tablespoon or two of peanut oil.

We all hovered around that processor with teaspoons ready….Delicious… the taste of it, but more wonderful and delightful, was that JOY  i felt.  It’s so important to practice mindfulness daily…we think we are being present but the majority of us aren’t…the peanut butter moment was a great reminder for me of the gift of being in the ‘moment.