September Challenge! Join in!

Tomorrow I will be starting the Live More Weigh less 28 Day Challenge. Which has nothing to do with my weight for me, but a very awesome happiness challenge and I really encourage you all to join in! There are no weekend challenges, and she sends a list weekly so you aren't getting bombarded with emails every day. :) I've been reading Sarah Jenk's blog for a couple months now, she focus' on the weigh issue, teaches you ways to love yourself, and is very motivating. A very beautiful soul. I really encourage you go check out the challenge and her blog! 

Will you join in?

<3,

Mer

Keeping Wonder Alive

The grass is not always greener on the other side, sometimes your grass just needs more water. We all need to be reminded from time to time, to stop and look at what we have a little more. Stop complaining so much about what we don't have or why what we have isn't perfect. Truly appreciate what we are given every day. I mean look at what you are doing right now, you are clicks and key strokes away from creating a relationship with some one on the other side of the world! You are most likely sitting under a roof, and if not you are outside on a lab top or phone right now. So no matter what you should at least have something right there to be thankful for. :) All I'm trying to say is it is a great feeling when instead of wanting, you realize how much you already have and can be thankful for it. I think its a habit that should be implemented into your daily life. 

(Finding beauty in weeds.)

I have always had a challenge for my self to find the beauty in things others don't. I some how managed to keep some of my childhood wonder. I call it 'Peter Pan complex'. But from time to time I forget to be thankful for this view. Especially on days I miss my mom, I need to remember what I do have to keep me smiling! 

I decided to create a challenge for it! At the very least three times a week I will post what I am thankful for, made me smile, filled me with wonder, or just plain made me happy! :) 

The inspiration came from when I was doing a reiki study at Shanti Time Yoga. I had about 6 reiki sessions and was asked to keep a journal during  The last question of the journal asked "What was the joy or hope of your day?" I loved this question. It always gave me a reason to remember and smile every day. The reiki and journaling helped me get over some fears and built up tension I was holding onto. I tried to continue writing down the happiness of my day in my calender but have failed at keeping up with it.

Than yesterday I read a article at Money saving mom's blog, which lead me to this post: How I'm Learning to Replace Whining With Gratitude by Crystal from Money Saving Mom. Which brought back the idea of writing down my daily happiness. :D

So today I am officially starting the "Keep Wonder Alive" challenge. Feel free to join in if you'd like!! 
Rules are simple. 
+When you have time, write, draw, or take a picture of what made you smile that day. 
+Post it in your blog, twitter, flickr, facebook, instagram, or however you share your love with the world. 
+If you want link back to me and leave me a message in the comments with a link to your blog, please do! 
+There is no end date to this challenge. Do it for as long as you want, when you want, how you want! 
+And most important just enjoy your unique adventure. 

Here are the buttons, if you would like one!


 <a href="http://lifeisbutaadventure.blogspot.com/2013/08/keeping-wonder-alive.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo keepingwonderalivebutton_zps011672fd.jpg" border="0" src="http://i899.photobucket.com/albums/ac191/MerMrh/keepingwonderalivebutton_zps011672fd.jpg" /></a>

<a href="http://lifeisbutaadventure.blogspot.com/2013/08/keeping-wonder-alive.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo keepingwonderalivebutton2_zps63612904.jpg" border="0" src="http://i899.photobucket.com/albums/ac191/MerMrh/keepingwonderalivebutton2_zps63612904.jpg" /></a>

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Things that made me happy today... 

My boyfriend actually going in Joann Fabric's, with me. Patiently waiting as I touch and awed over almost every skein of yarn.. (I have a yarn addiction...) That's real love, when you are dating a car guy. lol 
&
I did the hair for a client, who was standing up in her mom's wedding today. So her hair was very important. I was very nervous, but in the end she said she loved it! 

<3,

Mer

A Adventure in Meditation Part 1 . Peace of Mind

Since I started my journey learning about yoga, meditation, and peace of mind I've been trying to learn to silence my mind easier. This is one of my biggest challenges, my wandering mind. I don't know what it is but I cant just stop my minds rambling for more than five minutes. Some times its hard to sleep.(being a night owl makes this not so bad.) Part of it is due to all the chaos and change of the last two years, my brain is still healing from the loss of my mother and the shock of everything changing. But now that I'm in a happy home, surrounded by positive energy, I think its time I learn how to stop the nonsense. My adventure begins by learning how to meditate for at least 20 minutes, in silence, than eventually I want to be able to do it anywhere, for any length of time I feel is needed, like my cat. :)

I've tried relaxing each part of my body starting at my toes and slowly working up, I've tried holding comfortable yoga poses, watching candle flames and even counting. I'm just not getting it for more than five minutes before my mind finds something to think about. I am told it takes practice and patience with myself. I am giving myself a challenge to set aside 10 minutes of silence and alone time. *This is not as easy as it sounds in a home with four people, a cat, and a dog.

The closest I have come to a meditative state is when I'm creating, whether its cutting hair, crocheting, sewing, braiding, ect. Creating things keeps my mind focused for the period of time that the project takes. Yoga also has helped me find quiet, but not completely. I focus all my energy on the breathing and poses it really does clear my mind. Reiki really helped clean my mind too. It was the last time I really felt I meditated quietly. But the goal is to be able to find that silence on my own where ever I am. I will update you what works and what doesn't for me as I journey. Thanks for reading! :D

Im asking, you the reader...

What helps you silence your mind? How do you meditate? or Do you have a hard time too?

Thank you for your time!

<3, Mer

For The Love of Clothing....

I didn't plan on writing today, but my best friend Heather really inspired me!
I wanted to share with you a post she wrote about her journey through clothing hoarding, how much laundry its causing her to have, and a great challenge for everyone to join in on!

Click here to read! (If you are a fan of crochet, knitting, or spinning you will love her blog!)

The last two years have been de-cluttering for me. Not only psychical, but mental too *phew* I went from living in a trailer with four people, with their four separate hoards of belongings, than slowly everyone was gone and I was left with a house full of what the four people left behind, which was a ton of furniture and just crap lol. I had so much stuff I didn't need, want, or know what to do with. I was blessed that Heather helped me go through moms things right away, so I wouldn't have to deal with that later on my own. My mom was a paper hoarder, not completely bad, she always had every receipt, every warranty, important document, and picture ever taken in our lives.. lol But I had to go through all that and decide what was important. Oi. Luckily heather was there.
I got rid of a ton of furniture, books, decorations, paper, and just STUFF! but for some reason I cling to my clothing.. Maybe its because I still fit in my clothing from when I was 16.. lol. 

I kinda feel its a crime to just throw away a perfectly good piece of clothing. lol I have two goals: Every six months I try to go through my and clothing and get rid of at least six pieces. But its always so ridiculously hard. I realize I wear the same seven outfits pretty much so I don't need a five drawer dresser and full closet of clothing. lol My roommate Amburr has the same problem. So yesterday we went through out clothing and collected a box and two bags of clothing and donated them to the children's hospital and a church that's housing homeless woman and children. 

My other goal is to have at least half of my craft material bin gone in 6 months! I keep throwing things in there and forgetting they exist. NO MORE! lol I plan to create picture guides of how I turn old clothing into new awesome things! 
I think it is a really good idea to give your self a motivator to remove the clutter. Knowing that people who really need the clothing are going to get it. Its not going to sit in my drawer waiting for the one day I might, maybe, sorta need it. lol. 

Dont forget to check out BunniPhish's challenge! It might help you out! It defiantly inspired me!

Do you have a clutter problem too? What does it consist of? Do you think too many clothes are a bad thing? Tell me your opinions in the comments! Thanks for reading!

<3,

Mer