Hello and happy Monday! I had a really nice weekend with family and now I’m recharged and ready for this week. This is Nick’s final week of summer so I want to make sure we put some fun into it!
I was listening to a podcast this morning while exercising about being busy. I like when something makes me pause and think about it a bit so I thought I would spread the word.
It seems like our current culture puts a high value on being “busy” and devalues stillness. I remember the days prior to smartphones and tablets even prior to pagers. But now down time has been squeezed out by 24-hour access to anyone and everything. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy using my iphone and computer and e-reader. But somewhere along the line, we lost the value of stillness. So much so that we find it hard to do both physically and mentally. We associate stillness with laziness and feel guilty if we engage in it.
Today, with this beautiful weather, I am working out on my deck listening to the breeze in the leaves while I work. This is something I love to do, I imagine it’s an ocean and the waves are cresting. I enjoy spending Spring, Summer and Fall months on this deck. But lately I have noticed that I don’t stay long enough to be still. I won’t just sit with nature and be, I will grab a book (which is great) or try to knock off something on my to-d0 list. I want to be still but guilt creeps into my thoughts and I move onto something else.
I’ve read that when we start forgetting things, we automatically think dementia or Alzheimer’s is our fate but the fact is that we are over worked and stressed. We have too many things on our lists and we don’t take natural stillness breaks. I say, why not build it into your day. It’s not a natural occurrence but we can make it a new habit that can benefit us in many ways. Start small with a 5 minute stillness break each day and then add more throughout your day. You don’t have to meditate, you just have to be still and move towards comfort with it. So when I finish this post, I am going to silence my phone, go sit on my comfy chair on this deck and be still for a bit without guilt.
I thought I would share photos of Apollo watering my flowers this weekend. I hope that one day, when he owns his own home, he will grow a garden and find ways to fit stillness into his days.
Have a blessed day!
Belinda
While walking in my flower garden this weekend, I had to stop and pause when I saw the varigated Phlox in bloom. My former neighbor, Inez gave it to me before she moved so when it bloom, I always think about her. This year, I have come to more deeply appreciate the relationship I had with her and how it was a true blessing to have a neighbor that brought joy into our lives.
Well I hope Nick is having a great day. I am sending positive energy his way in hopes that he is having a good time and adjusting to the new environment.
I wasn’t even looking for this when I walked into Michael’s. But there it was on a rack right in the front of the store. I currently keep track of my fitness routine on my iPhone with two apps.I use my Fitbit app to keep track of my steps, track my sleep and log my weight and the other is called fitlist and I keep track of my weight training sessions. So a wellness planner was pretty much the furthest thing from my mind. But curiosity got the best of me and I had to take a peek. But I tell you what, I liked what I saw. It is a disc-bound book which I am familiar with but never owned. I usually have spiral or 3-ring books. The first thing I noticed was the great photography and sentiment as well as the cute page flags that are connected to the front of the book. 
In the inside it has beautiful bright colors and a nice overview that allows me to see my 12-month progress at a glance. I like how it doesn’t have the dates already written in so that I can start where I am rather than the traditional calender that begins in January.
On this page it has a place for me to reflect on my progress, think about what works and doesn’t work and plan on changes to meet my goals. I can also include a selfie to have a visual of where I am at each interval. 
Now I have read over and over how keeping a food journal can really make a difference when it comes to eating healthy. I typically start one and then quickly stop or I don’t include the “extra cookies” I might have had on a particular day. So I am going to really try to push myself beyond my comfort zone and try to do this. It also has a place I can keep track of my water intake. I tend to do well in the summer but horrible in winter when I am cold. 
The stickers included are so cute and I love the vibrant happy colors. So I plan on really using them as opposed to hoarding them. Which I might add, is very tempting!
It comes with 4 sheets of stickers. 
The final detail that I love is the hearts in the discs. Such a pretty touch. I bought the planner with a 50% coupon and I also bought the coordinating punch so I can make and include my on pages with another 50% coupon. I plan to include some of my favorite tips and clean recipes with the punch. So it was a very inexpensive investment. I will share and update as I get further in the process.