Self Care Through Journaling

While clicking through the internet not too long ago I came across a post that gave me 25 different journal prompts for Self Care. This inspired me to rethink the way I write since I have been suffering from some writer's block and not really been in the mood to continue on with the pieces I was previously working on.

So today I am going to share the first prompt, what I wrote and how it made me feel about myself after writing it.

Prompt 1: What are 10 things you are good at?

For me, it was a little tough coming up with TEN things that I am good at so I figured this was a good time to really sit and think about the things that I do that I am proud of and feel like I am good at no matter how small it was. After taking a night to stew on the question I made a list and decided to just write about that particular list.

The first thing that I am good at is taking care of my children! Making sure they are happy, healthy and safe is what I am really the best at in my own mind at least. (I like to think that they would agree)
Two, I am good at coordinating outfits for people. I can put together outfits from anyone's closet and they are always pretty good (having three kids with different styles helps).

Three, I am good at taking pictures. I love to take them all the time because why not remember as many moments as possible when I am older. I love taking pictures of pretty much anything but there is always a reason for it. I figure if I get old and start to forget these pictures will be a way to remind myself of the times I want to remember.
Fourth, I am good at organizing and color-coding. I like to put things in order, there is a sense of satisfaction at seeing things all lined up and neatly put in place!
Fifth, I am good at sparking up conversations with random people. I do have a lot of anxiety, HOWEVER, if I find something that sparks a compliment or that makes me smile I tend to speak up about it. I just can't help myself sometimes and that is okay, I think everyone should be able to say when something makes them happy with no shame.
Sixth, I am a good cook. I love trying new recipes, buying new spices, and trying to convince the kids to explore new things in the kitchen as well. I have found ways to sneak in the "good for you " stuff into their favorite dishes so I know they are getting what they need out of every meal!
Seventh, I am good at crafting. I am good at finding ways to use just about anything for making art. Upcycling things and getting supplies from places like (dollartree.com) and (walmart.com) I can make just about anything I want for gifts, household use or even just fun holiday decorating.

Eighth, I am good at multitasking, even right now I am doing about four different things while writing this particular post. I have a great ability to do many things at one time with the most ease.  I probably do it more than I should but it comes in handy when you have more than one child, a really great significant other and a household to keep in order.
Ninth, I am good at listening to others, I love to listen to those I love, friends, family, when anyone really talks about things they love. I also like to hear their sorrows and be a shoulder if they need me to be.

So now we are at the final thing of the ten, this one I feel is the most important, its the one thing that should really be on every single one of your lists should you choose to make one about what YOU are good at...this final thing is...I AM GOOD AT BEING ME! There is really nothing more important than that. No one else could be the fun, quirky, purple-haired, rainbow glasses-wearing, weirdo that I myself have become from the years of life I have lived!

Honestly writing this piece about myself was very therapeutic. It helped me to spend a lot of time thinking about the positives that make up who I am. This is quite the opposite of how I spend most of my days ( I am working improving on this in many ways this year). This self-care journaling is just a small part of what I hope is improving my life and its quality.

If you would like more information about these prompts, send me a comment and I can tell you more. I plan to do prompt writing again in a future post as well. Stay tuned and keep reading.

Mid-Month Reboot

So it seems like the weather can really mess enough stuff up to throw someone like me off track for all the things I was into. Snow days with the kids home and canceled things that I was going to do because trying to do them in the yucky weather was NOT going to be easy.  I did use those days to catch up on the housework and to make a big dent in the things I wanted to get going on this year though.

One of the newest additions to my routine is TEA! I have found some awesome ones and I love them. If you are a lover of tea you have to try Yogi brand teas. Head on over to https://yogiproducts.com/ and check out their story and all the available flavors. Maybe even you will find the perfect one for what you need! A fun bonus is that each tea bag comes with a little touch of inspiration to get you through the day!

Since I am also trying to find things that my body and system can tolerate better I have also switched to Lactose-Free kinds of milk. I have been trying different ones to see which is my favorite, so far the one that is the best tasting is Fairlife Fat-Free Ultrafiltered Milk ( https://fairlife.com ) which has been wonderful at making sure those uncomfortable side effects I have from drinking milk are a thing of the past!

Another thing of the past, the fight between vegetables and the kids. I have found several new recipes and fun ways to get the kids to choose at least one vegetable they love and still try ones they may not be as happy about eating. I still have to give a little incentive to get them to try more than one bite/piece of whatever offensive vegetable is on their plates but I think "baby steps" are a good place to start!

Now as the month is looming closer to the end I am closer to being on track. This week I have been able to keep up with certain things like laundry, grocery shopping, taking my vitamins, and even slipping in some workouts here and there to keep on track with my weight loss goals!

I would have to say the first month of this year while being a little bit bumpy, is definitely off to a good start and I cannot wait to see how my next goals pan out!

Thanks for listening and reading! More to come soon!

Short Term Goals toward Big Changes

So here I am at the end of my weekend on Sunday afternoon, the TV playing the Seahawks vs. Eagles, me at my desk while my favorite guy yells and cheers on his team in hopes of them winning this game and making it that much closer to the big one. It's the beginning of the first week back to our normally scheduled life. We will be back to school for the kiddos, back to work for my love, and back to maintaining the household for me! Believe it or not, I am actually looking forward to it and I am super happy to implement some new changes into my daily tasks. Today is actually the third day of doing some new things in my life, I have started planning out when during the week I would like to do certain things, such as meditation, drinking more water, and writing this blogpost!

So tomorrow starts a new week, a new adventure and several new chances for small steps to big things! Since I have so much to be excited about doing I plan to enjoy my night, finish watching a movie with my love and head to bed to get some good rest! I hope you all enjoy or have enjoyed your weekend and have a super week ahead! 

Goodnight and keep reading! 💚

A New Year but not a New Me

Now that we have gotten that out of the way, welcome to 2020 and thanks for reading along. 

I know most of the time when the year starts the internet and real-world are covered in "Resolutions" that we all start promising we are going to stick to. However, you will not find those here. I have decided that this year I am just going to continue doing what I started to do in 2019. There is no reason for me to say "New Year, New Me" I don't want a new me, I kinda like me the way I am, I am loved for me why change that. 

Now don't get me wrong I do not mean that I don't think there are things about myself that could use some tweaking, I would love to go down a pants size (or 4) so I have already started eating better, exercising more, and making all-around healthier choices for myself and my family.

That was something we started before the holiday season tempted our sweet cravings, so I plan to continue that. I also plan to work on my mental health. I have done research, planning and implementing of things into my life that helps with that already (otherwise I probably wouldn't have made it through the holidays quite as easily).  

Something I found that helps with my particular issues 
*(if you would like to know more about mine leave a comment) is staying organized and having my home as in order as possible. ORGANIZING is KEY for me! I have working on finding thrift shop finds and free items from friends and neighbors as often as I can because it makes it WAY easier to organize when you have a place for EVERYTHING!  (There will be a post about some of my finds and what I used them for coming up later this month) Just implementing a few changes here and there in our life has made a huge difference in how my mental health impacts my day to day routine. 

Another change I made last year was trying new things. That extended to making new friends, going to new places, eating new foods, and doing things I would have once hesitated to try. This year will be filled with more of that. I will continue to put myself out there and say yes to opportunities that are presented to me with less fear and more ambition! I will do things I have always wanted to, and I will finally cross off a few more things from my bucket list. 

That also ties into me keeping track of my days and making memories with my family. More photos, more crafting, more reading, more time together because it is so very precious right now in the world we live in. The kids have been growing so much and it so hard sometimes to realize just how independent they are all becoming. I suppose I nurture that by finding ways for them to make decisions in our home, holding them accountable for their actions and chores, and making sure they always know how they feel matters. I want them to grow up knowing they are loved. That is really my only goal in life! I want those I love to be happy and know how much they are loved. That extends to my friends, my family (near and far) and even strangers because with the way the world is we need as much love out there as is possible. 

So now you know what my plan is for this year, I would love to hear what your plan is. If you don't have a plan and that works for you then that is okay too. For me, a plan works best and I wish you all the best! 

Coming up this year here @Making it Work Together, we will visit bucket lists, crafting, organizing, mental health, and what works in my house for our family's particular needs! If there is something you would love to see, please feel free to leave a comment! 

Happy Living! - MomentofMom