The kids are usually all asleep by 830 and then my husband and I do our bed time routines and then we are snug in our bed. And once we lay in bed, that’s it. It’s that pleasurable *sigh* that comes with laying in your bed after a long day. And you officially shut down.
Honestly, I love being in bed early. It amazes me that I use to stay up so late! In my early twenties you didn’t leave your house to go out until 11pm. Not interest in that anymore, at all.
I love being all snug in my blanket next to my hubby.
As for waking up, it’s on average between 6 and 7am. That’s not by choice either. The kids wake us up.
Truthfully my sleep is so chopped up and has been for years. But that’s the life of having littles.
What strategies do you use to increase comfort in your daily life?
I try to ready everyday. I stick to personal growth type categories or memoirs. Anything that will serve me and the people around me in a great way.
I’m currently reading a book about men and women and relationships by John Gray, Ph.D. It’s really good. I have a few friends that I’ve already suggested this specific book to because they are having trouble in their relationships but honestly I don’t know if they’ll take my suggestion. So much insight out there, it’s mind boggling to me how there’s little eagerness to just try to understand why people are the way the are. But we are getting off topic now.
I read for joy but I also read to develop myself to “increase comfort in my daily life.”
There’s a book that I recommend. It’s called,
‘Read & Grow Rich’ How the hidden power of reading can make you richer in all areas of your life
Challenging yourself to learn something new everyday whether it be about yourself, family, a friend, nature, a specific subject, whatever….
The knowledge you acquire cannot be taken away. And stacking knowledge in the mind body and spirit will lead to more comfort living.
Can’t recommend this strategy enough. Reading will change your life.
P.s. if it’s hard for you to sit still and read, try an audio book. Listen to the audio book while you drive places.
Truth be told I don’t spend much time thinking about the future. It’s so uncertain. However I am fully aware of its importance. And I try to be very mindful of the path that I am creating that is indeed shaping the future.
I don’t even like to make plans typically because things happen that change the course. Which I have grown to welcome with grace. Life is life.
There’s this joke I heard awhile ago that I always think about when making plans or visualizing the future.
If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans
Don’t you love it. Because how true it is! But also how disappointing it can be.
But you know what, sometimes you envision something and it doesn’t go as you would have wished……
it’s becomes something even better and sends you on a path of incredible journey.
Whatever the future holds we have to trust it, as hard as that can be. We can only do so much, God has got the rest.
I love music. I have many favorites. However as I have gotten older I’ve been steering more towards instrumental and music that just conveys a message so deep it leaves a lingering taste in your ears.
The artist I mentioned above is currently my FAVORITE right now! He’s incredible. Go to YouTube and check him out!
Watch his music video for ‘Different Masks For Different Days’. You either get it or you don’t.
If you’re on Apple Music also check out his ‘Just Piano’ Album. Just incredibly beautiful. I love his other albums too and I hope to see him live on day!
Ahhh music……thank you God for music and the incredible souls who possess such gifts that make every atom in my body dance and feel!
I think this vacation is memorable because I can’t believe how stupid I was. Then again, I was young. And when you’re young you aren’t thinking about consequences or repercussions. You are just living and wanting to have fun.
I was 18 years old and it was spring break. The year was 2009. A friend of mine had invited me to go to Mexico, aka Rocky Point. That friend was a wild one. Believe me.
Which is why I called up one of my best friends (my good conscious) and asked if she wanted to go to Mexico for spring break too. Of course she said yes! We were party girls at that time just livin’ it up! But not party girls like we slept around. Not even close. We were more like “good girls”. I just don’t want you, my fellow readers, to develop the wrong impression.
So my friend and I decided to travel by ourselves. I didn’t even tell my parents. I was already living on my own and I didn’t feel any reason to tell them anyway. Plus, I knew they wouldn’t approve.
My friend and I drove by OURSELVES, AT NIGHT, through Mexico! 18 year olds!! I could punch myself. Just thank God. Thank God.
When we got to our destination it was us and about 8 other girls crammed into this little ghetto motel room. We were young, we didn’t care. We would just be sleeping there anyway.
We did have a great time. I’m laughing now just reminiscing lol!
We rode the banana boat, we jet skied, my friend and I did horse back riding on the beach during the sunset, we rode quads, we drank pina colada’s, and we danced all night. We were truly living in the present.
I remember being on the jet ski with my best friend and I was driving and when I turned the jet ski super fast she flew off. We laughed so hard! It was hilarious.
There was another moment when we were on the banana boat and there was a guy (who was my age) who was sitting across from me. When the driver of the banana boat was going super fast he pretended to be falling off, he then grabbed me and we fell off together. He thought I was really pretty. It was a cute innocent little moment. He saw an opportunity to talk to me alone in the water and went for it lol. I give him credit. He was cute too.
Another moment that sticks in my brain is my best friend flashing her boobs haha! It was like an Amish girl coming out in a mini skirt! Shocking, but you were there for it! I just love her. She’s still one of my best friend and whenever we talk about this trip we still can’t believe how naive and ignorant we were.
There’s so many more details to this trip, but as the saying goes….
What happens in Mexico stays in Mexico.
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Lots of love my friends! This was a fun question to answer. Now I’m going to text my friend!
Being romantic is paying attention to the little things of what someone says or does and then acts on it. It’s sweet little gestures like a kiss on the cheek or forehead, or giving a smile or wink across the room. Being romantic is being respectful and gentle. It’s expressing your love in unique ways.
Oh goodness……there is nothing. Nothing I would be confident enough saying out loud that I’m an authority in. I’m a work in process. Still learning.
However I will say my children believe I am an expert in life. Especially my little blondie seven year old. She asks me so many questions. Some redundant and some that are truly thought provoking.
I have to assure her that I don’t know everything in life. And that nobody really does. But that’s the beauty of life and what makes life interesting.
I notice how my children look to me for answers. And right now, “I have them.” But soon enough they will realize that I don’t know as much as they believe.
However I will always encourage them to be an authority on themselves.
You will always be worth getting to know and specializing in.
The quote in the title is by Leonardo de Vinci. And I can testify that learning about myself has been the greatest gift I have ever given myself. And this is a gift I wish to pass to my children.
I’ll tell you when I really started living a life of gratitude.
The thing that first opened the door of gratitude was having my first child. Such a surreal experience to grow life. Absolutely miraculous. So much love. You think you know what love is, and then you have a child. It’s such a different expression of love.
Having my child revealed to me how I was just as miraculous to exist and to be here living in this world. I began to love myself.
Another thing that really provoked me to enter through the door of gratitude and walk through was I began watching space/universe documentaries and such. I mean, you know how small you are in comparison to the world but when I was watching these documentaries I was just thinking, “holy crap, how is any of this possible.” I began to ask so many questions and really began to notice the great creator and his creations.
I look at nature in such a different way, I began to notice how everything is connected and how nothing is really independent. It’s so beautiful.
So I say a lot of silent prayers or thanks you in my head. I smile at nature, I take time to watch the sunsets, I give my children lots of grace and myself, I work on patience, I take my time, I read, I write, I speak often with my children that everyday is a gift, I let myself cry, I let myself scream, I allow myself to feel, I say sorry, I forgive, I forgive myself, I let it go….
Allowing myself these things helps me to be a better human, mother, wife, friend, neighbor, example….
I remind myself often that I am loved and that I am a miracle. That all ofTHIS is a miracle. And that helps me to live a life of gratitude and express gratitude daily.
I try not to spend too much time or energy worrying about the future. It takes precious time out of the present and life is short.
Although I try to be mindful how I spend my days and my choices. There’s this yoga YouTube channel that I’ve watched a few times and before many of the yoga exercises start there’s a quote that appears, “your decisions today will define your tomorrow”.
I love that quote. While there is so much uncertainty in the future there is also so much in our control. We are the shapers. I do have concerns, absolutely. But I can only control myself, and in working on myself I know that can and does inspire others to work on themselves.
We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.”
Mahatma dGandhi
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble
The Wild Gems 