Do one thing at a time.

One of my weakest points, and sometimes strongest, is when I multitask. I feel so empowered when I can get several tasks done at once. The only problem is when I leave out steps in an effort to increase efficiency. Kind of ironic, right? Then I have to go back and correct anything that I have missed. And this is my case for doing one thing at a time. 

I cannot vouch for every writer or artist, but I have seen usually only one pen or fingers on keyboard, working on one book, one page, one line at a time. I have only seen an artist use one brush, one stroke at a time. This is not to say that others have not been able to do some incredible works with the Olympic medal of multitasking brilliance behind them. In saying that for people like me, it may work well to just use one brush.

That also requires a sort of slowing down. And even though it may seem a bit challenging when the phone is ringing and everyone has a request for you, let them leave a message and finish what you've started, one moment at a time.

Your body knows what's for dinner.

I was sipping on a cup of hot green tea this evening, reflecting on my eating, and came to this big revelation. When my body is telling me what to eat, sometimes my mind chimes in and says something that's totally off the menu the body suggested. And I begin to listen to the ramblings of the mind, and I eat some more.

Or I follow the wisdom of being aware of a change in taste. Food changes its taste when your body is done eating. What happens when the taste doesn't change? Sometimes I allow the food to continue tasting good, and sometimes I will myself to stop. But eating with body choices is supposed to be easy. Anything that isn't easy, such as you grappling with a dinner selection, isn't the body. The mind is at work, when thinking is involved.

http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2014/05/non-diet-diet.html

On Taking Care of Yourself.

There are so many questions I don't ask people, because of all the judgment they will do to themselves in order to answer. 

My son did that tonight, as we were sitting in ER with a nosebleed and migraine. He hadn't eaten, hadn't drank water, and had pushed it too far in the warm weather of the day. 

I told my son how he didn't need to make himself wrong in order to prove that he was right. He didn't have to prove anything...He didn't have to come to conclusions about himself because something wasn't working for him. He didn't have to make an imaginary universe of wrongs to explain his state. I just told him to make a new choice. Make a new choice. Make a new choice now! Today is good!

5 hours, Two sandwiches, 6 cups of water, 4 vials of blood, 2 excedrins and 2 Motrins later, he decided he didn't need his emotions to create drama to know he was alive. He didn't have to heal anybody. He has permission to heal himself. 

The night ended in a good laugh. 

So...just for fun...if you do one thing today, do it for Kai, and help yourself heal a little more today. Whatever that is....an extra drink of cool water, 20 extra minutes of sleep, another scoop of veggies, 3 more hugs, do it.

On Being Superior

"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self."--Ernest Heminingway

That guy, I think he was onto something...some make the effort to be the best, to be perfect, or to be humble...(and for clarification, not being humble doesn't equate to a detour to arrogance)...What if you targeting to be more of you, was easier than being the best or humbling yourself to prove a point? Who are you trying to appeal to? What are you judging yourself for? 

if you can recognize that you don't need this definition as some homing beacon so that people recognize you as part of their tribe, you may find yourself in the expanse of infinite being.

If you can allow the idea that each of these states and attempts takes you away from you being you, what would you choose?

Doing what works for me.

Hi. This is me, me being me. And that's all there is to it. And I thought my hair looked a bit more "normal" than what I see on this picture....but that's okay, because I am simply just doing me, and that has worked for as long as I've been able to create a sound from my mouth.

However, I didn't always know this. It seems that at 43, I am finally taking cues from my own self love that is growing and developing. In fact I could really refer to it more as self-gratitude. Some of the things I've done to make my life better has also made me more grateful for my life. 

For example, I got rid of the idea of having this conventional home. Now I am ready to buy a house, and the most reasonable move for me to make now, is to find something that fits the way my life demands it go. My home needs to have a space for creating, healing, cooking, laughing, loving, and sleeping. It also has to look clean and beautiful while maintaining a sense of space and order. I no longer can see myself living in a space I would choose not to keep free and clear.

Some would say that I didn't make the choice to buy when I "should" have. What I realize now is that I could not have done this any other way but through my own way. It works for me. 

Basil and Ginger oils, on healing

I have begun using ginger and basil oils, and I am about to put them in the diffuser right now. I am so excited that these oils are creating a pathway for change for me. I really feel that the oils are going to be the best investment so far, as they build a pathway to many levels of healing for me and others. as I have used the bars in conjunction with the oils, it seems to be the perfect complement to create advancement for the person I am working on. I wonder if I use basil on my fingertips while I am running the access bars. I am thinking this may be the perfect complement to assisting shifts.

Whipped Body Butters, no melting.

Here are three great body butters that whipped up fast and easy, with no melting required. 

Coconut oil and lanolin oil 

Ivory whipped Shea butter and olive oil

Cupuacu butter and almond oil

One of the greatest things about whipped body butter is that it is lump free. That's right. You don't have to sit there and proceed to soften the butter in order to get to the smoothing and spreading process. Plus the other advantage is that you see putting a little bit of another oil helps to gently change the consistency of the butter. 

Having said that, coconut oil really is a quality base when blending butters because of its flexibility.  I've never had to use beeswax in butter because the butter stands up well, keeps form and smooth texture.

In this most recent blend I've used a spoon of lanolin. I thought this oil greatly assisted spreadability. I've blended coconut oil with cocoa butter and it makes a stiff butter. Plus you have to melt the cocoa butter. I Will try using less next time. Either way it feels like a cream for a range of skin types but mostly normal to dry. I scented it with geranium and grapefruit essential oil from doTERRA. Helps to calm, balance hormones and eliminate cellulite. I am a believer of grapefruit being a tool for weight loss. Apparently the Slim and Sassy blend agrees with us, as it can be found formulated in that blend. 

Ivory whipped Shea with olive oil was a very rich and thick creation. I see it as a night cream or one for very dry skin, or even as just a foot cream. Actually I stuck my fingers in the mixture and I love it. Maybe it's not as thick as I remember. As it warms it sinks right into my skin.  Anyway I put several essential oils in: cassia, balance, holiday joy and though I think that's it, there could be something missing from this list ...

As far as just simply amazing is  concerned, the rich, creamy and smooth cupuacu butter mixed with almond oil seems to be hands down the best blend that doesn't involve melting. I'm thoroughly impressed with what I was able to turn out.

My mom, nieces and sisters all received a basket for Christmas with tea and butter. So far my mom reports that it's some of the best butter she has ever tried, because it goes in.