An idea!

PL

Lately I've been thinking about something...

I've mentioned the negativity detox last week. I've been doing sort of okay with that (could be better and will be). I've been thinking I should do a real full body detox. Not a cleanse, not just a good long soak (though both of those sound appealing), but a real-life detox top to bottom, from the rooter to the tooter, so to speak. 

Lately, I've just been thinking about how good it would feel to focus on one part of me at a time and just devote time to care for it. For example, a week of intentionally caring for my skin intensely, or my liver etc. Does that sound insane?

I already care for myself pretty well, but I could definitely do better. I don't really "treat" myself the way I'd really like to, either. Plus there are so many awesome ideas on Pinterest for DIY spa crafts! So, and bear with me here, I thought I'd cull together six treatments/detoxes/etc. to try focused on one area at a time for a week to a week and a half at a time. I know some will stick and help me to maintain long term self-care. Here are some of the things I want to research to work on.

*Lungs

*Skin

*Eyes

*Liver

*Hands & Feet

*Muscles

*Heart

*Digestive Tract

*Mind

*Sinuses

*Throat/Voice/Esophagus

What do you think? Think you'd want to try to focus on caring for your body in such a manner? I think no matter what you do, as long as you care for your body, your body (mind and spirit) will show its appreciation. 

Stay tuned on what I end up doing! I hope you have a truly wonderful day, buds!

'Tis just a flesh wound!

I'd had slightly more grandiose plans for today's post. However, I had a hell of a mishap in the kitchen last night and am too grumpy and bandaged up to do much more than this. Promises that tomorrow will be better (that's what I'm telling myself anyway!). 

And I don't care who ya are, "Bitch Stickers" are for tough-ass bitches (if I left this nonsense exposed I'd be all gangrenous and Master & Commandery...ain't nobody got time for that! 

I'll be normalish and rationalish soon, I swear. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Post-birthday care, cleanse and detoxification!

29 Dogs Who Made Huge Mistakes.

Now that the birthday festivities are over, I'm taking my last day off (for a while) to get organized for the week ahead. I was all over the place this weekend, not minding my budget as much as I should and indulging in all kinds of wonderful treats. Nothing too out there, no record-breaking in the booze department, no Nutella-slathered craziness. Just...more indulgence than usual. I don't feel (too) bad about it, I'm just glad I have a day to recover!

In that vein, here are some other "recovery" tips and what-nots to aid in getting one back on their feet after a weekend of debauchery and fun! Just because you fell so far off the wagon you can't see it down the road anymore, doesn't mean you can't dust yourself off and start taking good care of yourself again. Right?! Right!

*Morning Green Smoothie. I make a version of this at least once a day to get my fruits and veggies in one fell swoop. The key is to keep the ratio 2 fruits to 1 veggie so it tastes awesome and not salad-y. I'm about to go downstairs and whip one up for myself! I like it because even if you ate hot wings and pizza for three days (ahem), and you do this one thing- you feel awesome for it and it snowballs into overall better care for oneself.

*Drink too much? I'm adding this one early since Mardi Gras is in a week. Here's a super yummy "mocktail" to cleanse your liver. Take it easy on your livers (and kidneys), guys! Drink more water while you're at it, okay?!

*Ten easy yoga poses that promote detoxing and the cleansing of the body!

*Here's another easy one: Five Daily Detox Routines.

*I've heard several times that dry-brushing does more than make your skin pretty. It's also an important tool in cleansing your lymphatic system as well as your overall circulatory health and your body's ability to remove toxins. It's the cheapest and easiest thing on this list apart from just drinking water! Check out this information on it. I'm convinced and will be giving it a go today!

*Give reflexology a try. I've been interested in it for ages, but have never done it. After looking over these reflexology charts I had to laugh because two of my chronic areas of pain are correlated to places on my feet where I've broken bones that have never healed correctly. Regardless of whether you believe it works or not, give it a try. At least your tired feet will have a little massage by the end of it.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

A is for...

Go on! Jump in, y'all and get muddy!

Happy Wednesday, friends! How is your week going? I'm back at work today after a very pleasant and productive two days off (could use about 29 more to be honest). I've been in my head a lot these past several weeks. Even through the static and of-no-good-use derailment last week, I've had a lot floating around my head about my life, career, skills (or lack thereof), things I want to accomplish, fears, friends, family, BMI, money, recipes, apartment hunting...well, I could have stopped with "a lot of things" but I think you follow me.

I've mentioned before that I've been meditating. It helps tremendously for me, and yes it takes a bit of practice; but now I look forward to it everyday (especially my before work and after lunch mini-meditations). Since the derailment last week, I've been looking for ways to improve upon my mini-meditations and get more bang for my buck particularly when I'm stressed or in a work situation I don't care for. While searching, I stumbled upon an article in Mind, Body, Green. I like this website most of the time and I have found some pretty, shiny gems there rather regularly.

The 4 A's of Successful Meditation Practice caught my eye for obvious reasons and after reading it, I got to thinking a little bit about those 4 A's and what they really mean when it comes down to the nitty gritty stuff that comes up when left alone with one's thoughts. The 4 A's are as follows:

Awareness

Acknowledgment

Acceptance

Action

In regards to meditation, most people unfamiliar with the practice may be surprised at the depth of the psychological aspects that accompany it. For those who practice, whether you like it or not, you know you come face to face with a lot of things that have been rolling around your ole noodle waiting for a chance to be heard.

Never one to be afraid of my own emotional dust bunnies, I didn't fret about those things bubbling up to the surface as I'd had it happen in previous experiences with meditation (and I sincerely believe that working through that gunk and garbage is worth it). However, the sheer volume has been surprising! Nothing mind-blowing or anything. Just...life stuff.

All of this is to say, friends, that outside of the realm of meditation, one can apply this 4 A's to help with the gunkier more garbagey things in your life. Things like talking disparagingly about yourself or others, sabotaging your healthy goals, lashing out at people when you're upset with something else entirely, drinking to excess, dangerous addictive issues, withholding affection or gratitude for a vague sense of power...you get the picture. Deep down inside you are aware that these things exist within you (and are projected from you). No one is ever truly shocked to find out they do something that hurts themselves or others- there's a voice inside that can never really be shut up. It'll wake you up at 3 am and not allow you to sleep. Blame it on whatever, but eventually- you'll have to listen to that little voice and become aware of the bigger issues at hand.

Acknowledge that little bugger. It may be sitting in your living room for a little while. It'll feel like it's everywhere with you and that's because it is. Until you accept (and try forgiving) the part you played (or someone else did, if that applies) and accept that you are human and guess what? Humans make big stinking, smelly mistakes all day every day. It may not be okay what you're dealing with; but you can be okay with being healthier and happier despite it.

Then take action to change that shit.

Make an effort every day to alter the habits, dark words and thoughts, guilt, shame, and anything else you may be feeling from all that old crappy stuff. Make the littlest change a day, such as giving a compliment to someone when you'd usually keep it to yourself. Apologizing to someone you've hurt in the past, or choosing not to complain about eating this or that in your healthy-eating plan and instead close your eyes and identify the flavors you do like (in carrots for example). Be present in your life. Use those 4 A's to kick the troublesome issues of your big P (your past) right in the ass and out to the curb. Incinerate that nonsense with love, forgiveness and courage.

Working through major and minor emotional issues isn't easy. It can be ugly and you will have to allow yourself the fact that you are/will be vulnerable (and perhaps accept the vulnerability of others while you're at it). You will most likely have to make some big apologies to others and especially yourself. You will ugly cry like Sookie on True Blood (LOVE that ugly cry!). You may rage, you may scream at yourself in your car or at the sky. It's all good. Work through it. Crawl through it. Scrape through it. Then suddenly you'll find yourself in the clear. Aware of a new kind of peace and a bigger slice of happiness than you thought you could stomach beforehand.

Good luck friends. I'm doing it, you can too!

I hope you have a truly wonderful day!

A funny thing happened on the way to the theatre...

Aquarius.

Now y'all know I've been analyzing things a bit lately. Yesterday I happened upon some information about Aquarians (I happen to be one) and I started laughing out loud and nervously adjusting an invisible tie. A lot of the things I've been trying to work through and deal with (in my attempts at growth and healing), were written right there before my eyes!

I've always kind of listened with one ear to astrology. It's fun and interesting but it isn't for everyone. Anyway, I about fell out of my chair as I read description after description (some not so nice) of my personality and some of the traits I've had troubles with. Here are a few for your enjoyment too (especially if you know me or any other Aquarians):

*"When an Aquarian stresses out about having too much to do, they typically step aside and do nothing at all." I'm super guilty of that and totally have written about it on this very blog!

*"Aquarians hate mind games. Just be straight-up with them." That is currently one of my issues with one of the situations I mentioned on Tuesday's post for heaven's sake! I get so pissed off when people play games. Passive-aggression grinds my gears like nothing else because to me, the games are so blatantly obvious and infuriating and worthless!

*"Aquarians are the most determined when it comes to honesty. If they catch you in a lie, they won't stop until they know the truth." I would add to that we also don't ask a question if we aren't prepared for the honest (sometimes painful) truth and we expect the same (perhaps unfairly sometimes) from the people we engage.

*"Aquarians will do the opposite of what you tell them to do, just to show you who's in control." I will add to that statement: "Unless we smell a trap. Then we just do whatever the hell we wanted to in the first place." We are a "special" group. And that control thing? I've totally done it in varying shades.

*"Aquarians love pleasing others, but you should expect to return the favor. They [deeply] value being treated the way they treat others." Oh yeah. The golden rule, man. It's important!

*"They find humor in a lot of things. Their funny bone gets tickled pretty easily." That could not be more true. I literally giggled as I typed this sentence.

*"Aquarians don't use the terms 'trust' or 'friend' loosely." We give a lot of chances, but when you're out yo, you are out. Period. We'll be civil, but the hands are washed, man.

*"Aquarians are more ruthless than they let on." Yep.

*"When an Aquarian gets mad, no one is safe." It takes a lot to make me mad and when I am...well, I've been told I look like the devil.

*"Aquarians will hide their jealousy. It's weakness in their eyes." I totally slapped my forehead on that one. I've never thought about it like that before but it is exactly how I view jealousy...and big, boastful egos while we're on about it!

*And here's the clincher for me, because it is absolutely my biggest pet peeve and I get all weird when it happens. "Being ignored by someone who's attention means the world to you is the worst feeling." I would add to it that "ignored" really isn't the term I'd use. It's more like if I'm speaking to you and you don't listen or tune me out, it affects us more deeply than it would anyone else [aka a normal person]."


I have to be honest, it was hard to read all the non-flattering descriptions and have them ring very true. I had a few uncomfortable "aha" moments. There were more that I didn't even want to post. But all in all, it was an interesting discovery and it's had me thinking a lot about my current trying situation (mentioned Tuesday) and about how I can handle these traits of mine that are very real and not always pleasant for others to be around. How I can handle my end of the situation in a better way.

It was also a much-needed boost to hear the positive things too. Things about being loyal, honest, truthful, sincere, and loving much more deeply than we sometimes can show. There's a lot going on in my brain and my heart and I just want to do the best and be the best me I can be.

What about y'all? Any Aquarians out there that can relate to any of those descriptions (be honest with yourself!). What sign are you and do you agree with the descriptions of traits? Do you think it's all hogwash? Do you have to admit that every now and then it hits the nail on the head? I'd love to know!

And while I'm at it, y'all, a reminder that it's okay to dig through the uncomfortable, ugly and sticky parts of our personalities. It's important to learn from mistakes, mend things and grow. Be good to yourselves and others. It's as simple as that! I truly hope you have a wonderful day!