How I've Been Staying Calm

I recently discovered this book by one of my favorite artists, Jill Bliss: Drawing From Nature. I decided to use the exercises in this book as a sort of drawing meditation in my never-ending (and all the more important now due to infertility issues) quest for stress-reduction strategies. I highly recommend this book to anyone. It is filled with beautiful illustrations, creative prompts, and everything you need to induce a Zen-drawing mode. So far my favorite activity was the "blind contour drawing", which turned out surprisingly beautiful! Just goes to show how incredible things can happen when you let yourself go :)

Adventures in Infertility

A peak at my current medicine cabinet (or rather box)......

DIY: Handbuilt Terrarium

Re-purposed photo coaster

For a long time I have heard about how surrounding yourself with positive affirmations can make a serious impact. I've been skeptical of this idea for a long time. However, I recently discovered that surrounding myself with positive reminders makes a big difference. I think of it as broadening the concept of "vision boards". Today I took some meaningful quotes off my Pinterest board "Words to Move You" and placed them in glass photo coasters I had sitting in my storage bin. Now I can take these small but powerful reminders with me to work. Every time I raise my glass for a drink I can read one of the following and smile:

"You're beautiful, every little piece."

"Because when you stop and look around, this life is pretty amazing."

"Choose happiness."

"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution." - Albert Einstein

Sunshine, coffee, and raspberries

Happy birthday USA! This morning Adam and I celebrated in our own special way, with freshly brewed coffee, steamed soy and chai, fresh organic raspberries, granulated sugar, yogurt, and cream. All the freshness of summer rolled across our palettes.

As I watched Odie lying in a ray of sunshine it hit me - I am so very blessed. Blessed for this food, blessed for this caffeine, blessed for the love of my family and friends, blessed for the sunshine entering through our window, blessed for my health and strength, blessed for the reparative presence of my dogs, and blessed for the rhythm of my breath that lets me know, ***yes - I am alive.*** So today I find myself not only celebrating the birthday of our country, but also my immense gratitude.

What exactly are you celebrating today?

My Flock of Sparrows: A New Tattoo

I have been contemplating getting another tattoo for quite a while and after much research I have narrowed my decision to a flock of swallows. This is why:

- Traditionally, a person would get a swallow tattoo after making a long significant journey (like completing graduate school!).

- Swallows are monogamous, which is rare among bird species. They will choose one mate and nest with no others. Thus, they are often symbols of loyalty and fidelity. This is also why I am choosing to start my "flock" of swallows - starting with 4, one for me, my husband, and our 2 dogs. As our family expands so will the tattoo :)

- Because sailors would look for swallows as signs that land was nearby, they are also symbolic of hope and freedom.

- In Egyptian mythology swallows are symbolic of fertility and a renewal of life (with my fertility treatments I could use all the help I can get!!)

I know the image I like but my next challenge is placement. I want to keep this tattoo small and I am currently debating between placement on my foot, back, ribcage, hip (I would do my wrist but I have one there already!). If you have any thoughts or comments please let me know!!!!

Inspiration

So beautiful.

I heart this.

Unique placement on the rib cage.

I love the idea of the back but I can't decide where!

Great silhouette image and placement.

I just like the placement of this, on the side of the middle back.

Again, I like this unusual placement on the ribcage.

New Vision Board

As a part of my more intentional living I decided to revamp my vision board to fit with my current aspirations and goals. For me, this board provides clarity, motivation, and strength. It is a constant reminder of what I hold to be most important in my present life - whether it be tangible goals or personal qualities I hope to cultivate. Some of the things on my vision board:

I narrowed down my previous board, removing and adding as the imagery/text best with my current vision of a wholehearted life.

- "Unrealistic" card: A treasured reminder from a close friend.

- Dogs enjoying open windows in a moving car: A reminder that sometimes the simplest things in life are where I can find the most joy.

- Kelly Rae Roberts business card: A constant source of inspiration (I hope to start selling artwork online).

- Sunflowers: Every week or so I buy or pick myself fresh flowers. Being surrounded by reminders of life and beauty are important when you work at a Hospice organization.

- The long list on the right was taken from a FitPregnancy magazine, outlining components of healthy living for moms-to-be and their babies.

- "When I cannot bear outer pressures anymore, I begin to put order into my belongings ... As if unable to organize and control my life, I seek to exert this on the world of objects.": This quote reminds me to be gentle with myself as I begin to relax my perfectionistic tendencies.

- "Eat eat eat": I am working towards putting on weight in a healthy way for both myself and the family we hope to one day have.

- "Home, at last": Eventually I would love to start building a home.....make our nest :)

- Mary Oliver's poem "Wild Geese": I think the first line says it all, "You do not have to be good." (shout out to Chelsea who inspired the inclusion of this poem !!!)

- "Nurture yourself": I am working towards cultivating self-compassion and self-nurturance.

- "Yoga and meditation": One of the ways I am nurturing myself is through a daily meditative practice and occasional yoga (it is the only exercise I can really do and I also love it!!!)

- "Stress free": I am constantly developing self-awareness of my personal stressors and ways to defend against maladaptive coping strategies .

- The small piece above "food" reads: "There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort." - Jane Austen. As a homebody and introvert I need a reminder that it is okay to take time alone to recharge. However, it is not okay to use this personality trait as an excuse to isolate myself rather than reaching out for help when I need it.

- "Love motherhood": As I undergo this difficult period of fertility treatments to treat my CHPA I need a reminder of what it is all for.....

So, what's on your vision board?