I'm back!

I can't believe I took so much time off away from this blog. It really is fun to get out and come to Starbucks, order coffee -something different every time and sit amongst others with just as much action. I have been put on a new medication since end of June. This medication in addition to the other one made me so sedated. Getting up was a task. I have so many topics to write about.



My husband has been pointing out how many things I'm forgetting. Whether its something he or someone else told me moments prior or something I told someone twice because I forgot I told them in the first place. I'm wondering if this is something to tell the doctor?! Like I'm getting stupid or something. ???? damn meds damned if you do, damned if you don't. they help in so many good ways but side effects can sure be challenging.

So our house had been on the market these last 3 months. We got a handful of showings and 1 offer. The offer didn't work out. Hubby and I agreed that if nothing happened end of 3 months we'd discontinue contract. So we did just that. I'm happy because the idea of moving was worrying me to no end. Which is probably normal for anyone selling a house. Now I can continue with my life as its going in a really good direction now.

So I have a few new friends in my life. Which is exceptionally good since they are all local. My older friends all live in other states. New York, Cali, phili, N. Carolina, florida, colorodo!! I haven't made new friends in a long while. So this is warmly welcomed.


That's enough for the updates..

commitment part 2

So I've done it, I became a member of a gym, again! I am on day 2 and I was having trouble getting out of bed. First to do my blogging at Starbucks and after that go to the gym. But I did it; I got free. This is for me, for my benefit. Being lazy will get me nowhere. Except to feel down and negative about myself.

Anyone else have trouble committing to things?

I heard it takes 21 days to formulate a habit. So I have 18 to go!

I beat myself up a LOT! I have all the time in the world and don't take advantage of that.  Tv is not helpful or important. I use to watch Sex and the City all afternoon. over and over again! as they ran marathons on E!  Now that I don't have cable I have nothing to watch. well , nothing too good.

I can commit to a man really easy. I make a pretty damn good girlfriend/wife... but as far as daily routine items I suck at it. Here's what I want to commit to:

face care routine (cleanse, tone, moisturize)
exercise
art making
rosetta stone

none of these are difficult really maybe the exercise one will be the hardest for me.
 Let me know down below if you have something you'd like to commit to but are having trouble with it.

Today's drink: Café LAtte

comittment

I'm baaaack! Well I was adjusting to my new meds that made be even sleepier than before without those meds. But now I'm hopefully back to the grind.

The topic of today's blog is commitment. This is a character defect of mine. I have all these great ideas and then I start them and then never finish. Some things I'd love to be able to commit to...

1.) daily walk or daily gym use (I currently have no membership and a hole in the belt of my treadmill at home.)

2.) skin care routine. I do it at random. I'd like to do it consistently daily!

3) art journaling or making art daily

4)cooking on weekends or trying new recipes


How come I cant make habits of these things I've listed??? I think its laziness.

The TV is so much easier of an option..

When it comes to relationships I am huge on commitment. I am good at it. I like it. I repect it.

When it comes to jobs I'm horrible at it. I get started and want to leave soon there after.

When I told my friend that my husband said I'll get a gym membership and wont stick to it. He said prove your husband wrong. hmmm.. can I really commit to a gym membership??

Ive had Lucille Roberts.. went 3 times. I've had Bally's and went again maybe 3 times. and then Planet Fitness a handful of times.

And.... if we move I wont' know if there's a gym near me.

I recently bought Gretchin Rubin's newest book. Better Than Before. it's suppose to help people commit to things and form habits.

I'm hoping the book will be JUST what I NEED to make habits!

Gretchen Rubin website

Today's coffee: blonde roast with a shot of hazelnut

organizing

Organizing is sooo my thing! I absolutely love it. When I was a child my mom called me a pack rat. If I had a purse or a bag or a box, I was stuffing random things in it all over the place. Now I stuff things in side of things in an organized fashion.

I firmly believe in the phrase: a place for everything and everything in its' place!

I also have a love of purging items. Something about alleviating space that makes me happy. I feel like less is more. Even the decorations in my house are taking up too much space and makes me feel cluttered.

I learned somewhere from a book my mom read that the less clutter and more organized your home is the more money you will generate. I don't know but I'm pretty organized and I haven't seen more money because of it??!!

So... I want to do this as a profession. Right now I can't have a job but in the future I think I may try to go into the organizing industry. Regular jobs I end up watching the clock! when is it time to go?
When I'm organizing I feel time flies. I'm enjoying it so much. I'm good at it. I'm confident at it. But how do I get customers? That's my biggest questions.

So you can become a certified organizer. There is schooling for it . But I think my ability level doesn't need school. Maybe if I get customers in the future I can think of attending school for it.

Today's drink: Grande Blonde Roast

gratitude

So if anything else in this world its to be thankful. Although we have challenges aka problems we still need to put value on our life. In the worst or best of times one thing needs to stay consistent and that is gratitude.

grat·i·tude

ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/

noun

noun: gratitude

1. the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

 

 

 

 

I pray every night- thank you God for all you have given me today. I want to get in the habit of praying and being thankful every morning too!

 

 

  Here's a great website all about gratitude:

http://www.unstuck.com/gratitude.html

 

Here's an example situation from that website

 

When you find yourself
in a bad situation ask:
What can I learn? When
I look back on this, without emotion, what will I be grateful for?

 

 

here is a site with 3 apps you can download

 

http://happytapper.com/

 

I keep a gratitude journal. It should be done daily if possible. I admit I forget to make an entry frequently. But if you can make a habit out of it you will realize there is more to life that we know it.

 

An entry could go something like this:

I am grateful for:

 

- getting out of bed

- this yummy white mocha drink

-the weather is practically perfect

- being able to sit outside and blog

-my family is healthy

-I have the freedom to do what I want daily

my furry daughters

 

OK I'm sure you get the idea.

 

lastly:

 

Today's drink: White Mocha Raspberry

 

 

Why Still Alright to Smile

Hi everyone! Today's post will be about why I named the blog Still Alright to Smile.

So first off this phrase is a quote to a Guns N' Roses song. The song is 'Patience'. The song goes as follows...
 Shed a tear 'cause I'm missin' you
I'm still alright to smile.

So this song is really about a man that misses his ex girlfriend. But regardless, I love love love the quote.. 'still alright to smile'. Because in life no matter what happens you still need to keep in mind that life isn't that bad and this too shall pass.

I have wanted to tattoo this on me but I think my patience tattoo will suffice.

When I was going through a big breakup with my ex of 8 1/2 years I was also obsessing over Guns N' Roses and more particularly Axl Rose. I firmly believe that my obsession is what kept me sane and distracted during the break up. Axl was a transitional force for me. I was always fantasizing about him and I together. Of course I was into the old Axl. He didn't age well, let's just say that.  But Guns N'Roses really kept me relaxed. Particularly the song Don't Cry.

The song Don't Cry is what catapulted my obsession. Because of the breakup  I was so sad and suffering from frequent bouts of crying hysterically. When I heard this song it was like he wrote it for me. I admit to letting it play on repeat for countless times.

Have you ever had a song mean so much to you???

 

Talk to me softly
There's something in your eyes
Don't hang your head in sorrow
And please don't cry
I know how you feel inside I've
I've been there before
Somethin's changin' inside you
And don't you know

Don't you cry tonight
I still love you baby
Don't you cry tonight
Don't you cry tonight
There's a heaven above you baby
And don't you cry tonight

Give me a whisper
And give me a sigh
Give me a kiss before you
tell me goodbye
Don't you take it so hard now
And please don't take it so bad
I'll still be thinkin' of you
And the times we had...baby

And don't you cry tonight
Don't you cry tonight
Don't you cry tonight
There's a heaven above you baby
And don't you cry tonight

And please remember that I never lied
And please remember
how I felt inside now honey

So after that song was engrained in my head I moved on to listening to the entire cd. And all the other cds they have. I started collecting photos on the computer to add to my Myspace page which was a complete worship page of Axl and GNR. Then I discovered DVDs of Guns in concert! Now not only can I hear the songs and I can see his hottie self dance around stage.

 

 

Original artwork for album cover

 

So I began buying tons of GNR related things from Ebay. I have the original cover of Appetite for Destruction. That cover was banned right when it came out and I have a mint condition copy of it! See above image. I have mousepads, cigarette cases, record singles, magnets, magazines, dvds, cds,

 

So basically to end this blog.. My passion for Axl and all GNR songs reminds me that no matter what.. I'm still alright to smile.



 

My obsession has since died down. I no longer listen to their CDs on repeat or watch the DVDs daily. But I'll never ever forget how this band has gotten me through hard times.


Please go to my dear friend Linda's website:
Linda's website


Today's drink: Blonde Grande w milk and sugar

 

 

Happiness is...

Happiness is… Art making Playing with my nephews Drinking yummy smoothies Being bored with your best friend Girl time Moving to Florida Smelly Angel perfume Vision boards Smell of fresh cut grass Listening to 80s music Hugs Finding money! Your pillow when you’re super tired Warm brownies  Today's coffee: Mocha Frappachino

Topics for this blog

Hey there everyone! I'm here at Starbucks and its another glorious day! I'm sort of second guessing myself about this routine. If I can pull it off it will be so beneficial and therapeutic. Even if nobody I know reads this I still want to do it. So here is a list of topics that I might blog about.

-art therapy

-seniors

-dementia care

-my battle with illness

-anxiety/ worrying

-depression

- children

-general life events

-long term goals in life

-mandalas

-family

-marriage

That's me deep in thought!!

So let's begin with anxiety/ worrying
If it can be worried about, I worry about it! I start with a lil' thought and then as time goes by it snowballs into something huge. My mind obsesses over it and it won't let go. Worrying doesn't make the future easier it makes the present harder. When I'm nervous my heart races, I feel it in my gut. It's oddly enough a guilty gut feeling. hmmmm... not sure what I'd be guilty about.

A miracle has occurred this year. I have rebuilt my relationship with God. I now 'let go and let God' for most things. But there are many things that that phrase doesn't help with. The anxiety is way out of my control at many times.  I have created a God box in which I put anything that I'd like to hand over to God in there.
Recognizing that there is a higher power who is IN CHARGE has been so beneficial for me.
I have many many a fears! Maybe I'll list some here.

Fears:
house fire
accident with car
dryer fire
daily mail (bad news???)
social situations depending on the atmosphere


I'm sure some people have similar fears but they don't let the fears control your life.
There are many more fears but these few are the major ones that concern me each day.
I know when I am art journaling my fears seem to disappear. This is why I went for a master's in Art Therapy, because it works!!!! it is so therapeutic. I might get a book of mandalas to color. They are so relaxing to make. I will post several blogs on the topic of Mandala in the near future. I want to read the book I have again called , 'Creating Mandalas".



OOOOh on another note ... today is Soul Collage Meetup!

 SoulCollage® is a creative and satisfying collage process. You make your own deck of cards - each collage card representing one aspect of your personality or Soul. Use the cards intuitively to answer life's questions and participate in self-discovery. Joyfully deepen your understanding of the relationships between your personality parts, you and your family/community/world, and you and your dreams, symbols, and Spirit.

 

Thanks for reading!

Today's drink: Cinnamon Dolce Latte

A new adventure

So.. I'd like to start by saying that I have wanted to blog for years. I opened this particular blog site a few years ago. My intentions were to post daily. What would my topics be? I wasn't so sure. My inspiration: Carrie Bradshaw with Sex and the City. She always seemed to have such poignant things to say. Granted she wasn't blogging but I feel a blog and a newspaper column are similar in length.

So the plan is to start my mornings every week day at Starbucks. Here, in the atmosphere of other people, action in general and enjoying a lovely coffee related beverage! My therapist suggested that I get out of the house at the same time every day for at least an hour. He feels like the more I sit at home, the more worrying I do. As my mind is not distracted by anything but my own thoughts. So my mom suggested this!

I am so thankful in life to have the liberty to do this daily. I know that I will be so proud of this if I can pull it off daily. It's so much more rewarding than watching Good Morning America and Kelly and Michael!
I desperately need structure but not the form of a job. Job would be too overwhelming for me at this point. I tend to imagine what would work best for me and then the TV wins. Ideally I would art journal daily, blog daily, read daily, exercise daily; you get the idea.

Stay positive!
Thoughts for the Soul
"They who handle a matter wisely shall find good: and those who trust int he Lord, happy are they" Proverbs 16:20

Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.

Bob Feller

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/start.html#8OvZAPLKS1sHW7fW.99

my drink of the day: caramel macchiato