Infuse Intention into your weekend (or week) – Friday 5

Hey Wonderful Souls!

The weekend is upon us (though these ideas can be used any day!) and I know that if I don’t have at least a bit of an idea, intention in my week or weekend that I can just spend the time reacting to whatever instead of responding and being intentional. When I do that I always feel drained and annoyed about it. So here are 5 ways to infuse your week(end) with intention.

1. Create a list, if it’s the weekend then create what I used to call “weekend wanna” list. What do you want to do, explore, feel, accomplish? This can be really simple, try not to flood yourself with expectations.
2. Plan something ahead of time, look around at what’s happening locally, plan to spend time in your yard or on your balcony.
3. Create something, a meal, a journal page, a photograph…
4. Notice how you are feeling, what your breath is like, where your shoulders are (as in are they up by your ears?!)
5. Look at those you love and those you are interacting with, put down your phone for a moment and really listen, engage.

How will you infuse your day, weekend with intention?

Here is to living Inspired, Creative and Empowered

Heather

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Books I loved or am loving – Friday 5

Hey Inspiring Souls,

I just love reading. It’s one of the things my Father taught me growing up (and a love of learning these go hand in hand!) I thought i would share 5 books I loved or am loving!

I am still reading through Mindful Grieving and You are a Bad ass, but I am loving them so far!

What are you reading or have you read lately?

Here is to living Inspired, Creative and Empowered

Heather

 

Lists to make- Friday 5

Hey Beautiful Souls!

I may have expressed before that I love lists! I have a list of lists I can make!

Lists can be fun, revealing, helpful and healing.

Here are 5 different list you can make.

1. Things that nourish you, what makes you feel cared for?
2. Things you want to do, create, accomplish for a season or some other specified amount of time!
3. A list of things that you are grateful for
4. More of/Less of list (ok this is actually two!)
5. Things that you appreciate about yourself

Here is to living Inspired, Creative and Empowered

Heather

Connect- Friday 5

Hey Beautiful Souls!

Even though we live in a world that is hyper connected, it’s easy to feel disconnected in so many ways. I want to share 5 ideas of ways to connect.

1. Connect to yourself, Just breathe. When we stress or are really distracted we tend to hold our breaths. Be intentional and notice your breathing.
2. Put your device down and look at people you are interacting with. When you are at the store and checking out, make eye contact, when you are asking your loved ones how their day was, look at them.
3. Ask yourself (in a journal or just ponder) what do I most need right now?
4. Go outside, connect with nature! It doesn’t matter where you live, I bet you can find a flower, a tree and you can always find the sky! Take a moment to just connect, notice the sounds, colors, feelings of nature.
5. Reach out, notice people. Reach out to a friend or loved one just to check in. As you are walking around doing various errands notice people, smile, say hello… simply notice others.

Here is to living Inspired, Creative and Empowered

Heather

Things to stop beating yourself up about- Friday 5

5 Things to stop beating yourself up about

1)      Collecting books. Unless you are blowing your budget or pushing out your family members to house the books then I don’t see too much of a problem. If you’re like me at some point you’ll decide to stop beating yourself up about it and give yourself permission to surround yourself with stacks of goodness and potential. Just be mindful if you start feeling like those stacks are an obligation and not opportunity

2)      For not doing enough. Oh boy, this is a difficult one for me! There is often much to do, sometimes we are filling the space with things that we feel like we should be doing. No matter how much we get done. It never feels like enough. What you are doing is enough, in fact, it would be awesome for you to make notes sometimes about all the ways you are rocking it, showing up, getting it done!

3)      For not being the perfect___ (spouse, partner, employee, parent) Look, if you are showing up (as opposed to avoiding) there are bound to be some mistakes, some things you wish you had done,  that you wish you hadn’t done or said or… So forgive yourself, learn from it, move forward.

4)      Your contradictions: I don’t know about you (though I suspect many of you feel the same way) But sometimes I feel like I confuse myself. It’s not just my emotions that feel like they conflict with one another, it’s other things about me too. (Ready and Afraid at once, Introvert and outspoken advocate) Those are just a very few of some of the contradictions I feel like I possess. I think that we can embrace them instead of beating ourselves up about them) own it, use it and appreciate the ways that your contradictions support you! You don’t have to be an either or.

5)      Not having it all together, all figured out.  Because really, who does?! It may seem like some people really do have the secret (whatever that is) but we forget that what we see of others (most especially on Social Media and the like) is curated. It’s meant to show you the parts that they most want to show you (and I am not saying that this is bad, not at all. I am saying it’s not a complete picture). Some things we are figuring out as we go along day by day. Other times we have learned some lessons and hey we might have some of it figured out… for now!

Tools to support you in your grief- Friday 5

Hey Beautiful Souls,

As many of you know my Father passed away last June and it’s been a huge loss in so many ways for my family. The truth is we all have either gone through, will, or know someone who is going through grief. It’s a journey that has SO many layers to it. Some days I do fine other days it hits me like a ton of bricks. I have used some tools to help me with the process of grief. I am not going to say get over it or move on but to help me move forward.  I wanted to share those tools with you as I have benefited from those who share their tools, experience, and thoughts on grief. I am certainly not anywhere close to an expert, just someone who has gone through/is going through this journey and knows that others speaking out has helped me. ❤

5 tools that have been supporting  me through grief:

1)    Books on grief. One, in particular, that’s unlike any other grief book I have read so far  is Permission to Mourn by Tom Zuba

2)    Allowing space to feel, this one is actually really difficult for me with not just grief emotions but others as well. But allowing myself to feel what I feel and not constantly assume I need to figure it out and fix it. Allowing space to get out a good cry if I need to.

3)    Writing/Journaling/Creating. For me this has come in in the form of a few letters, spiling out paper, visual journaling and even painting I found some great prompts in a course on grief. The journaling can come in forms of lists, rants, letters to your loved one, visual journaling (images and sometimes words that capture what you might be feeling) Don’t overthink it or judge it, just allow it to be expressed whatever way it wants to.

4)    Sites like: What’s your grief,  and this site/podcast  (and there are some really supportive grief groups on facebook)

5)    Deep breaths and moving my body. I will be honest, there have been plenty of times where I don’t feel like doing anything. Just sitting and zoning. But I know this isn’t good for my mind, body or soul so I have been known to talk myself into it, a lot! Plus seeing some of what my father or other family has gone through is a massive reminder I need to take care of my health. 

Some of the best advice, but often difficult for us to follow is: Don’t judge your grief, (what it should look like, feel like etc.) and most of all be gentle with yourself. There are places to go to if you decide that a grief counselor or group would support your path to processing your grief.

Here is to living Inspired, Creative and Empowered

Heather Shafer

Inspiring and easy things to do this weekend- Friday 5

1. Get outside, or open the windows (and I am not just saying that because our crazy, yet lovely weather is mid 70’s right now.Even if it’s chilly… get some air!
2. Make something: Plans, a meal, a journal spread, jewelry, connections, a doodle.
3. Put on a song you love, blast it and boogie to it. Sit down and close your eyes and soak it in (“bonus’ points for journaling about a memory or feelings that song brings up.
4. Gussy up (pretty up!) a tiny space in your living environment. Add a plant, move things around your house, clear off some clutter, dust. (pick one or do as many as feel like a yes!)
5. Read, carve out a little time to sit and read a chapter or few paragraphs of a book, catch up on some yummy and inspiring blogs, savor an article or 5 in a favorite magazine.

Here is to living Inspired, Creative and Empowered

Heather