Quick note:

Hi!

Sunday's exercise was to reflect on the previous week... actually I have been reflecting all week ad especially last night.  I started this week's Design Your Life at the right time... I think Michelle said "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear".


Monday was simply to Exercise your body... I ran around and sent out 31 pieces of art to New Jersey and 1 piece to Laurie in Texas!

Tuesday I skipped some things and helped my friends at their new place which was more than my body could handle.  Today I sit here still in a ridiculous amount of pain... going around in my mind what I should do and what I am going to do....

I have to add to my list of goals is to figure out how to do what has to and what I want to do without going over the edge....

Design Your Life - Exercise 7

Well, it is Day 7 of  Design Your Life!!


I'm pretty excited about it too.  I was stuck and now I am un-stuck!  I am following the new path and have planned steps to take to reach my goal.

Today's exercise was easier because I'd been working on the steps I need to take and Ms. Sherry's example fit me so well (like a glove):

She did my exercise for me!  Well, almost....

My rough drawing wasn't good enough for me so while I ran to the Hardware Store, I was thinking about 'steps'... there aren't many around here... everything is pretty flat.  So I took a ride along the river.  I saw a spot where if I was in the water I could have used some stones like stepping stones along the river's edge but not taking a picture from the shore.  It didn't work. So then I got to a park and thought these round orbs along the walk would work....

So, in order for me to reach my GOAL, these are the steps I have to take:

1. research ways to sell my art ~ done
2. decide on my name ~ done
3. put together my Portfolio ~ working on already
4. create my inventory  ~ working on
5. send to sell ~ ASAP
6. learn more ~ I am...
7. replenish supplies ~
8. create more inventory ~
9. repeat steps 3 thru 8 ....

So now, I am working on my inventory and my current Portfolio... watch for what I come up with (soon)....

Do you have a Design (for) Your Life?

Design Your Life - Exercise # 6

Good afternoon!

My sleep is all messed up!  I go to bed tired and then... my eyes spring open and I am awake for hours.  As it gets to be the time where I say, if I don't fall asleep by whatever o'clock I'll just get up...then I fall asleep.  That's about how it was last night so of course I wasn't up and moving around as early as I planned.  I did get some of my errands (the necessary ones) done and I am back to post and then paint some work that is in progress.  I am looking forward to finishing these pieces.

Before I left, Design Your Life posted Exercise #6...

When I think about myself, without going into the long drawn out story, I think of myself as a survivor.  I have and have been told, good survivor skills and reflexes... and they have served me well.  So when I had to come up "with one word that means something to me"  and "use each letter to describe your design", I came up right away with survivor. But while I was out and about, I thought about it...

The words I used are:

• sarcastic
• understanding
• responsible
• vital
• independent
• visionary
• outgoing
• reliable

 Now there is nothing wrong, pre se with these words, but as I drove around, blasting my music, I thought about how many times I thought to myself that I don't want to be a survivor.  Not that I don't want to survive but I don't want to just survive, I want to LIVE!  And there is a difference...

The difference is, to me, that I have been surviving and getting by BUT what I want to do is LIVE... Live, Love and Laugh...Live Life to the Fullest, Love Fully and Do What I Love, and Laugh till it hurts, till I lose my breathe!!




 So now I want a new word....
how about MERMAID?  YES!  It's a Mermaid Life for me!!

So, there you have it.  Just like angels come into your life as friends in disguise, teachers come in as Mentors and teach you things you didn't know as well as things you didn't know you didn't know and you didn't even know you wanted to know. I am so encouraged going forward.  This journey has taken many twists and turns and I am excited to see the path before me as the journey begins again along the beach.  I am so much more relaxed at this time doing what I love to do and learning more as I go.  It's just magic!!  I am very interested in living, learning and laughter! It's a great way to keep from growing old and stagnant... and who wants that?  I am delighted that my brain took this twist and my life as well...I think I had to step back and remember that I am Designing MY Life ad what is it that I want it to be...how do I see it in a dream and that's the path to take.

Design Your Life - Exercise 5

Well, Good Morning!  Here I am on Day 5 of my journey for a new life thanks to Design Your Life.  In those 5 days, I have cleared up some of my stinking thinking and am writing and drawing in my journal.  I have made a commitment to write here too.  One of the things about sharing here (for me) is whether you read it or not (I hope you do) is I am holding myself accountable.  I have to continue because I am sharing this with you and I don't want to let either one of us down!  Some things are more personal than others but I share them with you because maybe you're there too; maybe you'll think about it and see something else in your life; and/or maybe you'll join me on this new journey and join in and Design Your Life.

Today's Exercise 5

Write the one thing missing in your life... write a paragraph on your thoughts and feelings on that void and sketch/draw/paint in your journal.

Here's a few things that have come to light this week in doing and reflecting upon my lessons...

Living alone, of course, has its ups and downs.  But what has happened to me is there are things I love to do, things I like to do and things I'm not crazy about but have to be done.  When I was working outside the home, things still got done before or after work and on days off.  Now, not working outside the home, it is so easy to fall into a trap of there is always tomorrow!  That just means I don't feel like it!  Which can mean that things pile up until they become over whelming and then, where do I start?  Things then are no longer enjoyable or fun because whatever it is now a chore and I don't like chores.

As some of you know, I have been pushing myself (too far) to do certain things around here that need to be done.  When I push myself too far it sets me back and sits me down for days sometimes.  But what I am realizing is, I am allowing the pain to steal my joy and just sitting it out!

So, my answer to today's exercise, in short is: My time management sucks!  All my time is mine to do as I want and wound up in the trap where I pretty much do NOTHING!  I have taken time for granted and there's something to the words: "to live like you were dying"!

I am feeling encouraged, good, focused, on my way!  Focused on moving and going forward ~ excited!

Another part of today's exercise was to take this photo (Morning Walk and Meditation) and share something inspirational:

Photo Credit: Design Your Life

 

 I added the prayer:

My journey begins and ends at the beach...

Good Morning Lord, Thank you for another day to breathe the salty fresh air and fill my lungs with your wonder. Thank you for another day to feel your tide ebb and flow as you tug on my feet to remind me to stand tall. Thank you for the majestic view as far as my eyes can see and remind me that I am one of your creatures as we share this beach. Thank you Lord for reinvigorating my soul! Amen

I hope you have a wonderful day!  Until next time....

 

Design Your Life - Excercise 4

Good Evening!

Late start today and very much behind but I didn't want to not share the next exercise.  I had a bad night trying to sleep and feeling like I am ready for bed now, so this will be short.

Feeling tired and not focused, this one took a while to think about and come up with words... I sat with my notebook and decided to draw a sketch of the tree to help focus on the task... Could someone tell me how a palm tree didn't come to mind?  

Anyway, this is what I came up with:

My roots at the bottom and words that describe what I am starting to learn (I stopped reading): focus, plan, action, achieve, believe and acceptance.  BUT what I am starting to learn what my design is, is simple.  What disability has done to me is limited my abilities physically and financially. What my design has done is shown me  that my limitations do not include my ability to learn, restructure, paint and share to keep going.  I CAN DO THIS!  My vacation trips to parts of the country or the world for walking tours may be off the list but painting and sharing is not...maybe a trip to the Jersey Shore could become possible.

In my branches, the words to describe my Design Life are: happy, inspire, freedom, relax, peace, rewarding, satisfying, paint....

I'm not sure I went in the right direction on this exercise but you know how it is when you come to the fork in the road... 

It's a journey to Design Your Life !

Design Your Life - Excercise 3

Good Morning!

I hope everyone had a good weekend and looking forward to a great week.  It's Monday and I got up later than usual but spent Sunday evening with friends watching movies.  When I woke up, I was wishing it was Friday already...bad thought pattern to wish time away!  So I got my coffee, my notebook and headed over to Design Your Life.

Today's lesson helped me with my thinking....

I posted:

I went through my notebook, highlighting the lessons, crossing off my Actions done, and working on others...I learned I need to FOCUS and lists are good!  Thank you for getting me back on track instead of day by day aimlessly!

Let me just take this one step further...

(Background) In 2008, I lost my job, my home and my dog. I wound up on disability and here.  A couple of years later I adopted my new baby, Heidi and together we live alone.  Anyway... that's how I got to where I am now.  Some people go through empty-nest, divorce, death, but we find ourselves in uncharted waters that were not part of our plan.  Now, honestly, I've been floundering around for years with no real direction and I am sure I could continue this pattern for years more but what would I accomplish?  I could continue to dwell on what I can't do and what it used to be like but what purpose does that serve?

It's time to wake up!  It's time to realize and grab a hold of what I can do!  It's time to ACCEPT!  There is ASSISTANCE right in front of me!  My Mentor has been patiently waiting for ME to take the opportunity to be what I ASPIRE to be... and it IS what I can do and be!

I love to paint.  I love to share inspirational quotes and sayings.  I love combining the two.  I enjoy looking at them but how many can I have that I still enjoy them without sharing them with others. And that was the point, wasn't it?  To make them to share with someone else that enjoys.  It's time to let go and move on and make more.  That is my passion. 

What are you doing?  What do you love to do?  What do you love to share with others?  Isn't it time for you to Design Your Life ?

EMBRACE YOUR JOURNEY

  

Design your Life - Excercise 2:

... and my journey continues...

Today's Post:

Design Your Life

Right now, I am feeling like a sponge again.  I am open and soaking up allot around me.  I am soaking up the sunshine, the warm breezes, sights and sounds, information, and most recently, I am soaking up the tutorials from Paintin Place on YouTube.  

I am driven and excited to watch them and driven to paint more...learning more.  

I love the beach.  I have spent the best and worst times of my life there and I keep going back.  I want to expand my paintings.  Colors, especially tropic colors light my spark and seeing them come alive ignites me.  Ms. Sherry also ignites me and makes me want to do more.  My gift of painting... I want it to be simple and clean but fun, souvenir-ish, that you have to have to remember "that" moment.

All those things and more, and Ms. Sherry, nourish my soul. 

Now it's your turn!  Have a great day!

Starting a new journey today!

Good Afternoon!

I am starting a new journey today and I am excited!  I'm so excited about it that I wanted to invite you along... and perhaps you'll take your own journey too.

Ms. Sherry from Paintin Place Decorative Art Studio  has started a new page on Facebook called Design Your Life!  It just started today so get in on the beginning and get started.  This is how Ms. Sherry explained the start:

Hi Everyone. My name is Ms.Sherry. I teach art classes here on the Jersey Shore. Through my teachings I have met and seen so many testimonials on how many people aren't following their passions, and once they start their whole life changes and falls into place. Design Your LIFE!!!! start here with us today.

Today's first assignment and my response:

I really wanted to write "PAINT" three times; paint inside, paint outside, paint anywhere!  But sometimes  I try to seem normal.  But paint is highlighted because that is my passion.  After that Ms. Sherry suggested a notebook to keep during this journey, so I grabbed a sketch book and used a 'paint pen' to mark the cover:

DESIGN your LIFE with Ms. Sherry

After adding my list to my book, I made another list of 5 things I want to do to move forward.

After that was these posts:

This is a challenge - call to action.  Open your eyes, open your mind.  Do what has been nearly impossible and choose something better!

The hardest step is starting!

Today's Lesson:

•  EXPLORE - inside for top 3 things that feed your soul;

• EXPRESS - your most favorite and how you begin the steps toward it;

• EXCELLENCE - achieve it!!

I think she is talking to me directly!  She has stirred my soul, once again, and I am moving forward, once again,  so hold on tight and WATCH ME GROW! 

I hope you will join the journey and DESIGN your LIFE!!