Journaling

I know this isn't the normal content that I post on this blog but I thought this was worth sharing!  Great article by Nancy A.

4 Powerful Reasons Journal Writing Is Good for the Soul

         4 Powerful Reasons Journal Writing is Good for the Soul 

I’ve used journal writing for self-care for more than fifty years. During each stage of life, journal writing has helped me identify and accept troubling emotions and thoughts and gradually convert them into positive ones. I found that by spilling my anger, hurt, sadness, worry, amazement, shock, grief, or confusion out on to the page, my attachment or tendency to “rethink” a particular issue lessened and I felt relieved.

In the past, writing in a journal has enabled me to look at the stories I tell myself to determine if I’m interpreting things realistically or letting my emotions take off on a roller coaster ride. As I hold pen in hand and scribble away, I feel the synergy of mind, soul/spirit, and body and this grounds me in the moment. 

In situations that involve other people, my journal acts like an intermediary, a designated place to take a “time out” to vent anger, hurt feelings, and fear. This step allows me to cool down hot emotions. If I later think it's necessary to communicate to others about my feelings, I'm able to do it in a kind, direct, and authentic way. I’ve come to believe soul’s plan is to help me encounter and love myself wholeheartedly. My soul writing helps me grow-up my attitudes and behaviors in relationships with myself, my family, friends, work relationships, and even with people I casually relate to from time to time.

Quiet time spent like this has helped me connect with higher purpose, my soul’s purpose. Soul guides me back to my core, a place of gentle trust and love. 

See a definition of soul here from Merriam-Webster.com

Soul is a noun \ˈsōl\

1: the spiritual part of a person that is believed to give life to the body and in many religions is believed to live forever

2: a person's deeply felt moral and emotional nature

3: the ability of a person to feel kindness and sympathy for others, to appreciate beauty and art, etc.

My belief about soul has evolved over the years, yet one constant is that journal writing has been a direct pathway between my mind, body, and spirit. I don't always know what will be revealed through writing, yet this reflective time taps into the “self-empowerment potential” and blessings of the soul's expression.

One of my life goals is to become the “best me” that I can be. If that is like anything you care about, read on. Here are 4 reasons soul journaling can help you.

1. Our soul wants the very best for us and others. It awakens our senses and helps us find ways to be more compassionate, empathetic, and generous.  Soul work through journal writing can improve our relationships with friends, family, and ourselves. It can also help us leave or detach from relationships that are unhealthy for us.

2. Soul writing allows us to take a break from the hectic pace of keeping up with modern technology and the material world. Even if you have to get up a few minutes earlier than everyone else in your home, you deserve to reserve space where there is no noise pollution or distractions. If you're anything like I am, it's important to remember not to listen to thoughts that tell you "you should do something else" or "be somewhere else." Take time to nurture yourself in this way. Journaling allows us to check in with ourselves. Often, it helps us shift gears enough that we can find peace and serenity in the process. Then, we can face the world refreshed and renewed.

3. Whenever we're in-touch with negative thoughts, judgments, shame, and even resentments that we harbor about ourselves and others, a journal is a good place to leave them. When I look at what I’m writing, I can catch those times when I’m blaming others for something I need to accept responsibility for. When I fess up and laugh at what I’m doing, my soul unburdens me of guilt, self-judgment, and I readily accept responsibility for myself. I’ve also learned that just because I feel momentary panic about an event in the future or fear confronting another person, I don’t have to act or change the situation immediately. My soul journal is there to help me see the light.

4. Journaling for the soul can unblock stale energy. It allows us to be a witness to things we're stewing over, but can’t control. Whenever I feel I'm not right with myself, journal writing can be used as a form of meditation. Awareness is often all that I need to let go of obsession about other people, places, and things. Observing my mind like this, helps me remember to mind my own business and leave the rest. What about you? Have you tried journal writing as a self-help tool?

Here’s what great writers, thinkers, philosophers and wise sages say about the Soul. It's from Oprah on Super Soul Sunday.

 Video Super Soul Sunday

A definition of Soul that resonates most with me is Marianne Williamson’s belief about the soul. “The soul is the truth of who we are: the light, the love, the truth of us.”

Journal writing can help you too. It’s a way to check in with your feelings, thoughts, and perceptions. It’s a safe place to vent your anger, sadness, joy, secret longings, as well as record successes and triumphs.

Journal writing has helped me access the innate power I have inside myself to heal emotional suffering. I’ve found that writing about my unresolved hurts, fear, and pain experienced in my mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional body, I'm able to process the stress factor in them. This relaxes me and usually lessens physical symptoms like headache, backache, stomach ache and tension.

When I lack faith, feel overwhelmed, or realize I'm bent out of shape,journal writing often calms me down. Those are the times I address my journal entry to my higher power. Being this specific is just what I need to get closer to my soul and let the rest go.

My journal doesn’t try to fix me, change me, or otherwise force me to snap out of whatever I’m feeling, as some people try to do. My journal loves me unconditionally. It's a best friend who listens, honors, and comforts me by letting me express my innermost despair to my greatest joyuninterrupted. 

If you're looking for a guided journal, please check out Colors of Joy: A Woman's Guide for Self-Discovery, Balance, and Bliss. It features 12 weeks' worth of self-development activities and color-coded exercises in an interactive journal format. 

Find it on My Website

Find it @ Amazon Books

Do you journal? Has it helped you sort things out? Do you feel a soul connection when you journal? How does that make you feel? Please let me know. I appreciate your input. Have a great day!

The quotation for today is: 

“Writing is the act of discovery.” 

― Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Turning Over A New Leaf

Hi everyone!  It's been a while since I've last posted so just wanted to give everyone a short update.

I am a grandmother!!!  My first granddaughter was born in May 2014.  She is beautiful and perfect!  I'm not proud at all.... Can't ya tell?  😀

In February of this year I was laid off.  The attorney I worked for retired.  I decided at that time to return to school and finish my degree.  I will graduate in December with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Business.

In April I got engaged to the love of my life.  We are getting married in June, 2016.  In addition to marrying a great man, I am also gaining two very special boys as part of my family.

That's the update in a nutshell.  Time is very limited right now with school but I will be posting again soon.

Thank you all for the love and support!  It means the world to me.

Tips for Conserving Water

Every living thing needs water - everyday and due to drought conditions in many parts of the world and human waste is it becoming increasingly in short supply. 

Here are a few tips to help cut down on water waste (and save some cash too). 

1.      Switch out an old showerhead and replace it with a droplet-saving WaterSense-certified head.

2.      Do not leave the water running while brushing your teeth.

3.      Find and repair any leaks or dripping faucets immediately.

4.     Replace old toilets with low-flow models or use water displacements bags to fill up space in the tank.

5.     Run only full loads of laundry or dishes.

6.    Use outdoor water wisely.  Try using rain barrels for collecting water or collect grey water for watering plants and gardens.

These are just a few of the simple things we can do to save our precious water.  I would love to hear your tips and comments.

Going Eco-Friendly with LilyBlue

This is a great article written by a friend. A link to her blog is below!

 Hydrangeas Salt Air and Starry Nights

 Monday, May 12, 2014

Trying to Wear Eco Friendly Clothes Is Going to Make My Bank Account Extinct

 I saw an article on a lovely and popular website - the article was about Eco-Friendly clothing, specifically it was identifying 'Eleven Eco Friendly Brands' for the consumer. I was extremely excited about this because I am trying very very hard to be a responsible citizen of the planet. I am something of a fashionista too and well, a lot of Eco-Friendly clothes leave a little something to be desired... I was very excited to see some options on purchasing organic and sustainable items. So I began to click through the slide show of products by these eleven brands.

 First up was a beach towel, it was really quite cute and it cost only... $90! Holy crap that is a lot for a towel! Alright we will keep going - its just a fluke - surely trying to be an eco-conscious citizen doesn't mean eating cheese sandwiches every meal for a week just to get a 'good' beach towel? And I clicked on - $85 Sandals, $200 Clutch - nope not cheese sandwiches for a week - PB & J for a month. I'm not a quitter though - $40 Baseball hat OK - that is a little better but, it is a baseball hat and it was not to my taste - Click. $160 Earrings, $295 Eyeglass Frames , $179 Peep Toe Sandals. Oh. No. $48 Necklace, $15 Textured Knit Top, $428 Dress (REALLY???) and lastly $235 Blue Suede Shoes.

OK - lets be honest here. Who the hell has that kind of budget? I DO NOT. I can do the $15 knit top if it were to my liking. But everything else - its really too much money for most people to buy. And as long as only a few can buy it - the cost is not going to come down. So what do we do? Just through our hands up and say - I can't be eco conscious because I can't afford it? Well, no, of course not! That is not helping anybody - least of all our planet. But there are some simple things that, while not completely organic, are sustainable and my motto is every little bit helps.

 So - Here are my suggestions - Well its really just one suggestion that has a lot more impact than you may think at first glance: BUY SECOND HAND! Flea Markets, Swap Meets, Yard Sales, Thrift Stores. For all of you who are cringing because someone else wore it or ate off it - grow up. Wash it. Now its yours, you paid for it. We need to stop being a disposable society people! Second hand is very sustainable for a few reasons: -You are keeping something out of a landfill - presumably if the seller doesn't sell their items they will eventually end up as trash. -Buying second hand reduces the amount of new goods that need to be manufactured. This has a ripple effect. Fewer raw materials are needed if fewer new goods are needed - fewer raw materials means less shipping needed to get the materials to the manufacturing facility which will reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere. If fewer new goods are needed then less energy will be used to create fewer goods. Less energy use means less use of natural resources such as wood, oil and coal. (Yes, I know that reducing volume at a manufacturing facility can lead to unemployment - and I think that stinks - but we need to start doing something before we kill our planet we don't have another planet. But we may have more jobs to replace the lost ones. I think if we work together we can come up with other forms of employment in sustainable industries to take the place of these potential lost jobs - and I will talk about that on another post after I do some more research - but today the topic is being more sustainable / eco-conscious with our purchases) -You are helping someone's personal economy by purchasing from them - what an awesome thing, helping someone to make some money to keep their personal world turning. -You may be contributing to charity - either local or something on a more global scale depending if you purchase from a thrift store run by a local church or a 'corporate' charity such as Good Will. -You are saving a LOT of money. Second hand is generally cheaper than new - unless we are dealing with rare antiques. That money you save can then be used to pump back into your savings or the larger economy for, hey, check this out, NEW ORGANIC/SUSTAINABLE goods : ) I like buying second hand for some other reasons too - - I love some designers that I just can't afford to pay retail designer prices. Consignment stores (or upscale thrift stores) often have gently used, higher priced items. You get your upscale fix within your budget and you are helping a small business. If you are really lucky you find these designers in thrift stores that are affiliated with a charity like I mention above (often at an even more reasonable price than a consignment store!) Win - Win! -I have a very quirky sense of style at times. Buying second hand allows me to mix old with new and create my own unique style. Sometimes that means just mixing pieces and sometimes it means deconstructing and reconstructing a new piece with bits from both new and second hand - this is often called 'up-cycling' and can be a lot of fun! I plan to talk more about my own personal up-cycling sometime in the near future too - -One other thing, when you yard sale/ flea market/ swap - you get to meet some really neat people. People who have stories to tell which is always interesting - I will have to remember some to put here some day Second Hand is a great way to help make sure your carbon footprint isn't Sasquatch sized!

Yeah, IDK - that sort of doesn't fit but I like Bigfoot and wanted to work it in here somehow! its my blog and I'll be silly if I want to :)

 Lily Bleu

Fundraiser - Recycling Center in Morgan Mill, TX

I am conducting a fundraiser to implement a recycling center in Morgan Mill, Texas.  Please check it out and help me spread the word!

The Benefits of Trees

I just returned from a trip to Bastrop State Park.  As part of the ISF Texas Community Crew, I had the opportunity to participate in the restoration efforts going on in Bastrop.  Our group, along with several others, spent the day planting trees.  As we worked, it was hard to visualize the lush, beautiful forest that had once stood there.  It was sad to look at the burned remains but I was also happy seeing that so many people wanted to give their time to help restore it. 

The fire that swept through Bastrop in September of 2011, didn't just destroy the beauty of the park.  The trees that were lost provided much more than aesthetics.  But what benefits do trees provide?

• Cleans the air.  Trees absorb odors and other harmful pollutants.
•  Provides oxygen.  Yes...that stuff we breathe to stay alive comes from trees.  So why is man still destroying forests for the "sake of progress"?
• "One acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen.  This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people."- U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Saves water and helps prevent water pollution and soil erosion.  By capturing large amounts of rainwater in its leaves, bark and roots, trees return water back into the groundwater supplies.  In addition, the leaves and bark acts to filter some of the pollutants from the run-off water, thus, improving the water quality that returns to the streams, lakes and oceans.
• "The planting of trees means improved water quality, resulting in less runoff and erosion.  This allows more recharging of the groundwater supply.  Wooded areas help prevent the transport of sediment and chemicals into streams." - USDA Forest Service
• Provides a habitat and food for wildlife.
• Saves energy.  Trees provide shading and act as a shield from cold winds that can reduce summer cooling needs by up to 50% and reduce winter heating costs.
• "The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day."- U.S. Department of Agriculture

 Trees provide many benefits for the environment and all the creatures therein.  It is important to maintain and defend our trees and to plant and care for new ones.  We rely on trees for our survival!

Happy New Year!!

Well the new year is here and for many people it is the time of year when they make resolutions of things they want to accomplish in the upcoming months.  While the majority of resolutions fall by the wayside, some are actually achieved.  Either way, I think it is fun and challenging to set goals and gather ideas for the future.

That said, I thought I would share a few of my resolutions.

1.  Do more volunteer work.  I hope to get more involved this year and help local organizations that I am passionate about.  I am planning some kind of project for my birthday in March!

2.  Clean out my closet and storage room.  This is a task that I am not looking forward to but I hope to finally get it done at some point this year!  Lots of good stuff to donate, I'm sure!

3.  Start a savings plan.  I know for some this is automatic but I admit - I am a spender and I am really trying to cut back on frivolous purchases and non-essentials.

4.  Attend the Vampire Diaries Convention in Dallas and Eyecon in Atlanta.  Ok, not all resolutions are life-changing and serious....you gotta have a little fun!

I guess in all honesty I should put the "quit smoking" resolution on the list.  It seems to show up every year.  This year my goal is to cut back and work toward quitting.  We'll see.

I would like to know what some of your resolutions are for the year.  Please feel free to share your goals, dreams and hopes for 2014.

Finally, I would like to wish each and every one of you a happy new year.  I hope 2014 is the best year ever for each of us!

Kim Johnston