So Far, So Good

I'm happy with the way the new year is starting out. The past few months I have struggled, as usual this time of year, with mild depression and lack of energy. I have learned to just roll with it and be easy on myself. I think I was a little too easy on myself though. I got out of some of the good habits I developed last year. That started with splurging on my birthday, then vacation, and as the days got shorter and shorter it got even worse. And then the holidays, I just let myself do what I wanted and decided to start again fresh at the beginning of the year. The days are getting longer now and every little bit of light helps!

We're not too far into the new year so I haven't had time to do a whole lot, but I am eating better and will start walking more tomorrow. As I mentioned before, I'm doing the 28 day Denise Linn Soul Coaching program and am on day 3. Today's exercise was clearing clutter. I have done that a little each day this weekend. Today I talked my purse and side table beside where I sit, which is always stacked with stuff. I'm also back to meditating every day, and have made the commitment to do that at least 15 minutes a day for the duration of the program (my chosen "empowering practice" from day 2).

Today we attended Unity of Kanawha Valley. Our friend Ric played the didgeridoo (an Australian Aboriginal instrument) in the service, which was very cool. I love the instrument and it is featured in a lot of healing and meditation music. I was impressed that he had one and knows how to play. They also had their annual burning bowl ceremony, where you write down things you want to release (for example I wrote down things like impatience, excess weight, worry, guilt, etc.) then each person takes their paper up and puts it in the bowl where it burns. My friends and I did a similar ceremony during our weekend away this summer. Today we also wrote a letter to God setting our intentions for the year then put it in an envelope and turned it in and later in the year they will mail it to us to remind us of our intentions. Pretty neat. I like the church a lot and hope to visit it again soon.

I enjoyed my long weekend and it's going to be hard to go back to a 5 day week after two 3 day weeks in a row!

I got a chia cat grass planter and it's finally sprouting! I just took a picture of it but I don't feel like getting it off the camera right now. I need to get in the shower so we can eat dinner. I have spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove.

I spent some time outside on Friday, it was a nice day although cool. I dragged (drug?) a log/stump up the hill. I want several as seats in the back of the yard. When our tree fell a few years ago a neighbor cut it up and I want to get a few more pieces up here. Today it's raining though. I'd kind of like to have a fire ring but it might just be a sitting ring. I want a stone circle too. Maybe I'll put flowers in it instead of a fire, because where I want it is too close to the woods and I'd be too scared of burning the forest down.