Continuing the journey

“Happiness is your nature. It is not wrong to desire it. What is wrong is seeking it outside when it is inside.”

—Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950)

This quote speaks to me, it is where I am right now. I have chosen to be happy and no longer dwell on the past. It has taken me a long time to get here even though I have made the attempts many times before.  On the plus side is I continued to try, chose not to give up and I believe I am finally there. I've stopped comparing and wishing but looked around me and became content with where I am and grateful for what life has given me.  

We always want more and I am guilty of that same as many others but I think in that wanting more we forget to stop, look and appreciate what we have.  Not just in material goods but the world around us as a whole, our little place in the world. I have started to look at what I have accomplished, not focusing on where I have failed. Not to discount the failures as we learn from those but to stop dwelling on them to the point where you stop doing things because you are scared to fail.  This all makes sense in my head and is actually coming clearer. 

It has taken me a long time to get here but I'm glad I have arrived and plan on continuing the journey to me. I think I was kind of forced into this revelation about myself and the need to find happy. The boy moving away to college left me with just me to care for and I realized I had been neglecting me all this time. When forced to deal with yourself you realize a lot of things and some of it is not pretty.  I will never forget this title of a workbook that I used to use with elementary school students and I think it is a good title for all of us on the journey to self-discovery "The Me I'm Learning To Be"--it fits doesn't it? 

Of course now on to my little bundle of chocolate, Miss Harlow. She continues to be a wonderful, crazy addition to my household. Graduation from her first puppy school course has taken place (even got a certificate), the last of her puppy shots have been given as has her rabies, plus flea and tick control started. Harlow weighed in at 33 lbs on our last visit and the vet referred to her as perfect <3. We continue to walk daily, most of them twice with our afternoon one the longest. She continues to bring so much to my life and I simply adore her.  The breeder has redone their website and Harlow is featured on the front page as well as having her picture posted for the Guardian program, proud puppy mum here :)

As always I must end with posting a few pictures of my little gem.

The Graduate

Just being her

The End of the Year is Near

In a matter of an hour 2013 will be in the past and we will welcome 2014.  I hope the year will be filled with happiness, prosperity and good health. 

I know I need to make some changes personally and aim to make those changes.  I am responsible for my happiness, no one else and that is one my goals to be happy.  Get rid of the negative thoughts and really work on positive self talk.  Not get dragged down by others negative energy and work on cleansing my soul.

Almost the End of the Year

Today is the 30th of December, tomorrow is the end of 2013 and I am in a bit of a reflective mood.  As I look back on the past 12 months I wonder, 'did I move forward?', 'have I made any changes?', 'am I in a better place?' and to be honest I must answer, 'yes' and 'no'.  I think I have made some movement but as is me I have also taken steps back.

There is always improvement and I am definitely a work in progress, but progress seems to be where I am stuck.  I want to make better choices and improve on myself but I lack the knowledge in how to do it. Stuck in a rut and while not happy with doing nothing it is safer and protected.  Yes my life is passing me by and I know I will look back with regret on what I didn't do, accomplish or try.

I have never tried the 'one little word' but this year I am going to give it a whirl.  My goal is choose a word and do my utmost best to make that word a part of my life.  Maybe if I write it all down here then I will feel that sense of accomplishment (and follow through) that I so desperately want to feel.  So my word of the year is 'self'.  This word can be encompassed in so many aspects of daily life; self-worth, self-esteem, self-regulation, self-talk (positive of course), self-reliance, inner-self, self-improvement and more that just escape me at the moment. There we have it, my word and my goal of creating a journal based on 'self' and let's see where this journey takes me.........

While I am talking about end of the year, here are the last 4 art journal/mixed media pages I have created.  These pages use digital products from the following designers; Captivated Visions, ViVa Artistry, Tangie Baxter, Jopke Designs, Heather T and Bren Boone. Some products used in the fourth page (cat) are retired while the other three use current product.

Looking forward to creating more pages in 2014 and trying new techniques.