Greetings, Fellow Balancers!
This blog has been turned into a "dot com" but the name has changed to "The Balanced Life". Find me at mybalancedlifejourney.com . Sorry about the confusion in this change!
I hope you will join me there! Nov 2nd I'm beginning a FREE online workshop entitled, "Live Your Dream Life Now".
I will also have a Giveaway!
Hope to see you there!
Sandy
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Monday, August 24, 2015
CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE
The calm and balanced mind is the strong and great mind: the hurried and agitated mind is the weak one. Wallace D. Wattles
If you want a balanced life, you must first learn to have a "balanced mind". But just what is a "balanced mind"? Behavioral scientists suggest that we think 30,000 thoughts a day! Can you imagine that number of thoughts running through your mind in one day? I can't! And some say there are even more than that! The unnerving thing is that for most people, the thoughts you think today are the same thoughts that will run through your mind tomorrow! If you want to have better control of your life, you first need to gain control over your thoughts.
A "balanced mind" comes from thoughts that are calm, controlled, and intentionally planned.
We are creatures of habit and often don't take the time to "think about what we're thinking about". Our thoughts just run through our minds and we end up creating our lives through our thought life. We can begin to take control of our lives by first controlling our thought life. And we can take control of our thoughts first by"thinking about what we're thinking about".
Make an intentional decision now to create thoughts that bring calm and serenity and balance into your life and mind. Gradually your life will begin to line up with your new thoughts.
Set aside some time each day to first sit comfortably, take some deep breaths through your nose and exhale through pursed lips, allowing your body to relax as you do. Think on such things that bring serenity, goodness, love, calmness, and joy into your mind.
Yes, you can literally change your thoughts and change your life! More on this topic coming...
If you want a balanced life, you must first learn to have a "balanced mind". But just what is a "balanced mind"? Behavioral scientists suggest that we think 30,000 thoughts a day! Can you imagine that number of thoughts running through your mind in one day? I can't! And some say there are even more than that! The unnerving thing is that for most people, the thoughts you think today are the same thoughts that will run through your mind tomorrow! If you want to have better control of your life, you first need to gain control over your thoughts.
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| Beautiful photos of nature can calm us also. |
A "balanced mind" comes from thoughts that are calm, controlled, and intentionally planned.
We are creatures of habit and often don't take the time to "think about what we're thinking about". Our thoughts just run through our minds and we end up creating our lives through our thought life. We can begin to take control of our lives by first controlling our thought life. And we can take control of our thoughts first by"thinking about what we're thinking about".
Make an intentional decision now to create thoughts that bring calm and serenity and balance into your life and mind. Gradually your life will begin to line up with your new thoughts.
Set aside some time each day to first sit comfortably, take some deep breaths through your nose and exhale through pursed lips, allowing your body to relax as you do. Think on such things that bring serenity, goodness, love, calmness, and joy into your mind.
Yes, you can literally change your thoughts and change your life! More on this topic coming...
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
25 SIMPLE SUMMER PLEASURES
Remember this, that very little is needed to make a happy life. Aurelius
You don't need money to experience pleasure in life. Simple pleasures are some of life's greatest gifts and they are free... or nearly free! Even children will enjoy these simple moments though I am planning on another list of simple pleasures to do with children and grandchildren.
I left out activities that some might think would require work, though I would consider them a simple pleasure. Like baking homemade bread, for example. So that is a different list also!
I think this is a list that most will find simple but enjoyable pleasures in the summer. My suggestion is to intentionally do one or more of these every day in the summer. They involve all the senses...sight, sound, taste, touch, smell.
So put down your electronics. Get ready to use all your senses. Prepare to be in the moment. And focus on enjoying the simple things in life. Let the moment of pleasure soak into your memory file to be brought up later when you need to remember a simple but pleasant moment in time. Smile as you soak in this moment, letting the pleasant feeling flow over and into you. Fill your heart with gratitude for this simple moment.
Here are your 25 Simple Summer Pleasures to enjoy this summer:
1) Listen to the songs of birds in your yard. Find a place to relax in your yard while you listen away for the songs of different birds.
2) Listen to the rain pitter-pattering away while you take a nap. Doesn't get any better than that!
3) Enjoy an ice cold glass of fresh squeezed lemonade on a hot sunny day. Yum! Cooling and refreshing!
4) Enjoy fresh clean sheets on your bed. Bury your face in the wonderful scent!
5) Have a good old belly laugh...laugh until you cry. Laughter is like medicine. It will help cure many ailments. Find things to laugh about. Some old memories still make me laugh hysterically! Every time I need a good laugh I bring up the memory.
6) Relax in your favorite spot while listening to your favorite soothing music. Open a window and let others outside enjoy a bit of it as well.
7) Find a place where you can listen to water rippling or waves washing ashore, either from a brook, river, lake, or even a water fountain. Water is soothing to listen to. Close your eyes and just listen and be calmed by the sound of it.
8) Find a day to sleep in, while a breeze blows gently in your window. Breathe in the fresh air.
9) Sit outside on a warm sunny afternoon ( on a porch, hammock, or deck ) and take in the beauty of nature that is around you. If you need to go to a park or wooded area, that will work also. Really see ( as if for the first time) the beauty of nature in the trees, leaves, squirrels, birds, etc.
10) Go for a walk in your neighborhood. Be in the moment and enjoy all your surroundings. Greet your neighbors.
11) Make some of your favorite flavored ice cream and enjoy eating with your spouse. Add sprinkles.
12) Spray lavender scented spritzer on your pillows and sheets. The scent of lavender helps in falling asleep.
13) Eat an ice cream cone with your favorite ice cream. Savor each lick!
14) Pick berries to eat, either from your own yard or a berry farm.
15) Light your favorite scented "summer" candle and enjoy the wonderful scent.
16) Read a good book in your favorite outdoor relaxing spot.
17) Roast some marshmallows and make some good old s'mores to enjoy.
18) Indulge in a magazine that you enjoy reading. Read in a hammock if possible. If you get too relaxed, let yourself fall asleep.
19) Watch a sunset in the evening. Marvel in the beauty of it.
20) Pick some flowers to bring inside and enjoy in your home. Even one simple stem will do.
21) Go for a walk and enjoy the flowers in your neighborhood. ( Don't pick them! )
22) Lay down in the grass and look up at the clouds floating by. Make sure you have someone with you to help you up if necessary. Be thrilled if you can get up by yourself!
23) Invite a friend over for a glass of cold refreshing iced tea and enjoy it outdoors.
24) Start your morning looking out a sunny window and doing some stretches to get your body limbered up for the day. After you're done it will feel awesome!
25) Have your cup of coffee, or fresh squeezed orange juice outside in the morning. Enjoy the start of a new day on a beautiful sunny morning out of doors. Notice the fresh scent of the morning air.
These are simple pleasures that we often take for granted. Or we do them without really being in the moment and the pleasure in them goes unnoticed. I hope you take time to let the moment fill you with joy and learn to appreciate even these little things. And then, add your own list!
Soak in the moments! Sandy
You don't need money to experience pleasure in life. Simple pleasures are some of life's greatest gifts and they are free... or nearly free! Even children will enjoy these simple moments though I am planning on another list of simple pleasures to do with children and grandchildren.
I left out activities that some might think would require work, though I would consider them a simple pleasure. Like baking homemade bread, for example. So that is a different list also!
I think this is a list that most will find simple but enjoyable pleasures in the summer. My suggestion is to intentionally do one or more of these every day in the summer. They involve all the senses...sight, sound, taste, touch, smell.
So put down your electronics. Get ready to use all your senses. Prepare to be in the moment. And focus on enjoying the simple things in life. Let the moment of pleasure soak into your memory file to be brought up later when you need to remember a simple but pleasant moment in time. Smile as you soak in this moment, letting the pleasant feeling flow over and into you. Fill your heart with gratitude for this simple moment.
Here are your 25 Simple Summer Pleasures to enjoy this summer:
1) Listen to the songs of birds in your yard. Find a place to relax in your yard while you listen away for the songs of different birds.
2) Listen to the rain pitter-pattering away while you take a nap. Doesn't get any better than that!
3) Enjoy an ice cold glass of fresh squeezed lemonade on a hot sunny day. Yum! Cooling and refreshing!
4) Enjoy fresh clean sheets on your bed. Bury your face in the wonderful scent!
5) Have a good old belly laugh...laugh until you cry. Laughter is like medicine. It will help cure many ailments. Find things to laugh about. Some old memories still make me laugh hysterically! Every time I need a good laugh I bring up the memory.
6) Relax in your favorite spot while listening to your favorite soothing music. Open a window and let others outside enjoy a bit of it as well.
7) Find a place where you can listen to water rippling or waves washing ashore, either from a brook, river, lake, or even a water fountain. Water is soothing to listen to. Close your eyes and just listen and be calmed by the sound of it.
8) Find a day to sleep in, while a breeze blows gently in your window. Breathe in the fresh air.
9) Sit outside on a warm sunny afternoon ( on a porch, hammock, or deck ) and take in the beauty of nature that is around you. If you need to go to a park or wooded area, that will work also. Really see ( as if for the first time) the beauty of nature in the trees, leaves, squirrels, birds, etc.
10) Go for a walk in your neighborhood. Be in the moment and enjoy all your surroundings. Greet your neighbors.
11) Make some of your favorite flavored ice cream and enjoy eating with your spouse. Add sprinkles.
12) Spray lavender scented spritzer on your pillows and sheets. The scent of lavender helps in falling asleep.
13) Eat an ice cream cone with your favorite ice cream. Savor each lick!
14) Pick berries to eat, either from your own yard or a berry farm.
15) Light your favorite scented "summer" candle and enjoy the wonderful scent.
16) Read a good book in your favorite outdoor relaxing spot.
17) Roast some marshmallows and make some good old s'mores to enjoy.
18) Indulge in a magazine that you enjoy reading. Read in a hammock if possible. If you get too relaxed, let yourself fall asleep.
19) Watch a sunset in the evening. Marvel in the beauty of it.
20) Pick some flowers to bring inside and enjoy in your home. Even one simple stem will do.
21) Go for a walk and enjoy the flowers in your neighborhood. ( Don't pick them! )
22) Lay down in the grass and look up at the clouds floating by. Make sure you have someone with you to help you up if necessary. Be thrilled if you can get up by yourself!
23) Invite a friend over for a glass of cold refreshing iced tea and enjoy it outdoors.
24) Start your morning looking out a sunny window and doing some stretches to get your body limbered up for the day. After you're done it will feel awesome!
25) Have your cup of coffee, or fresh squeezed orange juice outside in the morning. Enjoy the start of a new day on a beautiful sunny morning out of doors. Notice the fresh scent of the morning air.
These are simple pleasures that we often take for granted. Or we do them without really being in the moment and the pleasure in them goes unnoticed. I hope you take time to let the moment fill you with joy and learn to appreciate even these little things. And then, add your own list!
Soak in the moments! Sandy
Monday, July 6, 2015
ENJOY LIFE'S SIMPLE GIFTS
Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance. Epicurus
Does it seem like your life is a race and you're running behind? Rushing to get to work, hurrying to pick up the kids, getting to that appointment, trying to catch the bus on time? Hurry, hurry, hurry?
If time feels fleeting to you, as if it is rushing on at breakneck speed, you are probably missing out on the simple joys of life. Enjoying the simple things in life takes time. Time to slow down and notice. Time to appreciate small gifts that come our way. Maybe it's to enjoy a beautiful sunset or a sunrise. Read a book or look for bugs with a grandchild. Listen to the sounds of seagulls at a beach or an owl in the woods. Time to slow down and smile at a stranger or smell a flower. Time to sit around a fire pit and roast marshmallows with family. Time to just be.
There are so many sweet and simple treasures and gifts that we could be slowing down to enjoy! But if our life is out of balance, and we're too busy to take the time to notice, we will miss out on these simple joys.
Begin today to be intentional about taking time to enjoy these simple gifts. At first attempt to find and enjoy 3 simple gifts per day and write them down. By writing them down, you will better remember them. The remembering will also give you enjoyment as you read and reflect back on previous simple gifts.
As someone said, "Enjoy the little things in life for one day you will look back and realize they were the big things."
Until next time, Sandy
Does it seem like your life is a race and you're running behind? Rushing to get to work, hurrying to pick up the kids, getting to that appointment, trying to catch the bus on time? Hurry, hurry, hurry?
If time feels fleeting to you, as if it is rushing on at breakneck speed, you are probably missing out on the simple joys of life. Enjoying the simple things in life takes time. Time to slow down and notice. Time to appreciate small gifts that come our way. Maybe it's to enjoy a beautiful sunset or a sunrise. Read a book or look for bugs with a grandchild. Listen to the sounds of seagulls at a beach or an owl in the woods. Time to slow down and smile at a stranger or smell a flower. Time to sit around a fire pit and roast marshmallows with family. Time to just be.
There are so many sweet and simple treasures and gifts that we could be slowing down to enjoy! But if our life is out of balance, and we're too busy to take the time to notice, we will miss out on these simple joys.
Begin today to be intentional about taking time to enjoy these simple gifts. At first attempt to find and enjoy 3 simple gifts per day and write them down. By writing them down, you will better remember them. The remembering will also give you enjoyment as you read and reflect back on previous simple gifts.
As someone said, "Enjoy the little things in life for one day you will look back and realize they were the big things."
Until next time, Sandy
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
ACHIEVING BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE
Welcome to my new blog, Happily Balanced!
And I'm just going to get right to it, jump right in, and ask you some questions...
Do you ever feel overwhelmed with too much to do and not enough time to do it in? Do you ever say to yourself, "I'll get my act together when _________" ( you fill in the blank ) Are you often stressed, burned out, with little time for yourself? Do you ever feel you're so busy making a living, that you've forgotten to make a life?
If so, you've come to the right place! I've worked at creating balance in my life for a long time now and I hope to share some things that have helped me over the years. And I hope you will share your ideas with me as well! Together we can work out how to live a happily balanced life!
So what does a happily balanced life look like to you? Do you need more time for yourself ? Do you need more serenity in your life? Do you need to simplify your life? All of these things and more? To be sure, it will look somewhat differently for each person. And yet, for everyone I believe a balanced life will always be found in creating balance in all of the following areas: Personal Life ( mind, body, spirit ); Relationships; Work; Home Life; Giving/Serving. I will be using these areas to guide us in seeking out a life of balance. Every aspect of our lives can fit into one of these categories.
Does a happily balanced life seem unattainable to you? Does it sound just like "more work"? Well, relax then! Because my goal is to help you take baby steps to this life you desire. Small, incremental steps that will lead to habits, that will help you create more "space" in your life and thus more balance, serenity, and happiness. And my hope is to make these small steps somewhat enjoyable. I know...a tall order...but totally possible!
So how does the following scenario sound to you? Your life is full, having beautiful relationships with people you love, work you adore, a comfortable home, time to give of yourself in helping and serving others, and time for yourself in order to meet your physical, spiritual, and emotional needs. Did I leave anything out?
This life does not require you to be rich in money. But you can be rich in all the resources of life that are truly important and lead to being happily balanced.
And while we cannot always control everything in our lives, working on those things we can control can help us achieve a happily balanced life.
So I hope you'll join me in the fun of creating a life that is balanced in all areas.
There will be a "freebie" coming soon so sign up to receive my posts so you don't miss out!
Thanks for stopping by!
Sandy
And I'm just going to get right to it, jump right in, and ask you some questions...
Do you ever feel overwhelmed with too much to do and not enough time to do it in? Do you ever say to yourself, "I'll get my act together when _________" ( you fill in the blank ) Are you often stressed, burned out, with little time for yourself? Do you ever feel you're so busy making a living, that you've forgotten to make a life?
If so, you've come to the right place! I've worked at creating balance in my life for a long time now and I hope to share some things that have helped me over the years. And I hope you will share your ideas with me as well! Together we can work out how to live a happily balanced life!
So what does a happily balanced life look like to you? Do you need more time for yourself ? Do you need more serenity in your life? Do you need to simplify your life? All of these things and more? To be sure, it will look somewhat differently for each person. And yet, for everyone I believe a balanced life will always be found in creating balance in all of the following areas: Personal Life ( mind, body, spirit ); Relationships; Work; Home Life; Giving/Serving. I will be using these areas to guide us in seeking out a life of balance. Every aspect of our lives can fit into one of these categories.
Does a happily balanced life seem unattainable to you? Does it sound just like "more work"? Well, relax then! Because my goal is to help you take baby steps to this life you desire. Small, incremental steps that will lead to habits, that will help you create more "space" in your life and thus more balance, serenity, and happiness. And my hope is to make these small steps somewhat enjoyable. I know...a tall order...but totally possible!
So how does the following scenario sound to you? Your life is full, having beautiful relationships with people you love, work you adore, a comfortable home, time to give of yourself in helping and serving others, and time for yourself in order to meet your physical, spiritual, and emotional needs. Did I leave anything out?
This life does not require you to be rich in money. But you can be rich in all the resources of life that are truly important and lead to being happily balanced.
And while we cannot always control everything in our lives, working on those things we can control can help us achieve a happily balanced life.
So I hope you'll join me in the fun of creating a life that is balanced in all areas.
There will be a "freebie" coming soon so sign up to receive my posts so you don't miss out!
Thanks for stopping by!
Sandy
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