Tag: living balanced

creativity, daily moments

colorful little plate flower

dailystepsblog

plateflower

About a week into weight watchers I found an entire online community of men and women on Instagram. These folks use the social media platform as a way to connect, inspire, and find accountability. I could spend hours on end reading posts, finding new accounts to follow, and gaining wisdom from tried and tested habits, recipes, and ideas.

One thing I noticed right away in these images was the COLOR! Every color I could imagine- bright and vivid, subtle and calming- I see them all when I scroll the feed. Photos of healthy foods grown from the earth… foods that provide us with the nutrition our bodies were made for… complimentary background colors and objects… I notice them all. I see relaxing tones that depict an accomplished end to a day dedicated to healthy living. It’s all so inspiring to me- a steady stream of color that fills my news feed. I have always been a girl who loves color and now here I am, with this social media tool I can scroll through right in the palm of my hand.  Daily I am feeling inspired to bring color into my world in ways I hadn’t thought of before.

While out running errands this week, I found these fun plates at Kohls. They were all marked half-off, displayed to draw you into their design. It didn’t take long for them to find their way into my shopping basket to bring home. Everytime I look at them, I feel inspired to fill them up with healthy foods- foods that make me feel as happy as the plates themselves, foods that color my world with health and that help me thrive.  I couldn’t even wait to make the food that goes on them. With a laundry list of chores ahead of me, I decided these plates were a priority. I found myself creating the flower you see above, just as a way to play, express, and appreciate something so small yet so inspiring to me.

We all need these little moments. We have a list of have-to’s and should’s as long as our day will allow. But guess what? Tomorrow? Same thing- another list. There’s always a “I really ought to get ____ done” running in our head. But today?  Today I chose to play. Color makes me feel carefree.  A few round pieces of melamine consume my thoughts and let me just be.  I feel happy in this small moment, almost relaxed.  Some days the laundry can wait to allow this kind of spontaneous, unplanned time happen. Procrastination can be okay. Little plate flowers bloom right where I created that playful space for myself… and it colors my world just a little more happy. 🙂

“… a cheerful heart is good medicine but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”    – Proverbs 17:22❤️

 

creativity

sharpie art

dailystepsblog

josie sharpie

It’s been about a month since we lost our sweet girl, Josie.  It’s amazing just how close we grow to our pets- they most definitely are family.  The relationship between our kids and their animals is really something to sit back and admire.  It’s also interesting to see how differently we each grieve her loss.

My oldest girl turns to art for most things.  She drew this quick, sharpie-on-notebook-paper picture of our little pup.  I love how she captured her face so well with such simple use of color and lines.

We were all meant to be creative.  It doesn’t mean we have to all be Picasso’s.  By design, God is the ultimate Creator and He leaves a thread of that legacy within each of us.  There are so many ways to bring out your artistic side.  The obvious, yes… paints, colors, pencils and papers.  There are also words- writing and poetry, the way we express our feelings in those special cards we give others.  And we can’t forget that daily camera we have in our hands 24/7.   Our phones allow us to have a camera ready at all times to capture all those precious moments of life.  Even if you don’t love the photo you take, there are lists and lists of apps that put filters on those pictures.  You can click a few times and turn a mundane shot into a graphic work of art.

And to be inclusive of all mediums, simply the way we live is artful.  Loving others is an expression of our souls.  The way we serve those around us, attending to their needs, can be beautiful.  Reaching out to a hurting friend, praying for them… it all comes from the heart, which IS artistic.  Never stop paying attention to those people we do life with and the places we find ourselves.  Never quit looking for a way to find a creative outlet that suits you for both times of happiness and times of sorrow.  It is necessarily therapeutic and the beauty it adds to our world is priceless.

get active, healthy living

we love jazz

dailystepsblog

we heart jazzercise

It’s a month of bingo at Sienna Jazzercise!  Trying to fill up our card by marking off the boxes- and we’re going for the blackout!  We get squares by taking the different formats we offer (8 different ones!), taking class 3 or even 5 days in a row, taking every instructor’s class, taking early bird classes, attending night owl classes, and selfies!  These gals were good sports to show their love for what we love.  Jazzercise is such a fun, stress relieving hour for me.  Every day wonderful women join me for an hour we give ourselves.  Music on.  World off.  That’s about how it goes.

being mindful, daily moments, healthy living

pretty blue water bottle

dailystepsblog

ww water bottle

So, week 2 of ‪#‎weightwatchers‬ has happened. I love my new, pretty blue water bottle and am hoping it serves as a fun reminder to add more water to my day. That’s just not something I’m good at. I REALLY don’t like rules and restrictions with food. But, I decided it’s time for some accountability and thought WW may be a good fit. I have never been one to get too hung up with the number on the scale- it goes up some and it goes down some- and that’s okay. That’s life. Yet if my clothes start fitting a little more snug (which they were) and, more importantly, if I am regularly feeling a little more sluggish (which I was) then I know I need to make some changes. Over the last several days of being a little more mindful about it, I can already see where some daily habits were getting a little out of hand. My small handful of chocolate chips is not really reaping the health benefits of dark chocolate when it happens several times a day. Every. Day. 😁. (‪#‎thechocolatestruggleisreal‬). I see my choices improving. When I have healthy food ready and available, I’m more willing to choose that first. Rocket science, right? Bottom line is, I FEEL better. I am not hovering over the scale. I just don’t have the time or inclination for all that. What does matter to me is how much I plug in to life each day. I have more energy and am less distracted and I just feel more HERE. THAT is not a number. And that is SO worth it. When I committed to jazzercise, it made a difference in my fitness level. When I commit to bible study, it makes a difference in my faith walk. So, I decided to commit to this to help me get healthier. I’m much more likely to live out my purpose by being healthy and feeling good.  1 Corinthians 10:31- “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

being mindful, daily moments, get active

mismatched socks

dailystepsblog

mismatched sock wearer

And this is what it’s come to. I’m officially a mismatched sock wearer. I’m battling three girls who fully embrace this style and raid my stash daily…. And my youngest is not far behind… So I’m throwing caution to the wind and going for it. Sock singles all the way for me from now on. Just pick two and go.  Laundry just got a whole lot easier.

And you know what?  Every time I look down at these non-OCD feet, I feel a sense of freedom.  I’ve surrendered.  Yes, it’s just socks.  But it’s also the mindset that got me to this place.   There’s joy in the not caring.  There’s contentment in knowing my feet are still protected.  And there’s gratitude knowing I am still able to walk, run, dance, and move.  Letting go of the socks has really taught me it’s okay.  Letting go can be good.  Surrender is where we are supposed to live.  I believe true joy waits for us there.

 

 

get active, healthy living

the blessing of health

dailystepsblog

health is blessing quote

True health is a whole thing.  I mean that in two ways.  It’s a WHOLE thing, holistically speaking.  We’ve got to live a life of balance to really live and thrive.  But it’s also a whole thing– as in it’s always something we are pushing after, something that we work at all day (realistically), and something that as days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months, we are constantly tweaking to keep it all in balance.  A healthy body that can move and be active and that you nourish with real food- good food- that fuels and strengthens you… that’s where our physical energy comes from.  A healthy mind that thinks happy, positive thoughts and seeks joy as the root of how we live life… this takes energy and focus.  And we cannot forget our healthy spirit.  That internal gift that is a part of us and keeps us chasing after God- intentionally- not just when we get in a bind. A healthy spirit that urges us to dive into the Word- His word- to learn, pray, and always keep seeking Him. Our health IS a WHOLE thing. It’s a blessing- a gift we should nurture each day.  Let’s strive to THRIVE in mind, body, and spirit and go out and do good in this world.  ❤️ 3 John 2:  Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.

daily moments, devotions

little yellow flower

dailystepsblog

little yellow flower

As I stepped out earlier this week to take my daughter to school, I looked down and saw this dainty little flower. Most days I wouldn’t have given a second glance to the flowering weed coming up in the driveway crack (note to self: ‪#‎needroundup‬), but in that split second it really stopped me in my tracks.

This last week has been a tough one. We lost our oldest dog unexpectedly.  To say we are heartbroken is an understatement.  Pets are family and the grieving is real. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you haven’t experienced loss, but maybe illness or parenting or work stress is taking a toll. Seeing this sweet little flower growing and blossoming despite the cold, hard cement and brick that surrounds it spoke to me. It found a way to bloom even though its circumstances are less than ideal. And then I thought… When I am in a place that feels hard, do I grow? Or even blossom? Do I put my trust in God and forge ahead relying on His provisions… And His grace… to keep going, to keep growing… right where I am?

We CAN blossom through every circumstance in life. It doesn’t have to be the ideal, comfortable conditions that bring out our beauty and purpose. We can blossom in the hard times- trusting God when things seem out of our control and when we don’t understand the why. We can lean in on God so that we grow and thrive right where we are.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the gift of this dainty driveway flower. Help me to blossom with Your grace and for Your purpose wherever you plant me- each and every day.

❤ Isaiah 26:3-4 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.