READY FOR THE NEW YEAR?...NO?!?

...Well, here's what I'm doing to prepare to accomplish  more of my goals for this coming year---

Perhaps you'd like to join me?  We can encourage each other along the way; help to keep one another motivated and accountable...

One of my first priorities is to make a thoughtful list of the goals that I would like to accomplish or begin in the coming year. I'm going to gather together my tools: old fashioned pen and paper and a fresh cup of nice, hot, Columbian coffee : )

     Then I'm going to begin to write down the things I've been letting float around in my head for several months now---putting them down onto paper somehow "grabs" them out of the atmosphere and corals them long enough for me to consider their position in my order of priorities!

 This is not a quick planning session mind you, oh no. This process may take days or even weeks of tweaking. In all honesty, I have found that this list is actually fluid. Alive at times. It really has to be...What with the way life keeps throwing curve balls and popping out from behind the trees!...

...BUT, we DO need a plan. Do you know the saying, "If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail."? I have found this to be very true in my life. I've been overwhelmed and ran over at times by all that was happening in our home. Out of control. Chaos pure and simple. I know what that feels like first hand, and it's not pretty. Not only that, it doesn't achieve the desired results. 

I began to ask how some people, with the same 24hrs in their day as I have, managed to achieve goals. Do you know the answer that I discovered?....Wait...for...it.......They learned how to 1) set goals, 2) prioritize those goals, and then 3) SAY NO to the things that would come up that would interfere with the carrying out of those tasks leading to accomplishing those goals!

I Immediately identified a personal weakness of mine. I have a hard time saying "no". Can you relate? Well, the good news is, that when you have thoughtfully created a priority list of your goals and related tasks, you then feel more of a motivation to stick to your plans. It's kind of like giving yourself permission to say no to other things---which for me was a breakthrough discovery! I wasn't being mean or careless. I was being intentional. And that leads to achieving results. Now THAT'S beautiful! ...

Here's hoping this post will get us started thinking about taking time to thoughtfully list our priorities for the coming year. Please share your ideas for being intentional, and ways that you have found to be successful, in the comments below. If you like this post, please share with your friends!

Peace Out, 

Lisa : )

Sage, Marshmallow, and Jett

Hobby Farm Hello!

When Blueberries are Red...

Our young layers

     It's nearly officially Winter here now, but the weather has been unseasonably warm....In fact, you'd think it  was Spring around here the way some birds are behaving! My pear tree even had some blooms on it the other day! The camellias are blooming in succession as the previous owner planted several varieties over her 20+ years developing the landscaping on the place " )

Freckle-resting from his grueling cat schedule!

    I get a lot of beauty-inspiration from just living on this little hill in the South. As you head up about halfway, you can turn around and see quite a distance on a clear day. Sometimes I'm not thrilled to have to go out for chores, but I almost always have a change of heart a few minutes into it-The animals are always happy to see me (well, ok, I do mean "food", lol!) and going through our routines together is just plain wholesome. It evokes a sort of connectedness with all of those who've done just what I'm doing throughout the past ages back as far as.....well, oblivion!

     Beauty truely IS all around us...even in the most basic and humble of surroundings. I like to "tweak" the landscape and dwellings in my little domain as I go-trim a limb here, add a flowerbed there, garnish a dinner plate just for added umph.... It adds satisfaction and purpose to everyday living...

     What can you do to add or highlight the beauty in your world?

Please comment and share as you feel inspired to do so,and Happy Wednesday!

Lisa M.

     

WHAT IS...

BEAUTY...

ANYWAY?

Some say that beauty is IN the eye of the beholder...

     Does that mean that it exists within the beholder's "eye", or perception, and is therefore completely subjective? What are the effects of beauty on our selves or those around us? 
     
     Well, however it's perceived or communicated, we probably agree that it usually has a POSITIVE effect on us! I've joined some groups on Google+ just for the purpose of having what I consider to be beautiful photographs of nature, etc. in my regular feed. I enjoy taking/sharing photos of things I consider to be beautiful with others " ) 

***It FEELS like doing something GOOD...***

     So in that spirit, and with that intention, here's some beauty....At least from this beholder's perception!

 Fresh veggies and herbs grown in my own garden this summer...

My amazing surroundings today...

     Yes, I am privileged to be accompanying my dear hubby on a work trip! I brought along my laptop and a stack of books to browse. It's unseasonably warm here on the Gulf...Just a few peeps. Hoping to spend lots of time studying ( The last of my children is nearing the end of her homeschooling days, and I am beginning to look ahead to possible productive and fun ways to engage myself!) as well as honing my internet skills---You don't feel like a guinea pig, do you, lol?

     I'd love to hear what some other folks have done after their intense child rearing days transitioned into the "next season". Please comment on and share this post---

Share Beauty Today!

Lisa

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PS-I'm still REALLY ENJOYING the AVON Anew Ultimate skincare...Will be adding the night cream to my regimen in a few days, then my basics will be complete! I HAVE noticed more moisturized, plump skin-especially around my eyes where I was noticing the most distress...If you are not experiencing the best your skin can be,  you may want to try this complete line. My Avon Lady's link is just to the right, in the margin. She'd love to help you find JUST WHAT YOU NEED~

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS....ALREADY?!?

Come on, be honest! You KNOW you're already thinking that you never did get around to carrying out those resolutions from LAST year. Am I right? No? Well, I guess I'm the only naughty girl then ; )

     

     Don't let's be too hard on ourselves. After all, there were all of those unforeseen circumstances that kept popping up. And time has a way of absolutely f l y i n g by. Before you knew it, the year was half over!

     Before this starts to go south, let me redirect our thoughts into a more proactive, positive stream...

...We've made it through another year! Our bodies have carried out countless commands for us on a daily basis without so much as a... well... OK,  it did put up a bit of a fuss those few times...But overall it's been nothing less than an outright miracle!

     I say that we should not allow ourselves to feel badly about the underachieving that we may be tempted to accuse ourselves of, but instead, CELEBRATE the privilege of looking forward to the opportunities that the coming year will afford us. Let's go ahead and DREAM big again this season...Hope those HOPES. Set those GOALS. List those PRIORITIES!!! WOO HOO!...I'm feeling pumped already!

     Personally, I really DO need to take better care of ME...It's not a selfish thing to take actions to nurture your body, mind and spirit. It's really one of the best things you can do for those others in your circle of life! When we are more fit, positive and prepared, we can be more able to GIVE.

     As someone's  grandmother probably used to say, "You can't draw water from an empty well!"

VS.

     Let's celebrate LIFE this season, and encourage each other to look AND plan forward to a NEW YEAR! 

      I'd love to hear how you are making plans to head into the new year on the "right foot"! Please comment below and share---You can't get too much encouragement!

Visit Again Soon! 

Lisa

     

     

I've Struck "Paydirt"!

 
      No, really. Not too long ago, I realized that it was PAST time for me to stop scrubbing my face with soap and water and maybe put a tiny bit of effort into taking care of  MY ONLY FACE (hair, nails, overall condition ; )! I'm not the totally vain type, but a little voice deep down inside me somewhere whispered, "Maybe it's OK for you to start pampering yourself a wee bit...I mean, after all, you have raised and homeschooled 5 children and managed a household of 7 for the past nearly 30 years!"... (No, sorry to disappoint. That's NOT me in the above photo, lol!)

     I intend to begin to form several better habits for a HEALTHIER, more FIT, more PROACTIVE me. I've always tried TO BEAUTIFY THE SPACES AROUND ME....now it's time to turn my efforts on my own person---inside and out!

     Aging is inevitable.

AGING GRACEFULLY is not!

 At least, I suspect, not for me " O

     Some INTENTIONAL EFFORT is going to have to be employed by me to ENCOURAGE the "gracefully" part!

     Hence the photo above. I have re-discovered an old friend,....AVON! Yes, we go way back. At least 3 generations, believe it or not.  I was surrounded by AVON products growing up...A recent scan of vintage AVON products posted on Pinterest brought back so many memories " )

     I can't even recall how I came across AVON recently, but I was inspired to locate a nearby REPRESENTATIVE and request a BROCHURE and some SAMPLES. She was very accommodating, and met me outside of my daughter's dance studio the following week, opened her trunk in the parking lot, and proceeded to hand me a bag full of samples based on our previous phone conversation. She said that she had thought for days about just exactly which samples to include, letting me know that she was serious about trying to anticipate and meet my specific needs/wants! I thought to myself, "If I were to ever become a representative, THAT'S the way that I would want to do business with my clientele!"

     Anywho, back to the "paydirt" part...I had REALLY let my skincare, cosmetic, and jewelry resources dwindle to just about nothing over the years, but had recently maneuvered  a niche in my budget by doing the majority of my grocery shopping at Aldie ; ) So............I felt like I could venture to invest in my hard-working, frugal self a little, lol! I ended up making several orders over several paychecks to build up my arsenal, and.....I discovered the ANEW ULTIMATE skin care line! Talk about PAMPERING YOURSELF! It makes you feel like a queen! From the gold packaging and sparkling eye elixir, to the luscious creaminess and scent of the cleanser, using them is a treat that I find myself LOOKING FORWARD to each morning and evening. I've been using the products for a couple of weeks now, and actually do see an improvement in my skin plumpness and clarity.

     Stay tuned for more AVON product reviews, as well as other aspects of  "Beauty for Living"!

Please  comment and share your adventures with finding, appreciating, and promoting beauty in your world, and....Come back to visit!

Have A Happy and Safe and Healthy Holiday,
Lisa