In 2010, it started with the wonderful news I was going to be a mom. Fast-forwarding through the experience of living in an abusive marriage and moving through a custody battle, my health began to suffer. Changes on the outside were beginning to show, and family and friends took notice. With dreams of becoming a well-known chef, I knew I needed to help my body fight the battles of constant stress, that abusers left in their path while transitioning back to a life of normalcy.
Becoming dubbed the “hungry woman” I began with using my culinary detective skills to bring myself back to health, along with other natural and homeopathic remedies.
Being back in my comfort zone in Texas, and increasing my knowledge of the food we consume, I began to see the signs of abuse and stress fade away.
This photo-above-was also around the time I decided to go back to my childhood roots and start a garden like old times. Make that a very large Texas-sized garden. One’s health is no small matter, so neither should my home garden be.
Soon after designing the garden, I began to see that God wanted this garden project not just for me, but for my family as well. It wasn’t so much that I didn’t know my mom had been working with her doctors about her thyroid, but I was starting to take notice from my own research of how most plants can support your health to heal when her doctors began “testing” her thyroid medication brands and dosage.
I found it upsetting, and unnerving, that during medical school, doctors have little to no training on nutrition. So what happens in medical school? I not sure, but I’ve gone through nutrition classes through acquiring my culinary degrees. Even becoming a member of the garden committee that produced on sight ingredients in a farm-to-table fashion for our public restaurants on campus.
I am still on the journey of healing my mom to restoring her thyroid for good. One will do what they can for their best friend, and she falls at the top of my list.
SEPTEMBER IS THYROID CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Before further damage can be done, I continue in my culinary pursuit to find a healthier, natural, and non medicated way to keep my mother here for many, many years.
I came across this wonderful and emotional challenge in 2018 of another female who began a thyroid cancer awareness challenge. Though we are not, and I pray never at this stage, I decided to join in to support her and other families who are at different stages of dealing with thyroid issues. The challenge was to post a photo of you wearing a ribbon around your neck to show support and awareness of the thyroid we all have.
I took my photo with a ribbon, as well as attached an essential oil diffuser charm. On my path to finding food and products to help my own stressed and abused body, I found essential oils.
One essential oil that supports the thyroid gland is lemongrass. I placed a few drops in the charm to create an aroma to breathe in throughout the day, close to the gland.
Thyroid cancer is most common in women, so this month is to bring awareness to help in early diagnosis and treatment.
The challenge, unfortunately, has ended, but I hope that you will take part in this continued awareness on your own time throughout the month of September. Awareness is key to finding preventative ways to keep us all healthy.
I ended up becoming part of my classes’ group of outcasts early on in school and grew up with few friends over the years.
Nothing that I couldn’t handle, as I began to see and understand school wasn’t just for making friendships. I was focused on doing my best with my grades and making plans for college to attend culinary school.
Though no one knew I was dating(outside of school) my last year of high school, I still didn’t have one classmate ask me to prom.
Only because my then-boyfriend and my mom banded together to get me to say yes to going, I put myself together for the function of a school I disliked due to being bullied over the years.
Fortunately, I spotted the table to sign up for the prom queen during lunch. Knowing there’d be no chance of me winning the title, I put my name in the box since every girl deserves to have her name on the ballot.
I had overheard when the ballots came together for the list, an outraged mother tried to pressure the school staff to have my name removed, in fear her daughter would lose. (Turns out she was not the prom queen after all.)
When voting came around, one guy came up to me to inform me he voted for me. Thanking him for his vote, he said it would be one less for someone who really doesn’t deserve it.
Fast forward to prom night, I chose to do my own hair and makeup to avoid any “traditional” prom must-haves and must do’s.
Happily, my date enjoyed his part of picking out the corsage.
No surprise when we arrived at the hotel, the prom decor was “lame” and the music selection was horrible. My heels were perfect and comfortable and ready for dancing, and I kept waiting for the music to change to more my style.
My date came into this evening knowing I had very little friends, and how my school classmates and staff treated me over the years. I don’t think he minded much, as long I got to have the “prom experience” my senior year and we were together. We danced to the only country song that played towards the end. I rubbed it in a little by stealing a kiss on the dance floor, as eyes glared at me for being there- date included.
I bring my story up at this time because schools are closed due to the coronavirus and to hopefully ease some anxious seniors’ feelings.
Our younger generation has ten times the heavier stresses of the senior year due to schools having to manage classes online, from home. Not sure how I would feel being in their shoes at this moment. But I can say I wouldn’t miss the verbal, and sometimes, physical attacks by other students.
Of all the senior moments that are made during the second semester until graduation is to some, milestones they want to have. Sports, concerts, trips, and so many other school activities are being canceled to help the spread of the virus.
Not all seniors care there may not be a prom to attend. With continued bullying, this temporary lockdown is a silent blessing.
I had dealt with bullying for years, and things started to escalate my senior year. During lunch, I had to find safe places around campus to have lunch in peace. Days that I couldn’t, I had to suffer being around my bullies in the lunchroom. At least I had a half time break during school hours to be alone.
Many would question why I even went to prom if I didn’t care for the school and fellow classmates. I went for many reasons.
• At some point you have to be stronger than your enemies and bare your strength as God’s child.
• I wasn’t going to allow jealousy, hate, or race of others to pressure me out from that I was entitled to as well. (Aftert all, people who are bullies at young(er) ages, sometimes grow out of their hateful behavior and will choose on their own to make amends for how they have treated others from their past.)
• I had support and witness of my prom date should anything happen.
• What if I did enjoy my time, going about still ignoring their malicious behavior towards me.
A very small group of students, myself included, dubbed ourselves our towns “originals”. We were a tiny group of classmates that had been in town since daycare and never moved out of town, or to another school, then came back. To this day, I have our daycare graduation photo-somewhere stored in a photo album.
I have been targeted of verbal, emotional, and physical abuse throughout school, so I don’t feel its anyone’s place to try and minimize a teenager’s decision for not wanting to attend prom. And it would be unfair to say to them it’s too bad they missed out because of the coronavirus. Protection and blessings come from many sources-global viruses included.
Most parents know when their child is the target of school bullying. Since kids are home now, it would be the perfect time to talk to them about their thoughts and feelings about senior year for them. Ask about things they liked about their last year. Who they miss and who they don’t, and why. These are great opening questions to help your teens before heading out into the world- well when the lockdown is over.
Try to think more clearly during this time. Reflect on your family. Governments-mostly public schools, cannot control one’s happiness.
Sometimes the safest place to be for minors is a home learning environment. It can be difficult to concentrate during class when you are being bullied.
If you are a senior who’s been bullied at school reading this, prom doesn’t bring you happiness. You can do this for yourself in many other ways. With family or friends, and even simply enjoying a favorite hobby. There’s many resources out there. You just have to be open to redirecting your energy.
~Prom was boring, but having a dressed-up evening at a fancy restaurant with my boyfriend, at the time, was the best part of the evening.~
Bullying has occurred, probably since the beginning of time. You can help stop bullying by standing up, reporting the abuse to supportive adults and law enforcement, and finding safer environments to the best of your ability.
I never hid the fact of the abuse at school. Regardless if the school staff took action or not. I made sure reporting was done and the bullies were put on notice for their actions against me.
How do you think bullying will change once everyone is allowed to return to school? Leave me your thoughts!
You always have a voice and a choice. We can end bullying once and for all, together.
Shortly after my birthday in January, news reports of the spread of coronavirus were becoming the subject of top stories.
February started out with a surprise late-night snowfall here in central Texas, which I gladly took advantage of losing a couple of hours of sleep over to enjoy.
Not only was this once-a-decade snowfall in Texas occurring, but people were also then slowly starting to stockpile toilet paper here in the United States once word began traveling that the virus was reaching other countries.
I recall watching a docuseries about preppers and thinking about how they always mentioned you have to be ready for when panic among the masses break out. Will you be ready with supplies for you and your family?
Going on my third year of creating and building my own home garden due to my change in perspective in regards to my health over divorce, I wasn’t feeling much panic. I know that I can grow crops in abundance, and I work from home too.
Since looking in the mirror at my changing body image during divorce and my custody battle to fight for my son, I’ve spent many hours and years, reflecting on life, and where humans are today when it comes to having survival skills to weather any storm.
So far, I haven’t felt any real panic or fear over our growing pandemic mode. Whether it’s from years of self-reflection, determination, and emotional growth, I’ve been able to handle this virus from a different angle. From a stronger angle.
I want to share my thoughts and feelings during this time so I may help provide a brighter way of looking at our quick-changing way of living.
I will be focusing on coming from a place of gratitude.
Capturing current events when they happen has always been big news and is kept for historical documentation. Teaching your child the importance of documenting important current events can help them grow in many ways. With the world in a state of panic and slight uncertain times due to the coronavirus, you can be part of a milestone in your child’s learning by helping them keep a current events journal.
Most schools are now closed for spring break at this time. It was almost perfect timing that officials were able to add additional time off from school to help control the spread of the virus. With school closures now everywhere, schools and parents are having their own learning curve on how to help kids keep up with school work.
Hopefully, in most, if not all, school staff were instructed to send the students home with most of their school supplies.
I have seen many virus memes circulating through social media since the coronavirus has made its way to the United States. Since schools have closed, funny school memes are taking the place of toilet paper jokes. Some parents joke about how their first day of “homeschooling” has gone and parents are at a loss of becoming the teacher. I know as a mother, any extra time with my son is always cherished.
However, for those parents taking an opportunity to teach their children from a homeschooling manner, one life lesson can be given, and that’s the importance of journaling.
I used to be a huge fan of journaling when my passion for dreaming took over for my main journal subject. But as I wash the pandemic continue, and see kids off from school, it reminded me of the time when 911 happened.
Most everyone reading this article will never forget that day. What you were doing and how you felt when 911 happened. Since hearing about the towers being hit, I still recall almost every detail of the day.
Unlike the virus today, our school was not canceled for the day of the terrorist attack. Our teachers decided not to conduct lessons as even they were in shock of the news.
In English class, with no school work, we were free to roam the halls and hang out. My friends and I wandered off into the library and noticed a TV on, showing the news. They were replaying footage of the towers being hit. At the moment when I witnessed the attack, my hands cupped my mouth as all I could do was gasp in disbelief. Our teacher passed by and called us back to class. It was surreal taking in such a large scale terror attack at my young age.
It wasn’t until my yearbook class in the afternoon that I received a new perspective. I didn’t realize how thoughtful and smart our teacher was until he decided to give an important life lesson that day. He was not going to teach the normal curriculum but asked each of us to take out a sheet of paper and pen. Once everyone had their paper on their desks, he gave a serious speech:
Today is a very sad day, but a very important one. Since this is the yearbook class, it’s your job to document what happens throughout the year, to look back on in the future. As you know, the United States has come under attack. Today I want you to sit quietly and listen to the radio and take notes on everything you hear. This paper is going to capture this time in history and I want you to save it.
He walked over to his small boom box, put on talk radio, and walked to his desk with his head down. I watched every movement as if it were in slow motion as he walked and still seeing flashes of the planes hit from earlier in the library.
When I came too, I tunned into the news and listened before writing. They were playing audio from live interviews of witnesses and other new reporters.
I finally snapped out of the visuals I was getting and started writing what I heard. To this day, I still have the paper.
It will be forever a moment that I will no doubt be thankful for my yearbook teacher given us that task of documenting history.
We can not go through life as if we are seated on the roller coaster. Just like the real ride, you have to walk through the park to get to the next ride, and in the meantime, enjoy the rest of the parks’ decor. To reflect on life like this, you can begin to start to see the purpose you have in life and how you can enjoy it too.
Life is not always easy, and moments in time of terror or disease, you must reflect on humanity and those close to you.
That’s why journaling today’s virus is a great homeschooling tool.
Already stories of children being fearful due to most media created fear are surfacing, help teach them that this is only another moment in history for change and reflection.
Each age and grade level, this journal assignment can be tailored to their understanding, as well as their experience so far.
Here are some ideas of writing prompts for different ages:
Elementary:
Draw and color a picture of the virus.
Write out what symptoms to look for.
How to stay clean from catching and spreading the virus.
What foods can boost your immune system to stay healthy?
Middle school:
Draw and color a picture of the virus.
Write out what symptoms to look for.
How to stay clean from catching and spreading the virus.
What foods can boost your immune system to stay healthy?
Research and write about countries where the virus first started.
Research and write about when the virus first came to the United States(or your country)
Research and write about the steps and actions your state has taken to prevent the spread of the virus. Include names and dates. Site your news/research sources.
Research and write about the steps and actions of your local county/city/town has taken to prevent the spread of the virus.
Write about when your school first announced the closure and the student’s reactions.
Write about you and your friend’s reactions to having no school.
Write about what homework/classwork/sporting practice-games were changed due to school closure.
Write about your thoughts and feeling about the virus.
Write about your friend’s thoughts and feelings about the virus.
Write about a shopping experience with your parents since the grocery stores have begun to sell out of products.
Write about the food supply you have at home and how recipes may have changed, for better or worse.
High school:
Draw and color a picture of the virus.
Write out what symptoms to look for.
How to stay clean from catching and spreading the virus.
What foods can boost your immune system to stay healthy?
Research and write about countries where the virus first started.
Research and write about when the virus first came to the United States(or your country)
Research and write about the steps and actions your state has taken to prevent the spread of the virus. Include names and dates. Site your news/research sources.
Research and write about the steps and actions of your local county/city/town has taken to prevent the spread of the virus.
Write about when your school first announced the closure and the student’s reactions.
Write about you and your friend’s reactions to having no school.
Write about what homework/classwork/sporting practice-games were changed due to school closure.
Write about your thoughts and feeling about the virus.
Write about your friend’s thoughts and feelings about the virus.
Write about a shopping experience with your parents since the grocery stores have begun to sell out of products.
Write about the food supply you have at home and how recipes may have changed, for better or worse.
Write about changes in hanging out with friends.
If you are a senior, write about rumors you’re hearing about tests, graduation, and college acceptance policies.
Write about if your family bonding changed for the better or worse.
Write about other family members: elders, siblings, family functions, state of health, etc.
Of course, this is not a complete list of possible things to write about concerning the virus.
How often should I journal about the virus?
We are approaching close to a month since US news of the virus began affecting our daily living. And things are changing fast in regards to our leaders and officials on how to handle it. I think that it would be wise to write daily-or Monday through Friday like a normal school week. Feelings and activities change now almost by the hour, so staying on top of what’s current, will make for more effective writing, thinking and record keeping.
What type of journal should I use?
At this time, it would be wise to stay home as much as possible, so writing your journal entry would be okay on just a sheet of paper if you don’t have a journal or spiral notebook. Later you may feel creative to hole punch and use string or ribbon to tie it together or place in a binder if a journal or notebook is not available.
You will get a feel for how your child writes, if they prefer to write more than a page of each topic, so don’t limit the page count.
No matter the age, I’m sure taking an artistic approach may be just as appealing for cover design or page design.
I’ve been inspired to do a sort of countdown for our given situation of stay at home orders, and limiting group numbers of people, due to the coronavirus.
I want to create a grateful series because it’s starting to feel as if I’m looking from the outside in on some people’s reactions and emotions during this time.
It’s not something that most of us haven’t gone through when hearing about an illness going around, just that both federal and local laws are all working together to control the spread of the virus, and daily living is changing at a rapid pace.
I want to help bring a lighter perspective to you, and even myself, during these times of lockdown.
Its important to always come from a place of understanding when being confronted with something of a grand scale. Reflecting on gratitude at this time, I believe is such a needed lesson for our planet now.
The topic of gratitude is such a deep one and one that’s easy to have just thrown out the window when fear and panic set in.
It’s my hope that I can bring in a positive tone into this countdown while blogging about my life under quarantine, too.
Last year ended on a medically emergency for me. While rushing to throw Christmas together in less than a week, I began prepping Christmas decorations and cleaning house. While washing a very fragile glass vase, I lost my grip on it, causing it to fall and shatter in the sink. Happening quickly, as these things do, I didn’t see which part of the broken glass sliced two of my fingers on my dominant hand.
Almost four months, there’s light visible scarring, and some tenderness if it’s touched.
For the start of the new year, I suffered from a cold and decided to cancel all activities. Knowing that stronger forces were at play, I decided to try hard to really slow down. Apparently self-care was more important for the start of my new year.
Just as I was on the mend, here comes news reports of the coronavirus. Shortly after news broke, the virus made its rounds to the United States. Then social media panic over people purchasing mass quantities of toilet papers sweeps our nation. Soon after this hostile shopping spree, and just as darkness takes hold, things began to close down. Schools, social gatherings, places of employment, churches, sports, air travel restrictions, time curfews, city and town lockdowns, court orders to enforce those social distancing pleas, and so much more.
Feeling close to normal again- completely over my cold- and being able to hold things in my hand without pain, well little to no pain when writing at least, I felt like another wall came up to my new year. But it was a great feeling to once again recover physically from my deep flesh wounds.
Cutting my hand, as bad as I had, I spent weeks being concerned whether feeling would come back in the area. The glass sliced both fingers near the joint where they bend, on the inside.
Memories of year cooking, going through culinary school, using a knife, may never be the same. I had to relearn how to hold utensils, writing tools, all my different knives, just everyday tasks you perform with your dominant hand. In a sense, I was very lucky that the cut was not as deep and some people are not as fortunate to have a minimal hand injury. In those weeks, I deep a lot of deep thinking like this and I am very thankful to heal.
For having an online business, keeping up with writing was a chore, typing was painful-but not as painful watching me “peck” the keyboard to type!
Spring is here and so is COVID-19
I was now feeling like life was back to normal and ready for warmer days to go outside, work on content, and move forward with life. But hold the rotation of the Earth just minute…people were tested positive of the coronavirus in the states and now I can’t socialize without bandaged hands for once? Being ordered to stay home was not new territory for me. I ‘ve started the process of working from home years ago. Fortunately, too, that I have open space living out in the country.
Time to count those country blessings now:
You need to work from home ad use video conferencing for meetings and other non-essential work.
Check
No social in-person gatherings more than 10 people
Check
Closure of all national and state and city and town parks
Check
Public libraries closed
Check
Restaurants are closing dine-in-but take out/delivery available
Check
I’m sure the list can go on, but the main things I can count as my country blessings are where I chose to live and where I chose to work, has prepared me for a doomsday scenario.
Prepping VS Hoarding VS Panic
One thought I have often, besides thoughts of being from Texas and why only Texans will “get it”, is the age-old debate of country living versus city living. It’s easy for city folk to tote about the benefits of city living, and yes, in some instances, easier, but in my viewpoint, there’s plenty that is essential to life in the country as a way of living.
In one episode of The Andy Giffith Show, Andy and Barney out together a high school reunion party. Andy hopes to see an old flame at the party. Eventually, she arrives and they seem to have their old teenage feelings resurface until the topic of city and country living comes up in conversation.
A rather good episode, however, her comment about being a “big fish in a little pond” wasn’t the life she wanted to live. Andy loved his small-town living, yet his date preferred to expand in a big city.
No matter that we have the technology to connect all forms of a way of living, the debate, I confess, will continue until people see that country living is not limiting in any way.
Comparing my bullets to thoughts and experience:
You need to work from home ad use video conferencing for meetings and other non-essential work:
Done and done. Being an entrepreneur, you’re essential. Maybe not in the “emergency essential” group -unless this is your entrepreneurial field, but a lot of entrepreneur bosses can work remotely.
It’s a skill that quickly becomes how you work and run your business. Everyone has heard time and time again, business is moving online-unless you’ve tunned out the phrase now. Well, tune back in.
Now more than ever, businesses are learning how cost-effective it is to run your organization online is. Affiliates and big businesses know this and have for years now. And if you’re a small business, the reality is certainly giving you an eye-opener today with the coronavirus shutdowns.
No social in-person gatherings more than 10 people:
No problem, because some days I love a little alone time. Time to reflect on dreams, meditation, work, start a new project, or finish one
In-person gatherings that are limited and to some families, would rather just stay closed off, that’s okay too. I have always preferred phone conversations as opposed to texting, so increased phone calls have increased to my delight.
Closure of all national and state and city and town parks:
With land to loam, park closures are of no concern. I have daily views of both the sunrise and sunset, as well as full moons. I can enjoy watching wildlife roam to give birth to their own generations-even bunnies just in time for Easter!
One new project I’m rather excited about taking on is a new hobby of exploring all the wildflowers on the property. I’ve always wanted to learn about studying botany and being able to identify edible plants. And why not? Just another skill I can add to my culinary degree. There’s a lot to learn and what better time than during a city lockdown.
Public libraries closed:
No problem again. I love books, and just the thought of holding it in my hand is where the love expands. I still have plenty of reading material from my bulk book-buying over the years. Some days my internet connection is weak or slow, so I’ll take that as another sign from the universe to unplug from the outside world and technology altogether, and turn to my personal collection of books for a refresher.
Restaurants are closing dine-in-but take out/delivery available
You know even better! As the United States is one of the unhealthiest countries in terms of food quality and nutrition, and I don’t mind this suggested lockdown. I have staples at home and know how to cook for myself and my family. This also takes the pressure off local restaurants for those who will be flooding their establishments because they lack the basic skills to cook and bake for themselves. Or just without a kitchen(space) and tools. (Diet and handicap not included for the ones who are truly able to perform these tasks.)
For the past two years, I have started work and constructing my own home garden and this year it has really taken off. And just in time for the prices of food increases due to the virus and limited staffing at most food facilities.
Tryin to fully grasp this virus and why it’s happening, is like seeing that I wasn’t the only one whos needed a ‘medical’ set back to see the bigger picture.
Is the entire world on medical leave? Perhaps not. But perspective is here and its showing you with open arms change is needed in your life. Awareness for many things is being asked of each of us. Take the news to reflect on your own life. The faster we can reflect on these changes we need to make within, and the faster we can do this together, the quicker we’ll understand why we needed a virus and all these restrictions.
Whether you realize it or not, you are being shown the entrepreneur lifestyle right now. With all these lock-downs occurring around the world, ask yourself if you can see a new perspective of life? In a positive way of course. If you can take a moment, you’ll see a reflection of the entrepreneur lifestyle you may or not have tried envisioning for you and your family.
Living the lifestyle of an entrepreneur, you may envision:
Time freedom
Financial freedom
Flexible work hours
Remote work locations
Travel freedom
Boss/Owner status
Family freedom-more time with family
A taste of the Entrepreneur Dream:
Less contact with employees:
Not getting along
Bullying
Harassment encounters-all forms
Spreading coronavirus(currently germ control)
No stressful commute
and extra gas money
No physical work location:
Work in bed
Work on the couch
In the garden by the pool
Seeing and spending more time with your spouse
Seeing and spending more time with your child/ren
Spending time with pets and animals more
(Probably one of the best for most) No dress code- EXCEPT for video conferencing!!
Even if hours were cut for you and your household, there are always values that are benefits o this lock-down.
Entrepreneurs are either born into life with their destiny written out, or they’re made through challenging times like pandemics. Those people who choose to be entrepreneurs wear many hats, like me, of survival and are people of solutions to help life continue forward.
Everything we go through is a mirror of cycles.
How many people would never have the courage to embrace being their own boss, learning what their true passion is in life unless something like a forced lock-down could create?
Not everyone will take this chance to try something new, and leave the old behind, and that’s okay. There’s a person for every job.
Most nonessential people are being asked to stay home. Of the people looking for the solution, people are heavily researching ‘work from home’ answers.
Right now, there is a record high of people working from home. Some still with their jobs, others are slowly getting shut down. Before the virus hit, almost half of America worked from home. Learn more about work from home statistics here.
What a perfect time for census counting, with fewer people commuting to work.
I missed Groundhog Day, but that’s okay because this Texas lady got her wish of having snow last night!
As a self-employed entrepreneur, I can mark my calendar as enjoying a work-milestone, of my first snow day! Even if it happened to be midnight!
Self-employed bosses need a snow day, and here’s how my first snow day went.
Hearing a winter storm was coming in this week, with a chance of snow, I didn’t get my hopes up to actually see snow as I’ve done in the past.
When you’re from central Texas, its rare to see snow make it down this far into the state. But me being me, I absolutely love snow. It has always been a treat to get to see it, let alone play in it.
I’ve been having many long days and nights, working on current and future projects for business since the holidays wrapped up. My plans were to go to bed early to catch up on sleep, and hopefully, begin rewiring my sleep schedule starting last night.
How wrong I would be, come a few hours later in the day.
I was informed that we were going to have a good chance of snow last night. Already dressed for bed, I look outside to make sure I wasn’t going to miss our rare chance at snowfall. Sure enough, I see flurries coming down.
“No way!” I thought, starting to scramble for my phone to take video. The predicted amount was about a half-inch. Well, I wanted to see it for myself, since after all, I did wish for a white 2019 Christmas to happen, but never did.
So, about every minute I ran from room to room, turning on lights and looking out the windows just to catch the snow falling down.
The ground quickly melted the snow. The wind was madly strong all day bringing in the storm, but the snow kept melting as it touched the sidewalk. After about half an hour or so, given that I was no longer watching the time but the snow, it began to accumulate on the grass. I was really excited now!
Closer to midnight, the snow came down harder, and the wind carrying larger snowflakes.
I was so excited, I had to make a quick decision whether or not I was going to get dressed and go outside. Midnight was approaching and my bed was calling.
My inner spirit called to take a moment to have some fun in nature, to experience the icy cold of a fresh snowfall.
It was done. I dressed in three layers of clothing with about a 45 percent phone charge left- I felt a slight panic about a low battery, but I couldn’t miss the snow.
I grabbed my boots and headed outside. I snapped a couple of pictures of the front porch plants already covered with snow. Then I stepped off the sidewalk, into the grass.
I savored the sound and feel of the snow as my boots crunched along it in the front yard. I stood in place and crunched the snow some more, listening to the sound through the wind howls. Looking around and up at the sky I felt myself smiling at the peace of the midnight hour, all alone. It was another moment of experiencing Earth’s own Heaven. I enjoyed just feeling joy and happiness over the simple surprise of receiving night snow.
Every now and then, I find it so important to stop and let your senses take in the environment. Our climate is changing rapidly and these moments may never occur again. So why miss out?
Sleep is sleep, yet like the dream Interpreter within, its also very important. But connecting with the elements also raises your vibration to evolve into a better human, and therefore a better entrepreneur.
Being a chef, I couldn’t pass up grabbing a candy mold of ducks I purchased when I became a duck mommy too.
However, it was quite a challenge to pack the snow into the mold as it was like scooping the artificial sugar, Splenda. (A horror story for next time.) And not to mention not having the right gloves. But I managed to get a few good shapes of a duck out from the mold.
And onto seeing more snow around the house, I decided to find my son’s beach toy bin and build a snowman and a fort. A big dream for only getting about a half to an inch of snowfall, right?
Filling his sand buckets was taking too long, so I scratched the fort idea and decided on a single snowman.
I found a large bucket to gather the snow, and away from where the ducks like to pass, about three buckets in, I was exhausted.
I don’t recall building snowmen in the past that tiring. Even when I was nine months pregnant in the north, playing in the snow, I was so energized.
But I had to keep going! I was determined to make my lovely snowman.
The snow stopped, I’ll guess at around 12:30 AM, and the ground appeared to be melting the ground snow already.
Too many panic moments for my little evening of fun…
But I managed to get a body done before calling it a night. If snow was still on the ground in the morning, I figured I could finish making it more round and taller, with all the embellishments too.
All I could think about was how the ducks were going to react once I let them out, and of all the school kids missing out on playing in the snow because of the late hour the storm came through.
Come morning, I woke up earlier than usual. Remember, I’ve been sleeping late which means, later mornings too. I’ll never sacrifice my sleep and miss dreaming.
I peeked out the curtain to find there were still traces of snow. Knowing that I’m the type of person who likes to jump right into work and not break until I’m tired, hungry, or need to stop for someone, breakfast came first.
With a full battery this time, I took more photos of the snow before the ducks or I had the chance of putting footprints all over the yard.
The duck ramp was covered with what looked like fresh snow still, but only because the sunlight hadn’t reached it. I filmed the ducks first walk through the snow and they were a little surprised and confused why I was filming them once again. (They tend to get camera shy like me at times.)
***Check out the video on my @colors4wellness Instagram page***
If I know my ducks, I could certainly see they were wary about my questionable looking snowman near the house. After a while, they slowly walked the long way around, circling to a bucket of water and not getting close to the snowman.
While they were exploring the snow before this though, I decided to build up the snowman a little where the morning sun was melting it and built smaller snowmen. Like a family.
As I was making an updated social media post, I realized my snowman family was missing a spouse.
Here was the post:
“I gave my snowman a family! 😀 wait…I forgot to build a husband. Oops…Dear Winter, let it snow again so this may be corrected. Thanks, Cassie from Texas. 🙂
By noon, the children had melted and the mother was more than 50 percent melted down herself.
The sunny skies today, it’s like snow never happened last night in Texas.
No matter what your self-employed days are filled with, be sure to take bad weather days and snow days off and enjoy them! Even if you can spare an hour, play in the snow, take a chance and be creative, embrace the elements (safely), take a moment to remember happiness like the child you once were, or to embrace what happiness is now to you, as an adult.
Enjoying my now melted memories of my 2020 Texas snowfall,
Welcome to the first-ever AD 2020! Many people come into the new year either on a good note or down on their luck. For the most part, I’m coming in on a good note.
So where do I fall short?
Though major changes are still spinning in my business vortex, and moving forward, a minor set back has forced me to slow down in the physical body.
Less than a week before Christmas, getting the house ready and decorated, I was washing dishes and a glass jar slipped out of my hands, broke, and sliced two fingers on my dominant hand.
It was a pretty scary experience since I’m a cautious person most of the time. The cuts were pretty deep but not enough for stitches.
Most of my holiday shopping, decorating, and menu ideas were canceled due to needing to rest my hand. I was even looking forward to baking new Christmas cookies.
I’ve been consistent with changing out the bandages and applying natural remedies. Though not fully healed, the cuts are mending faster than I expected, given the depth- and pain I felt.
New Year Resolutions for Insights By Cassie
2019 kicked off two new businesses, while the end of the year left me with taking two others into a whole new direction.
With more clarity for creating my brand, 2020 will no doubt be a busy year full of abundance and possibility.
Past years I had needed time to reflect on my marriage, divorce, custody, and how I’d bring my spirit back and on track to living my dreams as a successful female entrepreneur.
Each year was less of a “standard resolution” but more self-awareness and course correction for creating boundaries for the future.
For example, one year was to clear out all negativity that included habits, thoughts, and people that had no positive impact on my life, my family, or businesses.
Stating affirmatively what I wanted to accomplish for each new year, the universal laws helped me see to things were removed from my life that I no longer wanted or needed. For instance, seeing clearly the motives of others, or leading me to further research alternatives for anything that needed replacing.
Thinking big
We have an entire year to fill up the calendar, and I hope you’re thinking big when it comes to making changes for the new year.
Going bigger and better is a native motto that flows through my Texas blood.
Thinking big doesn’t mean to wear yourself down for others. You grab hold of your passion(s) and allow yourself to expand in the knowledge of that.
There’s so much to learn and do, so if you haven’t made a list- long or short, get started! The month has just begun.
Do you have a plan on expanding for your New Year? I’d love to hear about it below in the comments!
Every day, I’m surprised by what kind of “day” it is. Most days I’m not prepared for the “day” and like others, where they all full out prepared by going out, doing a task to show how they are celebrating the “day”, sharing photos and the like. Take today for instance. I had no idea that it was going to be World Kindness Day, but this one would be easy to accomplish some form of task. After all, how hard could it be to be kind?
There are actually many ways to be kind and to show it.
It seems like World Kindness Day, and some other social media posts I’ve seen over the past week, do indeed talk about some form of kindness.
The first notice came from watching a YouTube subscriber talk about how people-fans-ask why the host is always happy, and what is there be happy about all the time? Today, I wrote about affirmations to help shift your mindset into being more positive.
As many of you are aware, we’ve had a full moon this week and with a full moon, things are either positive or negative for people. Things like electrical issues, relationship struggles, and a multitude of delays that seem to be unexplained.
However, the connection seems to be all aligned at the perfect moment. If the full moon this month plagued you, how would you try to reverse the negative effects? One no brainer could be putting in motion an act of kindness.
Since growing an online business for many is a solo responsibility, its easy to find things that make for a hard and long day of work. There is a lot to learn about having and owning an online business, and if you’re not very tech-savvy, it can be a challenge.
For me, this full moon was pretty kind. But I also reflect whether or not its retrograde time too. That’s when I find it very difficult to work on my online business, as it seems my energy and the planets clash beyond words can explain. Those are my struggles, but things can be different for you.
When working on your online business, some days you may be discouraged from learning, from wanting to sell or even working with clients. But do you realize that some forms of discouragement and negative emotions towards your business, could be holding you back from making progress with growing your business?
People often talk about the benefits of having a business mindset, a positive mindset, and a millionaire mindset, etc., because being in either of these states of mind can bring you the abundant results you desire.
Being kind doesn’t always reflect being nice to another person, animal, or plant. Being kind suggests ALL forms of kindness such as:
Treating your material possesions with respect: Taking care of it, cleaning it, making repairs, or upgrading to a newer model,
Thoughts about yourself,
Feelings about your living situation,
Feelings towards your financial situation,
Emotions about friends or family members.
Just to list a few ideas of how kindness can manifest within each of us.
A tough lesson for many to learn is to control kindness, not just on the outside, but from the inside as well. It does not matter whether or not you speak the harsh words you often think about, the negative attitude will reflect into your work.
Take for example my blog here. How would I show kindness through each post I write? Because I’m not sure who my posts will reach, as it’s impossible to know every person on the planet, first impressions are often lasting. Each post is an opportunity to offer some type of kindness and offer a good feeling to my readers.
We should always write and work our businesses as a piece of a puzzle to move things forward for the highest good of work and as an online business owner.
As the saying goes, “smiles are contagious.” Let kindness be contagious in all that you do.
If there’s a lot to be unhappy about in your life, start small. Have your negative thought, but replace it with thinking: How can I change that thought into a positive one? Play with words. Respond back with a positive sentence that would be hard for the negative thought to be able to continue. Bring out your emotions. Simple thought roleplaying can offer quick healing.
Your kindness for the day doesn’t have to be a big step at talking to anyone. Start with you. Start with your business.
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