Mind Over Matter

Facing the Unknown Head On

Facing the unknown can be a daunting task. You can try to run from it or face it head on. I could throw myself a pity party where I play the guilt game. I could make myself the victim.

What is Truly Out There? (Photo by RSheridan)

I try to not let my emotions reign and the anxiety to set in when facing the unknown. It brings too much tension and stress as well as unhappiness and restlessness into my life. No Thank You! You have to be the one that meets your needs instead of waiting for someone else to meet those needs for you.

“Little by little, through patience and repeated effort, the mind will become stilled in the Self” ~ Baghvad Gita

Have a little patience when it comes to calming your mind and understanding your emotions and feelings. You have to let it progess and unfold as it happens and not when you want it to happen. Just let go and move along with the flow. Remember to nurture and nourish yourself and your needs.

Calming the Mind (Photo by RSheridan)

You have to find the strength within yourself and listen to your inner voice when it comes to dealing with your emotions and feelings. You can become an embracer of change. You can learn to accept yourself for who you are and get on with living your life. You have the tools within yourself to create your life, the life you want to have NOW!

The 3 Keys to a Great Life are:

1. Feeling GOOD about yourself
2. Taking CARE of yourself
3. Loving yourself MORE

No one is perfect (maybe in our own minds at times) and every one is living in an imperfect world too! The beauty of imperfection is that you get to experience growth and gain life experiences. Love that!

Be an Active Player in Creating Your Life Story as it Unfolds Around You!!! Paragraph by Paragraph, Chapter by Chapter, Page by Page . . .

Stuck Between

A Rut & Doing the Limbo

Have you every experienced this place in your life? I feel like I am stuck in a very bad dance where it is 2 steps forward and 3 steps backward with a limbo that is impossible. Oh and do not forget the ruts! You keep bumping against yourself and other people. In the back of your mind you wish everyone would just get out of your way, including yourself!

This place has frustration and confusion hiding in plain sight. This place is ripe with impatience! Every place you come to seems like a challenge put in your way to test you and test you again. You start to panic that there is no way out or at least no end in sight. Alright already, I have had just about enough!

What do you do? Where do you turn? Do you surrender and accept your fate or keep continuing on? It just seems hopeless some days. I just know there is a ray of sunshine somewhere around here! Now where is it!

Here’s to Getting Unstuck and Hopefully NOT THE HARD WAY!!!

(Photos by RSheridan)

Come Out, Come Out

To Play

Remember to let your inner child out to play!

(Photos by RSheridan)

Here’s to Having Fun & Exploring What Life Has to Offer!!!

Living the Big & Beautiful Life – Apr

CREATING and CELEBRATING Your Story.

What are YOU Craving in Life?

You Name IT! What is Your Heart’s Desire Right NOW?

Learning, Growing, Being . . .

What Motivates YOU?

To Be the BEST Person YOU Can Be!

The COLORS of Spring!

Let the RAINBOW Shine!!! (Photos by RSheridan)

What are YOU Celebrating?

Living the Life I Want!!!

From Teeny Tiny to Somewhere in Between to HUGE! SHARE It & SHOUT It OUT!

YOUR TURN, GO . . .

LOOK from WITHIN & CELEBRATE LIFE!!! Please Jump In and Share Your Successes!

One Way to Live Life

From the Inside Out

I am finding that I can fulfill my needs within myself! I am slowly discovering my true self and letting that true self out to the world. It is not a pretty process at times, especially when you find something about yourself that you really do not like. I have hope though that I can change that and for the better!

IMAGINE Living YOUR LIFE from the INSIDE OUT instead of the OUTSIDE IN!

From the Inside Out (Photo by RSheridan)

Take you back and live the life that you want! You define who you are not those external things in your life. You define yourself through your behaviors to experience growth. You satisfy yourself through living your life!

IMAGINE if YOU were the COACH in YOUR LIFE!

In being self-aware you realize your true potential to achieve your personal goals, hopes and dreams! Sometimes you have to push yourself and your personal boundaries in order to fulfill your needs. Sometimes you have to reach beyond yourself and your comfort zone to achieve great successes. In finding that balance between your inner fulfillment and outer achievement you find love and compassion for yourself and that you can share with others!

IMAGINE Giving YOURSELF the FREEDOM to CHANGE & GROW!

Live your life one day at a time and be in the present! Sometimes it is about finding a balance between the way you live and the environment you live your life within. Sometimes you have to let go of control and be open to the possibilities; be receptive and not take for granted. You have to be self-aware of both your internal and external lives in order to create the life you want to live on a daily basis!

Experiencing Growth (Photo by RSheridan)

What would YOUR LIFE BE? Just Think About That!

Being True

To Yourself

Back on December 5, 2012 I wrote a post called Enough Said. This post is a follow-up to that post to discuss the following question:

How do you engage your body, mind and spirit

to stimulate courage, compassion and connection

to your TRUE SELF?

I am the type of person who has a hard time finding a happy medium at times. Why you might ask? I am pretty confident and independent as well as stubborn as heck! It just gets me in trouble or creates a way for trouble to seek me out.

What I lack in courage is made up in stubborness. What I lack in compassion to myself I give to others (have been learning to put the people pleasing on the down low). I have no problems with connection because once I click with you just Watch Out!

LIVE a Full, Rich in Body, Mind and Spirit Life!

I have been trying to be more open lately; people, possibilities, experiences. I have had to really look within myself and really be true to myself in the process. It is certainly not easy at times!

DISCOVER the GIFT of BEING YOURSELF!!!

So you are probably thinking . . . Why not let your TRUE SELF out to shine to the world? There are many reasons and it changes from moment to moment, day to day, week to week, etc.

Here is my reasoning . . .

• I really do not have a medium button, so what you see is what you get.
• This results in being an “Acquired Taste” at times – ha!
• In the end I love hanging out with myself and that is what matters.

Be TRUE to Yourself and SHARE that Side of You with the Ones You LOVE!!!

Going With the Flow! (Photo by RSheridan)

Sabatoge

Old Habits Do Die Hard

I am perfectly fine in derailing myself when it comes to living a healthier lifestyle. I have plenty of excuses lined up and ready to go. I try really hard to stay on track. However, I am human and have had my fair share of lapses. Old Habits Do Die Hard!

You are your worst enemy when it comes to sabatoging your healthier lifestyle. Being supportive to yourself can be a tricky line to toe at times. I have to find my own balance and sense of self-control when it comes to making better choices. Sometimes sabatoge sets in.

My Top 3 Sabatoges

1. Cravings
2. Overeating
3. Negative Self-Talk 0r Unsolicited Advice

I am a foodie and enjoy eating! You can have what you crave in moderation. I love to share with others to avoid overeating, especially a sweet treat. Restrictions do not work for me because that is when the sabatoge really kicks in!

I struggle with being told how to eat, especially when negative self-talk or unsolicited advice comes with it! I am receptive to reminders, but negative comments from myself or another person is not a good thing. I realize those comments are meant to be helpful and supportive, but approach it in a positive way. I revert back to childhood and I am an adult.

STAYING on TRACK!!! (Photo by RSheridan)

3 Questions to Keep Me Moving Forward & On Track

1. How am I doing?
2. Am I being supportive?
3. Do I feel good?

I am still figuring it out, this whole living a healthier lifestyle. I will be the first to tell you I do not have all the answers. I have my lapses, struggles and setbacks when it comes to making better choices. I have my excuses, complaints and negative self-talk to keep me company on this journey. It is a Lifestyle Change & Change is Hard & GOOD!

Here is What I DO Know:

• I do know I am doing it to live longer and hopefully with minimal aches and pains.
• I do know I am doing it because of a family history of heart disease.
• I do know I want to be strong, sexy and certainly look younger than my actual age.
• I do know I have been given this one body and am going to love it and give it my full attention.
• I do know I want to live my life to the fullest and have fun doing it.

Building a Better Me; NOT Breaking Her Down! Here’s to Encouragement NOT Sabatoge in Living a Healthier Lifestyle!!!

Going In

Slow Motion

I have been focusing on listening to my body lately. My posture as well as my body mechanics and movements. I want to appreciate the body I have and work with it not against it. Getting in tune with your body can be an eye-opening experience!

This focusing has brought up some very bad habits I have formed with exercising. For instance, that whole vein-popping, purple-faced look is so out right now! Breathing properly (inhaling/exhaling) is important, especially to your core strength.

In looking back I feel that I moved through exercising to just get it done at times, especially the hard, unpleasant stuff! The faster I went through the motions the faster I could get out of there. Then I found myself going in the opposite direction. Let’s spend an hour plus at the gym at least four days a week and one day do legs, then another day do cardio, then another day do arms, and then another day was a free for all. You know what I am talking about, right!

Then I went there the crazed woman in the gym taking it to the extreme! It is like someone let me loose and set my body on fire. The faster I went the faster I thought the fire would go out. I have stuffed that crazed woman in a locker and high tailed it out of there!

Finally I am finding a whole new appreciation for exercising and being active! I still experience setbacks, but do not give up. I never thought I would find a balance when it comes to exercising (it has been all over the place). My Body “Thanks” Me for the Good Changes I am Making!

Going In Slow Motion & Loving It!!!

Getting To

The Core

Your Core or Torso is the “Power Center” of your body! Your core and its strength help your abs and back work together in order to support your spine. Your core and its strength help you move and function every day. It is Amazing what your Core can do for You!

I thought the exercising I was doing was doing good things for my body. However, in pushing my body to new limits I was actually doing more harm than good at times. Breathing; who needs to know how to inhale and exhale. Posture; it is good enough. Form and function; went out the window at times to get it done. Movements and mechanics; just going with the flow here. At least I was doing something to get in shape, right! Boy did I have blinders on!

Getting to the CORE! (Photo by RSheridan)

I am trying to do away with bad habits and form some really great habits when it comes to exercising now, especially since experiencing an injury. The main lesson I have learned about my core is that gaining strength in that area improves how I move as well as live my life. My main goal in strengthening my core is reducing the risk of injury as well as being able to function better.

To have stability and balance once again will be my ultimate success! Say “Hello!” to some tools that just may become your best buds when exercising. There is that BOSU thingie that I have a love/hate relationship with. There is the stability balls and balance disks (I sit on a balance disk at work).

Here’s to Gaining In Strengthening Your Core!

Love My Readers

At This Little Blog Called CravesAdventure

Victoria over at The Blurred Line nominated me for the Wonderful Team Member Readership Award. Check Out Her Blog – It will draw you in as well as make you think, smile and laugh! As Victoria stated “CravesAdventure. Who keeps coming back.”, however; I am like a Good Penny that shares love and luck. Thanks Victoria!

I know my readers know this, but I know I do not say it enough. Love My Readers! Thanks for reading, commenting, supporting, cheering, believing, inspiring . . . My Readers Truly Feed Me & My Little Blog!!!

Rules:

1. Display the logo on your page. (I am not self-hosted, so check out My Kudos Page.)

2. Finish the sentence:  A great reader is . . .

3. Nominate 14 readers I appreciate. Really 14!

4. Inform the readers with either comments or pingbacks.

A Great Reader is . . .

Love this – brings out the kid in me and writing essays in school!

I learned a valuable lesson from a blogger pertaining to readers when I first started my adventure in the blogging world. Let your readers know you are real (be true to yourself) and to share a little bit about you personally (give your blog a real name & face). That resonated with me on so many levels! I love letting my readers in to arm chair travel as well as just give a shot of motivation and inspiration to this crazy thing called LIFE. It is about bursting your bubble a bit and exploring and adventuring someone’s elses world!

My Nominations are . . .

I am nominating the Top 5 Commenters on My Blog!

Audrey at Minnesota Prairie Roots

Audrey brings me back to my Midwest roots with a trip down memory lane.

Emily at Hoof Beats and Foot Prints (Bella Remy Photography)

Emily inspires me and motivates me as a photographer.

Vanessa at Rant and Roll All Night

Vanessa is a HOOT and you just want to hang with her because she makes you laugh.

Donna at Garden Walk Garden Talk

Donna lets me arm chair explore gardens and admire AMAZEBalls garden photography.

Andy at My Story to You

Andy is My Blog’s “Who Keeps Coming Back!”

Maggie at Maggie Moose Tracks

Maggie is my virtual furry friend of sunshine that loves her TWIGS.

EVERYONE . . . Go!!!

Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got. Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.

Wouldn’t you like to get away?

Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see, our troubles are all the same You wanna be where everybody knows Your name.

You wanna go where people know, people are all the same, You wanna go where everybody knows your name.

~ Cheers Theme Song