Home Buddying

Home Sweeter

What have you been up to while at home?

The Natural

• Living room, patio and/or backyard picnics. Is there anything better than picnic foods (i.e. cold fried chicken, bubbles, dessert, etc.). Make yourself comfy and ready to lazy about!
• Finding some much needed zen or at least some R&R! Look for ways to unwind, calm down and find some quiet time. Yoga to meditation. Comfy pillows to cozy blankets. Curling up with a great book.
• Spruce up or add the natural to you interior and exterior spaces. House plants to gardening. Photos to art. Pops of color to the sounds of nature.
• Getting out into the Great Outdoors. Nature can be healing, freeing and relaxing.

I have seen a lot of home renovations going on! A new coat of paint, new fauna and flora, upping the patio scene, etc. Nothing better than a refresh to make the home front sweeter!

Gathering

• Make a Meal Together. I really love this one. Pizza making from the dough to the fixins to baking and eating. Italian in making your own pasta or a lasagna. Making a taco bar. The possibilities are endless!
• Set the Table. In making a meal together go ahead and set the table. Add the tablecloth, arrangements, candles, etc. Just have FUN with it!
• Game Night is making a strong comeback!
• A Bar Night In. I like this one and how much fun. Start with apps and drinks in the kitchen. Move to popcorn and candy in the living room. Take it outside. ‘Clink’ Cheers!!!
• Spa Day/Night. Facial treatments to foot soaks to manis and pedis. Just give me my pajamas and I would be set!

Just doing away with technology for a good 15-to-30 minutes and maybe even an hour! With all of us living in the virtual sometimes you need to break away from it all. It is good to disconnect to recharge! 

Creating

• Crafting and Creating. Think outside the box and get the creative on for a change of pace.
• Starting a new project to trying something NEW! It is important to have something to look forward to and to get excited about to break up the repeat and routine. Talk about motivation.
• Journaling and Writing. Writers’ retreat with short stories. Reflection and Gratitude.
• Reading. I think a good majority of us have a reading list.

I am sure some of you are wondering about the next real escape and maybe dare to start planning it out! From real travel to arm chair traveling to staycations what is not to love. There is nothing better than sharing experiences! 

(Photos by RSheridan)

What is the one thing you will continue to do that you discovered while at home? Love to Hear, Please Share!

Advertisement

Practicing Activity

One Step At A Time . . .

Here’s a challenge for you.

Do the thing you are most likely to procrastinate on and maybe place it in the first position to tackle for the day!

Especially if that thing is something you have put off and keep putting off! At times you feel so much better after tackling it. You may even feel a little lighter and freer too!

Another fun way to practice activity is doing something that you have been wanting to do! Make time to act on it and just do it. Make it a bi-weekly or monthly intention too!

• Experiment and explore.
• Wonder and wander.
• Learn and grow.
• Create and color outside the lines.
• Inspire and engage.
• Movement and involvement.
• Motivation and energy.

(Photos by RSheridan)

Love to Hear What You Have Been Up To, Please Share!!!

Get Out of Your Head

Get Creative

What creative things do you do to get out of your head?

My top two creatives are photography and writing. I also like to get my exercise on, especially in nature.

Sometimes we become one-dimensional! We many even start associating ourselves to one identity (i.e. work, parent, student, etc.). That is okay, however; most of us are more than one identity in the lives we live each and every day. Whatever you call it you may be in a bit of a rut!

Time to shift and re-engage! Carve out some “me” time and do something creative, playful and fun for a change of pace. It gets you out of your thinking head space too!

It is sometimes the simplest and smallest things that can get you out of your own head too! 

(Photos by RSheridan)

Carve Out Time to Get Your Creative On! Love to Hear What You Do, Please Share.

Garden

Becoming One With the Natural Surroundings

(Photos by RSheridan)

Do You Tune Into the Natural Beauty and Its Pops of Colors When Out Exploring? Love to Hear, Please Share!

Happy Medium

Finding “IT” . . .

Connection versus Disconnection

A Sense of Belonging versus Isolation

How does one be a “social being” in a technological advancing world? To communicate and interact. To connect and engage. To find a common ground.

Grounding . . . Balancing . . . Connecting . . .

Where does that balance come into play between interactions with technology versus face-to-face? Balancing the real world with the virtual world.

I have been hearing a few buzz words lately that peaked my curiosity. Emotional intelligence, positivity, empathy, etc. I am curious. What do these words mean to you?

In one way I find it a little old school and in another way I am glad it is being brought to the forefront again. It got me thinking about finding that happy medium between face-to-face versus tech interactions. How does one find “it”! Especially with technology at our fingertips!

• Are we time saving or time wasting?
• Do you think we need to tune into and tap into our emotional intelligence, positivity and empathy?

Especially when it comes to those artificial intelligence interactions!

Can You Hear It?

I also see it as a way to perceive and look at all sides! To try and take the judgement and bias out of it. To gain a deeper understanding. To better inform your responses and actions!

Empathy is a way to identify with different types of people. Communicating, interacting and even connecting with others, our communities and with the world around us. Being open and cultivating understanding. Taking the time to listen with those conversations and interactions with others.

• Listening, observing, focusing.
• Being patient.
• Asking questions to gain insight.
• Opening the dialogue to improve communication and connection.
• Making an environment more warm and welcoming as well as comfortable and relaxed.
• Problem solving and decision making.
• Practicing empathy towards others as well as for yourself.

Exploring . . . Opening . . . Being . . .

It is very much about being a teacher as well as being a student.

• Learning to understand more about yourself and who you are. From your abilities and skills to your attributes and performance.
• Learning your communication style to build better relationships. From your responses and reactions to your social and soft graces.
• Practicing flexibility and humility. From your traits and habits to your emotions and behaviors.
• Connecting to your personal identity and emotional intelligence. From logic to emotional and in between with your whole being, especially with your mind set and physical being.

Learning . . . Growing . . . Experiencing . . . (Photos by RSheridan)

Love to Hear Your Thoughts, Please Share!

Diverse Scapes

Exploring the Wildness

Fauna

Fish

Flora

Water

Wildlife

(Photos by RSheridan)

Here’s to Walking on the Wild Side!

Zoo Day

An Animal Wonderland

Welcome & Enjoy!

America the Beautiful

Colorful Birds Galore

Lazying About

Monkeying Around

Koalas and A Wallaby

Organatans

I could watch all day long!

Walking on the Wild Side

Is there anything CUTER than a Baby Hippo! (Photos by RSheridan)

Have You Taken a Zoo Day? Love to Hear, Please Share.

Day Hike

Exploring and Bird Watching

Bald Eagles

Ospreys

(Photos by RSheridan)

What Have You Seen on Your Walks/Hikes? Love to Hear, Please Share.

Recess Time

P–L–A–Y

How about setting a bell to go off throughout the day for a little recess time to play, laugh and/or have some fun time?

Play Time . . .

I get out and about in the community I live in and pick up on some interesting things going on. I was on a bike ride and heard laughter in the park I biked past. There was a group of people gathered just laughing. Then I was walking past a school and it was recess time. I heard the teacher state to the kids, “I did not state to sit down, but run, run to burn off the energy”. Ha!

Playing is a great release, especially for adults! Put down the work and just play. Create. Try new things. Get curious and explore. Go on an adventure!

Getting Curious, Exploring and Adventuring . . .

Find you inner kid! Kids play hard and really immerse themselves in their play. To feel that overwhelming fun that brings one joy and happiness. To have an ounce of that kid energy!

It is so not a waste of time! Take a break from the doing and the busyness. Your tiredness may just find a second wind in taking time to play!

• It is freeing, releasing and re-energizing.
• It is a sense of belonging when play involves the community you live in.
• It is a release of mental energy in getting out of your head and physically moving your body for a change of pace.
• It is tapping into our best selves by having fun and being fun and social around others again.
• The BEST is it just makes your day, puts a smile on your face and a skip in your step!

I love going on adventures, riding my bicycle and recently got the trivia bug again. I enjoy taking an evening walk around my neighborhood to see who is out and about and what is going on.

Checking Out the Neighborhood (Photos by RSheridan)

What was your favorite thing to do as a kid? Get back to doing what you used to love as a kid. Please Share What You Love to Do.

Living It

The BEST Way for Your Whole Well Being

Jonathan Fields is the author of How to Live a Good Life: Soulful Stories, Surprising Science, and Pratical Wisdom. I like his candidness of moving through our lives on “autopilot busyness”. All those “dis” words we have and use in our vocabulary . . . disconnected, disengaged, dissatisfied.

Are we going through the motions to get through the daily grind? Do we have the knowledge and tools? Do we have the mindset and support? To live the good life!

Moving . . .

In my own mind I am thinking on my feet while I am truly tripping over my own two feet! I do not come from a place of grace or patience at times. I know I wish some days I could shift and adapt with more ease. I do need to stay in charge and tap into my strengths. I do need to do what works best for me too!

• How do you live the talk you tell yourself?

What does a life well lived really mean to each and every one of us?

• It is practice and progress.
• It is passion and pursuit.
• It is practical and you just be, go and do each and every day.

At times you know how and where to begin and other times you do not! Sometimes you have to hope, believe and trust in yourself. To have faith. To go with your instinct. To release and let go, especially in what you have no control over! 

• How does one live life with direction and purpose?

At times you have to test the waters! To dip a big toe in. To wade in. To just go for it and jump in!

Testing . . .

At times there is going to be challenges, uncertainty and the fear of the unknown! You have to weigh the potential along with the risks. There is also achievement and success. You have to create and innovate to find what you love to do and truly discover your passions! 

• How does one live life with action and impact?

Get curious and just grab life and live it! Embrace the life lessons and opportunities to develop, to experience growth and gain life experiences. Ask for what you need and want as well as dream and desire. Lean in with love to support yourself and your greatest someones. Everything you discover can be actionable and through the experience validates impact and meaning in living your life!

Life is like an exploration where you find your path to discover the gifts and treasures while journeying along!  Communicate, interact and engage. Cultivate, contribute and do your best. Love and be love and learn to share that love with others. Each day is a new start!

Exploring  . . . (Photos by RSheridan)

Remember To Create Your Story, Find Your Own Path and Journey Along! Love to Hear Your Thoughts, Please Share!