OK, so I may need to chill...

We have been SUPER busy lately with Girl Scouts, school, and sporting events. As of late, I totally feel like I barely have time to do much with myself (my roots can testify to that) let alone take on anything extra. Well, middle daughter brings home a sheet for me to fill out for the Spring softball league. Now don't get me wrong, I could totally make time for this, but middle daughter doesn't have an athletic bone in her body! Not only that, she's not the outdoorsy type and whines if we say.... go to the zoo in 70 degree weather. I understand that it is supposed to be "fun" and that it's all a learning experience, but the mother in me wants to save her from any kind of disappointment and bad emotions that "may" occur. I'm very proud that she has the confidence to even consider it, and seems totally excited at the prospect -- for now, anyway. She's VERY artistic, and talented in so many other ways. I can so see it now though, she in her twenties, us having an argument over some silly thing that young adults argue with their parents about, and hearing, "it's all because YOU didn't let ME play softball when I was 8!" Can't you just hear it??.... So, I will take her to sign ups, and maybe she will surprise me. If not, I will be that comforting, protective mother that I set out to be initially, but had to step aside to allow her to grow... Hope it works out...

Hair Transformation Anxiety...

Over the weekend I decided that I needed a hair transformation. I suffer from "Hair Transformation Anxiety". For most of my life I have had medium to long length hair. Change is incredibly scary for me, it's almost like my hair has offered some sort of security over the years. But as most anyone, I get tired of the same thing.

The anxiety always heightens upon entry of the salon. You start to second guess this decision you've made. Thoughts start swirling inside your head, "highlights/no highlights, layers/no layers, short/keep long?!" AHHHHH! It's just so overwhelming!

Then you start to realize that it's only hair, and, so what IF you don't like it, it WILL grow back, but that anxiety creeps back in. The stylist begins to detect your worry, so she tries to offer some suggestions to help ease you in your decision making process, which, in fact, only leads to this strange feeling of anxiety, now intertwined with a bit of pressure.

Finally, after feeling a bit silly when you realize you're reacting to the thought of a hair cut as if you were making a life or death decision, you take a deep breath and say, "let's just do it!"

The feeling now switches over to a little bit of ease, as you think of you and your stylist as being a team, almost as one. You've placed all of your faith into this person with what you consider to be one of your best physical assets. Thinking the entire time, "man, I hope she knows what she's doing..."

Several inches, red and blonde highlights, mixed with some faith, several hours later... this is what I got...

I was SO pleased with the outcome! Maybe change isn't so bad after all. Do you suffer from "Hair Transformation Anxiety," too? If so, take a deep breath, and just go for it! You'll likely be glad you did.

Feeling lazy? -- light a candle

I've been making candles for over a year now in hopes of starting my own business very soon. In the process of researching, I've come to realize that fragrances can do way more than just scent our homes, they can affect our moods! For instance, if you have fond memories of certain things from childhood, i.e. fresh baked pies, cookies, or certain floral aromas, the scents of those particular things can bring on a comforting feeling.
Certain scents are considered to be energizing, such as citrus lemony scents, mint, eucalyptus, and ginger. Others can be more calming and help you to unwind, such as lavender, chamomile, ylang ylang, and clary sage. Peppermint and Eucalyptus have also been known to aid in clearing the sinuses due to colds. There are some scents that are thought to bring on a sense of confidence and sensuality (which my DH probably thinks I could use more of) like Ylang Ylang and Patchouli.
Most of us like for our homes to smell nice, but most of us probably do not realize the real effects that those scents might play in our overall moods and activity level. So if you have a really crabby aunt, or a mean neighbor, you might consider a lavender candle for Christmas gift giving!

Stepping outside the box

Recently I havc been dealing with a few personal issues. I don't know if it's the upcoming 30th, too much time to think, or what, but my mind has been a constant battlefield.

My first battle ( that I happily won) was reconnecting spiritually. I had gotten so out of the routine of attending church, putting God first, that I had totally lost sight of some very important things. Sitting around, constantly worrying, wondering. Lately I've been giving all of my problems to God, and WOW! ...what a difference that makes!

The second battle that I'm working on, slowly but surely, is reconnecting socially. I'm not exactly sure what happened to my outgoing personality. I've been a SAHM for years now, and some days I feel so disconnected from the rest of the world. I'm sure this is a common issue for other SAHM's like myself. I belong to several groups that participate in playdates and MNO's... and I never attend. It's not that I don't want to, I just... don't. I start thinking things such as, "what if they don't like me?", "what if I say something wrong?." What is wrong with me?! Where does this way of thinking come from? I teach my girls to be the total opposite. To have confidence, believe in themselves, stay true to themselves, all the while I'm so negative about myself! I feel like I owe it to my children to be different, to change this flaw, that in all actuality, makes me lonely and sad. I HAVE to break out of my comfort zone. I think this blog is a stepping stone. I'm not one to openly discuss my feelings, much less put them into text. My next step is actually attending a playdate. So what if they don't like me?! So what if I say something wrong?! At least I did what I needed to for myself. Chances are, they'll like me just fine.

I think sometimes we over analyze things. We worry about things that haven't even happened yet instead of living in the moment. This is an area that I WILL improve in my life, no matter what happens, at least I know I stepped outside the box...