Progress, not Perfection

Well the good news - I got $450 back from Medicare recently (yep, had a whole bunch of Dr and psychologist visits to claim), woohoo! And I had it all planned out and budgeted for this upcoming month. Then D'OH! I actually gave them the wrong account info to put the $$ into and instead of having it in my open (& accessible) account, I gave them the info to put it onto my loan repayments account.

This is actually all good in hindsight – my loan repayment is now under $4000, for the first time in about 5 years – woohoo!!! And I will be on an ultra-tight budget for the rest of the month but that is not a bad thing. I'm really really inspired to keep my debt going DOWN!

Speaking of all things money, have you heard about the movie MAXED OUT, the James Scurlock doco? I've not seen it yet although have wanted to for a while, and good news: a few sites have uploaded the flick including Single Ma right here. Check it out!

Maxed Out: Hard Times, Easy Credit and Predatory Lenders
When Hurricane Katrina ravaged America's Gulf Coast, it laid bare an uncomfortable reality-America is not only far from the world's wealthiest nation; it is crumbling beneath a staggering burden of individual and government debt. Maxed Out takes us on a journey deep inside the American debt-style, where everything seems okay as long as the minimum monthly payment arrives on time. Sure, most of us may have that sinking feeling that something isn't quite right, but we're told not to worry. After all, there's always more credit! Maxed Out shows how the modern financial industry really works, explains the true definition of "preferred customer" and tells us why the poor are getting poorer and the rich getting richer. By turns hilarious and profoundly disturbing, Maxed Out paints a picture of a national nightmare which is all too real for most of us.


In other news, hobbies are taking off : ) I have kept up with Sunday Scribblings, I'm looking forward to going to a Stretch Class at SDC this coming weekend, and also kicking up the ante of my photography challenge.

Stay tuned - and happy Easter, friends. x

The Experiment

The Experiment is to restore my spirit.

Pretty simple really. I’m giving myself 7 days to find myself again. Easy ;)

YogaMum recently asked 'how would you begin again the story of your life?' - and me, well, I feel I’ve lost my way a little. I’m not really where I want or need to be right now. And the good news about the situation is that it’s definitely fixable.

YogaMum kinda gives us the rule book for this restoration thingy, where she says 'Each day, I can do more, be more, love more, than I have in the past. I can let go of the old, unhelpful ways of my life, and simply begin again.'

Each day this upcoming 7 days, I can love more by meditating. 5 mins every morning.

Each day this upcoming 7 days I can let go of the old by nourishing my body with home cooked & nutritious meals. No take away.

Each day this upcoming 7 days I can simply begin again by practicing yoga every single day. I look forward to getting the toxins out of my body by breathing deeply and stretching out. My head is always a little calmer after yoga.

I can't wait to begin again, and find my spirit nestled in some tissue paper again at the end of 7 days.

x

Online love

We are truly blessed with the internet.

Sure there are good things and bad things about living in a crazy technological age, but the best thing is that we get to make so many more friends. I have a loooong list of blogs that I check out each day - some I lurk on, some I am active on - and the good thing about having wonderful,creative and inspiring friends? I can copy them.

Isn't trying to emulate the good habits of others a darn good compliment? As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.. or some such. So here we go. I'm still feeling a bit blue, so I'm going to try emulate these shiny peeps...

Cook like Dreena - yum yum yum, I really can't wait to whip up this Sweet Curry Chickpea bake. Dreena - no kidding - makes cooking fun! I tell you, cheesey as that sounds, I always want to run into the kitchen after I read one of her posts and eat vegies.


Live like YogaMum - she is the fab creator of WoYoPracMo and is never fails to inspire me. There's always a poem, a recipe or something or other going on over there. I have enough trouble taking care of myself, let alone others. YogaMum seems to do it in a beautiful way.

Create like Keri Smith - honestly, I often wonder where peope find the TIME to do things. I am so busy and hectic doing things that I can't possibly pull out 5 mins to write or draw and create... and between you and me, I think that is where my spirit is crashing. What is life if without colour and texture and sparkles? Omg you have to go over and check out Wish Jar as it's overflowing with ideas... I'm getting started on them NOW.

There are so many more that I need to take inspiration from but for today, this will do. I need to get hot with the hobbies, see my friends, do my yoga and nourish my spirit.

I'll give you an update in 7 days on my progress. x

Grey skies

A few years back I really hit the depths of depression.

I remember sitting on the floor in my house, near the lounge, and just crying. I had been given some time off work and I just couldn't DO anything. Well, except sleep, and cry, and sleep some more. So my bella sister came up with a simple solution – sleep as much as I want to, don't eat, cry, sleep some more or whatever, just as long as once a day, every single day, I left the house.

Now if you've never had depression, you're probably thinking this is normal.. easy.. what, of COURSE you'd leave the house every day.. but when the black dog is perched at the end of your bed, it takes enormous amounts of strength to even get dressed for the day. And that doesn't include having a shower. Trust me.

But I kept that promise to her, and even if I just went to the corner store to get a juice, I left the house once a day.

It was during this time that $5 lunchtime yoga classes started near my house, so I became a regular. Monday to Friday, I'd try to go for the 50 minute class, and then would come back home and sleep, not eat, cry and sleep some more guilt free. And would you believe, this yoga thing really started to have some amazing effects on my body.

So now when I am once again feeling choked and heavy and sad and like I can't breathe, I am going to keep a simple promise to myself… that I will go for a walk or do some teeny tiny form of exercise every day. Even if it's just a walk around the block. I will do it, once a day, every single day.

Repeat to self:

Yoga is GOOD!

It never fails to keep blowing me away... just how much I love yoga. And it never fails to keep blowing me away... just how often I forget this. D'oh!

I have done yoga once in the last week due to a crazy work schedule but tonight I hit the mat again and am so so happy right now. I've had a very stressful day and in fact last few days, and I actually felt my old friend the black dog by my side. It's been a while since I've had that companion. But right now, this minute, I'm smiling.

...and that is a nice feeling.