Magazines on My Mind

I have been an avid follower of Design*Sponge for about two years now. Grace Bonney is a genius in my eyes. To my delight I opened my Google Reader today and found D*S writer Kate Pruitt's post stating that despite what some say, periodical magazines and publications are not dead and, in fact, they seem to be making a comeback presenting readers with even more spendid art and knowledge to tease our tactile senses. For the record, I am all for evironmental stewardship, but I will always have a soft spot for beautifully written, illustrated, photographed magazines. Thanks to the Design*Sponge post this morning(http://www.designsponge.com/2011/10/wilder-quarterly.html) I was introduced to this eye candy that I am giddily excited to get my hands on:

http://wilderquarterly.com/current-issue/

http://wilderquarterly.com/current-issue/



I also recently found this digital magazine that I will continue to patronize:

 http://www.sweetpaulmag-digital.com/sweetpaulmag/fall2011#pg1

'Poo Free...I think I might.

Current hair using conventional 'poo and conditioner

Not that 'poo people...shampoo free! I promise I have no intention of creating dreads, nor will I sport greasy, smelly locks. For months, I have tried to find beauty products that are organic and effective. I have spent mula galore on shampoo and conditioner with no luck. No longer interested in being a product whore, I am ready to move on. I will not let my scalp, skin and the environment suffer from my choices anymore. I love that this method is cheap, eviro-friendly, and toxin-free. So why go shampoo (and conditioner free)? See great logic here:
http://simplemom.net/how-to-clean-your-hair-without-shampoo/
and more about it here:
http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/02/01/simple-herbal-hair-care/

Interested to see if this will work for my long, wavy hair?  I think I will give a shot and report back.

A New Health Frontier

I have already had three doctors appointments regarding my health concerns.They consisted of a visit with a gynecologist, a family physician and an endocrinologist. I was left unsatisfied with their treatment plans. It is not their fault, I know they have worked hard to get to this point and have helped many others. They were trained to look at individual symptoms, blood results and pathology, all of which remain “in the normal range” for me. From them, I have received a clean bill of health of which I am thankful. But while none of my health complaints seem life-threatening and by conventional standards and I am just “fine and dandy,” a lump on my thyroid, womanly troubles, and screaming intuition speak differently.
My next step is a doctor of Chinese medicine. My first appointment will be two hours. It took one phone call to set up the appointment and I spoke to one person (I spoke to three people and waited two weeks to get an appointment with the endocrinologist). I will spend 2 hours--with the doctor, not an hour in the waiting room and 15 minutes with the doctor. I will not have to provide proof of insurance or hold my breathe every time I approach the mailbox for they next month awaiting an astronomical bill.
I have heard nothing but fantastic reviews of how this man has saved and changed lives. Yet despite his praise and popularity, I have had the pleasure of receiving personal responses via email from him validating a need to look a little deeper. This was unexpected and much appreciated. Already through my correspondence with this doctor, I feel valued and respected. He may find nothing physical. There is no way to know. What I do know is that I am hopeful that he may hold the key to finding ails me. I am excited to share my experience.

Setting Boundaries

Yesterday my talented husband built a fence around the exposed side of my vegetable garden. For months, I have been letting the chickens roam, scratch, and dig holes in the garden, but it is time Fall vegetable planting; it is time to set boundaries. If allowed, the chickens would continue to frequent the garden but in a not-so-beneficial way. They would eat the veggies. Don’t worry, they have a perfectly good yard for which to roam and scavenge and they love the organic feed they get. But the truth is you give them a grass patch, they take the WHOLE yard. I am also setting some boundaries. As I embark on a new career, a new schedule within my life, the feelings of guilt tend to set in when I am not “working.” This is a trap I have fallen into on past short-lived endeavours. I often wondered why I would go at something 110% and burn out. I have drawn the conclusion that my incurable drive was, in fact, the reason for the burnout. My only chance at sustainable success is to set boundaries for myself allowing my head and heart to focus on one thing with 100% attention. I am learning that to be present in the moment, it is essential I set aside my to-do list and focus on that one thing that I am doing. It is only fair for that one thing, be it petting my dog, talking with my husband or working get the focus of my attention in the time I allot it; it also happens to make that one thing much more enjoyable. Unlearning multitasking and setting boundries seems to go against the nature of most but maybe it is time we all try it and give the tasks at hand the attention they deserve.

Losing Focus

It happens. Life ebbs and flows within us and around us on a regular basis. When the tides are moving and we are in transition, it can be hard to maintain focus on the things that are important in our lives. I am very thankful that I am in a state of forward progression but I also find the more I stack on my plate, the easier it is to lose focus on the discoveries I have made while in the precursor state of stagnation. At the same time, some recent minor health speed bumps have caused discouragement and pushed me further from good habits I had developed in respect to my health and body. The good news is that I am aware of it and that is half the battle.

Ideas to bring the focus back:

1. Write out your own list of one word values (i.e. healthy, family, truth). It can be for your eyes only or to share with a partner or special friend. Store this list in a place you will remember and visit them when you feel you are losing focus, are in need of self guidance or have a big decision to make. When you visit this list ask if the way you spend your time fits with these values. Generally if the way you are spending time does not, you will recognize imbalance and discomfort and you can begin to refocus on how to get back to those values.
2. Do something you have never done before. This can be as simple as testing a new recipe or as extreme as skydiving. The idea is to break away from the monotony of your daily routine and bring your focus back to the most important place. YOU!
3. Exercise, preferably outdoors. When  life gets hectic people (myself included) tend to 86 physical activity on the to-do list. Bad idea. When we exercise, we give ourselves time and permission to focus on one thing and not to have to multi-task.You may have to force yourself to get out and walk around the block, but when you return to your home or desk, you return in a more confident, clear, focused state of mind (and are working toward a tighter booty).
4. Just say "No." No one wants to tell friends and family no. But part of losing focus is over committing.  If you have never said no before, explain that you need some time to refocus and to keep you in mind the next time around. People who care about you will understand. They may even follow suit.
5. Spend time with a small child. There is no better way to regain focus than spending time around a child. They are present in that very moment and no where else. They are innocent and simple. They bring perspective to the overly electronic madness of the day. They teach us that to focus on one thing at a time brings success nine times out of ten.