Saturday, February 20, 2016

Miracle Morning and Night Routine



Miracle Morning sounds so awesome--and then there is Night Routine--I just can't come up with a

'catchy' name for Night routine-- Nocturnal Reflections? Nighttime Contemplation?   Do you have any suggestions?

Anyways Miracle Morning is NOT MY idea.

While learning about this Bullet Journal (Bujo)  I kept running across people talking about their Level 10 Life.

So of course I googled it.  That led me to Hal Elrod which led me to a youtube video that is about one hour and twenty two minutes.  I watched the whole thing. I was really interested through most of it--a few times I was kind of thinking "get to the point", but I learned his Morning Miracle routine that he follows.

He has a book, but I haven't ordered it because I am loving the 21 day mom rescue--

But he talks about 7 steps you should do each morning to live the most successful life possible.  This is just a little blurb from his website.  But I have started doing these in the morning.
 It has only been 3 days so I can't be a success story, and I am not waking up earlier to do this, so I still have some steps to work out. But I am liking the results so far.   I hate when the font changes and now I can't figure out how to change it back-- But I am not going to let that stop me from finishing this! 
I am also working on a night time routine, maybe he has one in the book?  I will post that when I actually figure it out and start doing it.
But to make this work in my life I have modified it.  I like change--I change just about everything-- 
This is the order I do my morning routine. (after looking at his website it is a little different than the video I saw him do--I like the video way better)
1. Meditation:  I take a few minutes and just try to clear my head, sit in silence and quiet all the "you should be doing THIS or THAT right now".   After that I pray. 
2. Read: I then use this time to read the scriptures.  Right now I am reading it and marking ANYTHING that jumps out at me--they are pretty marked up (it is a 'free' Book of Mormon that we had), next time I read it I am reading it for speed--yet by March 12th I will read the Book of Mormon in 24 hours--I have a game plan, babysitters, and meals planned for that day. Its gonna happen! 
3. Visualization:  Part of the 21 Day Moms Rescue was to make a goal vision. I made my 1/2 a page big so I could slip it into my day planner.  I pull it out and look at it.  What do I feel I need to focus on today-what can I do to make one of those visions closer to reality?  
4.  Affirmations: I have never really been a fan of affirmations, but I have lived my life by a few sayings "bloom where you are planted" - "the best exercise for the heart is lifting overs"- and things like that.  I have been know to say "I can do hard things" when faced with a challenge and "all it takes is 10 seconds of extreme courage" (from the movie We Bought A Zoo  - and it has given me that extra boost of confidence I needed to accomplish something. 
I wondered how can those be different than daily affirmations?  They really weren't.  I am going to do another blog one day on why I think most affirmations don't work.
Right now I have a scripture and 3 sayings that I speak out-loud every morning.  I don't speak it into a mirror, but just whisper it to myself. 
5. Scribe/Write:  This is when I SHOULD do a quick blog, but right now I use this time to look over my Bujo to see what I have planned for the day.  I write down any impressions I have had that morning so far and then go into
6. Exercise:  I try to do 20-45 minutes.  Tuesday & Thursday I do Spinning class for 1/2 hour--the other 4 days (I don't work out on Sunday)--I try to switch it up so I am working different muscles and giving others a break.  I might do Zumba youtube videos, I might do a circut workout, I have a whole Pinterest board of different workouts to do--and about 10 work out videos to choose from. Yesterday I did Jillian Micheals (Biggest Loser) circut and spinning today-- tomorrow I will do some upper body cause my legs are feeling it!   

And that my friends is my Miracle Morning---
On Monday I will try to post about the 21 day Mom Rescue-- 
and guess what?! My goal to go to bed has been 10:30 and it is 10:29! 
Good Night! 

Friday, February 19, 2016

Bullet Journal 101



I have had a day planner since high school. I love it.

I have already done a post about my brain book.

So this year I bought a planner and what happens? I find an awesome way to do a day planner that doesn't require very much money and uses a very similar system I am already using, just smarter!

On Pinterest I have a 'Brain Book' section.  I happen to see a pin that looked really interesting so I clicked on it.

Bullet Journal---humm-- what is that?

It was as if I could almost hear angels singing.  OK not that dramatic, but something clicked in me.  I grabbed a blank notebook (cause I love notebooks and have about 4 blank ones right now laying around-and not just the school spiral notebook kind, but the cute ones) and I grabbed one of my special pens, and I have lots of those too.  I started in my folder a bullet journal.  I immediately messed it up (I really am not good with index's) so I changed it and made it work for me. No real index, but pictures in the upper corner so I can just flip the pages to find what I am looking for-- Oh, my menu--look for the spoon and fork in the corner, nope-that is my grocery list--oh the next one with the spoon and fork--yep here it is.

SO...

what is a bullet journal?

http://bulletjournal.com/

I am pretty long winded so just watch the video.  :)

I like to use a filofax, paper, day planner, and don't have a phone that could work as a brain book (hello I am still using a flip phone!)

But it just made sense to me.  I don't want to toss aside my day planner, so this year I will incorporate it into our day planner and make it work. Next year I will be making my own bullet journal-- :)


Now I write down the 10 most important things (and sometimes I add others I had forgotten about that are really important)  and I write everything else that comes up in my 'brain dump' page--a page where anything I want to do (bucket list stuff), anything I have to do (taxes) and anything I should do (plan kids year end school year end party) can go on the Brain dump page. Each week I scan that list and see if there is anything pressing I need to do.

I don't follow the markings exactly--I like to check boxes when I accomplish something--so I am changing it to make it work for me.

So now each day I am waking up and able to see what I feel are 10 things I need to accomplish. Today I had 19 things on my list I wanted to accomplish-- I checked off 13 of them. Some items are on my list because I SHOULD do them, but never find the time--I try to make those a priority when I accomplish my 1st ten most important things. Some days I get 30 things done cause they are easy and fast, other days I struggle to get 4 things done, but I keep working at it!

So now I feel Spiritually more balanced, Physically more energized, and more organized in my life and not just letting the days fly by and wondering what did I do all day!

See you tomorrow to see how I got more focused!


Thursday, February 18, 2016

Energy Flow and Body Flow


#2 Physical Exercise 

The next step happened because 3 things fell into place.

1. I had more energy
2. I stopped breastfeeding
3. My local small town exercise place started offering Spinning classes


Like I said yesterday, I was waking up not wondering when I could take a nap.  I was finding I had energy to accomplish stuff--it was pretty amazing.

My youngest (and last) turned a year old.  I really dislike breastfeeding, but that is a totally different post!, so the week my kids turn one I am finished breastfeeding them.  I also don't loose weight until I stop breastfeeding.  I might loose a few pounds those first few days, but then the rest of the weight hangs out until I stop--then I loose about 10 pounds in a month-- except this time.  Maybe it was a bigger baby, maybe it was my age-I am not sure why but I didn't loose any weight when I stopped breastfeeding that first month!

Now some of you will say "you have more energy cause you aren't breastfeeding".  True, that helped, but I had the energy work done about 2 months before I stopped breastfeeding and noticed a difference right away, so this step was about 3 months in the overall process.

I don't really enjoy exercising.  The only classes I have really like were Zumba and Spinning.  Zumba is kind of hard on this old body carting about 35-40 extra pounds and since I have had 4 kids, and my last two were both over 9 pounds my body just isn't what it use to be.  Jumping, butt kicks, knee lifts, jumping jacks, and many other zumba moves just don't work with my body yet.  Plus I don't choose to spend my money on child care when exercising and having an one year old at Zumba doesn't really work (even though our little town workout place is awesome about kids). I took Zumba in College and I had the best legs of my life after taking that class. It was awesome. I could shop in the kids section of JC Penny's--I actually did get a really cute skirt in the kids section! (I was the largest size in the kids section, but still!) 

SO now Physically...

1. I had more energy because of the energy work 
2. I was done breastfeeding
3. My husband works as a mechanic in our 'backyard' shop so he is able to watch the baby for 2 mornings a week for 45 minutes while I go to Spinning (my favorite workout).



I am only about 1 1/2 months in to spinning, but I am loving it again.  I will do another post on why I like it later.  Exercising makes you want to eat better, work out other days so you don't loose what you are working for, and TA-DA--gives you more energy.  It kicks your butt, it makes you sore, you still crave a nap some days, but when you are in 'go mode' your energy keeps up with you.

Next steps talk about getting your life in order so you can live successfully! 

see you tomorrow  :) 

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Already let the cat out....


Even though it was only 3 days ago I already forgot that I posted about one of the things I am doing that is changing my life.

I will keep going in my normal order.

So #1
Spiritual.

There are scriptures about seeking first the Kingdom of God and the 7 habits speak about putting first things first, but I am not sure why I didn't get it until now.

That doesn't mean that I am some spiritual giant now-- ha ha ha!  No, it means that I took care of my spiritual being first-- and I feel that is one of the biggest reasons I have had these other break throughs.

So how does one take care of their spiritual well-being?

This is where some people will totally think I am whacked and think I am being led astray, but hear me out because my heart and my desires are wholesome and only want to bring good into this world and glorify Heavenly Father.

I honestly believe that everything is made up of molecules--if we break those down we would find atoms-- (I find it interesting that the first man was named Adam, and Atom is pretty much pronounced the same thing)-- anyway.  If we were to break atoms down you would find energy (electrons, protons, and neutrons).  I feel that there is a universal energy that flows through everything and every one.

If you are my friend or family, you have heard me talk about this before.  Once when I was waitressing, I am not even sure how it happened, but a cook and another waiter were about to get into a drag out fight.  I stood in between them and pushed them away from each other.  The fight never happened (which is good cause I would have been right in the middle of it!)-- but the two guys walked away, still angry, but calmer-- I on the other hand was shaking and could hardly do my job.  Why?

Have you ever walked into a room before and known something was off? Maybe there are a few people there and you can just feel that they are angry at each other even though no one is saying something.

Have you ever been part of a performance and the air really seems to hum?

Can you stand next to someone and tell if they are nervous even if they aren't saying anything or moving in an anxious way?

Has anyone ever given you the creeps and you just don't know why?

Now I am going to totally change gears.

Have you ever been driving in traffic and all of a sudden there is a major slowing of traffic, and maybe even a traffic jam. You can't see up ahead so you don't know if it is an accident or what is going on. A few miles down the road all of a sudden it is as if the traffic jam dissapears and you can't tell why at all. No accident, no one pulled off on the side of the road, it just opens up all of a sudden.

There are times when there is a car on the shoulder, or the police have someone pulled over, and once the curiousity slowing passes  you are no longer in the traffic jam. Or maybe there is a poorly designed road where cars and exiting and entering at almost the exact same spot - and that is what is causing the slowing.

Most of the time if you are just going slow you will hit a point where you will break free and the jam will disapear and life will be happy again.

Now if it was an accident you could be stuck for a long time.  You have to wait for it to get cleared and moved to the side of the road.  If no one came to clear the road -you would be stuck.

Can you see where I am going with this?

Energy flows and interacts in your body all the time.  Now image that your energy comes to a traffic slowing, a traffic jam, or worse, an accident.

What would happen?  Your systems wouldn't function as well, things that once were easy, might become hard, you just wouldn't be flowing through traffic like you use to.

That is what happens when you have trapped emotions.  Every feel like you just can't shake something loose that is bothering you?  Maybe because it is trapped.

Emotions and our mind control our bodies more than we know.  People lift cars, people have walked on broken legs to get help, and lots of other amazing things because their mind and bodies weren't "talking" (shock) at the time.

Sometimes when having a traumatic experience or a really strong emotion they can seem to get stuck somewhere.  When that happens the energy flow through the body is slowed down causing problems. Sometimes you aren't even aware of emotions that have been trapped but when learning about them you think-- Oh yeah, I did have something happen at that point in time.  Or -- Huumm, I knew that was difficult, but I guess I didn't know how difficult.

So how do you find out how to fix the energy traffic in your body?

There are TONS of different energy work programs out there.  I will speak about one. The Emotion Code.

I like it because I am very Christian and at times energy work can take you to 'scary' places, because bad spirits are made of energy too and you don't want to mess with those guys, so I found this code only worked it the best and good spirit.   The Emotion Code by Bradley Nelson is pretty amazing I think.  There is a book that you need to read, by the same name, if you are interested. There is also his website-just google it.

My awesome Aunt let my brother The Emotion Code book, and I pretty much took it from him when he was going to return it to her.  When I went to return it she told me I could keep it.  :)

I read the book, I did a little of the work on myself and even less on my kids.  I soon found out a few ladies I attend church with are very familiar with this book.  I contacted one of them and she was studying to be a Body Code Practitioner.

Emotion Code talks about trapped emotions and releasing them. Body Code discovers what systems, parts, of the body aren't working at full potential and how to release the trapped emotion so the body (and spirit) can flow freely again.

I was able to meet with her four times for an hour each time.  It was pretty amazing.  There were some issues I knew were 'traumatic' in my life, but other stuff came up that I didn't even think would register or had forgotten about (not repressed memory, but just forgotten it happened so long ago).

After 4 sessions I really could feel more energy.  I have always been a low energy person, but after meeting with her I didn't wake up wondering when I could take a nap that day.  It was pretty awesome.

I have done energy work on a few people and I feel (and they have expressed) that there has been some success with it.

I think Heavenly Father made our bodies perfect, but we mess them up with stuff we eat, experiences we have (either our own fault or not), and the Spirit that resides in our bodies gets weighed down by the 'natural man'.  However, I think Heavenly Father gave us the gift of healing and if we have faith we can be healed.

Is this a cure-all that will make everything painful go away? Will it cure cancer? Will it stop a heart attack? Will it regrow brain cells?  I am afraid not, unless that is what Heavenly Father wants.

We are just instruments in his hands and  he chooses the final outcome.


SO

My first step was getting my spiritual energy flowing.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

200+ programs running.



when you look at your cell phone it will tell you how many programs are running. Sometimes I feel that if my brain were a cell phone or computer it would have crashed by now.  It always feels like 200+ programs (or more) are open and all trying to run at the same time.

BUT I am getting systems in place-- I am learning how to program my brain and for the first time it is clicking and working better.


There are 5 things right now that I am doing that are working.

None of them are amazing things I have never heard before, or even tried before, but for some reason they have clicked with me.  Maybe it is the combo of the three things working together, maybe it is all the little steps that I have taken have been all up hill and this is a down hill part.  All I know is that I have more energy, I am better organized, my house is not falling apart, and I am getting stuff done.

Over the next 5 days I will tell you my programs. I am not going to tell you all of them at once, cause I will show you step by step how this started working for me.

Here are the aspects of my life they do affect and the order I found them.

1. Spiritual
2. Physical
3. Organizational
4. Mental/focus
5. Parental/house

Can't wait to start tomorrow!

Saturday, February 13, 2016

21 day mom rescue


I have been doing a thing called the 21 day Mom Rescue-day was my day 7 and it is getting to the point where you stop planning and start doing--the hardest part for me. It is a lady named Hannah and she helps you take steps to living the most productive life you can.  Big thanks to my friend Tomena who showed this to me-

Along with Hannah's stuff I have just learned about Bullet Journaling.  It is similar to what I have been doing for years, but makes a lot of sense and looks easier than what I have been doing--and more fun too!

So while looking at the Bullet Journals I ran across something called Miracle Morning--which is also amazing.

I am a seeker of information, but not so much a DOER of knowledge.  I am stopping my information overload while I get these systems in place.  I am really enjoying it, but find that I am still spending WAY to much time at the computer while my kids are awake, so that needs to be worked into all these awesome new things I am learning.

SO on Monday--yes I am ONE of those people who start things on a Monday-- I am going to do my Miracle Morning and work from my bullet journal and actual become a DOER.

PS: I have been doing my Lent stuff pretty well---

1. No tortilla's-unless I am using them for an actual meal. (I know strange, but I eat a ton of tortilla- they are my go to snack and I often put unhealthy stuff on them-- I miss them a lot, but I am doing pretty good)

2. De-clutter-- I haven't decluttered today--so I am off to do my shoes for 10 minutes. -ok didn't take me 10 minuets because I don't have a ton of shoes, but I did toss two pairs away-- a pair of slippers from Korea (donation bag) and a pair of slip on shoes (that is just about all I wear) that have seen better days.

3. Exercise Daily-except Sunday: I have missed one day, but since I use to  never exercise just about a month ago I think this is pretty good.  I am in a spinning class on Tuesday/Thursday - which I LOVE-so the other days I have a whole bunch of stuff on an exercise pinterest board--so I just go and choose one to do.  I mostly like HIIT stuff and Zumba videos.


Have you ever made a SMALL decision that changed your life for the better?  What was it?

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Why this isn't working!


I had this beautiful plan that told me every day what I was going to blog about and now I can't find the file I saved it under, nor can I find the 20 pages (yes 20!) that I had printed out that told me every day what to post! I thought-can't find it, don't have my plan-can't do this.

So like I said--I love to plan, but then I find my plans so structured that I get overwhelmed and give up, and I think misplacing my papers gave me an excuse to ignore my overly structured plan.

Instead of going forward I just totally stopped doing the blog.

BUT

I have thought a lot about this and found that I will use my 'schedule' of posts as suggestions and if I feel something is more important I will share that.

SO (I overuse this word when I do blog writings--sorry)

I will do better. I will commit to writing every day this next week on my blog and then go from there.

While I will try to stick to the previous post themes-- I might differ.

Do you ever find yourself doing that in your own life?

What is something in your life you thought you had planned out perfectly - but found that actually doing your plan wasn't going to work?