Today I have another post on the upcoming holiday season. This year we have my side of the family over for a big dinner. This is what I am doing to get ready for a relaxed and blissful day

Step 1
Be prepared
Select a meal where you can prepare most of the food before the big day. This way you won't have to be in the kitchen all day on the big day. You can get prepared for more than just the food. Select what you and your family will wear beforehand, and see that it's all ready in the wardrobe, don't go shopping for presents the days before Christmas day, go this week. Make a list of what you can do beforehand to minimize the stress during the holidays.
Another major preparation is getting the house ready. Do a bit more cleaning during the upcoming weeks, so that you only have to do maintenance on the day itself.

Step 2
Be well rested
The holidays are always busy times. Take the days before to sleep well, go to bed earlier, and minimize the stress in the evenings so that you can get to sleep.

Step 3
Don't forget to smile
This is a wonderful time of the year, smile at yourself in the mirror when you feel stressful, and remind yourself that it's about joy and bliss and sharing and togetherness.

---

As always, feel free to email me (address in the sidebar) if you have any questions that you don't want to post as a comment.

---

Previous simple steps

Health/healing
Grow your own food
No panic!
Getting more energetic

Bliss
Instant bliss
Slow Down and Meditate
Escaping the funk
be satisfied with your life

Simplify
Clear out your wardrobe
Your vision for your home
Shopping for the holidays

Declutter
Decluttering on your computer
Finding more time
Flash Decluttering
Get rid of clutter
Making room for the festive season

Loading mentions Retweet

Everyone of us has challenges in their life, physical, emotional, mental. They are there to teach us something, to keep us focused on our one task, the goal in this lifetime.

Most people, however, see their challenges as a weakness, and don't take the opportunity for growth that is encapsulated in them.

I will give you an example from my own life to show what I mean with that. When I started to get chronic pain, I got mad, really really mad at my body. I felt betrayed by my own body, and pain cycles usually meant me getting really depressed, and having a hard time fighting myself out of the dark pit.

Then I started to change. I began to do things that benefit my body, culminating in starting my yoga practice 1.5 years ago.

I'm not there yet, not by a long shot. I still have difficulty dealing with situations where I am faced with two challenges at once, but, I am getting there.

But I no longer see my specific challenges as a weakness. I see them as a sign that I need to slow down, to start living in the moment, to enjoy what I can do even in my physical situation. It's also a sign that I should stop living in my head, and just breathe in, breathe out. Usually after I get out of a spiral like this, I "suddenly" have a lot of ideas for a story, or I produce a lot of paintings, or I have learned something new by reading a book that was on my TBR pile.

I turned my challenge into a strength, by utilizing the quite time it gives me. And yes, even days where I sit down and only watch tv are days well spent for me. Because those are days I didn't give in to my usual fall back method for pain flares: eating.

And I know, one of the most annoying things you can hear when you are off in the deep end is that other people have it too, and they are making something of their life or they are doing things or they are... Well, I have no doubt you can fill in the blanks.

I just want to show you that even in the hardest challenges you can find bliss, even in the deepest darkness, there's always a light. Just open yourself up to the possibilities your challenges offer you. Because, in truth, challenges are a chance for growth. And by writing this post, I have taken the chance and turned it into something that hopefully inspires others.

Blessings
Tamlyn

Loading mentions Retweet

I know, I am late. Health issues kept me from posting this last week. Will do better this coming Friday :)

This post is inspired by my journey of these past few years, culminating into this post.

Step 1
Find your natural rhythm
Nothing wears you down like going against your own internal clock. Find out what your rhythm is by trying out different sleeping routines, going to bed an hour earlier each day can give you ten times more energy. Find out what going to bed early and getting up early does for you. Journal constantly during this test time, it helps. I have found out that I function better when I go to bed before 11 pm. I am more energetic, and can do a lot more during a day.

Step 2
Rock at setting goals
One thing that wears you out easily is having a constant to do list in your head. What are your priorities? (also see these simple steps: Finding more time). Keep your focus on what is truly important for you and then set 3 simple to achieve goals for the day, write down the rest. You will find out soon enough what truly is important to do on that list and what is really not. Don't fall in the failure trap. You start anew every day with this, no looking back, no looking forward.

Step 3
Listen to your body
When you are feeling sick, take time to heal, when you are injured, rest, when you are really tired, go to bed. Focus on what your body needs, not on what your mind needs. This will give you more than enough energy to do what you need to do.

As always: questions, remarks etc, post a comment, or mail me at tamlynleigh @ gmail [dot] com.

Previous steps

Health/healing
Grow your own food
No panic!

Bliss
Instant bliss
Slow Down and Meditate

Simplify
Clear out your wardrobe
Decluttering on your computer
Finding more time
Flash Decluttering
Get rid of clutter
Your vision for your home

Loading mentions Retweet

I am back from my journeys and that means that 3 simple steps is back!

It may surprise you that I chose this subject after the veg growing season is over, but when you are a beginner, it pays off to prepare for growing, even if you only start sowing in march :)

Step 1
What are your favorite vegetables?
Planning your garden should always start with this. Try out different vegetables this coming winter, and write down which you liked and which you didn't. This is your source list for your own veg garden.

Step 2
Plan
This is a very important step. Do you have a garden? A balcony? A windowsill? You can grow veg everywhere, just plan now for a good harvest next year. Need to clear away plants from part of your garden? Need to replant a shrub? Dig them up now, and replant them, then work on clearing your soil. It may be a good idea to get a soil tester so you can see what you need to add to make your soil good growing land.
When you are going to grow your veg in pots, start collecting them (you can use big food tins (from restaurants etc) for free planters). Get a cheap greenhouse (I have a small greenhouse in my garden, also use old pie dishes (the plastic ones you get your pies in in supermarkets) to sow seeds in. Plan what is best for you, and invest in some good compost, that will easily be earned back when you have a good crop from your soil

Step 3
Gather information and then get your seeds
Read up on the foods on your source list, the ones you would like to grow, and plan for high yielding crops. Also realize that when you grow your veg on your balcony, you can't grow some veg, simply because the yield from one planter isn't enough for even one meal (some species of beans come to mind). Get cut and come again salads then, you can keep eating from them all through summer.
Find a supplier for seeds, or find people who are willing to share the seeds with you (seed swaps, or suchlike), read up about the veg you want to grow and find the perfect location to grow it at. Be creative and maybe this time next year you enjoy the veg that you love, grown in your own big or small garden!

For more questions, don't be afraid to email me. I don't know everything about growing your veg, but I have fallen into all the beginner traps :)

Loading mentions Retweet

It is almost 23:30, Friday night. It is the day I usually post my 3 simple steps posts, and all day, all week, I had no inspiration.

I wondered if it was time to start panicking, and then I realized that I am no longer doing that. Sometimes the panic monster tries to get hold of me, but he hardly ever wins. It is because I follow these steps to calm down instantly.

Step 1
Breathe

Deep, cleansing breaths always should be the first step in dealing with your panic. Why? When you panic, you start breathing really high in your lungs, you breathe fast, and give yourself a dizzy spell in the process. Try doing this simple pranayama:

• Breathe in 3 slow counts (can increase to 5, 7, 9 etc)
• Hold your breath for 3 slow counts
• Breathe out for 3 slow counts
• Be still for 3 slow counts

Panic, and his big brother FEAR, are very good at showing you something that isn't true. Unless you are truly in danger, or your loved ones are, you don't need to panic. At all. Just keep in your breathing, and look at your situation as if you are an observer. It does take some practice, but I guarantee you that it will work! You can also use your bliss book to remind you of how blessed you TRULY are.

Step 3
Learn

When you are calm again, and see the truth of the situation, learn from it. Tell yourself that next time you are in that situation, you will handle it differently. Write about it, be honest with yourself, at all times. Integrate this. Use anything you can think of to keep yourself from sliding into panic.

In closing, on my Writing Blog I posted a workshop last week, on dealing with fears. It is aimed towards writers, but anyone can use and adapt the tips in them towards their own lives.

Follow Your Bliss!
Tamlyn

Loading mentions Retweet