Simple Self Improvement

  As Dory says, 'Just keep swimming'.                                   Image:Marie Vonow Sometimes I find it difficult to get motivated and stay that way. I know other people also experience this and in fact for some it is an ongoing problem. You may have a big goal or more than one, but you don't feel motivated. Or you may just find it difficult to be motivated to do routine household tasks. Perhaps you can't be bothered looking after yourself. Here are some suggestions of things that may help. Value your health . It's a good place to start. If you feel unhealthy, tired, hungry or aren't getting much exercise it is going to effect your level of motivation. Remember to eat regular healthy meals. I have no trouble remembering to eat but sometimes need to be more aware of what...

  Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay Everyone gets stressed from time to time. Some people get stressed more often than others and some people experience a greater degree of stress. Stress can occur when 'bad' things happen to us, when we have too much on our plate and even when we are experiencing a change or event we have chosen. What are some ways to help us relax? Relaxing activities to relieve stress in the short term Have some time alone, especially if you haven't had a moment to yourself for some time Work on a hobby such as sketching, pottery, gardening, quilting, oil painting, woodwork etc Do some knitting http://healthyhints.com.au/four-health-benefits-of-knitting/ Read a book or magazine, it can be fiction or factual Listen to an audio book/novel Sing with a group or sing alone in the shower Cook something you enjoy making, be creative Listen to music you enjoy If you can play a musical instrument, do it now ...

Gum blossom                                  Image:Marie Vonow I love being in a natural environment. It could be my own garden, someone else's garden, a park or the botanic gardens. It could be by a river, in the hills or at the beach. When I am in a natural environment I find it easy to live in the moment and to feel gratitude. Nature is good for the soul, I can feel it doing me good and research shows Nature is beneficial to a person's health. For more info, check out - http://selfavenue.com/why-nature-makes-us-happy/ http://selfavenue.com/nature-relatedness/39201/ Local river in winter       Image:Marie Vonow Elements of Nature such as birds bring joy                     ...

                                                                    Image:Marie Vonow Okay, so here I am at the final day of November and the end of my self imposed six month ban on unnecessary shopping. For further information check out my blog post http://simpleselfimprovement.blogspot.com/2019/05/six-month-shopping-ban-challenge.html  How did it go? What did I find out about my shopping habits? What are my goals for future purchases of non essential items? I actually found I made more non essential purchases as time went by because I had come to the conclusion that making such a purchase from time to time is okay. I think each person needs to make their own decisions about how many items they want in their home and how many '...

Blackbirds hang out in the palm   Image:Marie Vonow Life is full of things to do, people to catch up with and appointments to attend. It seems there is always so much to do and life can be overwhelming if you don't schedule time to just breathe. I am fortunate at this point in my life I don't have to rush off to work in the morning. I am able to take some time for myself most mornings and watch the birds in my garden as I slowly drink my coffee. I wrote this short poem about relaxing in the garden and observing the local birds.         Birds And Nature Friendly birds sitting in the tree Joyfully singing songs for me, I love to sip my coffee while I sit, Watch them and relax for a bit. Nature can calm my active mind I look around, focus on what I find, Stop and take a break from stress Breathe deep, don’t think about life's mess. You may already know, from ...

  Title added to graphic by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay The weather has warmed up and in fact we have had a couple of days I would class as 'hot'. Then we go back to cold because, well it's spring which means the weather goes from one extreme to the other. I realised my wardrobe was lacking a couple of items for inbetween weather so I used that as an excuse to visit local op shops. I also replaced two tops that I have had for five or six years and I am just tired of. While out buying essential items today I came across a comforter set in one of the bargain shops. It is exactly what I pictured earlier in the year when I thought about updating my bedspread. Back then I decided not to make a purchase. I could probably have justified the purchase back then because I have had my plain blue bedspread for nine or ten years and I bought it second hand. If you look closely you can see a few places where I have darned little holes. It was easier to resist buying a ...

                                                                      Image: Public Domain Pictures from Pixabay This self imposed shopping ban experiment is interesting. I have bought the odd item here and there but only after careful thought. I have to admit being a bit like a naughty kid in that I have got a kick out of 'breaking the rules', even though I was the one who made the rules in the first place. Most of the time I 'obey' the rules and don't buy stuff I don't need. I certainly am thinking more carefully about my purchases. I resisted the urge to buy a novel A couple of weeks ago I went into a lovely bookshop with a friend. I was ...