A sense of meaning and purpose is possibly what we are all striving for. The pandemic has had me reach into my creative side and it has allowed me to remember how much I love to paint. This was a commissioned piece that I struggled over for weeks but I finally finished it and the client was very happy. I’m writing this blog with the hope to inspire someone to also find the thing that makes them happy. Happy New Year, Everyone!!

Olivia is one of my most favorite clients. She really feels the impact of pulling everything out, cleaning, and putting everything back. She is a lovely mother and has never ending energy that I wish I had. When we tidy together she gets so excited she practically flies off the ground. We did her kitchen yesterday and we moved dishes directly above the dishwasher so that things would be easy to put away and I also gave her a drink station in one of her cabinets. Her kids now can access snacks effortlessly and the 2 y/o can pull out his drink cups and snack bowls all on his own. I love this work!! <3

We went to the Denver Botanic Gardens yesterday and it was COLD! The flowers and plants are saying their goodbyes and I caught the loving message from this dahlia that love is all around us and we can choose to be loving in return. Fall has alway been a sad time of year for me but this year I’ve chosen to embrace it by engaging in its message that everything must change and go. Nothing is permanent and we must cherish what we have when we have it. I hope you are able to cherish these moments amidst the seeming disharmony, but I think there is a higher love bidding for our attention, even when we are challenged.

In the last month I’ve been getting out 3-5 times per week to get exercise. I’ve discovered so many places in Colorado that are beautiful and that support a clear head. This is Philip S. Miller Park in Castle Rock. It’s 200 steps to get to the top and it will make your heart feel like it’s going to beat out of your chest! I hope you all are finding ways to keep your self healthy mentally and physically during this crazy time. <3

Gardening was one of the things that helped me get through the COVID quarantine. Unfortunately I didn’t know how much shade these little guys needed and the sun burned them up over the course of a few weeks. I’m hoping they’ll come back next season and our new fence will give them the shade they need. :)

On April 7th Marie Kondo launched her new book “Joy at Work”. Now that the majority of us are working from home, you may be feeling a bit anxious and uneasy. 

In addition to a variety of other issues, this could also be because you have too many things in your living space that are bidding for your attention. One way to alleviate this is to create a space you desire to be in and you do this by tidying up. 

If the thought of organizing your living space feels too overwhelming, simply start with the clothing category and see if anything shifts inside of you. 

​If it does, and you feel better, I urge you to keep tidying until you’ve completed your tidying festival. Then, put on your seat belt, and watch the course of your life take off like a rocket into places unknown.

This photo is brought to you by my sweet mom on her walk today in Moon Valley, AZ.

It reminds me that we truly must yearn and fight for our freedom to be who we are and to love who and what we want to love. There are no borders or boundaries to loving yourself and we must be pioneers and be willing to take on the most difficult journey by confronting and transcending all of our weaknesses and exposing all of the shadows. By taking each corner and painting a heart on each rock that we stub our toes on and by filling each pot hole with our loving trust and faith, we will make it to the top arriving at the perfect time to meet our highest self. 

Today was a really difficult day for me. I couldn’t get out of bed until after 3 PM. I listened to a friend remind me that it was me that asked to be made strong and for all of my heartaches to be healed. By making that request I have to expect there to be resistance and I can’t pick and choose how I want things to go. Just like a boxer, when he enters the ring, can’t ask his opponent to follow a set of pre-planned steps in the hopes of avoiding pain and bloodshed. No, he has to be spontaneous and quick on his feet and dodge each punch as it comes. Not knowing what technique his opponent will use to try to defeat him, but trusting he is prepared to fight, and that his desire to win is stronger. 

I was reading an email I received from Love and Logic which is a parenting resource that sends messages regularly to help deal with the many challenges that parenting presents. Today’s email was about creating a regimented schedule for your kids while they are doing distance learning. It dawned on me that we as adults also need a regimented schedule so we can maintain our own level of normalcy. 

It’s so easy to feel lost and overwhelmed since we now find ourselves out of our normal routines. For myself, not serving my purpose of tidying with clients has been a bit depressing. One thing I have found particularly helpful during this time is creating new routines to keep me focused and on track (and basically to keep me from feeling anxious or worried.) This also works wonderfully for children if you are struggling to keep them off of electronics and to feel more in control of the situation. 

Scheduling meal times, outdoor exercise, board games, clean-up time, and anything that keeps you all excited about your new sense of normal will make this experience far more memorable than you realize. Don’t underestimate the power of a bathroom schedule if there are many of you in the home. Some can shower at night and some in the morning and post the schedule on the bathroom door if necessary. If you are single, or at home with a partner with no children, it’s just as beneficial to schedule meal times, exercise, and alone time.

​Writing down your goal for the day can really motivate you to keep from feeling isolated. If you’re having trouble thinking of things to do, if you aren’t working, this is a perfect time to start your tidying festival. It’s also important to do exercise while we are at home even if that means walking up and down the stairs several times a day. You can hold yourself accountable by setting a reminder on your phone every 2-3 hours to get up and do some physical movement for 10-15 mins. Make sure to drink lots of water and especially remember to stretch your body if you are working on a laptop for the majority of your day.

And now for the PM ritual...

Turning off electronics and having a family meeting every evening will also keep everyone feeling that their needs are important. Take this time to plan for the following day what activities you can do outside/inside i.e. play in the yard, walk the dog, and maybe pick up trash in your neighborhood. Make sure to wear a plastic bag over your hands if you don’t have gloves and also make sure to thoroughly wash hands when you get home. An evening ritual can also consist of reading/telling stories, brushing and flossing teeth together, and discussing dreams and goals for the long term. It’s vital to keep things picked up so no one feels crowded by others’ clutter, so take 15 minutes and pick up everything you took out and put it away. Delegating household tasks to each family member on top of keeping their own personal objects and room tidy is essential to making this successful. Creating a chore chart or sharing a virtual to-do list via Google Keep or like apps really helps to keep everyone on the same page. 

What I’ve also discovered is that after I’ve mastered my routine I’ve found myself wanting more. It’s caused me to go deeper inside of myself to re-discover my passion for painting and writing. I urge anyone that is wanting to find a deeper meaning to their lives to dig deep and truly get to the heart of your matter and see if there is more to you than you’ve been aware. You can make this as simple as blending two of your favorite teas together to get a new flavor! It might sound silly but when we are stuck in our regular routine a new shift in consciousness can get the creative juices flowing.

We are existing in our own new sense of normal, at least for now. Our relationships may become more difficult when faced with situations and personalities we aren’t used to being around for so  many hours in the day. This is why scheduling our time is so important and don’t think that if you live alone that it won’t affect you. Keeping yourself disciplined and your mind sharp will allow you to succeed during this time of isolation it will also help to keep your relationships in tact while in such close quarters. Let’s make the most of our situation by creating new memories with our families and by also developing a new personal relationship with ourselves. This can be the most memorable experience of our lives if we allow for such optimism to culminate.