karenika

DD – Day 99

Another shot from school. He loves school. I love that.

PotD – Day 98

Some more from the backyard. Resting a bunch for the last few days.

DD – Day 98

I can’t believe I’ve been doing this for almost 100 days.

David’s still fascinated by the ants and I have a bunch more photos from
today.

This is the one-hour layout I did today.

The journaling is about how we were worried David wasn’t playing with
any kid his age until he met Franklin. And then we realized, there was
nothing wrong with him. He was just picky.

Mommy: I Diego

So I decided I wanted to scrap more so I can use some of the materials I
have. I have so much of everything and I keep buying more so I need to
use some. I also want to start scrapping a bit faster, not to save time
but just not to wonder too much, let the process be more organic and see
if I can trust my instincts a bit more.

So here’s attempt one, from last night. This photo is of David wearing
the little Turkish backpack book my sister got him when he was born. The
other day I came home, and he was wearing it, telling me that he’s Diego
and that he needs some rope. He’s a riot my little one.

The Best Thing

Last week’s catalyst was a response to a question from my energy class
as well. The teacher told us to all go home and ask someone close to us
about the best thing that happened to them today. This is interesting to
me on three levels:

1. Most people aren’t used to being asked a question about themselves.
(Most people talk about themselves and don’t listen to the other person
that much.)

2. Most of us concentrate on the negative and being asked to think about
something positive is a wonderful change.

3. It’s amazing how small and insignificant-seeming events can be the
best part of our day most often.

Try asking someone close to you. And tell me…

What was the best thing that happened to you today?

More on Being Valued

Of all the things we discussed in the Managing Your Energy class the one
that resonated the most with me was about the importance of being
valued. I know I wrote about this recently but I wanted to repeat it.
For me.

Take a moment and think of each and every time you have gotten upset at
something that you can remember. Now go ahead and analyze what was going
on. I bet you that you can trace each of them to “not feeling valued” by
someone. It’s amazing how strongly the need to be valued is tied to the
core of our being. It’s why we do much of what we do. Sometimes it’s
also why we don’t do something.

It’s why we get angry at others. Why we get disappointed and hurt.
Jealous. Why we feel proud. Thrilled. Loved. All the bad feelings and
all the good are tied to feeling the lack or presence of a sense of
value. Each time I get mad or sad now, I step back to find where I felt
lack of value so I can collect myself and move on. I learn to stop
interacting with people who make me feel not valued.

And now that I realize this, I also understand why it’s so important to
recognize others. To thank them. To make them feel valued.

It changed my entire perspective of life. And weeks later, I am still
thinking about it.

Importance of Rest

One of the things I learned in the Managing Your Energy class I took
over a month ago was the importance of resting and recovering. The
teacher mentioned how the difference between good athletes and top-notch
athletes was not how well they played the sport but how quickly they
recovered. How much time they needed to rest.

I’ve always been a Type A. I don’t do that well with resting and
relaxing. I don’t often stop and smell the flowers. I think sleep is
over rated. I believe in go-go-go. So much so that when my friends first
heard I was moving to San Diego (five years ago), they thought I might
go insane and want to come back to New York immediately.

They weren’t totally wrong.

But San Diego did wonders for my state of mind. It taught me to relax.
It showed me the joys of nature and photography and then, of course,
David came. And then I came to Google and life went right back to
go-go-go, busy-busy-busy, and now-now-now. Until I took the class.

In the last month, I’ve been practicing being relaxed. Resting. Doing
nothing and not feeling bad about it. Giving myself permission to lie in
bed a few more minutes. To let go of that to-do list item. To not reply
to that email. To sleep a full eight hours. I feel much better. I still
get a lot done and I forgive myself for the rest.

And amazingly, the world doesn’t seem to come to an end.

Catalyst Four – Life is Going to Work Out

This week’s catalyst
is about “something you remember from your childhood.”

My whole life I was this sad, little girl. I always worried that
something was wrong with me or that I would always be unhappy. I wish I
could tell that little girl now that Life is going to work out for her
and that she should give up constantly thinking that something is wrong.

DD – Day 99

PotD – Day 98

DD – Day 98

Friend

Mommy: I Diego

The Best Thing

More on Being Valued

Importance of Rest

Catalyst Four – Life is Going to Work Out

Daily ATCs – Week 16

Daily ATCs – Week 15

PotD – Day 97

projects for twenty twenty-six

archives by month

archives by category

savor every last drop

projects for twenty twenty-five

projects for twenty twenty-four

projects for twenty twenty-three

projects for twenty twenty-two

projects for twenty twenty-one

projects for twenty nineteen

projects for twenty eighteen

projects from twenty seventeen

monthly projects from previous years

some of my previous projects

me elsewhere

past classes