The Little Things
I’m back in my happy place for a little while! I got to Bald Head Island on Monday afternoon and have been working hard for the past four days…creating content and catching up on things. Today is Friday and it’s the first day I’ll have to relax a little and I’m really happy about that! These pictures were taken Wednesday afternoon around 6 pm (definitely golden hour) after a very long day of photography, changing clothes a million times and being very windblown and honestly, very cold. The day was so beautiful, but the wind was brutal and chilly. Thankfully, it’s gotten a little warmer and the wind has died down. It felt good to get the work done and I was feeling pretty relaxed. There’s just something about the ocean that instantly calms me.
The quote…
I’ve come to realize over the past 9 or so years that my life works, or not, in direct proportion to the amount of work I’m putting into who I am and who I am becoming. There is nothing wrong with wanting to live a big life and have big things, but none of that matters if there’s no peace on the inside. Peace comes from confidence and honesty…from loving ourselves on the days we don’t feel so lovable. Peace comes from realizing we’re worth a good life…it comes from dealing with our stuff, acknowledging our shortcomings and talking the time to reflect…it comes when we realize where we are actually sabotaging ourselves. Peace comes from self discipline in every area of our lives.
Diving into self discipline…
If you look around, the people who have the highest standards (for themselves and their expectations of others) are the people who need fewer boundaries with others because their standards dictate how they treat themselves and how others treat them. So…standards create unspoken boundaries that are much stronger than spoken boundaries. Standards are enforced through self discipline and life is created, day by day through having the discipline to do what needs to be done to create the life you want.
But…I don’t believe it’s all about physical creation and work. I believe it’s as much inner work. When you take the time to do the inner work, to learn to love yourself, to listen to the stillness, a Divine guidance takes over and the work becomes a flow that can be much more effortless.
Figure out what ultimately matters most…inner peace, spending time with those you love, companionship, friendship and creativity (those are mine). Look at the ways you are keeping yourself from the things that matter most, set your standards and have the discipline to live so that your life starts to go in the direction you wish for it to. Our lives are made up of little, seemingly insignificant moments that aren’t really insignificant at all. Each decision you make has an impact on your ultimate destiny. When we choose to take care of the little things, the big things will fall into place!
A little story…
While I was having breakfast at Half Mile Farm last weekend, my friend Anna asked…”how many weeks do you think the average person has to enjoy in their lives?” My quick and totally un-thought-through response was 100 thousand. She laughed and said…no - 4 thousand. I was stunned.
She then told me about a book she’s reading called Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman. I ordered it on the spot and also ordered on Audible so I can listen in the car. Four thousand seems like nothing and it really made me think about what I’m going to be doing with the rest of my weeks. That number, I believe is based on a lifespan of 80 years, and I plan to live to be at least 120 so I have a few more weeks to enjoy!
Here’s my plan…
I have a mentor - Melanie Ann Layer. Melanie offers programs throughout the year that have been life changing for me. One of my favorites is the one she offers each January called Resolution Revolution and one of the things she has us do is to make a Live List for the year (111 things to live)…not a Bucket List. So it’s not things you want to do before you die, it’s things you want to experience…or live!
I’ve decided to begin to journal at the beginning of each week (Sunday evening) and write down at least 10 things I want to live each week (in addition to my 111 things I want to experience in the year). These things don’t have to be big life changing things…they can be as simple as a walk on the beach, reading for 15 minutes each day, waking up for the sunrise, or making a special dinner.
I see this as a way to intentionally create my days, weeks and ultimately my life. One of my favorite quotes from Melanie Ann Layer is “Life your life the way you want to remember it in hindsight.”
I have a brand new journal and can’t wait to get started!
Looking back, I can see how there was a little Divine guidance in all of this…first I found Melanie and wrote my 111 Live List, then I was told about the book and then I read the quote. As I contemplated all of these things, I made a decision that I believe will have a major impact on my life. As I journal and look back each week, I’ll be able to remember each of the things I completed and then write about doing them.
Once upon a time, I journaled about the things that were going wrong but now, my desire is to create my life as I write. I hope you’ll join me!
Four Thousand Weeks - Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burleman
Amazon $15
I’ll be here at Bald head until Tuesday and then I’m home again for long enough to pack my bags and fly to Los Angeles! I’ve been invited to the grand opening of a Madison Maison store and it’s on my 61st Birthday. I’m so looking forward to celebrating and meeting Instagram friends that I feel as if I’ve known forever and…I’ve never been to LA!
I’m not sure I would have done this even 5 or 6 years ago but new experiences take you out of your box and create memories! I absolutely cannot wait and you can believe there will be lots of pictures taken while I’m there as well as friendships made!
Switching gears…
While I was in Columbia several weeks ago, visiting my daughter Sarah, we popped into Anthropologie and I purchased several things, including the sweater I’m wearing in these pictures! I bought it because I knew I would be chilly in the mountains during our stay at Half Mile Farm and it just looked so cozy! It never entered my mind that I would need a sweater here on Bald Head, but I’m so glad I packed it…it’s been the perfect layer on these windy days. I love the longer sleeves that hang over my hands, it drapes beautifully and it’s a perfect weight! I threw it on over a white blouse and of course, my new favorite AYR jeans!
I’m working on a Mother’s Day post that hopefully will be published tomorrow! As always…I would love for you to leave a comment (please)! How do you like the new site, how do you feel about these types of posts…what would you like to see more of?…let me know!!!!
Thank you so much for stopping by Crazy Blonde Life!