Make it Monday // Easy DIY Meditation Bolster Sewing Project

I'm in the middle of redoing the spare room downstairs with some bohemian inspired bedding I got for a super great deal from our local Meijer.  One of the key parts of the spare room downstairs is my sacred space!  This is where I go to meditate, journal, and all around connect with myself.  I love that this space of mine is separate from my actual bedroom because that means it is a place I can go to.  It is a place I can show up to when I need to. 

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Today I want to share with you how to make a comfortable meditation bolster.  This project was easy...yet annoying.  You'll totally love the results...but you may not ever want to make a pillow again.  Before I made this guy, I was using a small pillow.  Once I realized that pillow wasn't high enough and just wasn't supportive enough I went on to use one of the chairs from my craft table.  In the end, neither of these options had the right height or support for my booty.  So I thought to myself 'hey, you can make a bolster!'  and that's what I did.

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supplies // fabric (I used an extra sheet set to match the new bedding), sewing machine, matching thread, ruler/measuring tape, pins, bean bag chair beans, 1.5 inch button cover kit, doll needle

I started with 6 fabric peices - 2 14 x 20 inch pieces, 2 14 x 9 inch pieces, and 2 20 x 9 inch pieces.  This pillow will be stored in the bottom shelf of my meditation altar so I took these measurements to ensure it fits.  Feel free to make your pillow a different size, but this guy is the perfect height to elevate your bum enough so your legs don't fall asleep during mediation!

Pin the right sides of the 4 squat pieces together and sew up the short sides to create a long strip of fabric.  The seam allowance here is set to be .5 inches.  In hindsight, I would have used just a long, single piece of fabric as the sides of the bolster rather than sewing these 4 pieces together.  I also suggest using a zig zag stitch for strength.  I'm using some cheapo fabric so the zig zag stitch gives the seams a little more substance.  Leave an opening to add the beans

Pin the top and bottom pieces (the 20 x 15 pieces) to the top and bottom of the tube you've created - make sure you're pinning everything right sides together.  This is the tricky part & where the single long strip might have been better.  As you're sewing around and reach the corners be sure to pull the extra fabric out so that you're not sewing over the corners too much.

Turn the pillow inside out so the right side is now facing outward & fill it with beans.  This is going to be the messy & most annoying part.  The end result is so worth it though.  I used a paper funnel and measuring cup to funnel the beans into the pillow.  Once you get the pillow good and full, test it out.  If it feels overstuffed just shake out a nice chunk of the beans.  Hand or machine stitch the little opening closed.To finish the bolster, add a coordinating covered button.  You can pick up these covered button kits at your local sewing shop so this isn't something special you'll have to seek out.  Simply follow the directions on the back of the package.  Cut a circle to the required shape, place it over the form, push the button into the form.  Fold the extra fabric over, place the button backing on top, and push it down to secure.  Bam! Button.
Using the long doll needle and doubled over thread - you can even use two strands, doubled, for extra strength - attach the buttons to both sides.  Poke the needle through the center of once side to the center of the other side of the bolster.  This may take a few tries. Once you reach the other side, slip a button through then pass the needle back through to the first side.  Add the second button, pull taught, and secure with a few knots.

And you're done!  See, easy peasy. Though slightly annoying.

Using this bolster now relieves the pain on my hips, allows the blood to circulate, and gives me the right height to see my altar.  It also fits perfectly into the space under my altar table.  The altar table itself is a TV stand from either Walmart or Meijer, I can't remember. (Oh! Walmart is also a part of ebates!  Be sure to sign up here if you haven't started to use ebates yet!).  It has shelving space plus a little door with some shelve too - perfect for hiding away journals, etc.

I am in love with this little space.  Be sure to check back soon to see the whole room put together + some other decor DIY's!  If you'd like to check out some of the other rooms in my house I've got a living room tour + a craft room tour over on my YouTube channel.  You can check out the bedroom tour here on the blog.  Need more DIY decor inspiration? Click here!

Do you have a sacred space?  Where do you go to connect with yourself?

Make it Monday // How to Make & Use a Mala Neckalce for Mindfulness

A big part of my personal mediation practice is to use a Mala necklace, or mediation beads, to help reinforce the mantras & vision I've chosen for myself.  Using meditation beads is a great habit to get into especially if you find your mind wanders quite a lot during mediation.  You may find having a manual way to focus your thoughts will help center you better.

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While meditation isn't about the absence of thought, sometimes when I find I am very, very busy my mind seriously wants to think about every single thing I need to do.  Counting the beads & repeating a mantra keeps my intentions in line.  You can buy a Mala aligned with your intentions, I have quite a few (because they are both helpful and pretty) or you can take it to the next step and make your own.

What is a Mala?

A Mala is a string of 108 beads + one guru bead (or a fraction of this number). Usually strung into a certain pattern, the Mala is used to pace & count off the recitation of a mantra during mediation.  They can be made for specific intentions - Rose Quartz beads for love, Howlite for calming & awareness, etc - or can be made & programmed for your own intentions.  Most often there is a knot between each bead so if the Mala breaks beads don't scatter.  It's also a good sign if your Mala breaks.  You've made a breakthrough & have been seeing through your intention.

How to make a Mala

In this case we won't be tying a knot between each bead.  This Mala DIY is made to be simple yet elegant to get you into reciting and working towards your intentions.  I plan on sharing a more focused DIY Mala in the future.  But the whole point here is that you don't have to do these long drawn out things to start with your spiritual & mindful practice.

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supplies // 2 skeins embroidery thread, 104 wooden beads, 4 glass beads, 1 large wooden bead, scissors, needle

Cut a length of the embroidery thread about 36 inches long, thread the needle and double over the entire length of the string.  Leaving about a 4 inch section empty, begin threading the beads onto the string in the following pattern:

6 wooden beads, 1 glass bead, 20 wooden beads, 1 glass bead, 52 wooden beads, 1 glass bead, 20 wooden beads, 1 glass bead, 6 wooden beads

Thread the larger bead on both ends of the string and tie an overhand knot.  Depending on the opening on the larger bead you may need to tie a few knots.

Take the other skein of embroidery thread and fold it over on itself to create a tassel.  Tie the middle of the loop to the end of the larger bead using the two strands hanging from the bead.  Wrap the two long strands around the tassel to gather it together.  Using the needle. thread the end behind the wrapped string leaving a small loop.  Pass the needle through the loop to secure.  Tie a not to ensure it does not unravel.

How to Program & Use your Mala

To cleanse your Mala, you can start off with the same idea behind the Energy Clearing kit.  Choose the intention you'd like to set - this can be different for each time you meditate if you wish.  Again, this ritual can be as involved or as simple as you'd like.

You don't need anything special to do this. In fact, the ritual should be unique to you and be what you feel most connected to.  Here is my simple ritual -

Cup the Mala in your hands as if you are praying & hold it up as if you are offering it.  I tend to bow my head and place the thumbs of my folded hands against my crown chakra.  Imagine a white light enveloping the beads, cleansing them of past energies and aligning them for your highest good.  Take a few deep breaths during this process.  Recite aloud or in your mind an intention you'd like to work towards for your highest good.  As an example:

I cleanse this Mala to use for my highest good as I work towards self love.

Substitute self love for any intention - I wish to be open to abundance, I wish to express my authentic self, etc.  As you pass your folded hands from your Crown Chakra to your Heart Chakra breath out and across your beads.  Sweeping away the negative energy.  Pull your folded hands towards your chest and lift your head towards the sky to be open to receive the guidance you wish for.

I find that I do this often with crystals as well...and it's something I just fell into once during a crystal meditation.  I hadn't brought any of my crystals to this class (silly me!) so I was able to work with a beautiful Aqua Aura Quartz that belonged to the teacher.  After I picked it up I just imagined clearing it that way....and that's what I did.  Clearing & connecting with your spiritual tools is a personal journey.  There's no right or wrong way to work with what you feel drawn to.

So, now during your meditation you can pick up your Mala and count off your recitations.  Hold the Mala in the hand your feel comfortable and as you recite your mantra (aloud or in your mind) pass a bead between your fingers.  I usually hold the remaining beads in the hand that isn't counting so they don't rattle, fall, or get tangled. If you're not sure of a mantra to use consider printing out the Positive Affirmation Deck for free on the blog or you can even purchase my new Chakra Affirmation deck here!

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Your meditation practice should be unique to you.  I chose to create this Mala DIY with wooden beads as they can be the most receptive to your intentions.  If you choose to work with a certain crystal or even a certain color tassel to align with your Chakras, that is completely up to you!  I also use essential oils when I'm meditating.  There are certain oils that correspond to our Chakras but there is also some intuitive work that can be done.  Check out the free getting started guide above to learn how to use Essential Oils Spiritually.

Making this little guy should be a mindful and exciting experience.  If you'd like to diffuse some Essential Oils while you're reciting your mantras - maybe your on the go and have just sneaked off for a little me time - make this diffuser bracelet with Howlite and Lava beads!  Find some inspirational blends here & don't forget to join the Five Sixteenths Blog | Live Creatively Facebook group for more positive inspiration!

How do you practice mindfulness and self improvement?

xoxo, Moe

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Three Ways to Cleanse your Sacred Space

Creating a safe and sacred space for yourself is one of the key parts in mediation.  You don't need to dedicate a whole entire room or do anything elaborate - you just need to create a safe space for yourself where you feel comfortable and calm.

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As we go through our lives, emotions & energies can become attached to us.  These emotions and energies can also become trapped in our homes, bedrooms, & work spaces.  Any place we inhabit (especially with others) can build up stagnant or not so nice energies.  If you've ever come home from a long day of work and just can't shake the stress or have had a fight with a friend or companion and just cant get rid of the emotions you've experienced - this is energy attachment.  Sometimes it's not bothersome to us but sometimes it weighs us down.  Cleansing yourself & your space of these energies can often lift this weight from you and bring a sense of calm or freshness to your space.

You can find many clearing rituals online or you can create your own.  Often the best way to get started is to find a ritual that you resonate with and adapt it to your own lifestyle.  As you go through the cleansing a few times you may find yourself adding or subtracting parts as it suits you.

Since starting my meditation practice, I've found that doing a little energy clearing ritual prior to my sessions gets me in the right head space for what I plan to be doing.  Animals - and we are animals -are very sensitive to smell & to habit.  Think of Pavlov's dogs - when they were fed a bell rang.  Eventually the dogs associated the ringing of the bell with food and began to salivate at the sound of it.  This is how ritual can begin to affect us.  Our clearing rituals will begin to trigger in us an emotional shift getting us ready for the next task at hand.  As humans, we have a more complex understanding of our emotions and thus can begin to use the habit-turned-ritual process to tap into our higher selves and create a more mindful & spiritual bond with our actions & surroundings.

How to Cleanse your Space

There are three common ways to cleans your space but if you find that something else works for you entirely, then go for that.  There are no wrong answers when it comes to creating a safe and loving space from which to work.

Smoke

Most commonly you'll find references to Smudging.  Smudging has been misappropriated by those involved in New Age and NeoPagan circles.  Often those insisting on smudging are imitating what they believe to be sacred ceremonies from various First Nations and Native American cultures.  It is common to see 'smudge sticks' sold commercially in new age shops around the country.  These ceremonies differ vastly between First Nations communities and the 'simple' energy clearing or blessing rituals seen as outsiders can not be replicated with in the homes and spaces of those not involved in these communities nor by those who have not been religiously trained.  Smudging and 'ritually cleansing a space or person with smoke' are at the core, not synonymous. (Read more about the misappropriation of smudging here.)

However, one can use smoke as a way to cleanse your space if done respectably. Using smoke in ritual and religious practice isn't limited only to First Nation & Native American traditions as cultures and communities across the globe use smoke & the burning of herbs in ritualistic practices.  Inherently, the use of fire (and thus smoke) is ingrained in us as our primal ancestors first saw into the darkness.  Smoke is mystical and smoke is magical simply because of the way it floats.

Using smoke to cleanse your home - specifically the burning of certain herbs - can be done by choosing herbs in correspondence with either the energy you'd like to banish and/or the energy you'd like to bring in.  Energetically something like Palo Santo smoke can be used for neutralizing a space.  The smoke of this wood is thought to simultaneously clear negative energies while creating a space of calm for mediation practice.  You can also choose to burn something like lavender to bring in good energies of communication or frankincense to bring in energies of abundance.

Sound

Again, most commonly you'll find references to Tibetan Singing Bowls in many new age shops.  From my personal research I can not find any one specific people, religion, etc that exclusively uses this object but approaching these singing bowls with respect is the key here.  The over all theme of this post is to encourage you not to imitate what you see but to interact with your own spirituality.  Using a singing bowl to clear energy is a very rhythmic way to connect in with your space.

Generically referred to as a standing bell or singing bowl. these metal (or crystal) objects resemble upturned cups and can be played either by striking the side with a mallet or by running the mallet along the rim.  The even tone created by these bowls is inspiring & grounding.  The benefit from these singing bowls comes from the vibration emitted.  Using these in your sacred space can create a place of calm & tranquility.

Another way to use sound that is easily available is clapping or banging.  While not a great way to create a tranquil space, you can pair clapping or banging (like with a spoon onto a pot) with your smoke cleansing or visualization.  By becoming more energetic and sending these sharp vibrations into your space you can 'break up' stagnant energy or a stagnant feeling and push it out of the space easier. This might be better for doing a full house cleansing rather than a preparation for meditation.

Visualization

Visualization is the perfect way to cleanse a space of energies because you're relying on yourself and your personal power.  And you don't have to spend any money to utilize this tool.  This is a tool that is also personal to you - you can develop your own colors, visions, etc - so I'm going to share how I use visualization.

To cleanse my space I usually start by visualizing a ball of white light around me like a bubble.  I fill this bubble with love, positivity, happiness, calm, etc then I send it out in pulses around me getting bigger & bigger.  Sometimes I'll use this to cleanse an object and thus only need  small bubble.  Most of the time though I'll do this around a room - like my meditation space - to prepare for card reading or meditation.  This is an especially helpful tool when you're somewhere that you can't burn or spray funny things.

When it comes to cleansing energy I've only stuck with white light to drive out what I don't want.  You can, however, start to develop a way to bring in energies you do want.  One of the ways to do this is to work with the Chakras, or energy centers, of your body.  While the idea of the Chakra system & energy body heavily resonates with me, I also acknowledge that it is not my word or system to use or appropriate.  These Chakras or Wheels of Energy correspond to different colors and I've been playing around with making my own color library to bring in certain energies I want in mys space.  For example the color correspondence for the Root Chakra is red and if I'd like to bring in stability energy perhaps I could envision red filling the space.

Since visualization is a technique that is unique to each person, creating your own library is important.  The power of visualization comes from with in you.  If you feel that you can't hold the image in your mind well at first, pair this technique with your use of smoke or sound or even your practice with essential oils so that you can begin to bring this as your backbone into your visualization.  I have a whole post on getting started with visualization right here.

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Now that your space is cleared you can begin your meditation practice or just continue you life with a little peace of mind that your space is safe for you.  As I mentioned above, the intention of this post is to help you to develop your own rituals and your own practices so that you feel most connected to your higher or best self.  We are creatures of habit and we are creatures of ease.  It is easy to sink into the belief that a certain ritual is the only way and thus we continue to imitate it.  It is also easy for us to say 'hey I like that, I'm going to do that'.  But we need to understand boundaries and the sacred space of ancient traditions that may not be our own.

I hope this post was a little bit helpful for you and that you learned a bit when it comes to cleansing your space & being respectful.  You can read more about my mindfulness journey here.

How do you cleanse your space? What rituals have worked for you?

xoxo, Moe

My Mindful Morning Routine

Mornings for me have become the time of day I nurture my relationship with myself.  I spend time in my sacred place, I meditate, and I get to know me.  Working with my word of the year - mindful - I've realized that it is up to me to see the good or the bad in everything.  I started meditating in the morning - hell, I started meditating in general - to get a hold on my emotions.  With living my life and the stress of my job, it started to seem as if things were just happening to me - emotions, feelings, my reactions.  If stress hit me all I could do was breakdown and cry.  It kept coming in waves.  As soon as I'd catch my breath another exhausting emotion would overtake me.  I would beat myself up for these perceived emotional failures for days on end until after some turn of events my load would lighten.  I'd have one good day.  Then it would happen again, another storm to force myself through.  Mindfulness has helped me realize that by letting go of the things I can not control, I can regain control of myself.

One of my quotes this year is to live less out of habit and more out of intent.  I want to be the one choosing to feel a certain way when a certain thing happens.  I want to gain more control over my emotions and thus having more control over how I live my life.  Making mindfulness a habit & a state to enter when needed is my goal.  The only way to develop a habit or a skill is to implement it and practice it.  Since I knew that I wanted to center myself before work in order to react appropriately to shit happening, mornings became the perfect time to implement this self-care, mindfulness routine.  Here's a look into my mornings:

Wake up early

Each day I try to wake up around 5:30 am.  Some days are later than others, but I've realized once I overcome that hurdle of actually pushing myself out of bed this early rising makes me prepared for the day.  Not just because I'm spending time with myself but because I'm awake, alert, and mentally ready to get shit going.  Waking up early means I'm not rushing around trying to fit too much in.  I need to get better about not hitting that snooze button though - I'm working on it.

Do tasks with intention

When I wake up I immediately go into the bathroom.  I brush my teeth & wash my face.  Doing things with intention means I'm focused on these tasks.  I am aware of the toothbrush in my hand, how the bristles feel against my gums, the minty fresh taste of the toothpaste.  I also try to move with rhythm.  I find this helps me to be aware.  My time spent in the bathroom is one even tempered movement with concentration on each action.  

After I leave the bathroom, I quickly flip on the coffee maker then slide out of the door to take Sweetie out for the morning.  This is the best part because I get to really greet the day.  Doing tasks with intention is about refocusing your mind.  Mindfulness is about being aware and every task is a chance to focus your mind on that task and stop the jibber-jabber from your brain.  So focusing on that first breath of air out in the open, feeling the chill on my skin, feeling Sweetie gently tug as we trod across the grass, then asphalt to reach our front lawn.

Meditate

After we come in and I pour a bowl of food for Sweetie, I head downstairs to my altar.  I've mentioned my altar before and it is simply the place I go to meditate.  It is a scared me space.  It is not an altar to any deity or god, it is an altar to the person I'd like to be.  Here I light my candles with intention, I light incense or diffuse essential oils (my three current favorite blends here), I clear my head again, and I do my daily tarot one, two, or three card pull.

After I pull my cards and interpret them, I will often pull an affirmation card to either inspire me for the day or to use as a mantra for meditation.  I sit on my pillow in front of my sacred space, clear my mind and focus on the mantra.  If I don't use the affirmation card as a mantra I simply clear my mind and focus on my breath.  For me, focusing on my breath means I imagine sitting by a giant lake in the woods.  When I inhale the water is still.  When I exhale ripples form across the still water.  It is this that helps me keep an even mind.  If my mind wanders, I simply imagine this lake again to bring the focus back to my breath.  Meditation isn't necessarily about escape it is about learning to move into this stillness with ease.  If I have about 10 minutes to spare I listen to this 10 Minute Chakra Meditation and focus on each of my chakras as the music progresses.

Get ready for the day

Once I have finished this, I round up Sweetie and we head back upstairs.  I brew my coffee, gather my lunch things, and head back to the bedroom.  It is now that I sort of rejoin normal life.  YouTube usually plays in the background while I sip my coffee and browse social media.  At about 6:20 am, if I'm a good sport, I get dressed for the day, kiss Sweetie good bye and then head out to the car.  On a good day I'm out of my driveway by 6:30 am, leaving enough time to get to work.  

I continue to practice mindfulness through out the day - changing the paper in the copier with intent, taking a few minutes to center myself, diffusing calming essential oils through my jewelry, and recognizing when emotion gets the best of me and moving through it.  Over all, working mindfulness and meditation into my morning routine has helped me overcome disappointment I've had in myself.  And when I do get emotional, I try not to let it bother me.  I try not to see it as weakness.  I embrace it as a moment that will pass.  

The biggest thing I've learned from the word Mindful is that mindfulness is a habit that replaces self-destruction (thank you Pinterest!).  Before I embraced this sense of self-acceptance, self-alignment, and self-forgiveness I was wearing myself down by blaming myself for not having control...of myself.  I can tell you right now that I didn't know mindfulness was the thing I needed in my life and I didn't know mindful would be so powerful for me when I picked as my word of the year for 2017.  I have since come to realize that these storms that I would have to exhaust myself to push through were mere rain clouds.  In one of my most recent full moon readings I pulled the Tower for what I should release.  I read that as I should release the drama - not every rain cloud is a hurricane.

Since I think I suck at summing up the importance of mindfulness in this post, please check out my Pinterest board filled with mindful quotes, mindfulness guides, and mindfulness habits.  The only way you'l get it (like the only way I got it) was to have the right quote speak to you at the right time.

If you feel slightly overwhelmed in your day to day life, perhaps a journey toward mindfulness is for you.  However, this practice is not the end all to self care.  I encourage you to seek help, if needed.  Please do not use the internet to self diagnose...not everything can be solved with even breath.  I do hope that you can find peace with your emotions and align yourself with your highest being.

Do you practice mindfulness?  Do you have a morning routine or ritual to prepare you for the day?

xoxo, Moe

Why You Need a Morning & Evening Routine

Do you feel boxed in and limited when it comes to setting a routine?  Do you feel like a child again being told what to do when you're a responsible adult whose been paying her own bills and running her own life and hasn't fallen off a cliff yet?  Do you think you don't need a morning or evening routine?

Yeah I didn't either.  But I've got more questions for you -

Are you thinking about your goals more than you are acting on them?  Are you feeling stressed at work or after work or on the weekends knowing that there are looming deadlines but you're too tired to act on them?  Are you hitting the snooze multiple times?  Have you given up on doing somethings that you used to love because either you don't have the time or you wish you could but you just don't want to? 

You may need a routine, honey.

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Now I'm not in the routine of calling people honey but I am here to tell you that you 100% need to set up some sort of morning & evening routine to make sure you're not answering yes to all of those questions in that third paragraph.  Morning and evening routines have changed my life - I feel less stressed, I feel more on top of things, I have a little bit more discipline.....over all I don't feel like a stressed out couch potato coasting through life on lunch time naps navigating laundry mountains & piles of dishes.  The things I want done are getting done and the things that can take a back burner are there, no longer stressing me out.

At the beginning of this year, I shared this post asking the question What does your best self look like?  My best self has showed up for me as long as I've showed up for her.  Creating a morning & evening routine help me to be my best self because it gives me discipline, makes me prepared for the day, and over all reduces the load I'm carrying daily.  

Reasons you need routine in your day:

Set Yourself Up For Success

If you create a routine that fits your life - I'm not here to tell you what to do, I'm just here to help - you'll find you don't have to make unnecessary decisions through the day.  In the morning, the first thing I see as I take Sweetie out to go potty is the kitchen sink.  If it is full of dirty dishes I immediately think 'dang I should put those guys in the dishwasher'.  So now I'm thinking about a chore I need to do and I've shifted my focus from the current day to what I should have done last night.  Then I'll have to make the decision as to whether I'll put the dishes in the dishwasher.  If I had set myself up for success the night before.....I wouldn't be at this crossroads!  We all have something like that which annoys us yet we don't really want to do in that moment and this distracts us from what we need to get done now.  

Part of setting yourself up for success means knowing yourself.  You know your annoyances - like dirty dishes in the sink in the morning - better than anyone so getting those out of the way will keep you on track for your goals.  By setting a specific time to do annoying tasks that we know need to get done lowers procrastination, lowers stress, and prepares us for the day or night ahead.  If you're extremely unmotivated (ahem, me) read this post on three things to do to kick your butt into gear.  Number one though - if it takes two dang minutes to complete....do it now.

Routine Leaves Room for Mindfulness

So we've given up unnecessary decisions and are now doing things with intention & discipline.  This leaves room for us to be mindful.  We're no longer worrying about what to do next because we've set up a routine, we know when the next task will happen, so now it is time to honor ourselves by being present during the tasks. 

First lets talk about mindfulness vs mindlessness.  If you've ever accidentally poured orange juice into your cereal instead of milk or put a box of crackers in the fridge instead of the cabinet, those are examples of mindlessness.  We aren't focusing completely on the task at hand.  Our minds are wandering or counting off the number of tasks we have to do that day.  Instead of being fully present we're hanging out on the edge of what is next - completing each task only to get to the next one, the next one, and so on.

Mindfulness leaves room for meditation, for honoring ourselves, for delineating what is a priority.  When we're fully present in the moment we can realize when something is no longer serving us in our routine.  Perhaps you're not finding joy in the time you've designated to drink your coffee and read.  What might serve you better?  Routine leaves space for mindfulness and mindfulness leaves space for creativity.  Maybe you need to switch up what you're reading or where you're reading.  Maybe you want to move your meditation from sitting on a pillow to sitting on your front porch.  Mindfulness can help us enjoy tasks rather than feel annoying obligation.

A Sense of Security & Preparedness

Because we've reduced stress and are now working towards the things we want to get done in a day, routine can give us the sense of security and preparedness that can rid us of those butterflies we often feel during the day.  If I'm up at the time I need to be up then I can get everything I find important done then I'm already in a 'get going' mindset and I'm more prepared for the actions I need to take at work.  Routine gives us discipline.

I used to think it was the yoga or the meditation that helped me feel more in control at work.  It wasn't just that - it was the mindfulness, the preparedness, the security I felt aligning myself with my goals for the day.  In the evening, my 30 minute clean, dinner making, and hour of blog work means I have delineated time and have a clearer mind when I settle in for family time and then sleep.  I'm not worried, I feel secure, and I feel prepared.  

Room for Self Care

Routines should be personal - we all have different goals, so waking up and immediately exercising may not fit your goal or lifestyle.  I'm not here to tell you what you should do morning and night, I'm just here to tell you that you should figure something out.  We all live different lives with different goals.  Different things serve each of us differently.  By creating a personalized routine, you're honoring yourself and leaving room for you own self care.

I will say maybe you need to make Wednesday nights candle-lit-glass-of-wine-diffuse-all-the-lavender bath nights or Saturday mornings walk-in-the-neighborhood-alone-with-my-coffee-and-leggings mornings because once you have a routine you'll find space for your favorite things.  You'll find the space, the time, and the need to take care of yourself - even if it is just a reward for putting those dishes away.  Through personalization you can find what makes you feel better, feel productive, feel aligned when done morning or night or weekly.

How to Set Up Your Routine

The app I use to manage my day is called Our Home.  This app is really designed for families to assign chores to family members and then each member can amass points towards a reward - but I just like it because it sends me push notifications.  I don't want an alarm I have to turn off I want a simple notification so I know 'hey it's time to make dinner'.  This app keeps me on track - since I'm horrible with habit trackers.  

To get started, I outlined what I thought my perfect day would look like down to the minute:

Morning
5:00 am - wake up, yoga clothes,
5:05 am - wash face/brush teeth
5:10 am - empty dishwasher/load dishwasher if needed
5:20 am - dog out
5:30 am - yoga, meditate, journal
5:50 am - make coffee, grab lunch stuff
6:00 am - quick blog/social media work or make up
6:20 am - get dressed
6:27 am - leave for work

Evening
5:00 pm - 30 minute clean
5:30 pm - make dinner
5:45 pm - throw in a load of laundry/fold if I can
6:00 pm - eat dinner
7:00 pm - work/family time
8:00 pm - dinner clean up
8:30 pm - shower/skincare/night time self care
9:00 pm - in bed (my mom said 9 pm was a good bed time and I've been following that ever since!)

Then I entered the routine in the app telling it to send a notification to me when that task needed to be done.  When I realized I could fit something else in or I needed to do one thing before another thing, I adjusted the routine.  When something stopped serving me, I adjusted the routine.  I don't stick to it all the time but it gives me a sense of security & preparedness and 100% reduced the stress load I carried.

You can try using hourly planner inserts (or like these in the shop) or creating your own customized dashboard like I did to remind me daily.  These physical reminders can also keep us inspired - we're gonna see them everyday so that then we can live them.  We keep a lot in our brains so it is great to have both a physical and digital reminder of the path we're looking to keep.

The bottom line is that they allow us to get more done in our day.  I would even say an evening routine is where you should start your focus so that you set your self up for success in the morning.  If you plan your evening, get everything done and on track for good sleep and for a prepared morning.....then your morning routine will go off with out a hitch!

Want more routine & productivity inspiration?  Join the Five Sixteenths | Live Creatively Facebook group here & check out more productivity posts on the blog here.

What does your routine look like?  How have you set yourself up for success?

xoxo, Moe

Free Sticker Friday // Bubble Bath Stickers

I've been slacking hard core on my One Little Word for the year.  My word is mindful and I am attempting to do the proper OLW class from Ali Edwards.  Part of that class was to do something, to practice something, in the month of February.  Did I do that?  Nope, not even once.  So I started fresh this past Monday.  My practice? Meditation.  I shared my vision planner and the mantras I'm using for meditation in this post.

(this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.)

I've been doing it a little bit, in a way that relates to this sticker set, by taking baths once a week using some of my essential oils.  It has helped calm me and keep my mind focused.  I've started to realize that for my own mental health I need to get a hold on my thoughts and focus my mind.  To recenter myself and reaffirm myself.  There are some characteristics that others claim to be too much that I actively embrace...but I wasn't embracing them like I should.  If you've ever had these feelings of 'what is wrong with me?' you may understand what I mean.

So of course, I needed some amazing little stickers to put in my planner with I take my baths.  Why?  Because stickers!  When I first got into Memory Planning I knew I had to have stickers for everything I'd ever need (that's one reason why I started making and sharing them!).  I needed to have a sticker for nearly everything because I needed to feel I was doing this thing completely.  So I hope all these sticker help!

DOWNLOAD THE BUBBLE BATH STICKER HERE

The file includes a cut file to for cutting these with your Silhouette, a PNG file for cutting with your Cricut Explore, as well as a PDF for cutting by hand or with this tool.  

As always, these stickers are for personal use only.  Do not sell the design - digital or printed.  Do not print and disseminate the file in mass quantities.  If you would like to share or pin this download, please link only to the blog post and not to the file.  Thank you for playing nice.

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If you'd like more free stickers click here.  All stickers that are Cricut Ready are here.  Consider joining the Cricut Ready Stickers Group on Facebook for more free stickers to cut with your Cricut Explore!

What are you doing for yourself? 

xoxo, Moe

10 Ways to Begin your Personal Development Journey

Becoming a better person.  That's what we all want to do with our lives, right?  We want to be the best versions of ourselves.  We're now quite far into the year and may have found that our goals haven't shaped out the way we thought they would have.  This could be good or bad...but we don't have to wait until the new year to start bettering ourselves!  In fact I think there are 3 times in the year we can start ourselves anew - January at the new year, March/April at the Aries New Moon, and September when we're used to going back to school.

this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

September has always had the air of a fresh new start - we've got fresh pencils, notebooks, and sneakers, the leaves are slowing turning and nature moves into a new phase.....its just a very magical time of freshness. Plus we'll have Samhain in October which is known as the Witches' New Year. So the Fall in general can be a time of change - to shed the old and prep for the new!

We don't have to upend our whole lives to work on personal development.  Nor do we have to feel pressured to change our entire beings to be these better, fantasy versions of ourselves.  Personal development is a journey where the only person you need to be better than is the person you were yesterday.  It's not a journey of comparison or defeat, its a journey of betterment.  So, here are 10 ways to begin your personal development journey:

1. Listen to Audio Books & Podcasts

Make time to listen to personal development books or podcasts.  This may take some trial and error in finding podcasts/books that inspire you but start off with a hobby or something you're interested in.  I wanted to learn to read tarot as a personal development tool so I thumbed through the tarot podcasts I found on iTunes and queued up a few to listen to.  The other part of this is prioritizing time to listen.  I used my 30 minute drive to work in the morning to squeeze in a podcast listen.  You can listen while cooking, cleaning, driving, running, etc.  Those times in between...those are good times to bust out your book or podcast.

2. Practice Mindfulness

This is another simple task that can be done in those times in between.  Mindfulness is just awareness.  Mindfulness is focusing on the moment and on the task at hand.  When making your coffee in the morning instead of going over your to do list and looking at the dishes in the sink take the 5 minutes you're prepping your coffee to just be aware: what does the world around you smell like?  What does the coffee maker sound like?  What does your mug feel like?  What does the sugar entering the mug sound like?  How do you feel in this moment?  You can incorporate even breathing, etc.  Just be aware of your surroundings.  A great place to start a mindfulness practice is in your skincare routine - you'll hopefully be alone in the bathroom for at least a minute and the act is very tactile.  So you can take a moment to just be.

Mindfulness can help fill your cup so that you can show up for yourself and for others more completely.

3. Meditation

Developing a mediation practice can be as simple as using the Breathe app on your Apple Watch (I do this so often!).  Just like mindfulness, you're taking a moment to be present.  You can have a more intentional mindfulness practice with meditation by creating a space for yourself to spend time with yourself.  This can be a room or space in your home or even one of those times in between - like waiting for a friend to meet you for coffee.  Take a moment while you're sitting in the parking lot at work to drift into a relaxed mindset.  You can use something like visualization or even an essential oil you're fond of to help get you into your meditative mindset.

4. Practice Self Reflection

Often this is outlined as journaling.  I'm not a great journaler - I'll blog somethings and maybe include short self reflective tidbits in my memory planner, but all in all I'm not a good journal keeper.  I think it is more important to be self reflective and to examine myself, my life, and my actions often to see where I'm at.  Creative ways to do this aren't limited to journaling but to creating and keeping vision boards so that you can see how far you've come, keeping planner & expressing your creativity, or even blogging!  Self reflection ensures that you're actually growing and developing.  Sometimes those little time hop things on Facebook are very helpful for seeing where we've been compared to where we are now.  And, if you're unhappy with where you are....then you are able to set an intention to change that!

5. Set Small Goals

Speaking of setting intentions to change, try setting small goals.  I used to set 4 simple goals a month because I realized I just wasn't really working towards anything.  I was kinda coasting through life just hanging out and I really wanted to be doing something (anything!).  Setting smaller goals - go to bed earlier, wake up earlier, clean the living room each week, put the dishes away, make sure you moisturize - can help you develop and over all bigger routine.  This routine can enhance your daily life be reducing the emotional burden you have by needing to make decisions that could be left to routine.  Achieving small goals can also build up your confidence & momentum when it comes to accomplishing bigger goals.

6. Try Something New

Break out of your comfort zone.  Trying something new means you're not keeping yourself in a box.  This box could feel restrictive or destructively habitual.  It is best to do something new as soon as you feel the urge.  I signed up for a watercolor class at my local Micheal's as soon as I found out it was happening because I new if I thought about it I'd chicken out!  If you get the urge, and it's feasible, try something new!

7. Invest in Yourself

Much like the one above, if you've been wanting to try something new make that a priority.  The more you invest in your desires the more you'll find personal success.  Want to start a new hobby? Prioritize that in your life.  Want to go back to school?  Prioritize that in your life.  Need a new set of interview clothes? Invest in that!  You are worthy of your desires and you should invest your time & available resources into the things that will create a better you and better your life.

8. Discover your Personal Mantra

Working daily with affirmations can help shift your mindset.  You may find yourself drawn to certain types of quotes, words, or mantras that help you feel inspired.  Take time to develop a personal mantra to live by and make sure it aligns fully with who you are as a person.  Create a Pinterest board or even a wall of sticky notes with words that speak to you.  Recite them daily until you feel their truth!  I highly suggest you reading my post on self-deprecating here. 

9. Make Small Changes

Small changes in your lifestyle allow you to live more authentically.  For me, I've been attempting to reduce my dependence on single use/disposable items.  Prioritizing using microfiber towels over paper towels, refusing plastic straws, and prioritizing reusable storage over plastic baggies have been small changes that have led to a bigger awareness in my life.  Take the time to make small changes that align with your personal mantra & you will begin to live more authentically.

10. Practice Gratitude

Being thankful for what we have can shift our mindset.  Not only should we be thankful in times of happiness but we should practice gratitude in our down times as well.  If you're frustrated with a situation finding gratitude around the problem can help shift your mindset into a solution.   Take a moment during each day - when you wake up, before bed, at your lunch break, on your drive home - and list three things you're grateful for.  Even the simplest things you can express gratitude for because it allows you to be mindful of what you really have in your life!

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Personal development also isn't extremely linear.  We can have up days and down days, we can have setbacks and comebacks...but overall we just want to be better than the people we were yesterday!  Be sure to sign up for the newsletter above to get creative inspiration for being your best self straight to you inbox.  You'll receive blog updates, essential oil information, creative freebies, and general chit chat.

If you're interested in working towards your personal development goals with a group of creative individuals like yourself, check out the Live & Create group on Facebook.  This group focuses on mindfulness & intentional living through productivity, creative planning, & personal growth.  Request to join here!  You can also join the Printable of the Month club over on Patreon for an exclusive planner printable every month.

What small goals do you set for yourself daily?

xoxo, Moe

Free Sticker Friday // Essential Oil Bottle Stickers

Raise your hand if you're into essential oils. I know I am now into essential oils like its going out of style.  When I started working towards Mindful as my word of the year something I really wanted to incorporate into my routine was meditation.  Meditation involves a lot of things but I read that one way to help with focus is to use essential oils to tune yourself in.  Different smells have different associations and they can have certain effects on your mood.  Even if you believe this is all mumbo jumbo, but you like nice smelling things it is worth talking with one of your friends (you know you have them) that sells essential oils.  They are knowledgeable and if all you come out of it with is some nice smelling air....I think you've one.

this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

So I've been using my essential oils like everyday!  Blends after blends after blends!  I currently have a wholesale account with Doterra and each month I have a recurring order that I need to remember.  So far I haven't ended up with the same things twice & that is because at the last second I remember to switch it up!  These bottles are perfect for marking blends, orders, or even oils that worked for you in a certain mood.  I see a little tracker at the bottom of your weekly page marking which oils used and which moods you were in...hmmmmmm.

Included in this download is a PNG file to cut with your Cricut Explore, Silhouette file to cut with your Silhouette Portrait or Cameo, as well as a PDF to cut by hand (though I hear this tool is really nice too).  Remember to size the PNG to 5.5 x 8 inches in Cricut Design Space!

DOWNLOAD ESSENTIAL OIL STICKERS HERE

As with all printables here on the blog, these guys are for personal use only.  Do not claim any part of this work as your own.  Do not disseminate in mass quantities, do not print and distribute these files.  Do not sell the digital or printed version at all. Thank you for playing nice!

I do hope that you enjoy working with essential oils.  You can find some of my favorite blends in this post and even learn to make your own diffuser necklace!  I hope you're having a wonderful and relaxing week...cheers to the weekend!

xoxo, Moe

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