Walking in this World Week 5...

This week was Discovering a Sense of Personal Territory.

It was basically about being selfish - but in a good way.  You know, taking care of yourself so that you have the ability to give, to create, etc.  Something I've been working on, especially after the Artists Way journey.

Tasks included which friends are your "fuse lighters".  Which friends drain you.  It also had us write lists of what we'd like to do if it weren't so expensive, selfish, scary, etc.  Nothing really new...I want to live somewhere pretty -  winery, nature, beach...travel....etc.

The other task was write a letter to yourself saying what you need to be doing.  As if you were writing a letter to your best friend.  I usually scoff at these tasks, but I did it.  I found it interesting that I'm actually doing a pretty good job trying to pay attention to my needs more and do things that bring me joy.  I feel like over pretty much my entire life I am always looking out for others 1st.  This isn't a bad thing, and I don't mind.  In fact I'm always flattered when it's pointed out to me many times over the years how appreciative people are in me being the one that keeps everyone together, makes things happen, cultivates friendships.  Since I've been with Pat a lot of my time is focused on supporting him, and being there for him.  I think myself got lost a bit lately but I seem to be back on the right track.

So I may be taking a week off this journey because I'm actually working on a one night show and we're supposed to rehearse all next week, so if that happens I'm just going to focus on that and take a week break from this.  I don't seem to be getting as much out of this journey, but it is certainly keeping things in front of me and helping me work on me.

I wrote almost every night.

I don't think I had a notable Weekly Walk this week, but as usual I walk all the time.

My Artists Date was super fun - I found out there were a bunch of geocaches just down the street so I took my bike and headed out!  I'll be posting a blog about all of them, but I have to go back and get the bonus cache now that I figured out the puzzle, so that will be coming.  But here's one picture.

I really am having fun

I did have a bit of synchronicity today I think.  Or at least finding myself more inspired.  I took this photo at breakfast with my dad:

Dad asked "What are you taking a picture of?".  I told him I just find this interesting.  The way it looks and the colors.  We then started talking about photography.  My friend Rose also posted a really incredible shot and I asked her if she could send it to me so I can print and frame it.  I like that.  I like that I'm finding inspiration.  I haven't felt that way in a while.  I wonder if it's because I'm on a journey kind of trying to find some?  We'll see...

Walking in this World Week 4...

This week was Discovering a Sense of Adventure.

I thought it would be a bit more interesting based on the title, but still seem to be having a bit of a hard time getting into this one.

I also seemed to have a lot going on this week, so I didn't dedicate much time as I have in the past few.  I also slacked pretty good at my nightly journaling.  I did get a few nights in, but probably more missed than successful.

It talks about not ignoring signs that maybe you're not doing what fulfills you.  For example - you may be cool with your job, but you really have a yearning for something else.  Follow that.  I don't seem to be having that issue right now.  I'm just more lost and unfocused I feel like.  

One task was get a sketch pad and go places and sketch what you see.   Well - this girl doesn't draw.  So I grabbed me a little notebook that fits in my purse and I'll write descriptively what I'm seeing.

In fact.  On what I would deem my "Weekly Walk" since there was a morning I didn't chat with my mom on my way to the cashier's office, but rather just let myself take in the surroundings.  I found myself wanting to write this all down.  So I did and that's the photo above

One that does pop up in my life a lot is "Childlike Enthusiasm".  My mom has it.  It's what makes her so special.  And I think I have it a little.  I highlighted this in the book which grabbed my attention:

"No surprise that it was Picasso himself who remarked, ""W are all born children.  The trick is how to remain one"".  I love that!

Another task was what I would "secretly" like to do.  Well, I'm not very secretive but a few surprised me:

Be a housewife.  Yup.  That was one of them.  And at this point in life I really would love that.  I don't want to work anymore.  LOL.  What also came up a lot was I want to live in nature/beach/on a winery.  We then were supposed to write a fantasy as if one was real and I wrote about waking up one morning to a sunrise over a winery.  Makes me want this so badly.

My Artists Date this week was another pedicure.  No picture though.  I do get these on the regular but I also am trying to give myself a break and realize that I don't have to do a different Artists Date each week.

So Week 4 check.  Nothing too much jumped out this week.  Hoping again, for some more interesting insights.  

Walking in the World Week 3...

 This week was Discovering a Sense of Perspective.

I don't really seem to be getting much out of the reading this time around, but I am trying to do all the tasks and see if something comes of them.

One task was basically make a collage.  Says grab a bunch of magazines and go to town.  I feel this is kind of dated since magazines are really a thing of the past now, but liked that idea and remembered I had a few Pinterest Boards that I throw things in I just like.  So here's a few things I "pinned" rather than collaged. 

It makes me want to go do that again.  I used to scroll and just pin neat things.  I didn't have as much time this week as I would have liked, so I plan to go back to this task and maybe get inspired!

This week also talked about Anger.  How anger can actually fuel us sometimes to do things.  We were to list 50 (yes 50!) things I'm angry at.  It was a long list, but I filled it out pretty quickly.  I noticed most of the things I'm angry at are political things - so the solution (It says if you have any, write them down too) - I think I need to get involved more.  I have been feeling like I just don't make a difference, so I think I need to change that.  Noted here.  Let's do it.

It then talks about mapping our interests.  I found this interesting because a book Pat got for us to work through talks about mapping your relationship.  Seems mapping is a thing in my life right now - I should pay attention.  Here's the questions it started me out with:

5 Topics that interest me - Food, Wine, Travel, Music, Outdoors.

 

5 People who interest me - Rose, Stanley Tucci, Anita, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Luca Manfe.

 

5 Art forms that interest me - Photography, Writing, Acting, Cooking (really eating though), Traveling

 

5 Projects I could try out - More Photo Play Days, Travel Blog, Food Blog, Get more politically involved, Writing Class

 

So there we go.  Tasks of Week 3.  I want to re-visit these.  I find them interesting.

 

For my Artist Date this week I paid a visit to Dragon and The Rose.  It's a great little witch shop and they have store cats!  I wanted to pick up a little something for my Piscean girls for our yearly get together.  I found some beautiful Aquamarine stones.  I also said hi to Sally the cat:

I then headed over to the Cemetery to leave some flowers for my grandparents and Pats sister.  I always find cemeteries very peaceful.  I got a bit emotional, since I hadn't been there for quite a while and just ended up talking to my grandparents for awhile.  I miss them so very much.

A little friend was watching me

I night journaled almost every night.

I again made a point to make sure I had a good walk without any interruption.  I had to drop our car off at the mechanic and walk back to work one morning which is quite a trek. I listened to the sounds as I walked.  Really enjoyed hearing the birds.  It was a super quiet walk even though it is some busy streets.  Felt really nice.

I just love when people utilize these 12 foot skeletons for more than just Halloween!

So there we are - Week 3 Check!

Here's to hoping it picks up a bit....

Walking in this World Week 2...

This week was Discovering a Sense of Proportion.  

I didn't find the task all that helpful actually.  At least this week I'm finding I don't really care for the way she words things sometimes.  We had a couple of fill in's.  It was a sentence like "If I had more encouragement, I would have probably tried..." etc etc.  These kinds of sentences kind of annoy me because I feel like she's trying to get you to find out how horrid your child hood or upbringing was and to blame all these things for why you're not living in your "art".  She doesn't do that all the time, and I usually just sort of skip over them but this chapter felt like a lot.  It made me not really be as in to it this week.  I won't list the whole lists here, because so many of them were kind of lame.  But I'll list the ones that I liked or that I found interesting:

"I not commit to this dream of...learning my camera." 

This is a big one, and it came out a lot last time I did the Artists Way.  I really need to get to know my camera and my phone camera.  This is a challenge I have since I'm so friggin impatient.  Well here it is again!  LOL'

"As my own best friend, I would cheer myself on if I tried...Acting again".

I found that surprising because I really have gotten away from it and not sure if I have the courage to really get into it again...but that was something.

Then we were to do a wish list.  20 items.  They could be anything.  The interesting ones that stuck out that weren't the typical "I wish for good health, my fam to be good, etc etc was these:

"I wish I wasn't scared to act again"

"I wish I was more chill" (there's that beast anxiety rearing it's ugly head)

"I could retire" (I'm truly just over working)

Traveling has come up again, living in nature, wanting to be more patient and learn more.  These are all not news but hopefully them popping up again will give me the ass kicking I need.

My walk this week was at work.  There was an event at work I needed to show my face at (since I've missed like the last 5) and I really didn't want to go, but I thought of it as a perfect time for my "Weekly Walk".  I usually call my mom when I do my daily deposit walk, so this would be an excuse to just walk and take in the surroundings.  It was lovely.

Bout to head up the stairs in Argyros Forum to the event.  Thought it was a good shot here...

I did my pages almost every night.  I did skip one or two nights just due to being too friggin tired.  But I am finding I like the journaling before bed.

My Artists Date this week got thwarted by the rain, so instead I baked cookies while Pat was off riding his bike.  Sadly they came out kind of flat, but still tasty.  And one of the things I love the most is when I'm in the condo by myself.  I turned my music up and danced around the house while waiting for the cookies to bake.  I miss doing that.  I do love dancing and it's fun when no one is around to watch me except my dog.

I'm hoping the book gets a bit more interesting.  I seem to have been a bit "meh" this week about it, but I'm sticking to it!

Week 2 Check!