Wordless Wednesday
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Why Knowing Your Limits Is Good For Life Balance
Photo by Sigmund Stiehler
If you’re anything like me, you might like to burn the candle at both ends: Endless activities, jobs, and never really acknowledging bed-time come to mind. People may have pointed this out to you––maybe even hinted that you should cease-and-desist from this behavior––but when has that ever stopped you?
In the day-to-day, this sort of thing does not seem to matter all that much. But the effects of these activities & mindset stay with you. They percolate below the surface and push you to the brink. Essentially, they create a frame for both poor decision making and negative actions in the future.
By acknowledging your limits–say, how much sleep you really need… or how many work-related ventures you can achieve in a day (Hint: the answer is not 100!)– you are not admitting to any weaknesses you have.
Rather, you become more aware of yourself, and how your actions effect your life… You are taking the first steps to control your life and move forward from a place of strength and balance.
What tools are in your toolbox?
In the recent weeks, my Fibromyalgia, which usually lies in the periphery, has been acting up. Physical Therapy has always been a boon to me when this happens.
My therapist is a dedicated holistic thinker, and is always able to find ways to help relieve the pains that plague me. She translates everything we do in a session to ways that are easy for me to continue at home. After a few years of this, I have a whole encyclopedia of exercises that I can call upon at any time.
The problem is that life can become frantic. And if I’ve been having a long run of feeling good, and then a sudden rough patch emerges, it’s easy to forget all I learned in a blind panic. At this point my therapist always reminds me that I have resources at my disposal. And I’ve been trying to keep this thought with me: There are more tools in my toolbox than I think.
What about you? What tools are in your toolbox?
Photo courtesy http://www.logodesignweb.com/stockphoto/objects/tools/page1.htm
Fonts for Free
Changing the Mentality behind “Free”
I recently discovered the incredible design of Britta Siegmund. A recent graduate at the University of Applied Sciences & Arts in Germany, Britta’s designs are modern & sophisticated.
I particularly loved her study called “Fonts for Free”. Of millions of the fonts available for free on the World Wide Net, she decided to take a closer look at a handful which were interesting to her. Through this careful study, she shows us that
“Not every purchased typeface is good. And not every free typeface is bad”.
I think the same is true of all types of design: If applied with a careful eye–even those things considered “low” can become works of art.
(I <3 the ligatures on this font).
The 7 Minute Practice That Will Help You Get More Done
Cleaning House
I don’t know about you, but I often feel overwhelmed with the up-keep of my space. Between vacuuming, washing dishes, scrubbing surfaces, generally keeping things in order… Well, you get the idea. It’s a lot. It just piles up & seems to never end.
The result is loads of stress. And a certain part of the house that I neglect all-together… You know what I’m talking about: The bathroom. Pretty much everyone’s worst nightmare when it comes to cleaning–but not anymore. Instead of dreading how you will be wasting the entire sunny afternoon, cleaning up who-knows-what; you are just going to take 7 minutes (or less) and get the job going.
Start with the sink. It needs to be cleaned, just like every other part of the bathroom. And it’s easy to tackle in the given time-frame. Once those 7 minutes are up, and that sink is sparkling, go enjoy yourself. Then, the next time you have 7 minutes to spare, clean the tub. And repeat…
This may seem like a piece-meal way to clean, but it does 2 very important things:
1) It takes the stress out of cleaning. No longer is there a huge insurmountable pile of stuff. Now, everything is broken down into doable tasks.
2) It gets you going! Sometimes, the hardest part of a job is staring it. Knowing the task-at-hand only takes a short, and fixed, amount of time makes it easy to start.
Chances are once you see how much you accomplish in 7 minutes, you’ll be motivated, and keep on going.
Photo by Andy Butkai
The Makers Project
Odette NY
I know I normally don’t post jewelry or fashion accessories on the blog, but I had to make an exception for this:
A while back, photographer Jennifer Causey started to document Makers. She was intrigued by people who found a more tactile way of living–especially in this modern, hectic world. The result is The Makers Project, an inspiring photo diary, full of amazing artisans, and wonderful photos.
When I came across her photos of Odette NY, I was pretty much speechless.
I am completely in love with the designer’s process; first hand carving from wax, and then casting. (And perhaps, even more in love with her darling little studio). The organic shapes and textures really make me want to reach out and touch each piece.
Photos courtesy Jennifer Causey & The Makers Project