Seek Solitude Time

I don't know about you, but I personally find it quite difficult to be still.

In the face of SO many projects and tasks that need to be done all the time, combined with my natural propensity to be a "doer" stillness does not come easily in my life. I actually have to WORK at letting go and creating stillness.

How about you? Have a read of this quotation by Elizabeth Cady Stanton...

"There is a solitude which each and every one of us has always carried within. More inaccessible than the ice cold mountains, more profound than the midnight sea: the solitude of self."

For sure, time in nature is my closest remedy to my stillness challenge!

Time spent putting bedding plants into planter boxes yesterday was restful, it is true. Time spent clearing weeds and thinning the density of ferns for my hostas room to breathe somehow symbolically allowed me space to breathe. The wisteria vine received a serious pruning, too, unfurling it's tenacles from the many handles it had twined itself around... and now there is room to enjoy it's beauty again.

Decluttering has become an important focus in my life over these last few months. The inner self-work that I did at The Haven recently has me working inwardly and my outer world calls for a similar cleansing. All those unnecessary "extras" that take up space are gradually being cleaned out and let go. Never did I imagine that by de-cluttering my garden would make a difference to my psychological space, too.

If you're like me and are challenged to slow down long enough to seek solitude time, perhaps you'll find, as I am, that decluttering your garden will offer you similar moments of respite.

Today I will seek stillness by staining the new cedar panelling on the new veranda addition we've put on the front of our sweet home... smile.

P.S. Happy Birthday today, Mom!
You are such an important blessing in my life.

Warmly, Carolyn

www.life-balance-success.com
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There's No Place Like Home!

Welcome!

I don't know about you but I LOVE experiencing and seeing my creativity in action!

It's been a blazing hot day and I am happy to have given myself the entire day to work around the outside of our home and in the garden. There have been numerous incomplete projects pulling at me for up to two years, but today they got crossed off the "to-do list." They are now complete.

This day has been a most energetic one of progress in action. The paintbrush came out and within a few hours our deck railing had a fresh coat of forest green paint. What a great difference!

The driveway garden that has been barren for 16 years (!) now has Shasta Daisies planted the whole length of it... topped off with a decorative layer of bark mulch. What an amazing difference!

The planter box at the side of the house, which always looks sweet in spring but blah throughout the summer, now has a mixture of colourful perrenials in its palette for all the summers ahead.

These projects have given me tremendous joy today. Working steadily to improve certain parts of our home that have been lacking has refreshed my feeling about our home, and also affirmed my thrill at seeing my creativity unleashed.

2006(C) Photo by Carolyn Clarke, all rights reserved

Much of my career work is administrative in nature, looking after the operation of our business... an important role but not always a creative one. This I know about myself... I personally love to see the results of my work, but it isn't always apparent how many phone calls and paper sorting tasks I've accomplished at the end of the usual business day. Working with my hands on a tangible project, as I did today, gives me the opportunity to see my efforts and progress from start to finish... witnessing a transformation right before my eyes.

I don't know about you but I really NEED to indulge my creativity in various types of projects and see tangible results at the end of my day.

There are still a few other projects I want to work on before the summer merges into fall and it's time to come indoors again.

How about you? Are you like me and need to express that inner artist of yours working on projects around your home. Even if I could afford to hire these projects out, I wouldn't because they help me fulfil parts of my nature that need expression!

My task list is getting shorter and home is looking more refreshed than it has in a few years.
There is no place like home! I hope your home is a blessed santuary for you, too.



Warmly, Carolyn
your Personal Change Consultant
Inner Fitness(R) Programs
www.innerfitness.ca