Reinvention

“I thought, I need to reinvent myself. I want every day of life to be wonderful, fascinating, interesting, creative. And what am I gonna do to make that happen?” —Karen Allen

It looks as if the quarantine is almost over. Businesses that were previously closed or restricted from being open before are having those restrictions lifted May 11th. I don't know about you, but for me it was a turbulent time.

I had to sit with myself and my thoughts and uncovered some negative habits and beliefs that I have never had the courage to face. These things brought me endless heartache and pain. I am now consistently working on these things as I turn my life upside down and reinvent myself.

Your thoughts can either empower you or destroy you slowly over time. I am choosing to empower myself and grow into the woman I am meant to be -- because I want to live a life that is wonderful, fascinating, interesting, and creative!

I am becoming aware of my thoughts and learning how to shift the pathways to more positive ones and not assuming I know what others are thinking or feeling. While I cannot change anyone, I can be aware of how my thoughts influence my emotions and ego.

I am learning to become more in tune with my body and intuition by using deep breathing, stretching/yoga, and body scanning (noticing where there is tension in my body). I may add meditation to this as well.

I am doing a lot of journaling. And I do mean A LOT. It's good to get all the thoughts out of your head and onto paper. It is a form of release. Some people scoff at the idea of keeping a journal but the purpose of it is to help you. It's not for others to read. It doesn't have to be pretty or proper. Just get those thoughts and emotions out of you and onto the paper.

So if have found yourself struggling as I had, maybe some of these techniques will work for you?

Warm thoughts, 

Tracy

Get Your *Ish Together Guide

Photo by LOGAN WEAVER on Unsplash

I don't know about you, but I have had enough of this Corona virus mess. I feel like taking on the world and completely overhauling my life. I'm tired of sitting around waiting for this to be over. It's time to DO something!!

While we still cannot go out except for essentials, there is plenty I can tackle here at home to create my dream life. 

Now I can:

* Focus on health & fitness

* Practice new makeup techniques & hair styles

* Work on the budget

* Declutter & deep clean the house

* Make a list of everything I want to do when the lock down is over 

* Work in my yard

* Curate my perfect wardrobe

* Work on my business

* Improve self care

* Organize my life to work smarter, not harder

With this list, I should never be bored. Now is the time for us to really get our *ish together while we have this extra time. 

What are you working on?

Happy Little Things

Photo by Hybrid on Unsplash

Let's chat about happier things, shall we?

You may be feeling bored and restless. Why don't you make a list of things you can do to keep yourself happily occupied? Here's what I came up with:

• Create a simple daily routine
• Focus on skin care (glow up)
• Walk & stretch daily
• Cook all meals at home
• Clean one room each day
• Go through all the courses I've purchased and begin to work through them & implement what I've learned
• Read books I already have - on my bookshelf & on my Kindle
• Craft with what I have on hand
• Write on my blog & Instagram
• Create new products for my Etsy
• Work on finances (How can I save more money?)
• Have a DIY spa day at home
• Learn more about something I've always been intrigued by
• Write out a bucket list

What about you? What would you put on your list?

💕 Check out the links in my bio (sidebar) to find e-books and affordable gifts, home decor, and organizing printables! Thank you for supporting small business! 💕

One Day At a Time

Even though things are far from normal at this time, don't give up on your dreams and goals. Take it one day at a time and focus on what you need to do today.

None of us know what the future holds. Your progress may have slowed, but don't let it stop completely. Then you'll have to work twice as hard to get back to where you were! No more going backwards! I'm preaching to myself here too!

I want to create more content for you guys - in addition to my personal goals. Let me know in the comments what kind of content you would find beneficial.

It's another beautiful day here. My husband and I enjoy sitting on the porch and enjoying the fresh air and sunshine before it gets too hot. We've taken a little break from yard work the past two days. We have so much lawn debris the city needs to pick up before we can put anymore out.

Since the Corona virus and self-distancing has started I have been keeping busy with yard work and a little housework, but I also want to work on personal development. I want to use this time to come out better!

So I'm thinking about going through all my self-improvement notes and courses to put together a plan to begin implementing those things. Just because you read about something doesn't mean it's helping you. Action is a must.

Hope you are doing well during this time of uncertainty! Don't forget to let me know what kind of content you are interested in. 💓

The Benefits of Spending Time Outdoors

I recently saw a graphic on Pinterest about the benefits of spending time outdoors. It stated that the 6 benefits of exercising in nature but I'll share 4 of them:

• Fresh air has more oxygen
• Greenscapes raise serotonin levels
• Increases feelings of well-being and lowers depression
• Sun exposure raises vitamin D levels and optimizes hormones

I know that when I spend time outdoors - even if it's just sitting on the porch - I feel more relaxed and happy. In the warmer months, it's easy to do. It's a bit more challenging for me to do in the winter since I hate being cold.

Thankfully we do have nice, warm days during the winter. Here in the south the weather fluctuates so much. It's freezing one day and can be warm the next. On those nice days though I like to be outside - sitting on the porch or working in the yard. There is always yard work that needs to be done. 

For the cold days, I need to invest in outerwear that makes being outside more bearable - a coat, gloves, and warm cap.

I think about the people in Denmark. Though they have long, dreary, cold winters they are the happiest people in the world. How is that possible? 

They embrace the outdoors - even on the coldest of days - and make the most of it. I think that is a great attitude to have. I try really hard to not grumble about the cold, but I'm not always successful! 

As with many things in life, it takes work and practice to improve. Our attitudes are no different.

The Danish people practice hygge.  Hygge is a Danish word for feeling happy, content, and grateful. It's feeling connected and making the best of things. It is the art of getting cozy. 

I think we could all use a little more hygge in our lives, don't you?

I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

Tracy x

Welcome 2020!

Welcome to 2020…

and to Simple Life, Happy Life!

I am Tracy - the blog creator. I am 45 years young and live in a smallish town in south Alabama, not far from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico. I live with my husband of 27 years, two Italian Mastiffs, and our three adult children - who are all currently at home with us.

I am a dreamer, a romantic, and a lover of all things beautiful. Thus, the creation of this blog. 

I am considering this year to be my level up years in terms of adding more beauty to my life while simplifying, adding self-care, and a lot more joie de vivre (joy of living).

The way I see it, we only have one life to live. I spent my younger years raising a family, sacrificing a lot of my desires for the needs of my babies. Now the babies are grown and it’s time for mama duck to become a swan. 

The second act of my life will be for me. 

Now, tell me about you and what stage of life you are in. 

Are you knee-deep in babies and diapers?

Have your babes flown the nest?

Spill it, sister. I am listening!