Where I’m At #4

“Where I’m at” posts are just random updates about what’s going on in my life at any random time, based on the areas / roles in my life. Any particular goals I’m working on will be highlighted, so you can easily see what I’m actively working on improving (and see that I do try to practice what I preach). Leave a comment & give me ideas for things you’d like to see me write individual posts about!

Hi everyone! It’s been a rough month for my family – we all got COVID mid-November, & apparently we’re all still dealing with the aftermath. Yeah, seriously. My kids’ pediatrician told me I was probably misdiagnosed with a sinus infection because she said they’ve regularly seen some COVID symptoms lasting up to 15 weeks. So there’s that.

On a better note, our holidays were lovely, & I hope yours was as well!

Let’s get into how December went for me…

planner : I actually just switched up my Notion setup a little bit! My main dashboard is now a gallery view of the PARA method, with “Projects” being the equivalent of my planner. “Areas” are the equivalent of the roles you see here, with each area having a separate page & each relevant page having a section for tasks & notes. I like it a lot so far! Also, I’m really excited to move into a new journal! I’ve made an entire year fit into an A5 Stalogy for the second year in a row, & that poor notebook is about to explode!

self (body & mind, emotion & education) : I’ve really been struggling with my diet & exercise ever since I first got sick; that’s a real challenge for me – picking back up after illness. (Something for me to work on!) I’ve really been enjoying journaling & writing my blog posts; haven’t been terribly interested in reading any books lately (I keep trying to read Tim Ferriss’ 4 Hour Workweek because I like his writing style & some of his ideas, but I just can’t stay interested.) Emotionally, I’ve been pretty up & down because of being sick. Bleh.
marriage : We’ve been rediscovering old ways to have adventures, considering the weather. It’s been fun going “window shopping” & spontaneous restaurants for dinner!
mom (BooBoo & Bubby) : The girls have been great, despite having a very persistent cough. Their favorite Xmas gifts included some Magna Tiles, Miraculous Dolls, & Furblets lol
teacher (K & PK) : We’ve been taking it easy this month, to prep for & enjoy the holidays. We’ve worked through the curriculum a little bit when they felt like it, but most of this month’s education centered around the science of the changing seasons, measuring ingredients for homemade treats, playing games, & doing holiday worksheets.
zB : Had to move some things around because I was really struggling to maintain focus this month, & I wasn’t sure if I’d have enough posts ready for the month, but I somehow managed to pull everything together & I’m excited to share those with you!!!
homemaker (finance, cleaning, travel) : I don’t even wanna talk about the finances this month LOL – I just keep telling myself “tis the season!” I’ve gotten a lot more cleaning done with us not focusing so much on school, so that’s good. And I’ve been trying to plan some interesting adventures for these cold & snowy months – We’ll see what happens!
witch – Nothing going on here; I really should try to find some time to at least meditate more regularly, though I do a little bit every night.
reseller – Absolutely nothing going on here, besides a couple of sales. I’m still very much in limbo about how I want to go about my whole resale business right now & in the future. It’s just not a priority.

Currently

eating – Lots of soup!

drinking – Hot lime water 😋

watching – Beast Games, Xmas movies, Lincoln Lawyer, & finished Royal Pains just in time for it to leave Netflix!

reading – Blog posts

playing – “Beat the Parents “ & “Would You Rather?” (card games from the Dollar Tree that I got the kids hehe)

buying – All kinds of stuff we don’t need, just cuz it’s discounted post-holiday (we really need to put the brakes on! LOL)

listening to – Rain!

celebrating – My youngest is turning 4! 🥳

pinning – self care, journaling, homeschool stuff, & Green Day lol

planning – Kiddo’s bday, goals

feeling – Excited for a new year!

How was your December, & what are you looking forward to in January? Let me know in the comments below!!

And if you’d like, feel free to use this free desktop background I made on Canva for whatever you’d like (I was just screwing around while I was sick, hehe) 😘

See you next week!!

A Guide to Celebrating the Winter Solstice for Inner Balance

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For those living in the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice arrives on December 21 this year—a night longer than all others because we’re the furthest distance from the sun that we’ll be all year. Winter is a great season for rest, reflection, and renewal, so here are some ideas for celebrating the solstice with introspective practices, ways to connect with nature, and some nurturing self-care.

Introspective Practices

Meditation – There’s no better way to slow down and absorb the moment than spending some time in meditation. Meditation is an especially wonderful practice this time of year, whether a few minutes of mindfulness or an hour visualizing how you’d like the coming month to unfold.

Journaling – There are tons of year end journaling prompts on the internet (I’ll even be posting some in the coming weeks!), but you could always just freewrite anything that comes to mind. Explore the feelings of the moment, or the season. List your favorite seasonal changes or holiday traditions. You could even script a manifestation for the coming year, or reflect on your progress from the past year.

Gratitude – Write a long list of everything that fills your soul with peace (seriously, the longer the better). Your accomplishments, your loved ones, everything you like. It’s good for your whole wellbeing to be able to see the joy of your life in one long list.

Connecting with nature

Dawn or dusk walk – If you’re nothing like me & can stand to bundle up & trek around outside this time of year, that can be a great way to get in tune with nature. Absorb the smell of the cold air, the sights of tracks in the snow perhaps, & the refreshing feel of a cold breeze on your cheeks. Or, if you are like me, spend a few mindful minutes looking out your window to see what fauna you can spot.

Decorate with found items – Bringing some nature into your living space can be another great way to connect with this time of year. Make a special spot to decorate with pine cones, pine branches, or anything else you find outside.

Stargazing – This is another one for those of you who don’t mind the cold (Hello, I’m the Heat Miser! lol) Even I will find myself pausing for a moment after a late-night grocery run to appreciate the refreshing cold air & a sparkling starry sky.

Self care ideas

Warm bath – Bubbles & bombs or not, soaking in some hot water is soothing to the soul. You can add some essential oils as you fill the tub (bonus points for seasonal scents), light a candle with the intent of rejuvenation, or play some relaxing music. Even a quick soak after a shower is good for you.

Enjoy some herbal tea – Herbal tea doesn’t typically have much (if any) caffeine, so feel free to enjoy it any time of day or night. Keep it on a cup warmer & enjoy it for hours if you like! Doing so will encourage you to pause throughout the time it takes to drink it, & savor the warmth, smell, & taste it provides.

Digital detox, or information detox – Take a break from absorbing the wealth of information & entertainment our screens provide. Indulge in some “analog” hobbies such as arts, crafts, reading a book, playing a board game with loved ones, or any other offline activity that feels good to you. Your peace of mind will thank you!

Conclusion

The winter solstice is a wonderful reminder of the cycles of life & how we each fit into that process. Taking some time for introspection, self care, & getting in tune with the natural world around you are great ways to find some inner balance, especially amidst the busy holiday season.

How do you celebrate the winter solstice? Share your thoughts & practices in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you!

Simple Ancestors’ Night Celebrations

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I know this is short notice for most people who celebrate Samhain on October 31, but as I started planning for my own celebration this year, I was inspired to share a few simple ideas.

To start, I don’t always celebrate the Sabbat on Halloween – Often I celebrate it on the halfway point between the Autumn Equinox & the Winter Solstice, which for 2024 would be on November 6. (I’m not justifying my late post lol!) Another personal thing I wanted to point out is that I “do my own thing”, so I refer to the Sabbat commonly known as Samhain as Ancestors’ Night because that’s really what it is.

What is Samhain?

For those who don’t know, many occultists believe that the veil between our waking reality & the spirit world is especially thin this time of year, & it is celebrated as such by honoring the spirit world. We’ll all be joining it someday, so it’s important to many people to acknowledge this (”Memento Mori!”) and take some time to remember our loved ones who are no longer on our side of the veil. As I say about Dia de los Muertos, it’s a time to “celebrate life, & honor the dead”.

Simple Ideas for Celebrating

An Ancestor Altar. If you’re going to start one, keep it simple & keep it up year round. Just as Xmas should be a reminder to be generous throughout the year, Ancestors’ Night should be a reminder to remember daily where you came from & where you’ll be going. A small spot with a few photos & trinkets to remind you of your beloved departed are a beautiful reminder of how they influence who you are at your core. If you already have an ancestor altar or shrine, now would be a great time to thoroughly clean & refresh the space, adding or removing things as you see fit!
Candles. For quite a few years, I had a running list of proverbial ancestors (people not necessarily related to me who had a profound impact on my life and are no longer living, and even pets), and I would light a tealight candle for each of them. It turned into a fire hazard unfortunately, but it was a nice gesture at the time.
Letters. You can write a letter to any especially important ancestors, & tell them whatever you want! You can even burn it (safely, of course) to symbolically pass the message into the spirit realm.
Journal. Ask yourself if you’re carrying any dead weight, psychologically speaking, & how you can move past that in the coming months.
Hibernation goals. I’m listening to a flock of geese heading south right now, as a matter of fact. Nature is preparing to hibernate, harvesting what’s left for the journey into the cold months. Not that humans are able to hibernate, but it’s a good time to consider what you can do to slow down a bit more & enjoy some relaxation. Perhaps you’d like to read a book you haven’t yet found time for, or catch up on some sleep? Now might be a good time to think up some slow living goals.
Pumpkins. I’m sure you’re already carved your pumpkins, if that’s a thing you do. But if you have an uncarved pumpkin, harvest it! Scoop the shit out & make a pumpkin based dessert, or a savory soup! Roasted pumpkin seeds are really good for you too, and you can season them with just about anything you like (I’m particularly fond of cinnamon & sugar.)
Food. Make or buy your ancestors’ favorite foods as a way to honor them. My mom was always fond of surf & turf (steak & shrimp specifically), and I’m happy to make that for dinner lol! A couple of my favorite memories of my grandma were her hand grinding deli ham to make ham salad for sandwiches, and soup. She also kept me on a steady supply of homemade chicken noodle soup throughout my childhood. So, I love making my “magic” soup, with ingredients that are heavily inspired by her!

How do you honor your ancestors?

Share some ideas in the comments below – I’d love to hear them!!

Meditation on the Go!

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I love the idea of using a set of beads as an abacus for breaths during meditation – I’ve been using different kinds for years! From necklaces, to bracelets, to keychains, let me show you this awesomeness…

To use meditation beads, you simply start somewhere in the row of beads, close your eyes, and focus on long, deep breaths, moving from bead to bead in between. There are typically different shaped beads on the ends of the rows, to let you know when you’ve reached the end. They can be used to count repetitions of mantras, or positive affirmations, or whatever you want! Larger numbers of beads (like on necklaces) are good for longer meditation sessions, while shorter sections (like bracelets & keychains) are good for quick mindfulness breaks.

My latest set of meditation bracelets are extra special – they all include lava beads, which can be used with a drop of essential oil as a form of aromatherapy! Each of these bracelets are unique, including gemstones such as jasper, rose quartz, moonstone, and more. They can be used during meditation, or worn regularly as a reminder to be mindful! Be sure to check them out individually in the “bracelets” section of my shop

Sitting in my car on break at work one night, in desperate need of some peace, I realized I didn’t have anything to help me focus if I tried to meditate. So, I came up with the idea of a meditation chain key ring, for those times when you need a breather before starting your drive or transitioning into the mindset of wherever you’ve gone. You could even use it with your eyes open in slow traffic or at a stoplight – it may help reduce road rage! ;D

I have other meditation beads in my shop, including this lovely half leather necklace with a handmade tassel!

Meditation beads are a great reminder to be mindful!

So, if you meditate at all, be sure to try this technique & let me know how it went in the comments!

And be sure to check out all the awesome stuff in store at zen BLITZ

Back From My Siesta…!!

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Hi folks, long time no see! I decided to take a breather on the store front (though I’ve been keeping an eye on it!), so that I could focus on experimenting with different creative media. Check out some of my new items (& questionable experiments! lol)

20180716_160701 My cousin bought foreclosure land out by his campsite, & there were a few sheds full of random things. The previous owners had time to take what they wanted, & so I helped sort through some of the rest. Hubby & I found a whole cart full of cool stuff, including deer antlers, turkey feathers, & sand dollars! We also just acquired a shoebox full of sea findings, from seahorses to oyster shells, at an estate sale! So, I’ll be working with all these awesome & honored natural pieces a bit in the future.

Hubby made me give in to my urges about playing with polymer clay, & it’s been a lot of fun! It’s a LOT harder than it looks! LOL And it’s pretty time consuming, but it’s been fun! My incense holder turned out pretty well- it’s functional, but I like having a large tray for my incense. Since this was just an experiment piece, I tested how it would react to acrylic sealer… & now it’s all sticky. (Lesson learned!) I tried making a jewelry tray & bowl, both which turned out pretty cool! My flower canes look like a Kindergartener’s drawing though, lol! Wanting to test molding with this clay, I made a “goddess doll” (which my young cousin promptly broke, but it turned out surprisingly decent), then a meditating doll (with scraps), & then I tried a mage doll tutorial (which turned out fricken awesome!). So…I’m getting better…LOL.. and this will help open my store up to a lot of product possibilities!!

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I also finally decorated the hiking stick I’ve had in my car trunk since last summer. It’s soo overdone, but not, at the same time. I love it! (I just hope I don’t fuck it up when I try to add the polymer clay piece.) So, that’s still a work in progress, since I’m trying to incorporate all of my crafty skills into this one piece x)

Made a series of new products to add to the store soon, including a wine glass lanyard, meditation bracelets, & meditation keychains. So keep an eye out!!

Normal life has kept me pretty busy too, of course. From housework to parties & craft shows (to scope out ideas, haha!), it’s been a pretty busy summer for me. But it’s been good. I hope yours has been awesome ❤

New items in store soon!!!

Check out my current listings, & watch the shop grow at zen BLITZ

Tell me in the comments : What projects have you finished or are you working on this summer?

The only thing that helps me focus…

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We live in a time when seemingly everyone has trouble focusing on any one thing. Multi-tasking has become a skill most people aim to perfect because we live in a fast paced world. But if we don’t slow ourselves down regularly, we will inevitably “burn out”, so we need to make a point to take care of ourselves regularly.

I love me some Zen Habits – One of the things Leo mentions often is making a habit of taking regular mindfulness breaks throughout the day. So, in this article, I’m going to discuss this, as well as ideas on how to practice. (And remember, it’s practice! 😉)

The habit of regular mindfulness breaks

It’s easy for life to pass us by when we’re running from one thing to another, be it work to dinner to school, or whatever. We’re always on the go. Life is a precious & fleeting thing that we’re blessed to be conscious for, so it’s understandable to want to live it to its fullest. At the same time, are we really living, savoring each experience, as we go?? That’s why I think it’s such a good idea to schedule regular mindfulness breaks, whenever they can fit. Of course, it depends on how much time you can spare, whether you schedule a whole day or evening of pampering yourself, or if you can only sit for a minute or two. Depending on what I’m doing, most days I spend a few minutes every couple hours doing some exercise or meditation. If I’ve been particularly busy & need to recharge, I’ll carve out a few hours. But of course, mindfulness can be practiced anytime, anywhere, whenever you just focus on the present moment. 🕉

Acts of mindfulness

Anytime you immerse yourself in the present moment, you are practicing mindfulness. You could do this for a few seconds, or a few hours; it’s quality over quantity. You could immerse yourself in a walk in a park, or for a few seconds at work. Practice focusing on one thing. I do a lot of yoga, especially prior to meditation, because it helps calm my body; I meditate because it helps calm my mind. Really, anything you focus on is a type of meditation, including yoga, tai chi, & other exercises; I listen to a lot of trance music & usually use one of my many meditation beads , but I sometimes do visualizations or mantras.

Self care is a matter of necessity, not luxury

As a caregiver for my elderly father, I learned the importance of mindfulness the hard way. It’s a tough situation to be in, but it is what it is, and I try to grow where I’m planted by way of appreciating what I have each moment & trying to plan for the future. Burn out snuck up on me a few years ago, and regular mindfulness breaks are the only thing that has helped me get my head straight.

What do you do to take care of yourself? Let’s chat in the comments below!! 😉

What Are “Mala Beads”?

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As I list more items in my shop, you’ll surely see a few “Malas”. In case you don’t know what these are, let me share this wonderful concept with you.

Many cultures utilize this concept, especially within spiritual and/or religious context. Malas, specifically, originate in Buddhism as meditation & prayer beads. Typically, a mala is made of 108 beads, with an additional “guru bead” & a tassel. The beads are used as an abacus, to keep count of breaths or mantras. In other cultures, similar concepts are used such as with the Christian Rosary, & Pagan Prayer Beads.

20171117_184134 — One of my personal malas

I made one & began using them in my meditation practice as soon as I came across the idea. Personally, I usually use them to count my breaths, or to focus on a particular “vibe”. I’ve made different sizes, for different uses – My longer sets are stored on my meditation altar at home, while I wear smaller sets as bracelets for quick meditation sessions throughout the day, or just as a “reminder to be mindful”. Some are made of special beads for special purposes.

Mala beads can be a useful tool during mindfulness practice & meditation

If you practice meditation at all, I insist that it’s certainly worth having a set of Mala beads, if not several. I always welcome something new & refreshing to aid my focus, and my mala beads have been improving my practice for several years now. Make your own, or check out the ones available at my Etsy shop : Zen Blitz ❤

“Zen” gift set

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I’d made my ex a mala bracelet a while back, which he promptly broke. So, I promised to make him a new one. Since I was also considering starting to try to make jewelry to sell one day, I decided to make an entire gift set to go along with the mala.

It took me a little while, but…

The mala itself is made out of beads he picked, including a stone skull, & mood beads. I added a seashell charm because he likes the water, & made it out of macrame hemp so that it would be more durable. While it could easily be worn as a bracelet, it’s meant to be more of a pocket charm. I included a painted rock from the creek in the mountains, & an ATC that lists types of meditation.

I doubt he’s been meditating…

Especially lately, with working full time, even though that’s when he should probably be doing it most. But he liked the gift. I was pretty pleased with it too!