Iโve really been struggling with what to write on here lately. My brain has been clouded with a bit of a shitstorm, & Iโve needed some time to see if the chaos settles.
Itโs been months. Iโm lucky I had a backlog of posts to ride on, but that well is just about dry. Soโฆ now what?!
Brainstorming
If youโre in a similar boat, letโs ask ourselves some questions :
Thinking : Whatโs been on your mind lately? What have you been thinking about a lot?
Feeling : How have you been feeling? That could be channeled into a โtopicโ post or a โhow to deal withโ article.
Knowing : What do you know in your soul during this chapter of your life? Orโฆwhat have you been learning about recently that you could share with others?
Ramble
Just roll with it. Thatโs what Iโm doing right now, LOL! Roll with it until you hit the bottom โ or better yet, a breakthrough. Set a timer if you want. Clean it up tomorrow, or next week. Just get something going.
Ask AI
Just about everyone does it these days. AI bots like ChatGPT & Claude are great at not only cleaning up fragmented thoughts, but even at prompting you to expand on your ideas. Itโs not cheating if you donโt copy & paste AI-generated content.
Share
The most important part. Even if it sucks, even if youโre scared. Everyoneโs got an audience & a community, and sharing helps us all find each other.
Writerโs block sucks, but youโre not alone โ and you donโt have to be perfect to be heard. So hit publish, and let it out. Your people will get it.
๐ฅ Drop your favorite writerโs block hacks in the comments. Or just tell me what youโve been avoiding writing. Letโs unblock together.
If you liked this post, please give it a โlikeโ, share it with friends, and subscribe if youโre new.
Lately, I just want to crawl under a pile of pillows & blankets & disappear. After pushing through an intense amount of drama for over two yearsโฆIโm exhausted! I feel like a bounce house with a hole in it – no matter how much air I put in, it just wonโt fill up.
To add to the stress, my past trauma has been slapping me in the face recently too. Because, as everyone whoโs dealt with any sort of trauma knows (which is everyone, eventually) – healing is cyclical. You never fully heal, you cycle through periods of it being in your face, then growing through the pain, then carrying on with your life, and back around over the course of years. The goal is just to not let it consume your life.
(This is my warning for my posts this month – I am super behind, because Iโm really struggling to find my own peace right now. It is what it is.)
Truth is, I didnโt fail at self-care (& neither are you if youโre feeling a similar way). Weโre all human – occasionally stressed, foggy, & worn out from lifeโs latest plot twist. This article definitely isnโt about toxic positivity; itโs about looking for tools that work.
Suffering is like whack a mole – โEvery time you knock down one kind of pain, another one pops up. And the faster you whack them, the faster they come back.โ โEverything is fucked. It always has been and always will beโฆ itโs time we stop running from that and, instead, embrace it.โ (Mark Manson, Everything is Fucked)
Name Your Nemesis
In my experience, depression and anxiety are two sides of the same coin – while one may be โface upโ, the other is stillโฆthere.
Sadness / Apathy = depression = fixation on the past
Fear = anxiety = fixation on the future
Different beasts require different weaponsโฆ
Choose Your Battle : Acceptance or Rebellion
Write it out : Whatโs bothering you? Could it be trying to tell you something useful? Can you control any aspect of it? If yes, what can you do to improve the situation? If no, how can you work to accept the situation without letting it consume you?
10 Rebel Approved Rituals to Recharge Your Soul
Midnight hikes. An endorphin boost from the peace & quiet of solitude. Plus, everything looks different at night. (Just please be safe!)
Messy art sessions. No rules, no judgment. The messier the better!
Silent 24-hour retreat. Stare down & battle your inner monologue.
Cold plunge shock. Jolt your nervous system awake.
Face down pillow burial. Embrace the collapseโฆ& then rise from the ashes.
Journal as a witness. Be an active observer of your life
Identity cigarette moment. Reclaim a bit of yourselfโฆmindfully. (Not a health tip, just some raw honesty. – I quit smoking 6 years ago. But Iโve had a pack of Camels for over 3 years now lol – & I only smoke maybe once or twice a year. It was such a strong part of my identity, so I enjoy indulging once in a while. And the โ7th grade body buzzโ is a trip too LOL iykyk)
Stoic love swap. Replace anger or fear with acts or thoughts of love.
Micro hobby project. Crochet, blogging, coding, whatever. Bonus points if you can make some money off it.
X detox. Get off your phone / distract yourself from picking fights on X (why are you even on X anymore? Nevermind, I’m not here to judge lol)
Self-Acceptance and Self Love Reminders
Core creed : Do whatever you want in life, just donโt hurt anyone (including yourself)
Happiness formula (Rita Mae Brown) : someone to love + something to do + something to look forward to
When your brain literally wonโt cooperate, focus on the basics – exercise, sleep, journaling, learning, & progress. Progress isnโt linear, & simplicity always wins.
Build Your Own โEmotional First Aid Kitโ
Mix & match from the suggestions above – see what works for you at different times & for different situations. Keep track of tried & true ideas in your journal for future reference.
The Ever-Unfinished Experiment
Self improvement & personal growth isn’t a chore – itโs your rebellion.
๐ฌ Whatโs in your personal emotional first aid kit?
Iโd love to hear what weird, wild, or wonderful tools help you climb out of the fog. Drop a comment below, share this with a friend who needs it, or subscribe if you havenโt yet โ more rebel resources are on the way.
โWhere Iโm atโ posts are just random updates about whatโs going on in my life at any random time, based on the areas / roles in my life.
planner : Hm. Iโm not much of a planner anymore, heh. Normally Iโd be all about adventures this time of year, but we donโt have much time to work with because of homeschool & kidsโ extracurricular activities. Next party weโre due for is Tie Dye, but only one of my invited guests is gonna be able to make itโฆI think (which is fine cuz SiLโs my fave lol) – Iโm looking forward to dying some onesies for my step granddaughter hehe. Then BooBooโs bestieโs bday party is gonna be at some bumper car thing, so that should be fun. And Iโm hoping to go to a concert by myself later in the month (cuz OMFG I need some โmeโ time!!! And I need to see if my old friend is still aroundโฆcuz I miss him too muchโฆ)
self (body & mind, emotion & education) : Hmmmโฆ Iโm hanging in there. Iโve been on a pretty strict but enjoyable diet & exercise routine, and Iโve lost about 5 lbs the past month! More importantly – I feel pretty great (except my scoliosis is pretty mad at me, but whatever heh). My mindโs been a bit chaotic though, to be honest. Lots swirling around my mind – been trying to get it to go somewhere, but itโs still fighting with me. (Shouldnโt force it, I know. Meditate & be patient, I know.)
marriage : Doing pretty well! Trying. Heโs been doing pretty good, & Iโve been trying to support that. Iโm just glad things are finally settling down after the chaos weโve been navigating together the past couple years.
mom (BooBoo & Bubby) : The girls areโฆkids. LOL. Small children are terrorists, I swear (is my blog being flagged for using that word?!? LOL) Everyone has their cycles – theyโre in a particularly challenging time right now lol
teacher (K & PK) : Oh boy. Among thoughts swirling & not going anywhere productive is homeschool. Iโve got so much to do, & I want to do so much more, but I have to find time to do it, andโฆAAAGH! Plus, Iโve gotta get all the legal stuff situated for BooBoo to go into first grade – yippie skippie hehe. Theyโre doing good, though. BooBoo can read like a champ at this point, & sheโs been really enjoying working on math more. Bubbyโs starting to identify more letters & numbers, so I guess patience is key with dyslexia (though weโre not completely sure if sheโs dyslexic or just stubborn heh). Both girls are enjoying the KiwiBox Tinker Crate, where they have to assemble their toys & understand how they work before they use them (yay STEM! lol)
zB : Ugggggh. (Sorry for all the frustration LOL!) Iโm sick of writing SEO optimized, audience focused, butter & sugar bullshit content. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve written, butโฆ While algorithms & Google trends love articles like โ26 ways to be more vibrant than Blippiโ, I’m kinda making myself nauseous lol. I’d like to maintain the edgy self help bend, but not exclusively. Entertainment, communityโฆand whatever’s truly on my mind at the time – that’s where I’d like zenBLITZ to head from here on.
homemaker : Fuck all that. Like, all of it. LOL. Noโฆfinances are fine, cleaning isnโt as important as other things, yardwork is my jam when itโs not fucking raining, and thatโs it. I refuse to make travel plans until the skoolie is ready to go, & itโs very much not, so…
Currently
eating : Lots of fucking salads! LOL
drinking : Water, wine, & coffee
watching : Poker Face is pretty good. And Twisted Metal. Younger, of course.
reading : Still working on โEverything is Fuckedโ by Mark Manson, but Iโm struggling to find time for it lately
playing : with the kiddos
buying : stuff to tie dye
listening to : All kinds of stuff I forgot I liked!
If youโre the type of person who has 1,039 ideas but never takes the plunge – this oneโs for you!
Waiting for the โright timeโ is usually just fear in disguise. You donโt need clarity, confidence, or even competence to start something meaningful.
What are you good at? (Or willing to get good at.)
What could make money or even support you financially?
What does the world (or your world) need more of?
Donโt aim for a perfect life plan – aim for a starting point that feels aligned. What do you want to try?
From Vibe to Vision (The Idea to Reality Map)
Step 1 : The Idea. Jot it down, doodle it, whatever – Turn the abstract into something.
Step 2 : The Pre-Screen. Ask yourself :
How will this benefit me?
Who else would benefit?
What sparked this idea?
Whatโs the best case scenario?
How bad do I want this? (1-10)
If itโs a 7+, GO FOR IT! If not, ditch it guilt-free.
Step 3 : Brainstorm & break down into actionable planning tiers :
Monthly : big research, tools, skills; break it down into the smallest steps possible
Weekly : pick 2-3 small actions from monthly tasks
Daily : 10-20 minutes of movement = momentum
Use the โ5 Whysโ to Crush Fear & Find Truth
According to Ryder Carroll in โThe Bullet Journal Methodโ, designers at Toyota have been using the following exercise for decades to get to the root of problems.
Identify a problem. Answer why itโs a problem. Answer why thatโs a problem. And so on.
For example :
Problem – Iโm afraid to start.
Why? Because I might fail.
Why? Because I havenโt practiced.
Why? Because I havenโt started.
Why? โฆoh.
This method forces clarity. It hurts in all the best ways.
Channel Your Inner Cato (Or Whoever You Admire)
Cato didnโt wait for applause. He practiced discomfort, led by example, and acted.
Who do you admire, whoโs doing what you want to do?
What are they doing, and how can you do that in your own unique ways?
What would they do? (Theyโd just fucking do the things.)
Build in Public, Brand Organically
Thereโs no need to look polished right out the gate – all brands evolve. Share the mess, and let people watch you grow – we should all inspire each other, donโt you think?
Iโve done it twice!
I thought being a reseller would be fun (& it was at first). So I did a little research, got the supplies I needed, & spent a few years selling stuff online. I learned that it wasnโt nearly as hard as Iโd built it up to be in my head once I was actually doing it. In time, it became almost effortless!
zen BLITZ started as a jewelry shop online. Why? I have no idea LOL! I had fun making stuff, & hubby told me to try selling it. I hated it, but I never gave up my brand. And here we are now, doing the things I enjoy (writing & creating digital products) & growing by the day!
Use the 20 Minute Rule to Make Big Decisions Easy
I read a fun newsletter from Ali Abdaal, where he expanded on an idea from Tim Ferriss.
Create a hypothesis. โI think I might want toโฆโ
Run a โminimum viable experimentโ. Write a post. Launch a landing page. Try it for 20 minutes a day for 2 weeks.
Learn fast. Adjust faster. Donโt bet your life – just test the water.
The Only Thing You Need : Action
Perfection is procrastination in a fancier outfit. Take one weird, ugly, probably wrong step. Then another. And another. Momentum leads to mastery.
If it sucks, GOOD! That means youโre making progress.
Youโre Required to Start Small & Weird
Forget polished. If youโre excited, youโre already ready. Just start.
You can be a professional witch, digital punk, homeschooler entrepreneur, or whatever wild idea youโve got.
Burn your idea of โthe right wayโ and build a new one.
You donโt need to be sure. You donโt need to be perfect. You just need to begin.
๐ฅ Got a wild idea simmering? Leave a comment, share your dream, or DM me what you’re finally starting.
Hereโs my rally cry to my fellow weirdos, skeptics, overthinkers, & black sheep dreamers who want more out of life but refuse to vision board it with a fake smile & a $6 latte. The word โmanifestingโ itself might sound like glitter & girlbossing – but fuck all that.
This isnโt about fake positivity & mood boards, or waiting on the universe like itโs Uber Eats. True manifestation is about clarity, commitment, & creation, not crystals & vibes. Itโs about owning what you want, & doing the work to get it.
You donโt need rituals directed to the spirits of the universe or a woke third eye – just a decision & a direction. All manifestation really means is putting your energy toward something specific instead of letting it leak everywhere.
Itโs clarity & consistent action. Thatโs it. You donโt even have to believe in yourself to begin, you just have to start. Confidence is the result, not the starting requirement.
Daydream With Purpose
The โmisfitโ version of manifestation isnโt about pretending things are already perfect, itโs about getting honest about what you want. Let yourself imagine your wild, weird, perfect life shit – thatโs your target.
Ask yourself:
What do I keep fantasizing about?
What kind of day do I want to wake up to?
If no one were watching, what would I create?
The Misfit Manifestation Method
Hereโs the no-frills, anti-fairy-dust game plan :
Step 1 : Choose ONE thing. Donโt try to manifest everything – start with one goal. Money? Energy? Space to create? Youโll gain momentum once you start.
Step 2 : Make a rough plan. It doesnโt need to be a 90-day strategic breakdown. Justโฆwhat can you do today? What needs to happen this week? Even a messy plan beats waiting for the planets to align in your favor.
Step 3 : Do the stuff. Show up. Make the call. Post the thing. Build the system. Learn the tool. Action builds belief, not the other way around.
Step 4 : Adjust, donโt quit. If itโs not working, then whatever. Tweak it. Pivot. Realign. Your goals are supposed to evolve. Just donโt ghost yourself when it gets uncomfortable.
Why โBelieving in Yourselfโ is Overrated
Itโs normal to lack confidence when you start anything – how else can you learn?
Action builds confidence. Every time you show up, you grow. Stronger regret comes from what you didnโt do, not from trying & shifting course as needed.
Rebel Energy & Relentless Faith
Youโre not here to live a quiet, tiny life full of half-finished dreams. And you donโt need perfect clarity or inner peace to begin – you need grit, vision, & the willingness to try.
Daydream. Focus. Act. Adjust. Repeat.
Manifest like a misfit & create the weird, wild life you were made for.
You donโt need a vision board. You need a spine, a soul, & a reason.
If this fired you up, share it with a fellow misfit whoโs tired of waiting for signs and ready to make moves. Letโs manifest like we mean it โ no glitter required.
๐ค Want more no-fluff self-help for rebels? Subscribe to my newsletter and never miss a hit of clarity. Next week we’ll take this to the next level!!
But when you experience something new, your brain takes more mental โsnapshotsโ, making time feel longer, fuller, richer.
โLife is long if you know how to use it.โ – Seneca
Give Your Brain a Jolt (On Purpose)
Schedule regular adventures, & treat them like an appointment youโll get arrested for if you miss.
You donโt have to get too crazy or too rigid about it – it could be a random Tuesday hike, working from a grocery store cafe, or even a spontaneous dance party in the kitchen.
The point is to get weird on purpose. Let your brain break the pattern. Novelty naturally makes you more creative, resilient, & present.
So skip the lesson plan, leave the dishes, & toss your planner out the window (metaphorically).
These days are to recalibrate your spirit, & remind you that youโre not a robot.
Right next to my kitchen sink ๐
Flexibility is Strength
While routines can help us thrive, adaptability keeps us alive.
Donโt let your days blur into one big beige loop. Add some neon. Smash a routine or two. And if you try it this week โ I wanna hear about it! Letโs swap weird ideas in the comments.
โจIf this post sparked something, hit like, share it with your people, and subscribe to zen BLITZ (my weekly newsletter) for more unconventional ways to stay human.โจ
Letโs Get Real : When Happiness Feels Like a Scam
It seems like everyoneโs always chasing happiness, as though itโs the ultimate goal of life. Romanticizing happiness like that, however, can really just set us up for failure, especially when we feel like weโre just struggling to survive.
Hereโs a little truth bomb for thought, from Mark Manson – โComfort with your core misery is a form of happiness.โ I suppose accepting, understanding, and approaching with compassion your underlying (angst, sadness, or whatever) is the key to freedom from its control.
Even Stoic philosopher king Marcus Aurelius was dealt a super shitty hand throughout his life, yet he showed up for it. Every. Damn. Day.
How to Deal When It All Feels Pointless
โWe continue to rise because itโs the only way forward.โ – Ryan Holiday
Start with the basics (especially if youโre at rock bottom) :
Eat something that didnโt come out of a crinkly wrapper. Your mind, just like your body, needs actual nutrients to feel good.
Move your ass, even if itโs just a casual stroll.
Sleep, hydrate, repeat.
2. Donโt numb out. Youโll only cause yourself more problems.
No drugs. No binges. No โmaybe if I justโฆโ decisions.
That one night stand? Definitely not the solution!
Therapy & medication are tools, not weaknesses. If your brain is sick, help it heal – no one worth a shit is judging you.
What to Do Instead of Spiraling
Journal. And get ugly about it. Be honest, even if itโs petty & especially if itโs dark. Then flip the script – What would you say to someone you love if they were feeling the way you do?
Lean on your people, even if it feels awkward or vulnerable. Any decent human will want to lift another up.
Do one tiny thing to look forward to. A creative project, a cheap vacation, plan a local hike, or learn something weird on YouTube.
Volunteer. Sometimes, giving a shit about someone else helps us give a shit about ourselves again.
Quick sad story – My mom died at home of complications from ALS four days after my 15th birthday. (Worst. Birthday. Ever.) I remember sitting on the couch in front of her while my aunt called the coroner & distant family members in the other room, and my father did shots & smoked cigarettes with my uncle outside. I asked myself, โnow what do I do? How do I grieve? How do I move forward from this?โ And then I realized I was left alone with the empty shell of my mom. And I screamed in agony, feeling like I didnโt matter.
This just magnified my tendency to shut down and disappear when Iโm in pain. As an adult, I try hard to consciously choose not to revert to that – I try to make sure I reach out to others just to say โhi, how are ya?!?โ (even though I feel like no one does that in turn).
A little reminder (for myself, & you)…
If you ever feel like no one gives a fuck – youโre not alone, or broken, or anything like that. That pain has a root. But isolation isnโt really going to make anything better. Reach out anyway – youโll never know if some light will reach back otherwise.
Selective Apathy : A Survival Skill in a Loud World
โLet the chaos settle, & clarity will followโ
From there, we need to focus on caring deeply about things that matter to us, & not at all about things that drain us. Mindfulness is a matter of noticing where your energy goes unattended, & rerouting it with intention.
According to the Dalai Lama (& a million philosophers before him), the only constant in life is change. Suffering occurs as a natural response when we are resistant to change. When we are capable, we need to let go – accept it, so we can address it & turn it around by finding any possible meanings & lessons hidden beneath the pain.
You Donโt Have to Be Happy to Live Well
Youโre not broken because youโre not blissed out. Youโre still here. Still trying. And that definitely matters. You are not alone, and the world is better with you in it. Feel & live loud, even if it gets a bit ugly at times. The golden rule in life, in my opinion, is to do whatever you want so long as you donโt hurt anyone, including yourself.
If youโre in the thick of it right now โ I see you. Keep doing the next right thing, even if itโs tiny. Leave a comment, message me, or just save this for later. Youโre not alone in the mess.
If you liked this post, please give it a โlikeโ, share it with friends, and subscribe to my weekly newsletter zen BLITZ.
The Wake Up Call : Why Iโm Even Talking About This
A couple of weeks ago, I went and got my annual lab work done for my PCP. Unexpectedly, I got a call from one of the nurses letting me know my cholesterol levels are a bit elevatedโshe said, โHeart healthy diet & exercise, and follow-up lipid panel in six months.โ And thatโs literally it. That was the whole conversation.
My father had cardiovascular issues, and as his primary caregiver I already knew how to approach a โheart healthy dietโ and whatnot. If I didnโt, Iโd be freaking out. (Which is one of many reasons why I loathe the current state of the American โhealthcareโ system, but thatโs a rant for another day. Donโt be afraid to ask questions โ your health team works for you.) So, the information in this post is based on past and current research. While I do have some healthcare education and experience, I am not a doctorand this article is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice. I just want to share what Iโve learned and how Iโm approaching this situation.
Bite Sized Explanation – LDL vs non-HDL Cholesterol
Both of these were noted as โhighโ in my lab report, which means my overall cholesterol levels are considered elevated.
LDL cholesterol refers to one specific type of lipoprotein, while non-HDL cholesterol refers to โall potentially harmful cholesterol particles in the bloodโ.
In other words, LDL is like the reckless driver and non-HDL is a full report of all the troublemakers in the area. HDL is the good guy.
Iโm choosing empowerment over panic – Iโve been wanting to improve my physical health game, and this is just a nudge to level up!
Cholesterol Isnโt Evil, But You Might Be Eating Like An Asshole
(I know Iโve been!)
The real villains are saturated and trans fats (not cholesterol itself), so check your nutrition labels accordingly. Everything in moderation.
Simple dietary swaps wonโt ruin your life –
Instead of butter & cream > use olive oil or avocado
Instead of fatty meats & processed snacks > go for leaner proteins (chicken, salmon, legumes) & whole foods (fresh fruits & veggies)
Instead of hard cheeses > try softer, less processed options (like feta)
Instead of having coffee with your creamer (lol) > sip on black coffee (youโll get the same kick!)
Foods that actively help :
Soluble fiber (oats, beans, fruits) sweeps away cholesterol like a janitor listening to the Dead Kennedys
Foods fortified with plant sterols & stanols. (What the hell are those you ask? Me too!) Apparently these naturally occurring plant chemicals reduce absorption of dietary cholesterol in the body, but theyโre found in such small amounts in the plants themselves that some food manufacturers will fortify certain (often high caloric) foods with them. They can also be found in supplements. (Just drink some OJ, eat some nuts & seeds, andโฆdonโt eat like an asshole?)
Move Like You Mean It
Exercise isnโt just for getting shredded – it raises HDL (good) cholesterol and improves heart health.
You donโt need a gym membership – walking, dancing, lifting your kid 600 times a day all count. The key is to find some movement that doesnโt bore you to death – skateboarding, hiking, karate – whatever keeps you coming back!
Iโm pretty fond of Juice & Toya on YouTube – they use fun music, different routines & moves in each video, and thereโs plenty to choose from!
Vices & Fixes : Smoking, Vaping, & Stress
Smoking is an HDL killer – so quitting gives your good cholesterol a boost! And studies have shown that vaping isnโt a loophole (damn.) – it has similar effects as smoking. Both stress out your liver (which regulates cholesterol), cause inflammation, & expose your body to more toxins than you already do just by being alive. So stop it (Iโm yelling at myself here.)
Psychological stress & cholesterol are BFFs too (& not in a good way). Practice stoicism or selective apathy, meditate, or just scream into the void – find a way to decompress.
Genetics : Are You Screwed At Birth?!?
Yes, but no. Genetics do play a role (40-60% of HDL levels are inherited). Your lifestyle is more important though – you can outmaneuver your DNA.
Your Body, Your Rules : The (Punk Rock) Experiment
Instead of blindly following health advice, track what actually works for you. On Notion, I keep a daily health log that includes dietary goals, exercise tracking, a food log, & room for reflection.
Start small, & reduce your misery :
Swap one bad habit at a time
Experiment with food, movement, & stress management
Get labwork redone periodically & see what helps
Own Your Health Without Losing Your Edge
Lowering cholesterol doesnโt mean selling out – you can take control without becoming a health obsessed robot. Itโs more about balance than restriction. Donโt eat like a jerk, move your ass, & chill the fuck out. Just like any other goal or habit – plan some stuff, test it out, keep track, reflect, & pivot as needed. Find what works, & screw the rest.
โ If this fired you up in a good way, give it a share, hit โlike,โ and donโt forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter zen BLITZ โ where punk meets practical and we figure out this whole health/life thing without losing our edge.
โAll I want for Easter is my 2 front teethโ ๐
โWhere Iโm atโ posts are just regular updates about whatโs going on, based on the areas / roles in my life. Any particular goals Iโm working on will be highlighted, so you can easily see what Iโm actively working on improving. Leave a comment & give me ideas for things youโd like to see me write individual posts about!
planner : I SOO want to do a BuJo again, & it just doesnโt make any sense lol! I use my blog BuJo, but I miss setting up daily pages for my life – adding stickers & washi, & just having a linear notebook. Itโs such a waste of time & money though. Notion has been rocking my world for like a year now lol. Anyway, Iโm planning for BooBooโs 6th birthday – I hope she has fun!! Our little tea party this past month was cute & fun (& I found out Iโm gonna be a step grandma! Omfg!! ๐ญ) And I really need to plan a concert or 2 this summer – itโs been too long (last show I went to was Flogging Molly in 2019 ๐ญ)!
self (body & mind, emotion & education) : Well, Iโve been on a pretty interesting DIY diet & doing more intentional exercise, & itโs all been going pretty well (as far as I can tell) – I feel better, overall. (Stay tuned for my next post to see why Iโm going crazy with it now, heh.) I set up a class that Iโve been taking with ChatGPT on various topics within Stoicism, Buddhism, & psychology, & Iโve been loving every second of it!
marriage (relationship & libido) : Allโs pretty good hehe. Weโre both working on being more intentional with our time together. I got my wedding rings resized, & so Iโm super excited to be able to wear them all the time again!!!
mom (BooBoo & Bubby) : The girls are good! Both are super excited to get outside more!
teacher (K & PK) : Schoolโs been chugging along. They both love science & art. Bubbyโs doctor agrees that sheโs probably dyslexic, so I need to have her tested with the school soon – Hubbyโs dyslexic, so heโs been working with her to identify letters more โค๏ธ
zB : Iโm loving writing this blog! ๐ฅฐ I started a weekly newsletter (sign up here!), & Iโm hoping to expand it a bit in the future, but Iโm glad Iโve got it started hehe. Iโm working on my social media strategy this month, but Iโm a bit behind because I needed to write an extra post for the month heh. Thatโs ok though – โThrow the timeline out the window, itโll take what it takes!โ
homemaker (finance, cleaning, gardening, prepping, travel) : Uhโฆ Allโs pretty good! Lots of cleaning to do, but at least Iโm keeping up with maintenance fairly well heh. Iโve decided to say fuck it to the garden this year; hubby can do what he wants, if he wants. Same with travel – Iโll wait til our bus is ready to camp in before I bother to start making plans.
Currently
eating : Vegetables LOL
drinking : black coffee โ
watching : Echoes seems pretty interesting. Younger is still a favorite! Alpha Males has been pretty funny!
reading : Everything is Fucked by Mark Manson
playing : Nothing, really
buying : Birthday gifts for BooBoo, & Pair Eyewear (Iโm excited – hopefully theyโre not too dorky hehe)
listening to : โWish I Knew Youโ by The Revivalists, โRevolution Radioโ by Green Day, & โBurritosโ by Sublime are current favorites
celebrating : BooBoo!!
pinning : Green Day, exercise, fashion, & food
planning : BooBooโs bday
feeling : Ok. My backโs been bothering me a lot though ๐
The Problem : Your Life Feels Like a Hamster Wheel
Hustle culture sells burnout as a sign of success. Working for the escape of the weekend every week, and for what? To play it on repeat for half a century?
You donโt need an escape – You need a life you donโt want to escape from!
What if you could live a life that felt good today โ not decades from now?
Redefine What Success Actually Means To You
Success is a life that feels like freedom. Granted, we all have to pay the bills and consider future savings (hot tip: some online high-interest savings accounts still pay 4% APY or higher!), but is that what success looks like? Hell no.
Pillars of a meaningful life :
Job : a bread and butter bill payer that doesnโt suck the life out of you
Passion : Ikigai, what fuels you (Ikigai is a Japanese concept that combines what you love, what youโre good at, what the world needs, and what you can get paid for. What fires you up? What could you chase even without a paycheck?)
Adventure : experiences that keep life interesting
The way to feel more successful? Infuse more life into your life. Youโre gonna regret wasting away on the couch every weekend when lifeโs clock starts ticking louder.
Design a Life You Love, On Purpose
What would your days look like if you didnโt have to work? (Make that your baseline.)