 I am a terrible listener. Usually I am going headlong into a conversation, running my mouth and never listening to a word that comes out of the other person. But lately I have been listening to my body. A lot. I suppose it isn’t that difficult when it is yelling at you that it doesn’t like the way you’ve been treating it. No exercise. Processed foods. Stress. My body was definitely saying, “no thank you!”
So, I’ve been doing a lot of research and experimenting lately to try to find the lifestyle that works for me. Or rather what can I do to bring out the best in my body. I’ve always wondered, “how to do those other mamas raise 4 small children, take care of their marriage, keep their home together, and find the inspiration, energy, and time in the day to run their own business?” Well, I’d hypothesize a lot of it has to do with good health.
Taking out the gluten in my life has been a challenging, but very pivotal step for me toward better health. I feel physically able and so many physiological ailments have disappeared. (It does feel like they have disappeared.)
But I was starting to feel groggy again during the middle of my menstrual cycle. I couldn’t concentrate on anything. I felt perpetually tired and sleepy. And I was more on edge, ragged, and less inclined to be productive.
After a look at my symptoms and some Internet searching (oh, that can be scary) I came to hypothesize that perhaps I have an estrogen imbalance.
Estrogen and progesterone work together in the female body. Though these hormones are known to help many bodily functions such as circulation and brain activity, the function they affect perhaps most profoundly is reproduction. But hormonal balance is quite delicate. After the first day of a woman’s period and up to ovulation, estrogen levels increase. After ovulation, estrogen levels subside a bit and progesterone levels increase. This luteal phase is when the implantation of a fertilized embryo can occur and new life begins. If the body’s progesterone production is low, estrogen levels in the body rise to compensate.
Stress, poor diet, excessive weight, hormone replacement therapy and environmental exposure to xenoestrogens can cause an estrogen imbalance. Xenoestrogens, or environmental estrogens, can exacerbate high-estrogen symptoms. Xenoestrogens are chemicals and substances that work within the body like estrogen and are found in pesticides, processed foods, pharmaceuticals, and plastics. Just think about how many of those items we come in contact with each day. I had four of these five factors in my life. It is no wonder my body is telling me, too much!
Symptoms of high estrogen levels are all those good PMS symptoms. Fatigue, water retention, weight gain, forgetfulness, moodiness, depression, breast tenderness, and on and on. Google it. It’s all right there. A simple test can actually determine if you in fact do have high estrogen levels.
High levels of estrogen are linked to some types of breast and ovarian cancers. This was the eye-opener that got my butt in gear to try to do something about it.
There is of course synthetic hormone therapy, but I wanted to start natural. (And since I admittedly have a fear of doctors, I wanted to go the least invasive route.) I decided that magnesium and B-6 supplements were a good place to start. And boy did these little supplements make a huge difference for me.
I feel normal after taking these little pills. Low levels of magnesium and B-6 are linked to high estrogen imbalance. I have been taking these supplements for about a month now and I feel more energetic, clear of mind, optimistic, and stronger.
I always knew my cycle was a bit unusual and I had a really difficult time participating in regular life routines. But I didn’t realize a diet change and adding a few supplements to my diet would truly brought my life back into line. Now I am eager to find out what adventures lie ahead, and I am super happy that I can actually be there. Listening to your body is so vital to living a full life.
NOTE: I should add, I am not a doctor, nor do I have medical training in this area, so I can’t advise you how to decide what medical and lifestyle choices would be best for you. If you do have a suspicion your body isn’t working well, consult your doctor. Feeling whole can open a whole new world out there.
Photo by soylentgreen23
I’d venture to guess that most people who suddenly knew what span of time they would spend on this earth would make some changes to to their life. Personally, I would change a few things. I’d add an hour to the day, I’d spend more quality time with my children exploring with them the world around us, and I’d endeavour more creatively to invoke beauty in the lives of others.
I feel as if I have been searching these last few months for a clearer sense of my inner-compass–that something deep within me, under which I can build a fire to give light, warmth, and sustenance to my life and to the lives of those around me. I am a dabbler. I love to research intensely, learn extensively, and embark enthusiastically. But I have yet to find the dabble that grows into a seedling, and then grows into a plant that bears fruit to share with my loved ones.
Beginning with the end in mind, I think about how I would like to end my life. A bit morbid perhaps, but bear with me. By knowing what I would have liked to have accomplished during my lifetime, I can gain a perspective that surpasses the day-to-day and instead shines a light on larger goals based upon the values and principles I hold close to my heart. I am able to pull up out of feelings of the day-to-day endless burden to realize I have a larger purpose to journey toward achievements that are firmly rooted in values of love, sincerity, and dignity.
With a few lifetime goals in mind, I plan my day-to-day accordingly. I have been feeling perpetually physically exhausted for the past 4 years. I can’t spend quality exploration time with my children if I am feeling exhausted, depressed, and burdened. But I can choose to plan which activities to tackle so I am able to really connect with my kids. What are some of the activities I have chosen to move me closer to my goal? Spend time and energy feeding myself and my family healthy foods. Plan activities through out the day that ensure I turn out the lights at 11 PM. “Schedule” day-to-day activities, like cleaning, sorting mail, decluttering, each day so these tasks don’t become monumental time-gobblers. And when I feel like not adhering to these activities, I need to remember that I am not being lazy, but that either I am inhibiting one of the goals I deemed most important to me or that I need to reevaluate.
How do you plan? What keeps you on track? I have a terrible time “keeping on track.” What pumps you up when you are feeling down. Have you ever thought “exercising–I just don’t have time?” Have you ever then realized that by not exercising and taking care of you that you are simply limiting your ability accomplish those goals that take up your exercising time, like that project at work, coaching your child’s sport team, or attending that new computer training class? What are your thoughts?
And by the way, I do not know when my end will come, but I would really like to be able to say that I wouldn’t change a thing I am doing at the point when I do know my end is near. Happy Organizing your life.
 I was a bit burnt out from blogging two weeks ago and I was trying to discover a new reason to write. During my time “off” I did some soul searching, a lot of exploration, and a little bit of Taking Care of Me.
Make A Choice
Just last night late, I found the first step to gaining a new perspective on this blog in my book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen F. Covey. He wrote, “[you have the power to choose your reaction to the situations and circumstances that happen around you.]” I usually believe I do things because I “have to,” “must do,” or “should do” them. But I do choose to love my husband each day. And I do choose to set aside my hunger to feed my children first. And I can choose my personal value to perpetually seek new knowledge over my feelings of being burnt out by writing and choose to seek new inspiration.
In and Amongst Nature
 Over the weekend my family went to hike in the Shanendoah Blue Ridge Mountains here in Virginia. Spending a little time amongst the birds, the deer, ferns, moss, fallen leaves, and rocks reminded me of the fantastic natural spaces I took for granted as a child. It was a wonderfully joyful experience to play in the stream along side my son dangling sticks into the water, watching the water bugs float by, and smelling the wet moss on the rock. My daughter found squishing the black dirt and feeling rough tree bark under her tiny pink finger tips most appealing.
I was very much inspired by reading Amanda Soule’s book The Creative Family. (Check out her blog here.) Her descriptions of her family’s nature inspired life in Maine and how they listen to the voice of their surroundings daily spoke to me. I decided I needed to do something everyday in my life to celebrated the nature I remember as a child; fragrant copper-colored soft pine needles under your toes, excitement for newly discovered wild blueberries, and the amazement that tiny found acorns can make a wonderfully rich brown textile dye.
Personal Creative Inspiration
I also spent a bit of time on me. I have been pondering for a while now, “what kind of job would I enjoy?” I had always planned to return to a career position after my children started school. I had thought about cake decorating, making freezer meals for moms with new babies, gift baskets, sewing eco-friendly produce bags, and many more ideas. My son starts preschool in just a week and I think I have finally found the right spot to land.
I happened upon a book Sewing Green: 25 Projects Made with Repurposed and Organic Materialsby Betz White. (Check out her blog here.) With her instructions I learned to felt sweaters and then I moved on to needle felting. I feel like I opened the cabin door for a breath of clean air to look west at the pink sun setting softly over the panoramic blue ridge mountains. I felt at home, I felt grounded, and I felt inspired. (To get a quick introduction to needle felting visit here.) Finding a craft that speaks to me, and one that I can share with my children, (well the design part, needles are too sharp for toddler fingers) topped off my two-week blog vacation.
I am excited, eager, and inspired to continue writing here in this space about the new passions and interesting experiences that come our way. I plan to journal here about three times a week. And I hope you will come a long as we continue to find out what means the most to us in this life and as we organize our lives together. Happy Organizing.
 Photo by runekrem When I began this blog, I intended to provide tips and tricks about organizing your home, your budgets and your time. Really, this blog was to be about organizing the physical world that surrounds us every day. But organizing life is also about organizing yourself. Organizing your thoughts about what you believe, what you value, what you hold dear, and what you want to create for others.
In the past weeks, I have been away from my computer screen, well this blogging page, more and reading what others are doing and how they are inspired in their lives. Many of you probably have noticed a little change to a blog that focuses more on healthy, green, soulful living. I am still new at this, but I’d love to share with you what I am learning, what and who is inspiring me, and how I am organizing my life.
So how a I organizing my life? I am going through the same steps as if I was cleaning out my pantry.
:: I am taking an inventory and asking: what matters most to me in my life? Who is closest to me? What do I want to achieve in this lifetime?
:: I am tossing the excess baggage, and organizing the stuff I want to keep. Am I going to change my habits and actions in someway to live better? Are there relationships with people or things I’d like to end? Are there things in myself I’d like to nurture and grow?
:: And finally, I am deciding how I am going to use my new inventory of values, hopes, and dreams to help me create a beautiful life. And I guess this “decision process”, is just…life!
So to make a long story short, expect to see more about organizing a more green, frugal, and soulful life. I hope you will join me on this journey.
How are you organizing your life? Tips for me? Any tips for other readers? Leave your comment here and share some of the values you are seeking to grow, and which ones you are endeavouring to leave behind! Happy Organizing.
 I wanted to point you all to a new page about me! If you are reading this in a reader, you’ll want to click through to the blog page to see the page tab entitled “More About Me — Cakes!” It is about just that, cakes. I love decorating cakes and listed a few resources I have found most useful as well as a few pictures of my personal creations. So, a shout out to all you cake decorators out there! (By the way, a quirky thing of mine, I don’t eat much cake at all and I don’t eat the cakes I make. Though I do taste a bit leveled from the top to make sure it tastes right. So, these cakes are in no way “healthy” cakes for you…all processed and refined stuff. But they look special, and a once-in-a-while treat is fine with me.) Oh, and the cake on the right is my wedding cake. 5 tiers of coffee Kahlua filled chocolate cake. And yes I made my own wedding cake. It was fun actually. Happy Organizing!
 Welcome new subscribers! I hope you (and of course all my loyal readers) find the info here at Organizing-Life interesting, compelling and useful. Lately I have been feeling that life has been getting too complicated. Too many possessions are cluttering my home. My children are relying upon the television for constant entertainment, and I feel too cooped up in my suburban house, low on energy and away, from the sun and fresh air. I decided to do something about it and with my partially obsessive nature to achieve perfection, the journey to achieve a greener, simpler, more frugal, healthy life seemed overwhelming and impossible. So here is what I did:
:: I read a ton of other blogs about wonderful families growing real food, cooking real meals, examining their spirituality, decluttering their budget, and changing their perspective about what REALLY matters in life.
:: I was definitely inspired.
:: I choose the easy tasks, or perhaps the most fun, and decided to simply start.
Usually I have a plan of attack, a logical analysis, and triage method to prioritize and categorize the project…but here, I simply started. So, the next project you do, would you begin without a map, merely a vision, and simply start?
This is what I chose to start with on my quest to get to a more simple, frugal, healthy life with my family.
:: Miracle Cloths - I invested in two sets of cloths. (The investment wasn’t that much, about $8 a set.) This cloth cleans without harsh chemical cleaning solutions. It’s unique fibers catch dust and dirt and hold it until you rinse it out. I got one for mopping my floor (I tuck the miracle cloth into my Swiffer Sweeper mop and I don’t have to pay for and throw out Swiffer refills), one for cleaning the rest of the kitchen, one for the bathroom and another for each kid at dinner time, and one for our flat-screened LED TV. (I wasn’t compensated in anyway to give this glowing review.) I think these cloths are the greener and more frugal way to go when you are cleaning your home.
:: Homemade Toys - Toys are all smooth plastic these days. Remember when you had real wooden blocks, hand-stitched cloth dolls, and metal trucks? My kids are finally old enough to “play pretend.” So I decided to project a little of my “always wanted when I was a kid” stuff on them and chose to sew felt-play-food for my daughter, and sew a roll-up pouch “garage” for my son’s favorite cars. Maybe building him a garage would be a good idea. (He takes my dishwasher silverware holder and uses that as a garage until I tell him to give it back.)
:: Sew Dish Cloths, Pot Holders, and Dinner Napkins - I feel we use too many paper napkins and paper towels. None of them are recycled and it is like throwing money in the trash. Since I like to sew I figure this will be an easy, frugal kitchen and dining solution that will save trees and cash.
:: Sew Produce Bags - I don’t like those thin plastic produce bags. I have trouble re-using them because they get dirty or wet inside and are hard to clean out. And they make my food rot in my fridge. I don’t understand why I need to use plastic bags at the farmers market when I chose to buy there to reduce our fossil fuel consumption in the first place. So, I am sewing some lightweight produce bags out of unbleached 100% cotton muslin cloth and decorating them with some stamped designs. (And if you know of a discount organic fabric distributor, PLEASE let me know!)
:: All Natural Toothpaste - Commercial toothpaste makes me gag. I don’t like that foamy stuff. But I believe oral health is directly linked to the general health of your body. A while back there was a local news story about an inner-city child who didn’t have access to dental care and therefore couldn’t take care of an oral infection that spread to his brain. A scary scenario indeed. Anyway, I need to like brushing my teeth for me to do it for the recommended time, so I decided to go all natural. I got a new tooth powder that has a lemon/lime taste, is baking soda based, and is all natural. It tastes good, isn’t foamy, and doesn’t contain chemicals. Yea!
Are you choosing to change parts of your life? If so, what have you chosen to start? Leave a comment here and share with me! I want to know! And of course with other readers. Happy Organizing!
P. S. This is along the lines of an earlier healthy living post, but I wanted to share that I started a workout routine with my husband. I never thought I’d like huffing and puffing next to a guy, but he makes me laugh and his presence pushes my competitive nature into gear. I find it is fun, rewarding, and refreshing to exercise with him. I think my post said something like, “to increase my energy level I am going to simply start moving: get out with the kids and get away from the computer.” Well, this workout isn’t quite the “easiest”. Have you heard of P90X? We are doing this. The instructor is a little crazy. But our goal is to work together for better health, and that beach vacation in November to Cancun. My arms really hurt right now but my fingers can still type “Mexico, here we come!”
I did a post a while back introducing myself. Since it was received so well, I thought that I’d share with you another reveling 11 things about who I am when I am typing on my laptop.
1. I like Ethiopian food.
2. I know how to use a jig-saw, a table-saw, a miter-saw, a belt sander, a pneumatic nailer and wrench, a router, and a radial arm saw. Oh, and I know how to draw scale design elevations.
3. I always wanted to be a ballet dancer growing up.
4. I am a STRONG Meyers Briggs ISTJ, that is an introvert, sensing, thinking, judging personality.
5. In my career I have worked for not-for-profit organizations both political and non-political (not including internships.)
6. I have an intense fear of heights. Those skyscraper glass elevators, no good.
7. I am terrible athlete. I can’t throw, or catch, or hit well. I learned to ride a bike when I was 11, and I put my face in the water for the first time when I was 8. (I can swim now, but if I stop moving I sink. But I did climb trees as a kid.)
8. I love CSI, Divine Design, and the Martha Stewart Show.
9. My favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
10. My favorite kid book was Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney.
11. I was a certified EMT-basic in college.
What things would you write about to introduce yourself to your readers? Happy Organizing!
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thank you for stopping by my blog  I am a 30-something mom to a 4 year old son and 2 1/2 year old daughter, and a wife to my life wonderful. I write in this space when my crafty inspiration strikes or when I get to pondering about how we can better connect with the earth around us. We are a family surviving the suburbs, contending with commercialism, and getting to a greener lifestyle. Welcome! ~Abbie a few blogs I like in no particular order Permission © Organizing-Life 2009
All images and designs are property of Organizing-Life. Please do not copy any original designs or photography without written permission. Thank you!
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