Wordless Wednesday – Persist

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I know today is Wordless Wednesday, but I have just been told about an offer that is too good not to share – Check it out!

Free Spring Beauty Gift ($106 value) with any $30 Julep Purchase

This Pretty in Paradise Gift with Purchase ($106 value) will be yours FREE with any $30 Julep purchase, today through Sunday 4/17. Get six full-size products including electric iris sheer polish Kayla, summer berry shimmer polish Lainey, Skip the Brush cheek stick in Golden Guava, Julep Lip Gloss in Enchanted, When Pencil Met Gel eyeliner in Blackest Black, all in a handy Julep cosmetic bag. That’s a $106 value!

To redeem your free gift, add the Pretty in Paradise Gift with Purchase to your cart along with $30 of other Julep merchandise, then enter in promo code ONBOARD at checkout.

Offer expires 4/17/16 at 11:59 PM PT, or while supplies last. Promotional code ONBOARD must be entered at checkout, and is valid for 1 free gift per order. To receive free gift, add the Pretty in Paradise set to shopping bag, in addition to $30+ of other julep.com products. Promotion excludes the Jule Box, Savvy Deals, Julep add-ons, Sweet Steals and Secret Store catalogs. Not valid for purchase of julep.com gift cards, gift boxes, Gift of Maven, or Mystery Boxes. Orders placed for the Monthly Maven Reveal (e.g. monthly Maven Boxes, Upgrade Boxes, and add-ons) are not eligible. No exchanges or returns on free gift. No adjustments on previous purchases. Taxes vary by location.

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This blog post is a part of the following blog hops:

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Spring! Wordless Wednesday

Be Inspired

Best of Zazzle – Quotes Edition #5

As I seem to be needing some extra motivation this morning, I decided to share some of the more inspiring possibilities of Zazzle design with you. Uplifting stickers, keychains, and postcards are an inexpensive way to remind yourself, and the people you love, that going for your goals and dreams is possible. Enjoy!

Simply click on the link below each item, for checkout and more information on the individual piece.

GREAT QUOTE from the Buddha by spiritcircle

The EARTH without ART is just EH! Quote by countrymousestudio

Predict The Future – Motivational Quote by AlwaysDesire

Vintage Emerson Inspirational Leadership Quote by Coolvintagequotes

Be the Person your dog thinks you are Quote by Ebony_and_Ivory

Inspirational Quote: Soul Happy by QuoteLife

Life begins Inspirational Quote Typography Print by quoteprints

As always, thank you for supporting independent artists!

Claudia

Disclaimer: The above post contained affiliate links to Zazzle, at no cost to you – see Disclosure page for details

4 Gemstones And Crystals For Stress Relief

Disclaimer: The following post contains affiliate links – see disclosure page for details

It is hard to escape stress – our busy lives are filled with times of hustle, responsibility, and multiple goals, that are begging to be followed through upon. Any tool that can aid us in managing the stress – and through that the negative health implications of chronic stress – is a welcome tool in my book.

While I think that mindfulness, meditation, gratitude, and affirmations are the essential tools of an overall less hectic lifestyle, gemstones can also aid us in unexpected ways on this journey.

I have compiled 4 of my favorites here for you today:

Moonstones

This beautiful stone balances emotions when kept in close proximity to a person, or centered in a space that tends to experience a lot of energy and “traffic”, especially when multiple people frequent the room. Its calming influence is a good fit for an open office space, a principle’s office, or the kitchen.

Rose Quartz:

A warm, pink stone, that aids in emotional healing. Let’s face it: Stressful situations can bring up responses that can stem from past trauma, leaving our responses more controlled by what happened in our past, rather than what is happening right now. Rose quartz can give you healing in that regard, making it easier for you to respond to the current situation and not a fear from long ago.

Red Garnet:

No matter how much we wish it was not the truth, we all allow our temper to get the best of us, at least on rare occasions. Red Garnet is the stone to carry when you need to calm your anger – this can be particularly helpful when you are entering a hostile business meeting or are dealing with a co-worker or boss who adds to your daily level of stress. Rub it between your fingers whenever you feel the need.

 

Sodalite:

This beautiful dark blue stone is a communicator and allows you to express yourself and your needs with more clarity. Stress can be created by not feeling heard, or not knowing how to make your needs known to others. Carrying this stone, which has a healing effect on our throat chakra, can aid you with this task. It is most effective when carried as a necklace.

 

Check out the following book on the subject:

Crystal Healing Energy by Mary Solomon

available on Amazon on Kindle and as Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

You can find gemstone jewelry here:

 

 

How to Find Energy to Follow Your Dreams Despite Chronic Illnesses – 4 Tips

(Disclaimer: The following post includes affiliate links. Opinions and experiences are my own)

Living with chronic illness does not have to be the end of your dreams. In fact, it can be the motivating factor to do more, to live a better life, to take better care of yourself and those who you love. It is all about making the choice of what you want to do with what is given to you.

I speak from experience. I have hypothyroidism, chronic anemia, partial deafness, and various allergies while my daughter has a severe form of a  chronic tic disorder – which leaves her often in pain from involuntary muscle spasms, as well as allergies. Despite that, we do not let this stop us from following through with our dreams and goals. While it might take a little more effort, planning, and motivation to follow through, it also gave us an opportunity to test our resolve and find ways to make things happen, no matter what is in our way.

Here are four tips on how to find the energy to follow through with your goals, despite chronic illnesses

1. Exercise – exercise (of course done under the supervision of your medical health professional) releases endorphins, powerful chemicals in your brain that energize your spirits and make you feel good.
2. Meditate – I know sitting in silence does not necessary sound like something that will give you energy, but it is amazing to find how energized, relaxed and stress-free you will feel when you begin adding a regular meditation routine to your life. Not only does it have a positive affect on your overall health, and therefore, whatever chronic condition you have, but it also gives you a positive, relaxed state of mind, which makes it easier to focus, an essential tool when you are trying to achieve a goal and stay motivated.
3. Eat right – that is a given. Whatever your dietary needs are to make your illness more comfortable or maybe even go into remission, follow through with it. No one can feel energized on a junk food diet. Remember what you put in, is what you get out. That goes as much for your work as it goes for your body and health.
4. Create rituals – a well thought out morning and evening ritual can assist you throughout your day. It is a lot easier to stay focused and motivated if you are following a carefully constructed routine, that prepares you for the upcoming daily activities. Tailor those rituals to fit your individual illness or disability, and if necessary, enlist help to get it set up.

Check out the following book on the subject for more information:

 

How To Live Well With Chronic Illness and Pain by Tony Bernhard

available on Amazon

4 Health Reasons You Should Add A Pet To Your Life

Having a pet changes many aspects of your life. I purposely did not write “own” a pet, because most pet owners can tell you that most likely you are owned by them, rather than the other way around, especially if you have a cat in the family.

But did you know that pets can also affect your overall health?

Here are a list of 4 ways a pet has a positive affect on your health:

1.According to Dr. Silke Wechsung of the University of Bonn, Germany, simply being close to a dog can have a lowering effect on your pulse rate, which is a sign of relaxation. Instantly, the overall well being begins to improve, no matter what happened before the contact with the animal.

2.She also suggests that active engagement with your pet, via play, stops negative self-talk, by interrupting and redirecting it. This is especially helpful for someone who suffers from depression, and has a hard time disconnecting from negative train of thought without an outside influence, preventing spirals into even deeper depression.

3. It brings needed structure into a daily routine. Especially older people, people who live by themselves and suffer from that loneliness, or have depression, creating a positive structure can have a very positive affect on their overall health. A pet, no matter which type, forces the individual to create and follow a routine, no matter what.

4. Dog walks, having to take your pet outside no matter what the weather is like, also strengthens the immune system, according to Dr. Wechsung. Regular outdoor exercise with your dog, becomes a preventive health measure.

If you are considering to add a pet to your family, please always consider getting a pet from a shelter. There are hundreds of animals waiting for a home, and to give back to you, by being your companion and healthy support.

Thank you.

Check Out This Great Dog Bed From Our Affiliate ActiveDogToys.com 

 

Disclaimer: The above post contained affiliate links to ActiveDogToys.com – see Disclosure Page for Details

40 Things That Make Me Happy – And Why You Should Make a Happiness List, Too

There are times in our lives when trying to remember those little things we usually enjoy, becomes a difficult feat. May it be, because we experienced loss, are suffering from depression, going through marital problems or have financial trouble, a list of things that make us happy, can remind us of what we have, and help us for a moment to create a more hopeful state of mind to work from.

Here are 40 Things That Make Me Happy  – No Matter What

1. Hugs from my kids
2. The excitement of my dogs, when I get home
3. Coffee
4. Thumbprint cookies
5. Great, fresh bread
6. the scent of rain
7. Ducks upon a pond
8. the sound of a horse breathing
9. Drama television shows
10. a good romance novel
11. getting a text message from a friend
12. online banking
13. blog groups and link ups
14. taking pictures
15. designing/creating/working on a piece of my art
16. warm socks
17. flannel sheets
18. hibiscus tea
19. the sound of birds in the trees
20. spring time
21. black and white photography
22. inspirational quotes
23. flowers
24. the theater
25. a fresh, new notebook to fill with ideas
26. typing “The End” after a long short story, or a book
27. Jared Leto (yes, I am weird, lol)
28. being “cleaned” by my cat
29. A comfortable sofa
30. Nutella
31. a smooth-writing pen
32. Irish Dance
33. traveling
34. German chocolate
35. strawberry cheesecake
36. Happy Endings in stories
37. thick, white snow
38. trees
39. squirrels eating peanuts
40. my dog barking in her sleep

What do you have on your list? Why not create your own post and share it with us in the comment section below!

 

Check out the following journals for your gratitude and happiness lists:

Flower Power, Ivy by Sophie Gamand
from: Redbubble

Nine by fioski
from: Redbubble

Caterpiano by Jorge Lopez
from: Redbubble

Stop Making Excuses

Drop Of Water by Claudia H. Blanton

So dear fellow writers, creatives, and artists, I want to wake up this morning with a little kick in the behind.

Stop making excuses.

Say what?
You heard me right. Stop making excuses why you can not work on your creative projects, goals, and dreams. Stop that right now. Life is too short,  to waste another precious minute pondering upon the reasons why you can not follow through
The list of potential excuses are not going to get any shorter, just because you waited a month, a year, a decade to follow through. So stop, and do whatever it takes –  right now.

Keep The Dream Alive – Motivational Typography by Claudia H. Blanton

I am being hard on you here because I know how debilitating those excuses can be. I lived and breathed excuses. I would blame everyone and everything for why I do not have time, from lack of sleep to lack of resources, to not being good enough, or not having the right connections.

Guess what, if you do not do any of the steps needed to make your dream come true, you still will not have all of those things, and in addition to that, you will have a mediocre life at best. Do you really want that?
I did not think so.

So, say it with me, one more time.

Stop making excuses.

Start by asking questions. How about asking others for resources, or how they did it? How about getting your head away from that tv show and watch a youtube video on how others in your field made it? You will find, that many creatives do not mind sharing their “secrets”, which are no secrets through many platforms. Learn and then do.

I am rooting for you.

 

Blessings!

Claudia

P.S. Are you ready to take action? Then follow me to the free learning network Wealthy Affiliate right now!

Light And Dark

Tree With Roots by Claudia H. Blanton

Welcome! Would you like some coffee? The following post is part of the Weekend Coffee Share Blog Hop, and contains links to my artwork, and stuff I actually buy (affiliate links). 

If you were here with me, having coffee – or tea – I got some yummy imported Japanese green tea, if you prefer the latter – I would welcome you to Linzer cookies, and new pieces of art. You would probably notice that this week, I have been working in contrasts – either creating very dark pieces, such as “Anger”, and “Masks“,  or light ones, like “Tree With Roots”. No colorful “in-betweens”, no “something in the middle,” but each on the opposite ends of the color spectrum and theme.

Why, you might ask, would I go from a subject matter such as Domestic violence to something really light in such a short period of time?

My answer to that question is  balance. While I enjoy working on both ends of the contrast, I find myself is automatically balancing my creations, often without noticing, and almost never intentional. I do the same with writing, instinctively seeking the balance that the Universe seems to crave.

Tree In The Dark by Claudia H. Blanton

It is  concept present in all of the celebrations of this season, no matter which spiritual connection one chooses to follow. The light, peace and hope of what is bright, and warm, piercing through the darkness of the Winter months, creating once again balance.

Do you embrace the contrast of dark and light? Does it show in your creative process, or do you enjoy one side of the spectrum more, when you are being creative? Is that an intellectual process for you, or are you creating instinctively?

This blog post is a part of the following blog hops:

Weekend Coffee Share

Tater Tots And Jello

 

 

Anger And Gratitude

Anger by Claudia H. Blanton

the anger behind
that sweet smile you always show
is reserved for me

Domestic abuse – a reality many women – and men – experience in their relationship. The fear of those who supposed to be caring for us, making our homes a nightmare, instead of a safe haven is real, and never the fault of the abused.

Why am I choosing to write about domestic violence in a blog post that usually features “Celebrate The Small Things” and “Thankful Thursday”? Because I am thankful to be one of those women who do not have to live in fear, but I am also aware that this puts me in the situation to choose to ignore the plight of others, or do something about it.

While donating to organisations that assist domestic violence victims might not seem a lot, it is something many of us who live a comfortable and safe life can do. Just because we do not experience this type of environment, does not mean we can let ourselves be numb to those who suffer.

But, I am going to add this for my most eager readers, you should NEVER get directly involved. Domestic violence perpetrators are violent and dangerous, making anyone in their way a target just as much as the actual target they desire. If you suspect anyone you know being abused, or know that they are in need of help, look for local resources they can contact, or call them yourself, and ask them what actions they suggest for the abused to take. Those professionals are trained to assist victims and keep them safe, something that you and I are not.

If you are looking for organisations that help battered spouses, check out the following links:

Women helping battered women
 National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
 Leaving Abuse

This blog post is a part of the following blog hops:

Thankful Thursdays

Celebrate The Small Things

Thankful Thursday (Pepi Smart Dog)

Reasons to be Cheerful

Reflect

 

The above art piece “Anger” is available on RedBubble, and I am donating 20 % of profits of this digital art piece to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Thank you for your support.

 

Masks

Masks by Claudia H. Blanton

Hide

your colorful masks
empty of real expression
hide the pain inside

 

We all pretend. Sometimes in social media, this pretend leaves me with a feeling of disconnect. I don’t mean that we purposely pretend to be someone else we are not. I do not believe that. But because social media and blogging (as well as art and writing) can leave the creator vulnerable, we hide behind our masks of our own creation.

How much should we share? How will what we share affect those we love, and how does the parts that we do choose to show influence what others think of us?

Many bloggers choose to share quite a bit about their lives. Cautiously, they write about their depression, struggles, obstacles and dreams. This raw openness takes courage. Artists and writers do the same, through their creation and stories – even if it is not as recognizable at first glance as it is in the platform of a blog about someone’s life. The message and vulnerability is the same.

It is that what attracts me to those creatives, and the fact that the opposite is often the truth in social media channels and that pushes me away. Where is the real person behind the twitter feed, the emotion behind that snarky comment, or seemingly open attitude? We get snippets, not stories, little glimpses of masks, rather than the true person behind.

It is not to say that we should share more, indeed I think that sharing more on those open platforms can be too dangerous to consider it. Yet, I miss that more and more today. And within that lies my love/hate relationship with social media.

Question: What parts of yourself do you share openly on social media, and which ones do you choose to hide? Is that a concious decision you make, or is it an instinctive holding back?

“Masks” is available on RedBubble as a canvas print, poster or a framed art piece.

 

This blog post is a part of the following blog hops:

Elizabeth And Co Link Party

Together On Tuesdays

What Are You Doing? Blog Hop

Amaze Me Blog Hop

Share With Me