It's been forever since I've logged on to this blog. Life has been crazy with lots of ups and downs in the last couple of years. It definitely has been a four letter life...a couple of eliminated positions with subsequent joblessness (still trying to find a job from the last layoff), some counseling, and going back to school. I've gone from living a green life to re-embracing chemicals, to now trying to get back to a more nature inspired lifestyle. I've realized that I'm always happier and healthier when I connect with nature. 
Recently, I've begun to focus on my spirituality. I went back to church a few years ago, but now I'm working on deepening my connection to God and understanding/achieving my purpose in life. This journey is penetrating all aspects of my life. First and foremost, my journey has taken me back to school to obtain my master's degree in clinical mental health counseling. I'm getting my degree online so that I can still work and pay the mortgage, but it takes up a lot of my time and energy. In a couple of months, I'll officially be halfway through the three year degree, and I can't wait to begin my new career. Since it is difficult to get into the counseling field without a degree (as it should be), I'm hoping to be approved to volunteer for the local crisis center hotline and chat room. 
I'm also implementing the Buddhist techniques of meditation and mindfulness to regain my center, manage stress, and lose weight. I've tried meditation before, but couldn't get past my own thoughts to really get into it. After persevering in a renewed attempt to meditate a few weeks ago, I managed to achieve a more zen-like meditative state. Now, I'm working on keeping up the practice regularly with a 20-30 minute session every morning. The last three days, I've used guided meditations that focus on weight loss and mindful eating. My weight has fluctuated significantly over the last couple of years, and right now, I'm at the heaviest I've ever been. After only three days of using these guided meditations, I'm feeling motivated and making smarter choices. I plan to continue to follow these meditations for at least 21 days (preferably 30 days), to 1) make daily meditation a habit, and 2) make healthy and mindful eating a habit. I'll let you know if it works. After that, I plan to try to meditate without the assistance of a guided meditation (I've managed it once for 10 minutes), but I'm not sure what focus I will have in my meditation, if any. I have a feeling that my life will continue to evolve and change significantly over the next couple of years, but I know that I'm ready for whatever comes my way. I know that I'm headed in the right direction. I'm going to continue to work on self-discovery and development. In that mindset, I have a few goals that I'm focusing on, and you may see these themes pop up in this blog in the next few months.
- Improved physical health (#gettinfit #superwoman #wholefoods)
- Creating a focus on gratitude (#thelittlethings #singingHispraises)
- Increased natural living (#greenlife #backtonature)
- Living in the here & now (#mindfulness)
I hope you find something that you can use in this blog as I continue my journey and find new ways of living this wonderful four letter life.
