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Thoughtful Thursday

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THOUGHTFUL THURSDAY

Confidence

Not sure if you read last week’s Thoughtful Thursday Post but I entered a virtual challenge for the week from Garmin, competing against 9 other runners. The goal was distance. It officially ended on Monday and I walked 33.9 miles and took 1st Place!! That was such a milestone for me. I was never able to do this when I was younger, much less win 1st Place but I was determined. I wanted to throw in the towel a few times but I had to reach down deep and find the courage and perseverance to keep going. Everything in my body was starting to hurt. But I really wanted to win.

I had no intention of walking this much but Jon, who was in 2nd Place was absolutely relentless. Every time I tried to put a little more distance between us he up’d his game and closed the gap. I am very thankful for Jon because he pushed me to do more and more. More than I ever thought I was capable of. Almost 34 miles in 1 week!!! It was unbelievably hard and I’m so glad it’s done because I’m exhausted.

After finishing this race, my confidence in myself definitely went up a few notches. I now know that that I have the drive and ability to tackle what may appear as a monumental task and come out victorious. Even if I don’t know how to go about it, I’m more than capable of figuring it out and that’s a very good feeling.

This wasn’t an official race. There were no trophies, no one cheering you along from the sidelines. It was just me and my Garmin, tracking my miles. But I’m very proud of my virtual win because for me this was so much more than just winning.

What area of your life do you need to boost your confidence in? Take on that monumental task and prove to yourself that you CAN do it!

Photo by Sam Kolder on Pexels.com

Thoughtful Thursday

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THOUGHTFUL THURSDAY

Personal Drive

I never thought I would like competing as much as I do. I guess it drives me to do better and that’s why I’ve grown to like it so much. I got a Garmin Watch from my hubby for my birthday a few months ago. I had no idea what missing until I got this watch. I really, really love it! One of the cool things is that you can install the Garmin app on your phone and sync it with your watch. Garmin has different challenges every week and month. So I entered my first challenge last week.

The goal of this challenge was to walk 25,000 steps in a week which is about 12.5 miles so you can advance to the next level. I entered it a few days in and was excited to see I was in 6th place out of 10 other people who also entered. I moved up to 4th and sadly dropped finished in 7th Place. The other walkers had way more steps than me, I didn’t even come close. The winner of the group completed about 29+ miles. Very impressive to say the least!!

After losing that challenge, I entered it again for this week. I’m determined to finish in 1st place so I’ve been doing a lot of walking, much more than usual. The hardest part is the South Florida heat. The humidity has been really bad lately. It definitely slows down your pace but I refuse to give up. Today I walked the furthest yet, a whopping 5 miles. It took me 1 hour, 20 minutes. I really started to fizzle in the end but I persevered and reached my goal! I’ve walked nearly 13.5 miles in 3 days which is not bad considering I would normally have anywhere from 6 to 9 miles for an entire week.

As of this moment, I’m still in 1st Place. But the others are closing in fast. It’s going to be a tough challenge but I’m seeing it through. Wish me luck!!

What is something that challenges you and drives you to do better?

Photo by Snapwire on Pexels.com

Words of Wisdom Bookmarks

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I created a handful of original watercolor bookmarks with positive quotes for my Etsy shop:

FlowingWatersArtShop

Each one is unique, no two are alike. They are available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds going to the ASPCA.

Thoughtful Thursday

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THOUGHTFUL THURSDAY

Power of the Mind

I was on my walk/run the other day and completed my best time ever for 2 miles: 24 minutes, 34 seconds. I was ecstatic and amazed at what I accomplished.

When I was little, I suffered from respiratory illness. The word “running” was not in my vocabulary since my lungs could not handle it. I was constantly told “you can’t do it.” I eventually adopted this mindset and when things would get a little tough, I’d give up because I believed everyone was right.

Fast forward to now, I just read the book “Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One”  by Dr. Joe Dispenza. He talked about rewiring your brain to change your body. An idea that sounded impossible but I’ve come to realize is very possible. 

I loved what Dr. Dispenza wrote so much that I’m continuing to read another one of his books titled “Becoming Super Natural: How Common People are Doing the Uncommon.”

I also started meditating this year. I have to say, it seemed odd at first, but the more I practiced, the more I grew to love it. It truly is a wonderful reset!

This morning I went on a walk, and I noticed something. The running segments that I had been doing  were getting longer and easier each time. I also noticed that when I start my running segment my mind switches gears. I go into a kind of meditative state and instead of saying to myself “Oh this is hard, I just have to get to my marker and I can stop.” I now say “This is easy; I got this; no problem.” My focus is no longer on making it from one marker to another, but rather the act of running and the ease of it. This helped me to break my negative thoughts and now I end up running past my markers without realizing it!

I made a decision to silence these negative thoughts because if I can reprogram my mind to make my body stronger (something I was told my whole life wasn’t possible) what else can I achieve? The possibilities are are endless!

What I’ve learned from Dr Dispenza has been mind blowing. I highly recommend you check out his website: drjoedispenza.com and his books. They’re amazing!

What would you like to achieve or change in your life? 

Photo by Maria / Cherry Blossoms, Washington DC

WHOLE HEARTED MIXED MEDIA

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Laly Mille – Whole Hearted Tutorial

This is a quick post I wanted to share you. Laly Mille at LalyMille.com is a vary talented artist in France who creates beautiful art that’s very romantic and dreamy!!! Laly was kind enough to create a FREE mixed media tutorial for her birthday celebration s few weels ago. I encourage you to hop over to her site to and check it out!

This is the painting I created from her tutorial. I had lots of fun. 

Thanks Laly!!!

Essential Oils to Help You Relax/Sleep

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I love how certain scents can take you away to another place or time because of how they make you feel when you smell them. There are many aromatherapy diffusers on the market but you don’t need to spend money on these to enjoy the healing benefits of essential oils. The easiest way is to simply put a few drops (a little goes a long way) on a tissue and slip it inside your pillowcase. This is a sure way to relax and drift off into a blissful night of sleep.

I have to say that Lavender is my all time favorite with Chamomile as a second runner up. However, you may find these scents don’t necessarily appeal to you. I would suggest going to a health food store and test a few scents to see which ones you like best. You can also create blends, but for starters I would recommend going with 1 or 2 oils and see how they make you feel.

Oils that help you relax/sleep:

  • Bergamot
  • Cedarwood
  • Chamomile
  • Clary Sage
  • Eucalyptus
  • Geranium
  • Lavender
  • Lemongrass
  • Marjoram
  • Mandarin
  • Orange
  • Rose
  • Rosemary
  • Sandalwood
  • Ylang Ylang
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

12 Ways to Unwind and Relax

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Life can get rather hectic at times and we all need to a way to unwind and relax. When too much stress builds up it can cause an imbalance in our minds and bodies. Below are 12 ways to help you improve your overall well being. One size doesn’t fit all, so try different things to find what works best for you.

1.   Create art.

2.   Quiet your mind and meditate.

3.   Try an exercise routine like yoga.

4.   Read your favorite book.

5.   Enjoy watching the sunrise or sunset.

6.   Listen to calming music like nature tracks by Solitudes, Dan Gibson.

7.   Enjoy a cup of herbal tea.

8.   Create your own home spa and soak everything away in a warm bath.

9.   Indulge in a bite of chocolate.

10. Enjoy the great outdoors and go for a walk.

11. Watch your favorite movie.

12. Place a few drops of lavender essential oil on a tissue and put it inside of your pillowcase as you drift off into sleep.

Photo by Maria / Naples, Florida

SillierThanSally – Mushroom Tutorial

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I wanted to share a quick post with today. Sally Walsh at SillierThanSally is a super talented artist who creates gorgeous art!!! Sally was kind enough to create a FREE watercolor painting tutorial that you can view on Instagram or Facebook.  Just look her up.

This is the painting I created from her tutorial over the weekend. I had lots of fun. 

Thanks Sally!!!

Art Calms the Mind – Coloring Page

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Welcome! I hope this post finds you well in these changing times. With so much going on I thought it would be fun to create a Free Printable Coloring Page.  You can easily create your own with a few simple steps.

Everyone is an artist! If you can draw a line, squiggly or straight, circles, squares, etc then you’re an artist! Your sketch doesn’t need to be a detailed drawing, just draw whatever makes you happy.  Anything goes.

This page was created on 9″ x 12″ Canson Illustration paper. I started with a light pencil sketch then went over it with a Sakura Micron Pen 03. You can use any type and size of paper. You can even draw your design with a regular ball point pen. The choice is yours. Once you’re done, all you have to do is color it and you’ll have a unique design that’s uniquely you!

Have fun and enjoy!!!

Note: The image was downsized to fit on standard 8.5″ x 11″ paper.

download your free printable here

I used alcohol ink markers to color mine and added a little Stickles for bling. I would love to see your work and post it here. Just email a jpeg of your art to FlowingWatersArt@gmail.com