Getting Creative

I love to create – whether it’s writing, taking photos, scrapbooking etc. I am also a craft nerd. The problem I have is finding time during a normal week to indulge in these activities as other things tend to take over. And let’s be honest, if I work until 7pm by the time I come home, have dinner and get settled there isn’t much time left in the evening for crafting (with the exception of crocheting… There is always time for a few stitches).

Lately I have been reading on various DIY blogs about journaling and they all offer up a series of prompts that will help you create one page a day. It can be as simple as ‘draw your favourite pet’ or, ‘write your favourite quote in fancy lettering’ to something like ‘write a full page on someone you admire’.

What really like is that I can always find one thing to write, draw, sketch about in an evening and I can control the amount of time or effort that goes into it. On nights when I am short on time I can pick something quick to jot down and on nights when I have time or am feeling extra inspired I can drag out all the craft supplies and go to town.

The important thing is that I get to be a little creative every day which in turn helps me be a more positive person with better balance. I am finding it very therapeutic and sometimes it really makes me think about myself and ask tough questions.

Check out this blog in particular for some amazing inspiration as Ashley is far better at this than I am.

~lisa

Waking Up and Working Out

I have written about this before but most people act very surprised when I tell them the time we usually get up in the morning is between 4:45 and 5:30 AM. Personally, I love working out in the morning and getting into the office early. When I was my most successful I was up at 4:45 every day for almost six months, down and working out by 5:00. Not only do I feel like I have more energy throughout the day, but there are other reasons that working out in the morning helps so much.

Metabolic Rate:

There is the thought that working out in the AM helps to boost metabolic rate throughout the day and this makes sense. If you are burning calories earlier in the day, it takes longer for your metabolism to continue down, back to your basal metabolic rate (BMR).

The Mind & Working Out:

When you work out, you increase the production dopamine in your body. Dopamine helps depression, ADD, has been shown to aid in Parkinsons treatment and helps a general good feeling in your body. There’s not much else to say about that other than, hey lets produce more!

The increased dopamine is probably what helps to make me feel energized throughout the day.

The Day Is Set Up For Success:

Getting up in the AM for me is a success; every time I don’t hit snooze I see it as a personal victory. Most of the time, if I don’t immediately jump out of bed when the alarm goes off, I will actively have a debate in my mind about the merits of getting up. The funny thing about this debate is that it’s basically self destructive: If I end up snoozing, then the debate ruins those extra minutes of sleep I got, so why not just get up in the first place?

Overall, Once I get into the rhythm of getting up and working out days go better for me because I can get so much done. It is truly a domino effect, where I get up and workout, get breakfast made, lunches packed, we get to work earlier, are able to eat healthy and produce more. All of these elements help us cut down on stress, save money, eat better and control what goes in our bodies and motivates us to continue the cycle.

Thanks for reading!

~ ira

Today’s Thought

Do yourself a favour and think positively today. It will help you move past any issues that might arise and it will rub off on the people around you, creating a happier environment.