Why you need to feel worse to feel better

It’s almost seems like common sense doesn’t it? No one ever wants to feel bad, much less worse. Ok. There could be some people who do want to but, that’s not what I’m hear to talk about. 

One day a while a go now I was feeling pretty down. I’m sure I’ve felt down a lot of times since then but, what stuck in my head was that I hugged myself. Yep. I hugged myself. Almost as goofy as the old self pat on the back. 

The thing is I realised in that moment that feeling bad wasn’t my enemy. Maybe more like a frenemy lol. If we don’t feel bad what will inspire us to change? Perhaps some people can just keep using positive motivations while some of us still need to get to that uncomfortable point to be able to light our own proverbile fire under our ass. 

Another thing is, as I’ve learned since then, you’ve got to push your boundaries. What does it mean to push your boundaries? It means feeling awkward, uncomfortable, & possible a bit nervous to say the least. 

For example, I took an orientation to ecopsycology class a couple years ago. There is soooo much I LOVE about ecopsychoogy but, I also had to makes myself feel worse to complete it. What I mean is we had to go out into different natural environments and speak to/commune with the natural elements in that area and then answer questions that we were assigned. No matter how much I believed in it I always felt like an absolutely nutcase going out to do the assignement. During a LOT of the time I would be worried that someone would see me or work out what I was doing & think I’d lost my mind. In the end, when I had completed the assignement and then reflected on it I felt so wonderful, calm & connected. 

In the end we all know that “it’s darkest before the dawn”, “every cloud has a silverlining” & “when you hit rock bottom, there’s nowhere to go but up”. The thing is, I don’t think many of us realise how much good the “worse” gives is in the end. 

Climate change is spreading diseases you haven’t even heard of yet

Now this has definitely got me a little sick in the gut. The hardest thing to swallow for me was this quote near the end – “Here’s the irony,” Brooks says. “The countries that have the money and the technology to actually make a difference don’t feel the crisis, and the countries that feel the crisis don’t have the money to do anything.”

5 Great Ways to share your garden Surplus!

So you do or have grown your own fruit/veggies? Perhaps you stopped because you hated to see all that good stuff going to waste? Do you have a tinge of sadness every time you harvest? Perhaps, you look at your garden & think “holy crow, what am I going to do with ALL of that?!”. Well never fear, I have 3 great ideas that you can put to good use immediately!

First Option –

Do you know a family that’s doing it rough at the moment? Or perhaps they are always tight? BRING IT TO THEM! Not a truckload mind you, they can only use a certain amount too lol. I suggest for most people, don’t ask them. That’s right I said do not ask them. WHY? Well, most ppl, myself included, are too embarrassed to say yes. We also don’t want to “put other’s out” or be a “burden”. Yeah, I know, silliness & it’s our issues we need to get over but, many of us still battle them. If you rock up to their house & knock holding the bags they are more likely to take it. Don’t worry, most every body will feel grateful after you walk out at least. LOL! Not because you left but, because they can’t let their defences down. If you want, you can always play Spy & wait until no one is home & leave by their front door ;).

I can honestly say it meant the world to me when I recently had some people do it to me. Granted our kids were besties since the the start of the school year (we start at the end of January here) but, it’s not like we knew each other well.

Second option-

Take it to a food bank. Some of you may not know what this is so, I’ll fill you in. Some of us who are doing it rough from time to time have to go to outside sources and ask for either vouchers to the local grocery store or food from donations that they have. Now, for many of us it isn’t a proud moment but, it sure does help when you are unexpectedly unemployed for a while, a larger than average bill came in or your child needed something like new shoes.

Where can you find them? Hopefully, it will be pretty darn easy for you. The best thing to do is start with the bigger places that you know help people out. They are the ones that you usually see on TV asking for donations or come around door to door such as the Red Cross. Here in Australia we also have St Vincet de Paul (aka: Vinnies), The Good Shephard, The Brotherhood & many different churches. You will be happier knowing you are giving people a chance to have healthy fresh food while not letting the labour of your love go to waste & they’ll probably be ecstatic to not get prepackaged junk.

Here is a link to a major Foodbank that also lists big companies that donate (might be a lead too!)

Third Option-

Get a few of you together that you know grow your own or have fruit trees dropping fruit everywhere & start an “op-shop” in your area. I know that is may sound weird but, they have actually just recently opened a Fruit & Veg Op-Shop (that link will take you to their FB page in case you want more info!) in our area. Basically, ppl donate from the surrounding area all their surplus fruit & veg. The Op-shop then sells it for $1 a bag. Another win-win in my opinion.

Fourth Option – 

     Join your local co-op. How do you find them???? Sometimes a google or Facebook search will bring them up but, you can always ask your local permaculture group. Then there are the places that advertise organic veggies who could probably link you to a farmer or the like who might be able to guide you. If you try those & can’t find them, send me a message & I’ll do what I can to help.

Fifth Option –

     The local farmer’s market ain’t just for “farmers” anymore. You grow food? You are a small time farmer my friend & you can go to the farmer’s market. If you don’t think you have enough to make it worth it, work out something with other people from your local community be it via your kid(s) school, work, friends of the neighbour & pool together. Then you can take turns manning the stall & split the profits. Then you might have a little extra cash to not only get new seeds (if you haven’t saved your own) or that new addition to your garden you’ve been drooling over!

I hope that’s helped you. I am happy to help you find any of these things in your area if you are struggling. Just remember, I am a single mum & I am doing a lot of things myself so, don’t just expect me to do it all for you, but, I am happy to help & see what I can do for getting you possible contacts etc be it for local laws for doing some of the options or connections to share your produce.

My love & appreciation goes out to all those people who sow, grow & share. It’s made a difference for my daughter & I in these last few weeks. I look forward to getting my soil teeming with life so I can grow more myself.

Kindest wishes,

Cheyenne Christine

I stand quietly

What a wonderful prose expressing life with an autistic child. I alms it feel like the “I stand quietly” is like a forced gag she wears to help her daughter & to keep herself from shattering. As if she stops standing quietly she’ll scream & sob into a million pieces

Dirty, Naked & Happy

I stand quietly while you do somersaults on the bed as you aren’t being naughty, you are just trying to get your out of sync body under control.

I stand quietly by the toilet door every time you need to go, and come with you around the house, and sometimes even just across the room, because I know you can feel truly frightened when you are not near me.

I stand quietly at the supermarket checkout while everyone stares at you barking like a dog and blowing raspberries on my arms to cope with the buzzing lights.

I stand quietly while you tell the baffled shop owner that you are looking for shoes that feel hard like splintered wood because your skin can’t bear soft things.

I stand quietly when the attendant gives us scornful looks when I ask for the key to the disabled toilet because the hand dryer…

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Towerbine

Wind turbines on the Eiffel tower? WOW! That’s amazing. It’s great though part of me can’t believe a world icon like that would willing have it’s profile changed like that. Wonder who will be brave & be next?

Ecomical

“One of the world’s most iconic sites has become the latest high profile venue to embrace renewable energy, after the installation of two vertical axis wind turbines as part of the Eiffel tower’s high profile renovation project.” (http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/25/eiffel-tower-embraces-wind-power)

Vive la revolution.

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Thought for today February 27th 2015

As do I. I want to positively affect ppl whether they know it’s me or not

Veraiconica's Blog

We need more kindness, more compassion,
more joy, more laughter.
I definitely want to contribute to that.

Photography Credit
Larry Cochran
<a href=”https://www.flickr.com/photos/lalalands/13166513315″

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Moving from the city to a farm – a pre-step to a dream

Have you ever had a dream, something you wanted but, until you stopped & traced it back had no idea where the dream or longing came from? Some of my friends said it was a “mid-life” crisis. Others said I would be crazy to move us that far out & change my daughter’s primary a THIRD time but, there were a few who said ” You would be NUTS not to take this opportunity!”. One of my best friends told me straight out – “If you do not try this I NEVER, EVER want to hear you bitch about your job again.” Wow, OK……..

Kid love

That’s my daughter with one of the last kids I promised her we would adopt. His name was Cuddlepie. Before you ask she has never read any of the Snugglepot books to my knowledge, I’m not even sure I just wrote the title correctly. The reason it was the last one was because sadly, Cuddlepie and many others died bless their little souls. It was a great, yet horrible experience. Let me tell you how it all started.

As I mentioned in my previous post about camping, I just couldn’t take the normal, average, mundane job. It was making me physically ill. It’s not that I am a princess & think I should be taking care of (though that would be nice on an occasion or 3!), it’s just, I was too awake to continue. Does that make sense? My “awakening” or “re-awakening” had been happening for YEEEAAARRRRSSSS but, I was also growing a backbone at the same time so, I guess I progressed decently.

The thing is once I started on the road to growing veggies at home……something in me kinda took off. I only wanted to learn to grow a few things so that my daughter would actually eat them. See, every time we went to her great-grandmother’s house she would wander around the backyard & just kind of feast on the things growing there. It helped that her father’s family is very into organics before organics was a thing. I admired them, agreed with most of their point of view on it all & of course as most parents do, wanted the best for my little monkey.

So, I plodded to a “Home Harvest” course to get a few basics and before I know it – BAM! I was hit with the permaculture bug. The class I had taken happen to be at a local permaculture garden & I was learning all this fascinating stuff that just a generation or 2 ago most new by heart!! After that I took a certified Permaculture Design Course. I could go on for ages about what I did & when but, I don’t want you to go to sleep.

My dream, my longing began with that home harvest class & hearing about all the exciting things my ex’s aunt & uncle did in the world of Permaculture. The more my daughter & I would talk about what kind of plants we’d like the more we added. It wasn’t long before we were talking about all kinds of animals as well! You know what happened then? We realised….WE WANT A FARM!!!!!!

Memphis cuddles

A new game – Hay bale hopping

Momma pig & bubs

Aunty pig’s massage

Daffy & chooks

The new calf

3 of our Amigos 😉

Loving the goats!

What’s one of the BIGGEST obstacles to your dream?

Mine (other than having no $ to buy a farm lol) was knowledge. Now, taking a life long city/suburbian & plopping them down in the country can, will & dose have consequences. Give that city person a farm with a bunch of living things and well…I reckon you have a recipe for disaster either to the person(s) or to the living things.

Who wants to fail at achieving their dream???????

Not me, that’s for sure!

Then I had this ingenious thought. Why don’t I work on a farm & learn how to do some of it before we ever get a farm that way I am more likely to manage & not wound or hurt the animals?! Makes sense don’t you think? I thought so & my daughter was up for the adventure (albeit with the wisdom of a 6 year old).

WHAT is up with itty bitty caravans on farms?

The few positions I found that wanted a live on farm, farm-hand had these itty bitty caravans which, of course they then weren’t comfortable allowing my daughter & I to live in. One even had made the shower outside!!! Could you imagine doing that in winter?????? I found out that most farmers usually hire backpackers. From what they offer for “accommodation” I can’t see how most of the backpackers get through that part of their working visa & totally understand why so many ppl have a hard time finding good, long term farm work!

What happens when you achieve a big goal?

It’s like………like……….wonderfully scary & surreal all that the same time. I finally answered an ad where the man had an actual HOUSE & not only that, he was OK with my daughter & was happy for us to get any pets we wanted. To ice my cake just a little I was going to get PAID. Holy guacamole. I felt like a dog that chased a car and actually caught it. I was flipping out!!!! I decided to take the leap & move 2 hours away from everyone & everything I know in this country to give this a go. I mean how often do you get handed the 2nd best thing to your dream on a platter? He was upfront & told me things were declining & he really hoped I could help pull it out. I was excited.

I did what I thought was my due diligence & went to spend the night on the farm to check it all out & talked to a few ppl about town etc. Seems, my investigative skills need some MAJOR honing! thing is….. I didn’t really know who to talk to nor did I know anything much about animals so…I didn’t understand what I was seeing. I mean the man has a 1 chef hat restaurant in Prahan for goodness sakes. Surely he knows what he is doing…….right?

Sad to say, it all went down hill very quickly. By time I moved up, the backpackers that were there were telling me about all the animals that had died or where dying in the month since I had been there. There was so much inbreeding of the animals that some were coming out…..a bit different & some animals were so young they couldn’t birth their babies. The owner refused to let us deworm them, or deal with their hoof hoofrot & many other things he was very particular about though he was rarely ever there & when he was it was for a few hours at a time. And many things that would anger & frustrate you if I shared happened.

After 45 days the owner calls me to tell me that he is going to sell the land & house that my daughter & I were living on. Great. I just left a great community & a good school in an area I know well, spent all my savings to move my daughter & I up there to be told now, I need to find not only a new place to live but, a new job as well.

What happens when your reach for the dream leaves you flat on your face?

For me…..a bit of depression & self-pity. Then of course I went to anger & resentment which, turned into resignation. It really wounded my ego & even shook the desire for our dream farm. I am sure other people face it differently but, that’s what makes life interesting right?

What do you do after that?

Hopefully, you’ll look at it & see what you can do better in the next step for your dream. We decided to stay in the area for a multitude reasons. I don’t like driving past that farm & thankfully I rarely need to. It’s still a bit sour but, with more time I won’t think twice about. I took a job on a different farm & have way different duties but, that experience has made me realise a few things. 1 – I can actually do it. I can do a lot of the work myself but, it probably would be safer to have others working around too. 2- I love, love, love working with animals. 3 – Poo no longer bother’s me so much (except for kitty litter but, I can’t explain that!) & my gross out levels are WAY higher than they were pre-farm. 4 – If I can stick my hand up a goats vagina, there ain’t much in life stopping me now! Knowing how much I miss interacting with the animals let’s me know that my farm is still a possibility. 5- The farm brought out a much more independent child which was lovely to see. Knowing I can learn new things & feel happy when I am working……well, I guess that more than pays for the stress & worry I went through during the whole thing.

What are your dreams? Have you started working toward them? Can you even define them yet? Please, share with me

Camping after 23 yrs – How it changed my life

Watching my daughter be a child 🙂

The last time I had went camping when I was about 19 during my first year at University. A group of college friends and I trudge off to a place lovingly named “Bust Your Ass Falls”. I hadn’t done much camping previously during my youth but, there was a cute guy (I wonder how Bo is now?) I had a thing for so, I thought what the heck? It was a great time for the most part. Lots of laughter, quite a bit of drinking for some (just a little for me as I’ve always been a bit of a wuss lol) * a few tantrums from girls who weren’t getting the attention they desired. In other words, pretty much business as usual for the teen/20 somethings.

Fast forward to age 42, a single mother, ex-pat American, Dual citizen with Australia & a strong-willed 7 yr old girl. My daughter & I had been talking about being more active, getting into nature & maybe one day having a farm with Alpacas…..you know, as ya do. A lovely mother of one of my daughter’s friends at her 2nd primary school asked if we wanted to go camping with her & her 3 kids. I said yes but, spent the next few weeks dreading it & absolutely talking myself out of it. “It’ll be too cold”, “I think it’s going to rain”, “I can’t really afford it” and I am sure quite a few other things I can’t remember BUT, come a few days out I recommit to the whole thing.

As I am packing to go I am a little optimistic but, honestly, quite bummed because I feel like I’d rather stay at home. I couldn’t afford to get the solar charger for my mobile phone & my car charger didn’t work so I KNEW I’d not be able to contact people or post to social media over the weekend. I was DREADING it.

We had to go late on Friday night because I had to work so, we were picking camp sites at the Cathedral Ranges in the dark, cold, night with tired & hungry children. Yay me (read that with dullness & regret). Needless to say it went better than I thought it would until I realised there was NO phone signal, then I really thought I should just go home.

The next day we meandered around and then went for a walk up part of the cathedral mountains.

Big mamma is chugging along!

That’s when the little spark in me got stronger, stronger & by the time we headed down was roaring like a bonfire! As I went up the small path with the other’s of our group & the children I kept thinking – “WOW!, I am doing AWESOME for an overweight, smoking, asthmatic”. I kept wanting to go higher & higher. I even didn’t mind hauling myself over rocks or through crevices. I was bummed when we had to get back down so we could
make it back in time for dinner. I was HIGH both with the exhilaration as well as the altitude.

I was in love with the view, the loveliness of the people we were with & the fact that I felt like I could go for hours more despite the cold & drizzling rain. When we got back to the campsite I realised, I didn’t really miss my phone, the internet, heck, I didn’t even miss my HOUSE! It felt so GOOD. Sitting around chatting, taking the kids off on adventures to see wildlife, wildlife coming to see us…..it just felt….natural. The only thing I did miss was a toilet that wasn’t a drop toilet. Man those things are DISGUSTING and REAK! I can’t imagine the putrid smell after a few weeks of summer weather. Ewwwwwwwwwww.

In the end, I didn’t really want to go home, back to worrying about rent, my job that I didn’t like & suburbia but, it had to end not only because that was my life at the time but, because my daughter was vomiting the night before & needed a warm dry bed not a cold wet tent. Though, as you can see she enjoyed herself immensely!

Rain Games

Sooooo, I bet you are wondering. OK, that sounds good & all but, how did it change your life? This is how –

By actually going despite talking myself out of it daily & accepting the fact that I couldn’t use my phone I let myself get absorbed in the then & there. It meant I connected with the people around me and best of all reconnected with nature. I walked up a steep walking path and I did it, I made it without feeling horrible & I wanted, no, craved more! I was totally aware that I CAN live without MANY things, I can push my boundaries & surprise myself. The best of all……it pushed me to take a scary leap towards getting my own farm one day.

After we got back to suburbia, I felt like I just couldn’t take that false life anymore. I searched & searched & searched for a farm hand job that had live on site accommodation that would also accommodate my daughter. It took awhile but, I found it. I had thought I would love going out in Gippsland somewhere. That’s what I was aiming for but, I found myself on a meat farm of all things almost 2 hours north of where I was living in Melbourne. Making that shift, wells, that’s another whole story.

If I hadn’t gone there

Our highest point

Then my daughter and I would have never taken the leap to experience farm life and boy how that’s changed us! Just had to stretch that comfort zone 😉

More goats to love!

3 of our Amigos 😉

Goat love

Believe In Your Dreams.

With out dreams where would we be? It’s a thought I can barely fathom

Doug Does Life

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Something dawned on me about on Mother’s Day……

       As I was listening to my daughter’s excitement about making me breakfast on Mother’s Day, I started to think about all of us who no longer or never had a Mother around. I felt my mind start to churn & knew it was thinking of something. A little while later I was looking at a flower catalog & realised how much I ADORE looking & thinking about plants, flowers, veggies and everything in-between. It’s like some sort of buzz for me though I am shocking when it comes to actually implementing any of it. Then it hit me – there is 1 Mother who is just as important or perhaps MORE important than our own biological or heart mothers. Mother Earth/Mother Nature!

WHY, hadn’t this clicked for me before???? I’ve always known she was more important & my connection to her but, why hadn’t I thought of her on Mother’s Day as someone to feed & cherish??????

(via – https://www.facebook.com/DeborahLivingstonMedium)

       As much as I am a lover of the Earth & all things Natural I couldn’t believe I had totally forgot my favourite Mother. Now, don’t get me wrong I love & adored my actual biological mother with all my heart & soul. My mother Janeann was my best friend & confident & I still wish many times that she was still alive but,………….. my Mother Nature, my Mother Earth has done so much more for me. She has kept me alive much longer & in more complex ways than many people can understand. It was Mother Earth who first made me feel like I was truly connected and a part of something beautiful and exciting. She was the one that I sought comfort from during those hard times as a child especially when the source of my pain (real or perceived) stemmed from my Mom or her 2nd husband . Mother Nature was the one to tickle my irises alive and showed me the beauty in those leaves and flowers as sunshine, rain or snow fell on them. It was Mother Nature that taught me the diversity and balance in life and how it supports one another all the while showing me all the love, kindness & gentleness that I craved to have in human form. My little family was very loving and we always described ourselves “touchy feely” (not in a creepy way!) type of family. We had lots of hugs, kisses, laughs, fights & frustrations but, when I was held by Mother Nature in one of my “scared spots” I found near places that we lived over the years, it was then that I could calm, balance & connect. It was the only & quickest thing that brought about an all encompassing calm. Being “highly sensitive” meant that I probably needed it a bit more than other’s might have but, that’s OK because as deeply & quickly as I can feel pain, I can also feel joy, love & peace at the same rate 😉

       It was Mother Nature who grew our lives within her & gave us the resources to survive so that we could be here……

           

(source not retained – if known, please share with me so I may give credit)

 

……….and she has let us grow to term with all the love and beauty that our world has to offer.

 

 

 

Source lost – if you know the source please share so the creator will have credit – ty

 

 

       Imbuing us all with strength, love and respect. Despite all that we have done to her, she remains as tolerant as possible and still loves us, hoping that even after our scoldings for being naughty children that we will remember & feel her love, re-remember our bond to her………

 

 

Source lost – if you know the source please share so the creator will have credit – ty

       

 

       Mother Earth is as much a part of our nature as breathing or our heart beating. She is a part of the Universe and therefore makes the Universe our relations as well. We are all connected. This Mother’s Day, I hope you remember your oldest and dearest Mother(s). I think next year, I’ll ask my daughter to get less for me and more for her. I mean think about it, without her, we are homeless and that’s not a situation any of us could survive. Show her some gratitude today and every day.

With Earthly Love,

Cheyenne Christine

Would you like to push your boundaries a little? Then join us!

I decided that I needed to try getting myself as well as my Facebook fans a little bit more out there in the world and breaking down the walls that separate so many of us.

The event is quite simple as you will see if you take a look at my Regenerating Nations page. (I can’t change it to Learning to Walk Softly yet!)

I chose a start for the next Monday so that everyone has time to work themselves up to do it.

What is it? It’s simply just getting to know someone’s name that we see regularly but, have never introduced yourself. Would you like to join us & test yourself? It’s a very gentle way to push our personal comfort zones a bit which help us remember we are ALIVE and to make connections. Connections in your neighbourhood are just important as family & life long friends. It brings a sense of safety, security & community that so many of us lack now-a-days. You never know, you could be saving someone’s life with just a smile much less an introduction.

I am not asking you to bring them home to dinner but, who knows where it could lead. You might gain a beautiful friend that you don’t know how you lived with out!

Just click HERE to join and share the journey too!

Here I am again!

It’s been a while since i’ve actually posted & I apologise. As we all know life can get a bit crazy. Weeks ago I had a bit of a throat/upper respiratory infection. I thought all would be good after a good dose of antibiotics and it was….. for that. It took another week & seeing the Dr’s twice to find out I had bronchial pneumonia – yippee! Back to the antibiotics. I can’t remember being so tired as I was for those few weeks. In the process my pseudo mother (my daughter’s paternal grandmother & beloved friend) became more ill in her fight with cancer. There were 4 hour round trip visits to her & then ultimately her death & funeral that was interspersed with my daughter’s 7th birthday party all while trying to finish healing from pneumonia.

Needless to say you were all on my mind & I kept convincing myself that I would get here to at least let you know I was alive & kicking & hadn’t given up on my effort to run this blog. I am much stronger now & have even joined a study type thing on quitting smoking (yes, there is much to be said there huh?) which includes exercise & dietary habits for 6 weeks. My plan is to return here to post at least every week if not more. I hope to see you around the blogsesphere & get some great conversations going!

Much love to you all!

Cheyenne Christine

Are you impressed with ppl paying it forward at Starbucks?

Over the summer (we are going into winter soon down here) I saw many, many posts on FB regarding paying it forward by paying for someone’s coffee at Starbucks. I read many comments of others giving then the virtual pat on the back. At first I thought it was pretty cool myself.

After seeing more & more of it I started feeling disappointed & frustrated. At first I wasn’t sure why but, then as I stood outside the grocery store trying to work out if I had enough money for the groceries I needed it hit me. Paying it forward on such luxuries as Starbucks or fast-food seemed ludicrous when so many ppl are trying to figure out how to feed themselves & their family.

Now don’t get me wrong. It is a fantastic thing. I am sure if I received a free hot drink even tho I’m not a coffee drinker I would be grateful & feel very blessed. I can only imagine what it would be to a homeless person on a cold night. The concept and the doing is sound but, after 1 or 3 of them…….

I’m not advocating people stopping this behaviour as I’m sure there is a positive ripple effect but, I’m hoping people will read this & think – perhaps I can do even better.

There is a big cost difference between a cup of coffee & some staple groceries. There are places (at least here in Melbourne) that can give you some groceries from time to time but, at least for us it has a lot of things we don’t eat it so it’s a little help but, not much at all. Many of the people I have met feel quite similar.

So what can be done? Can grocery stores start a movement like some coffee places & cafés where you can leave money towards the next person in need? Would people be incline to abuse it?

What about getting more people into things like Foodsheds (sourcing local food), Landshare, & co-ops (ppl get together & bulk buy from local farmers etc to get the best price and food possible) to get more realistic help & make paying it forward pack a harder punch?

I had meant for this to be longer & more informative but, I find that though the pneumonia I’ve been suffering from for the last few weeks is much better I get tired & foggy headed quite a bit. This post may get edited down the track but, for now, I thought it would be best to get this thought out into the blogosphere & hope that it inspires someone to act. If you come up with any alternatives to the free cup of coffee please share in the comments. Your ideas could inspire more ideas which could inspire more ideas which could…… I am sure you get the picture.

Much love & blessings,

Cheyenne

82. #crowdfeeding

I’m sharing this more our of curiosity. I’d like to apologise for the lack of posting but, I’ve been rather unwell.

I don’t see how 50 grains are going to much for starving ppl nor why it needs to be shared before the rice is donated but, I like the concept of crowd feeding. To me it seems similar to foodsheds which I think are fantastic.

Changing the world every day

Today I’m supporting someone else’s attempts to create a difference… bear with this…

There’s A Surprising Reason You’re Going To Want To Share This Blank Article….

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Something Big Is About To Happen ~ Gregg Braden

This is a total affirmation of many of my views that I’ve solidified between my love & connection to American indigenous, ecopsychology, sociology & who knows what else at this moment! I highly suggest you give the whole thing a listen. I’ll admit the first 5 minutes or so has scared me
For what it means to my geological position & life as I know it but the rest of it was just…..awesome is about as did unitive as I can get. I would LOVE to discuss this in points or in total!!!

Veraiconica's Blog

A great message from the famous author and scientist Gregg Braden in these challenging times. We must become the very things we choose to experience in our life like love and compassion.
Please don’t miss! ~ V.

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Should fat, unfit ppl work w/in the fitness industry?

How would you feel if you went to a gym, a dojo or similar place and the person who greeted you, gave you a tour or sold you a membership was visibly overweight? Have you ever seen an out of shape person at any of these type of venues?

I thought about this yesterday after seeing a help wanted ad for a Membership Consultant for a martial arts business. The job description all seems like things I would be fine doing or even excel at. I’ve always wanted to learn martial arts since my childhood days of watching Kung Fu theatre and Bruce Lee movies with my

This place offers a few different options of martial arts and is family friendly. I read the owners blog posts and really liked where he was coming from and felt a kinship of minds in a way.

All this lead me to the title question of this article. I applied to this job. Who knows if I will make it to the interview level or not but, I figured why not? After I sent it I started to think how they would react if when I walked in they saw that I was overweight and unfit. Would that take me out if the running completely? I wouldn’t be training anyone and you know they say you are the 5 ppl you hang around the most so my desire for exercise and eating better would rise based on that, right?

One of the points I saw this from is that as a fat, unfit person wouldn’t I make the people coming in feel less self-conscious & more at ease? That in turn could bring about higher conversions on membership enquires. Here’s the crux – I know en masse our society is flawed and can be very judgmental so, could it possibly work against me instead of for me? What would it do for their business if their clients, potential clients and all my followers saw the transformation from being fat & unhealthy to trim, tone & extremely healthy? Kind of like the Jared Fogle (subway guy) but, of martial arts and of his business specifically. Jared gave subway a massive income surge. Perhaps I could do the same for the martial arts studio?

What do you think? If you saw a fat person working in the fitness industries in capacities other than a trainer what would be your reaction?

I have a Hero. His name is Pat Flynn

Who the heck is Pat Flynn? and “Why do I care? You might be asking yourself. Well, he might change your life too….. He is the man on the other side of the world bringing positive change to my life. Let me start at the beginning for you. If you are short on time it’s OK as this isn’t years worth of history, far from it.

This might end up sounding like I’ve a school girl crush lol! Here is the nitty gritty on HOW he’s helped me.

I am a single mother in a non-native country with no family and very few close, supportive friends. I work a job that I dislike so much I get sick the night before and lately have started crying to and from work. I currently work 3 days a week so that I can attend appointments that relate to myself, my daughter & us as a family trying to undo all the years of abuse and live more like a happy, healthy adult and child. I hope we don’t read as more messed up then we are! It’s just trying to replace new coping skills with unhealthy ones mainly but, it’s harder than it reads. I still love the fact that I am helping people in my job but, there is so much more to it that it deserves its own blog. I was in government housing from when my daughter was 10 months old to age 5ish. To get into there I had to spend about 6 months in shelters of different sorts. Not fun. I went into private rental thinking I could get a good job quickly after we moved in. Ooops. THAT did not happen. To shorten it all, I had to move out of that place after 6 months of a 12 month lease. I was lucky to find a cheaper place closer to the mountains & fresh air – ahhhh, now all will be well. Then, work doesn’t have consistent schedules for us which, I find out when working with the elderly & disabled is quite common. Well, I budgeted based on set amount of hours so this long and fairly regular reoccurrence screwed me. I’ve been hanging on by a teeny, tiny, weak, thread, not even living paycheck to paycheck. I’ve been applying for jobs but, even other cleaning jobs I seem to be passed over for. WTH?

This is where Pat comes into it all –

I am starting to believe it’s the Universe telling me to trust in myself. I can help myself and help others! I can follow Pat’s advice and it’s gonna be HARD but, I’ll be able to ‘Crush It’ (by Gary Vanderchuck. Couldn’t find an affiliate link for Pat on this). In essence, I haven’t totally lost the plot, given up, robbed a bank (never would, don’t worry!) or worse because of Pat Flynn’s podcast to everyone on how to do it easier by learning from him for FREE. Yep, he does so much for free I am amazed he still has over $50K a month coming in then I remember how loyal I am and will ALWAYS choose to click his affiliates when I get the $$$’s. Combine that with his lovely, kind, honest, straight forward approach and it’s a winner all around. Am I a super loyal follower? HELL YES! I talk about Pat so much ppl are gonna start talking about me talking about him lol. I just wanna give him a big damn hug & say THANK YOU! I haven’t “made” it or “crushed it” yet but, I will. Am I making any money yet? I wish! BUT, I am also very new, still struggling to understand soooo much that is around the basics Pat explains so, for my 42 yr old mind who is use to letting others set things up & handing them to me…..It’s a bit slow growing (yes growing and not going) the comprehension. It’s OK. He inspires me, makes me laugh and gives me hope when I am scrubbing toilets, vacuuming, cleaning showers, etc that this will NOT be my future. That is enough to stop the permanent flip over to the abyss. I know….if I can keep it all together for a little while longer I will not only be helping people but, I will be making money do it as well.

Let me tell you how I “tripped over”, “stumbled across” Pat……..

One day after leaving my counselling session of sobbing and ranting about my current life predicament I was in the car and a thought came to me that I HAVE to change this (ahhh duh) and I need to figure out how to make money fast (and legally mind you). I have this app (don’t we all lol!) which is called Apple-Itunes- Podcast that I had been using to devour FANTASTIC content on some of my favourite subjects (I’ll blog about those later). It dawned on me that I could look there for information that might help me crawl my way out of destitute and stress and give myself and my daughter a better life. Mind you, I already had some GREAT (feedback I had received) ideas for businesses that hopefully will change perspectives around the world but, all of them take one big thing that I do not have enough of money. I’m still drowning and floating all at the same time. Fun huh?

Annnnyyyywwwaaayyyyy, I put in a search into the app & honestly I can’t remember my searchword. It must have been entrepreneurship or something like that. I downloaded 2 immediately and 1 of those was Pat’s Smart Passive Income With Pat Flynn. Honestly, I listened to the other guy first. I was feeling a bit inspired by this other guy but after 6 or 7 podcasts I started to realise that for a myriad of reasons it just wasn’t what I needed and it would get me no where I was aiming for. Then I listened to Pat’s and I thought – yeah, I like him. In the podcast I listened too at the time referred back to a range of podcasts in his series that he had completed. I decided I’d listen started at Podcast 15 – Types of Passive Income Generated Online and What to Expect From Each – Part 1. That was it. I was HOOKED and now I am in LOVE! Not the ohhh I want to be with him and live happily ever after love but, a deep down, heart crushing gratitude love for him AND his family.

If you have gotten this far I can imagine some of you saying -“So what? How can he help me? I don’t see how he’s so great.” Here’s the thing. I’m 42 and have had MANY different jobs in MANY different industries not to mention most of my lifetime in the world of abuse so for the most part I can pick-up dishonest, sleazy or out to get ya type people and my friends, I am here to say THAT ain’t Pat! 

First of Pat gives it to you straight but kindly. He doesn’t make the listener feel like an idiot by any stretch of the imagination and he’s real, down to earth, transparent and honest. This is the type of person I believe myself to be but, when you are freaking out because you might become homeless again the primal part of you wants to go for the preverbal jugular and get the “meat” needed to provide for the pack. All I could think about was I want ppls money and I want it NOW. Thank goodness I found Pat. His easy going and highly informative podcasts are also like a guiding light. He reminds you often that you DO have to “Work hard now to reap the benefits later”, to be transparent, honest, do something YOU are passionate about and above all do it for your followers. That’s like hearing my sane voice because my whole point with everything I’ve desired to create these last few years has all been about positively impacting you – the world – my earthmates and all our living friends which kind of selfishly will make my micro-world better too. I live for it. I am a carer by birth, a creative by natural design and an innovator by desire.

Is Pat Flynn on a pedestal? You are damn straight he is! Lol. The thing is, I have been disappointed by him and yet, I still love & respect him. You guys don’t really know me yet but, that there is saying something HUGE. Don’t get me wrong, Pat hasn’t done anything “wrong”. He says he will always do his best to respond to emails, FB posts, Blog comments, tweets etc and he does but, not always. Fair enough! Has he missed some of mine? Yep. Did I mope? Yep lol but, you know what…. it’s making me work it out on my own and not use him as a crutch.  When you get to know him and I hope MANY of you will you will understand when the man says – BE EVERYWHERE, he IS. Smart Passive Income is on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, YouTube, Itunes Podcast and of course he has his blog. Another great thing is that he puts his family first so his being everywhere is after he’s enjoyed his family time. That kicks arse! He seems to have his priorities the right way round where most of the world still has it arse-backwards. 

So do you get it? Can you see how Pat is helping me and can help change the world? How much would society change if we are all living our passions? What am I about? Changing the world and Pat is helping me put one foot in front of the other when the weight of 2 worlds (mine & my almost 7 yr old DD) is on my shoulders. Perhaps you aren’t in as dire of a place or you are doing ok doing what you are doing but, wouldn’t you want to be more than OK? Please, let me know what you think, if you follow him or any other comment you have.

And Pat, if you read this… I am tearing up as I say there are no words that truly express my gratitude to you and I hope one day after I crush it that I can do you a favour in return or at least get to shake your hand. I am trying to move at the speed of instructions and know I’m stumbling but, I also know it’s OK. Again thank you & bless you & yours xo

 

“You can’t do that! Stories have to be about White people”

This is an AWESOME blog post that made me realize how insular most of us, especially people of predominantly white heritages are blind. I feel a call inside to bring awareness to others and ask that you share this blog or at least it’s message.

I have alway been aware to share many cultural books with my daughter. At nearly 7 the only stories she has written have been about puppies lol but, she has made comments before that as an adult I have found racists and have been shocked to my core. I have Chinese friends, Maori friends, Native American, Indian and of course other white friends but, maybe she needs more exposure and perhaps role models be it in books, history, movies or the arts of some form so that the barriers of communicating with others is a barrier no longer. Much love and please, let’s do something to change this for the betterment of the world

Media Diversified

Young Writers of Colour

by Hip Hop Teacher

I’ve spent almost two decades teaching in English primary schools, which serve multiracial, multicultural, multifaith communities. I want to explore two things I have noticed.

1)    Almost without exception, whenever children are asked to write a story in school, children of colour will write a story featuring white characters with ‘traditional’ English names who speak English as a first language.

2)    Teachers do not discuss this phenomenon.

Furthermore, simply pointing these two things out can lead to some angry responses in my experience.

Why are you making an issue of race when children are colourblind?”

is an example of the sort of question that sometimes gets asked.

Well let’s look at that. If children were writing stories where the race of characters was varied and random, there might be some merit in claiming that children are colourblind. However, even proponents of racial…

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A Big THANK YOU!

I have been meaning to say thank you to those lovely people who have started following me. I really appreciate it and know it’s hard to make that decision when there isn’t a lot of content nor am I yet to get it out consistently but, I plan on it! So this is a shout out to – #jschubertdesigns @ http://tremblinginsidethecocoon.wordpress.com 

#citiesoflight @ http://citiesoflight.wordpress.com

#JoeSeeber @ http://joeseeberblog.wordpress.com

#opinionatedman @ http://shatteredsmoke.com/

#Juliansherman @ http://juliansherman.net

 

Need to stop the slow suicide

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Suicide. Most of us think of it that something that happens abruptly. We think of quick devastation and the swirl of regret and betrayal. It's not an easy thing to contemplate nor deal with the aftermath. My heart goes out to those who have attempted it, those who have succeeded & those impacted by it. I once was suicidal. I spent most of my teen years and most of my 20's thinking death was the answer of course I never wanted to damage someone else by then finding me and I worried what wld happen if I didn't succeed.

I'm in my early 40's now and as you might have read in the about me I want to keep changing my life for the better. Here is the issue – I've realized I'm still committing suicide but, just slowly and in more "socially acceptable" ways. It's something a thought I've had off and on for a couple of years now & I've not been able to get it out if my head for the last few days. It might seem weird but, it's true.

You may wonder what in the world am I on about? Well, let's see…..I started having asthmatic problems around age 18/19, not that long after starting smoking. Did I stop? No. So, I've been a smoker all these years.

Next – my main coping methods that I trained myself to have over my lifetime mainly in abusive situations – To sleep as much as possible, to eat "junk" food and to drink cola. Doesn't sound suicidal?

I think it's a fast-ish tract to death. I knew to never drink much (wasn't keen on vomiting anyway) nor drugs (always afraid to get busted) because I wanted to "do more with my life" than waste away on that "crap".

Yet, here I am. I'm overweight, I have a sensitive liver that started down the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, my cholesterol is a bit high, I have a heart irregularity (abbreviated R.V.O.T.), I still have asthma & I'm on the cusp of having full blown stage 1 emphysema.

The crux is, I want to be better heck I need to be better but, I find I some how legitimately mess up tho I realize after it was total self-sabotage. I hate myself for doing. I hate my daughter learning this from me. I seem to have a week a month where I think – yes, I can do this! I can work it all out, I can get past it and the other 3 or so weeks are crap.

I'm slowly killing myself. There are many of us out there really. We don't like to think of it as such but, it's true don't you think? We do these things to cope and/or as a crutch when in reality they are killing us. We excuse it away. Ppl say you are doing a good enough job or that you can't be perfect or a superhero but, what's the alternative? What are we saying to those we love? If we are continuing, do we really love ourselves or kidding ourselves?

I'd love to hear your thoughts wether in support or against so please, take a moment. Who knows, what you say may change my or others lives.

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