No we are not crazy.
For awhile now, I have slowly been getting into natural living and using less chemicals at home. Heck this weekend I am gonna try for the first time and make our own laundry soap! Watch out Pioneer Woman.
I have been amazed at all the ways hazardous chemicals are in so many different products we use daily in our homes. I love getting inspired by other bloggers trying new idea's to live a more natural life; like when Olivia went on her toxic deo detox.
A good friend a mine had a Norwex party at the beginning of the summer. Norwex is a company that works to create and offer products for people to radically reduce chemicals in their homes. They everything from window cloths to toothbrushes that don't require toothpaste.
So as Jim and I looked together at the catalog, we both were instantly struck by these toothbrushes that don't even need toothpaste. So how does that work??
The toothbrush has microfiber bristles that have an INCREDIBLE amount of surface area and "grabby" power that lifts off the strep bacteria that cause cavities and bad breath. It also has silver in the brush bristles that when met with water is a way for the toothbrush to actually clean itself. A self-sanitizing toothbrush?! I know. #crazy
Yes we do still keep toothpaste at home, and use it on occasion because honestly who doesn't like the minty aftertaste? And Jim is a mouthwash snob so he uses that as well.
I go to the dentist in a few weeks. Gotta wonder what that conversation goes like when I tell her I am going paste-less...
But one thing, no mo paste at least gives me back some dignity when tooth brushing. Because more often than I'd like to admit I looked like this:
Are you into natural living and using chemical-free products? What are your favorites? Why is it worth the effort for you and or your family?
I have always been intense on setting goals and working hard to achieve them. Sometimes I would flake out and give up, but other times I would rock it out hard-core style like this training for a half marathon insanity.
I began a new adventure in 2015, a different but more intentional way of chasing after my dreams and goals in life. For awhile now, I had been hearing about these things called powersheets, a product created by Lara Casey to help people strategically plan their goals while focusing on what really matters in life. Sure a stack of papers in a binder are not magic and don't just figure life out for you. But the intentional work and focus I have put in them the last 6 months has really stretched me in the best possible ways.
What I have found most helpful about using powersheets are the prep work to help you get started. It gave me space to write down big dreams, while honestly reviewing what worked and didn't work for me the last year. I became reminded of the purposeful living I wanted more in my life, and what really fires me up and fills my soul.
As I began working through my goals over the last six months, I began to see little by little that action+patience+grace makes things happen. I realized that getting something done is more important than having it perfect.
Where I succeded/grew:
- Exercise became a regular part of life...go figure I actually like it now! I never realized how prioritizing my physical health would help me love myself better
- Learned how to be more spontaneous and live life less by a schedule
- Read A LOT of good books (so far I'm already up to 36 this year!)
- Boundaries and less negative self-talk
- Embracing more simplistic way of life
- Keeping a gratitude journal
- Forming genuine friendships
Where I struggled:
- Even with growth in more structured social media use, I saw how MUCH it can overtake my life and prevent me from enjoying the present moment in front of me
- Becoming aware of codependant and mothering tendencies in my marriage (thank you therapy:)
- Making my phone an idol
- Trying to stick with doing a pure social media fast every other weekend...pretty much crashed and burned here
- Journaling about my feelings every single day (thank you therapy X2)
- Creating structure every morning to make time for both running and prayer/Scripture reading
Six months ago when I started my first set of powersheets, I was uncertain and fearful about a lot of things in life. I had big dreams but seriously doubted how or if I could make them a reality. But here I am six months later, and life feels a little more intentional and richer. Life is not by any means perfect, but it is filled with more simplicity, joy, and peace.
Are you into goal setting? What helps you make your dreams and goals happen? How do you not lose focus?
P.S. If you are interested in finding out more about powersheets, head over to Lara's website. For the next year, she will have several different options for using the powersheets in your life. Go check them out, I personally have found them very helpful and encouraging:)
Making real friendships over the years for me at times has proven difficult and confusing. It has taken me awhile to find "my people." This past Saturday, reminded me yet again of the important need for real, genuine sisterhood in my life.
On a whim over the last month, Rakhi, Jenna, and I decided to host together a BIS brunch to ladies of southeast Michigan. What started off as pondering over a Facebook message, turned into the loveliest morning with over 40 women present.
Great food, beautiful women, an awesome talk on authentic sisterhood by Mary, and did I mention we had mimosas coming out of our ears?! ;-) I don't know how to describe but there is something so enriching for my soul to gather with other women and just be together.
Mary gave a heartfelt talk that hit home with all of us on what makes up genuine sisterhood. Her inspiration came from C.S. Lewis' words on friendship. But being the spicy gal Mary is she tweaked them a bit to relate to talking on sisterhood: "Friendship is born at that moment where one person says to another: What, you too? I thought I was the only one."
True sisterhood begins to blossom and grow when you can look at each other and say "What you too? I thought I was the only one!" Sometimes as women it is so easy to feel alone; alone in our jobs, vocations, marriages, and certainly our struggles and burdens. We cannot have true, genuine community if we hid behind our masks and keep pretending.
Mary specifically mentioned affirmation, honesty, and unity in prayer as tangible things that make up genuine sisterhood. We have to be willing to be real with each other. Lay down our messes and stop hiding behind the allure of a picture perfect Instagrammed life. We as women need to be each other's cheerleaders and affirm the heck outta each other!! This is crazy important especially as the culture today does more using, abusing, and objectifying of women than has ever been done before. And how can it all work together if we are not united in prayer?!
All of us need each other, no matter our vocation or job status. As the culture grows more toxic, women of all ages need each other for support and encouragement. Each of us has gifts that we can share and use to build others up. And somehow when we can come together united in our faith, the world seems a little less scary and threatening. I become encouraged and know I am really not alone.
Some of the richest and most meaningful friendships I have developed over the last year have felt like the words of that C.S. Lewis quote.
When I know I am not alone it gives me courage to keep trucking onward...and to share that with other women is exactly what makes up genuine sisterhood.
What do you think makes genuine sisterhood? Have you ever experienced that with a community of women in your own life? How has that made a positive impact in your life?
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