cff July 2015 | Simple and Serene Living

Monday, July 27, 2015

ROLL OUT THOSE SUMMER DAYS

"Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer......". 

The days are steamy and the nights are languorous, and I love it. 


I want to wrap it all up in little boxes tied with pretty bows, hide them away, and pull them out throughout the rest of the year. 

Summer lays itself out, like a picnic on a red checkered tablecloth, just waiting for us to sit down and enjoy the feast. 

fresh picked summer peaches fruit produce summer

Dip your toes into its warm waters.

Turn your face up into its hot sun. 

Smell the soft scents of the colorful bouquets that are flourishing all around you. 

Taste its fresh offerings. 



Summer is like an old freight train. It sneaks slowly into the station, stops briefly, and then speeds away almost before we noticed that it was here. 

I want to whisper softly in its ear to stay forever, but I know that just as it does, year after year, it will leave and I will be left with just its sweet memories. 

In the meantime I will embrace its simple moments. I will bathe in its serenity. 

post signature
post signature

Monday, July 20, 2015

WHY WE SHOULD BUY LOCAL PRODUCE

Summer means that there is an abundance of fresh produce, and the local farmers seem to be everywhere selling it. Buying local produce is always the best option, and we should never undervalue it. 



According to Local Harvest, "by doing so you'll be helping preserve the environment, and you'll be strengthening your community by investing your food dollar close to home. Only 18 cents of every dollar, when buying at a large supermarket, go to the grower. 82 cents go to various unnecessary middlemen. Cut them out of the picture and buy your food directly from your local farmer." 



It takes approximately seven days for produce to arrive on the shelves of a supermarket. During that time the produce is losing its nutrient value. If you are purchasing produce that was grown in another country, the time of transport is even longer. Think of the fossil fuels that are being used to transport all of that produce and what that is doing to the environment. 


One of the things I love about shopping from local farmers is that I can talk to the farmer face to face. I can look them in the eye and ask questions like when was this picked and is your produce grown organically or do you use pesticides.


Buying produce directly from the farmer helps to support local families. It puts money back into the local economy and helps to sustain the local tax base. 

The best reason of all for buying local produce is that, not only is it better for us, it just simply tastes better. All in all it is a win win situation in leading a simple healthier life.
post signature
post signature

Monday, July 13, 2015

HOW TO OVERCOME SELF DOUBT

Just like a thief in the night, it sneaks up on you, that niggling little voice that erodes your self-confidence and leaves you wondering if you are doing something wrong or possibly not doing anything right. 

The next thing you know you are thinking that you will never reach your goals. 



overcoming self doubt


Self-doubt happens to all of us, and it seems to love the job it has taken on of tormenting us. 

Its mean voice loves to tell us that we can never be successful or have our dreams. It laughs at us when we make a mistake or take a misstep. It compares us to others whom we perceive as being more successful. 

follow your dreams



We don't have to listen to that voice, though. When self-doubt rears its ugly head, we have to remember all of the things we have accomplished in our lives. Remember that all of the missteps we took led us down a better path. Remember all of the times we have faced fear and conquered it. 

Some steps you can take to overcome self-doubt:
  • When self-doubt starts to whisper in your ear take a step away. 
  • Find a place of peace to sit quietly. 
  • Listen to the positive thoughts instead of the negative ones.
  • Meditate 
  • Look inside and find your inner peace. 
  • Know that you are the expert on you. 
You are never alone in your self doubting. It is something that we all face in our lives, but remember that you, not that voice of self-doubt, are in control.  

Shop Books:

Banish Your Inner Critic

The Self-Confidence Workbook

Practicing Mindfulness

Meditations on Self-Love

Until we meet again join me on PinterestInstagram, and Etsy.

This post contains affiliate links for which I may receive a small commission. This does not affect your
cost. Purchases made through these links help to support this blog. 

Monday, July 6, 2015

KEEP SWIMMING


It's summer, the time when you want to jump in a pool or the ocean and start swimming. Maybe when you get to the pool you see how crowded it is with other swimmers and you stay out of the water because it seems like there just isn't enough room for you. Or maybe you are standing on the beach at the edge of the ocean and you are afraid to go in because you are afraid that you will be eaten by the sharks. 

Life is like swimming. We can be afraid to dive in because we are afraid that there are already too many people doing what we want to do, or we are afraid of the human sharks that may attack us if we try.



The things is, we can never succeed in life if we remain standing at the edge of the pool or the ocean. Failure happens when we stop trying. I know that in my life I have had many times when I have seen myself as a failure, but I realize that the only times I actually failed were the times I stopped trying. When I learned from my mistakes and kept swimming I was never a failure. 

There is always going to be a bully in the pool that splashes water in your face and pushes your head under, or a wave in the ocean that knocks you over, but if you get up and keep swimming you will never be a failure because the act of trying equals success.

So come on in and keep trying. The water is great.





post signature