Showing posts with label 30 days of change. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 30 days of change. Show all posts

Saturday 30 April 2022

Ultimate Blog Challenge - Last Day of 30 Days!!

 



The 30 Day Ultimate Blog Challenge has come to an end with this being the last post. It has been great being part of the challenge, I did it alongside the current 100 Days of Foam Stamps challenge that you can see the daily or weekly stamps.

What I Learned From the Blog Challenge

Pace - I think that I learn to pace myself better, half way through the challenge I became stuck, I had wanted to plan my posts ahead of time but things got in the way and there were quite a few days where I had decided that I didn't want to do it any more.  

Self Care - After taking a week off I decided that I would just show up and share what I was doing at the time and if any other gems of inspiration came forth that would also be shared. - I have linked to other interesting posts for the days that I missed.



Meeting other Bloggers - I was glad I decided to go for it again and came out the other end having connected with some other interesting and inspiring bloggers, there was so much to learn from others and I will be spending time going over some of the posts that I didn't get a chance to read over the 30 days.

Celebrate Each Step - The other thing I learnt was to celebrate each and every step, writing blog posts can become overwhelming and when you celebrate the steps that you have taken you encourage yourself even more.


I Missed blogging
- I also realized how much I missed blogging, I had let my posts generally slip, posting sporadically, and after the challenge I will be posting on a more regular basis about some of the creative projects I am really looking forward to it!

You can catch the rest of the Ultimate Blog Challenge posts that I did HERE

In conclusion - Overall, taking part in the challenge and sharing all my posts reminded me that I love creating, and sharing what I have been doing, teaching techniques and connecting with others.  I hope you have enjoyed visiting my blog and I hope you come back and see what other things I will be sharing over the course of the week.

Do come and join me on some of my other channels

Let me know what has inspired you on your visit to the blog and if you have been tempted to do a challenge of your own.  

Stay Blessed and Be a Blessing,


Amandax


Monday 1 January 2018

Happy New Year - New 31 Days challenges!

 Happy New Year 
to You and your family!!!. 

I hope that your dreams and desires for this year are realized.  As you break all the tasks down and take small steps every day before you know it you will have achieved what ever it is you are striving for.

This month I will be working on a new YouTube channel called - The Creative Gardener, which looks at all the plants that I love growing in my garden and the tropical environment (which means that everything grows so much bigger).  


I want to share my journey of starting from scratch in the garden to developing a tropical paradise, and I am also keen to learn about the medicinal and nutritional properties of plants.  The artist in me has to come out as well and I will and will also be sharing a few outdoor creative projects.



The other thing I will be doing for this month is sharing with you my 31 Art Studio Essentials for creativity.  


It can be hard to find time for some creative play and over the next 31 days I will be sharing with you some of the ways in which I manage to find time, and they are very easy things that you can incorporate into your day as well.



Look forward to seeing you on this journey.  I will be sharing the first posts later on today!

Blessings await for 2018!!

Wednesday 22 March 2017

Not another Challenge - Welcome to the Overflow - Tips for overload




Do you want to take part in a challenge
course or webinar?? 

How many resolutions have you made?

I think most of us do at some point or another, and in January everyone wants to get set to make the most of the ‘New Year’s Resolutions’ and see changes in their life. By February, we are a bit shocked at how quickly the time has passed and now that we are in the middle of March how many courses have you signed up for now??
  
How many challenges, courses and webinars can you really do?  We take on them on because we want to progress, there can be some great teaching that comes out of a challenge or course your insights and perspectives can be changed, if only you could keep up and stick to the end.  


10 Day Challenge in your own time




I recently created a 10 day Challenge, where you take 10 minutes each day for 10 days and I give you a creative prompt to try.  You may or may not have been able to keep up as finding the time for ourselves can be hard.  The great thing about the challenge that I created is that you can get the prompts all in one booklet for you to go at your own pace and it is entirely free when you sign up to my mailing list.  I had to really discipline myself to stick to the challenge.

Old Habits ......


Mixed Media Art - Amanda Trought, Realityarts


Are you one of those people that like to sign up for a lot of challenges, courses or webinars and then don't follow through.  It is very easy to do, we sign up for a challenge and then do not complete it, we feel guilty, can you relate to this dilemma?  It is the dreaded signup for 'lots of different things' and then the realization that you really can't see them all to the end.

You start out with the best of intentions but you totally over estimate how much time you actually have, whether you have the tools for the job and even if you are in the right frame of mind to stick to it.  You can also end up confirming the thoughts that 'I can never stick to anything' or 'why am I always giving up on things' syndrome, or hearing the critic who says (see I told you!  You never finish anything do you????)

If you can relate I want you to stop now and think about the following things:


  • Take stock of where you are in this very moment;
  • Think about what you have on your plate;
  • Can you really fit another thing in or should you be letting something go? and 
  • What would it need to look like for you to manage the additional tasks?

You are worth it!

You have to decide what you are worth and the things that you need to say yes to.  You have to recognize how you work best and what your creative style is like - Do you thrive in having multiple balls up in the air, or pieces of art unfinished around you, or does it send you in a spin and then immobilize you like a dear in headlights?



Solutions - There are some key points

When you work out how much you are worth to yourself, (and that’s a whole different post) you will also start to consider what it would take to make the things you have committed to happen.

Don't try and overload yourself with courses, there is only so much you can do.  It is better to finish one and then start another one than to have two half finished courses given up because you found another one you really like.  You should think about what you want to achieve at the end and the rewards may outweigh the sacrifice and hard work.  You need to get some perspective and when you really take a step back, you can objectively see what needs to be done and start taking the steps to see things move along.

Ultimately you have to be realistic about the time you do have and what you’re going to do to get the jobs done, or whether you have to walk away from the challenge. My advice if you are like me is to keep it simple.  I love getting involved with different challenges, sharing and knowing that something I enjoy can help someone else.   

Mixed Media Art

So the long and short of it is to go for it but take these points into consideration: 

Conclusion

In a nutshell here are the main pointers for you:

1. Take stock of where you are;
2. Ask yourself what you need to manage the additional tasks;
3. Decide your worth, how much do you value your time;
4. What is your creative working style like – (lots of things on the go or one at a time);
5. What it would take to make it all happen and complete the journey;
6. What do you want to achieve at the end, does rewards outweigh the sacrifice and hard work;
7. How much time do you really have - Be realistic - do you need to take on this additional challenge/course now?  Are you willing to walk away, or reschedule for a later date?
8. Keep it simple, break it down into doable chunks and don't feel guilty! 
  
I hope you continue to join me on this creative journey, and where I can share creative hints and tips I will be more than happy.

Think about the things that take up your time and how you can change things to work better for you – there’s a challenge for you!!

Let me know how you get on, what are you working on at the moment, what do you find challenging?


Tuesday 17 June 2014

Smoothie Love - Day 30!

Well, it is the last day of the 30 days of change - Smoothie Love, and I have been making a smoothie each day with a host of delicious fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

I have managed to get my routine sorted and it has become like second nature, along with drinking more water each day.  For the exercise part of the challenge I had been doing gentle exercise, but for the next 30 days will really get going and focusing on making sure that I get out and about.  I wanted to incorporate creativity it may either be photography or art journaling.

Here is the ingredients for the smoothie for today: Carrot, Pear, Banana, Mango, Cashews, Almond Milk, Kiwi for the garnish.



Whatever you decided to do for the next 30 days here are a few tips to keep you going: 

  1. Take one day at a time;
  2. Follow through;
  3. If you have an off day don't just scrap the whole thing, but start again tomorrow; 
  4. Don't be too hard on yourself, change takes time;
  5. Enjoy yourself!

The smoothie is part of the 30 days of change, click on the image below to see what it involves.

30 Days of Change


Monday 16 June 2014

Smoothie Love Day 29

Smoothie Love Day 29

The smoothies posts technically should have finished today, but I must have miscalculated the 30 days somehow, which is not a problem as the smoothies have been delicious.  

If you have been joining me I am sure that you would have noticed a number of benefits to your health and well-being.  Along the way I decided to cut down all the changes that I would be making and focus on getting the nutrition from the smoothies and drinking more water.  The exercises started today, and I spent quite a bit of time in the garden making changes to plant location and cutting back.  Its coming on and I will share some images - might even do a garden video walk round.   

The smoothie for today consisted of Banana, Mango, Tangerine, Melon, Almond milk, Carrots, and melon.


I am looking forward to combining making the smoothies and getting more exercise. Come back tomorrow for Day 30 Smoothie.

The smoothie is part of the 30 days of change, click on the image below to see what it involves.


30 Days of Change

Sunday 15 June 2014

Smoothie Love Day - 27 and 28

For some reason I thought that I had posted yesterdays smoothie, but here it is, another delicious blend of flavors.  


This smoothie has the following ingredients: Pear, Apple, Mango, Banana, Goji berries, Cashew nuts, Almond milk, it was delicious and I made some for all the family.  Today we have all had this smoothie, to start us off.


Only two more postings to go for the Smoothie Love!
The smoothie is part of the 30 days of change, click on the image below to see what it involves.


30 Days of Change

Friday 13 June 2014

Gratitude's and Celebration Journal - Week 47 - Don't let the energy drainers in your life

Don't let the energy drainers into your life - focus on what matters most.....

I have missed a couple of weeks of the gratitude's journal, which coincided with my making a healthier change. It has or seems to be full on, as I am also decluttering and clearing our home, waiting in for builders who come when they please even after making arrangements. The toothache has gone, the hay fever has come and the earth is still rotating. Did anyone see the full moon last night

As I was clearing the bedroom, well, I am still clearing, and just having a break, I thought I was making headway and it looks messier than when I started. The plan was to go through all the draws, remove what wasn't needed, wanted or broken and make room. But along the way something triggers a memory and as you follow it you leave behind a trail. The 30 days of change - Smoothie Love posts are coming to an end and will be replaced by a fitness change of sorts.

The image I did for today's post really speaks to the chaos, but there is method in the chaos and you can find beauty, you just have to see it through and be patient. Deciding what things to focus on in your life is so important and the way you prioritize will make the difference between something that will make a positive difference in your life or will add more stress.


I am grateful today and celebrate choice, and pray for discernment to make the right choices for the coming week.

What can you do for you that will really make a difference to those you allow in your person space? What do you need to focus on at the moment?


Gratitude's and Celebration Journal - Full of Inspiration!

Have a blessed weekend! If you want to see how I made the journal (click here) Blessings!

Smoothie Love Day 26

Smoothie Love - Day 26 of 30 days of change

Starting out early this morning.  Have a lot on and I sometimes underestimate how long something will take.  This challenge is a good example.  Our good health cannot be gained by a quick fix miracle drug, nor overnight sensations.  We have to be determined in our minds that the benefits that we will achieve through taking time to invest in our health far out weighs where we currently are at the moment, and that you are willing to do all that is necessary to take the daily steps - each and every day, when you feel like it and more importantly when you don't.

I haven't really spoken about the exercise routine over the past few weeks, other than at the beginning that a minimum of 30 minutes will be spent exercising.  I have not been as consistent as I would have hoped, and done a little here and there, but not enough to make a dent.  I will be picking up the pace when I complete the smoothie posting on Monday, and I want to incorporate a creative aspect to my exercising, whether it is take a picture or create something in my journal.

Anyway, here is the smoothie for the day - it is a mixed one, and it contains:  Raspberries, Strawberries, Blackberries, Banana, Mango, Melon and Almond milk.



The smoothie is part of the 30 days of change, click on the image below to see what it involves.

30 Days of Change

Thursday 12 June 2014

Smoothie Love - Day 25

Smoothie Love

I shared yesterday the missing smoothies from the 30 days of change, one of the things that I have been benefiting from is the increased nutrients that I am getting each day.  I think that the smoothies are now going to be part of my way of life.

I was thinking that it would be great to have a light weight portable mini blender to be able to take with you when you go on holiday or away from home.  I am going to experiment with some of the more tropical Caribbean fruit in a smoothie such as Sweetsop, Soursop, and Jackfruit.  

What has been your favorite Smoothie so far?

Smoothie for today ingredients includes: Logan berries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Strawberries and Almond milk, 



The smoothie is part of the 30 days of change, click on the image below to see what it involves.




30 Days of Change



Wednesday 11 June 2014

Smoothie Love - Missing Days 12 - 16, 18 & 19

Smoothie Love - Missing Days

I remembered that I hadn't posted the smoothies for days 12 - 16, 18 and 19, for those who have been following.  I explained what happened in my posts HERE and HERE.  I can't quite believe time has flown so quickly and there has been many lessons learnt that I have posted, and a few more besides. 

Only a few more days left for the postings for 30 days of Change and I will still continue to make smoothies, I will always be on the look out for some unusual ingredients and combinations, that help enhance and maintain health.  Looking after our health and well-being is key.  Everything we can do to enhance and increase our health will benefit us when we need it most.

If you have any questions about the recipes please let me know and I will be happy to answer them.

Here are the missing days and ingredients:

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 18

Day 19

The smoothie is part of the 30 days of change, click on the image below to see what it involves.

30 Days of Change

Smoothie Love - Day 24

Smoothie Love Day 24

Smoothie for the day for the 30 days of change...

Got off to another good start had to leave out early this morning so I didn't have time to wash and cut up fruit. Used frozen in this recipe, and it will stay chilled until I get to my mums. She has the builders in so having something with me that can fill the gap and taste good is essential. Haven't yet had my water quota for the day, but will work on it. 

Here is today's smoothie: Mango Chunks, Banana, Almond milk, Grapes, Melon and Tangerine.


The smoothie is part of the 30 days of change, click on the image below to see what it involves.



Tuesday 10 June 2014

Smoothie Love - Day 23

Smoothie Love Day 23


Smoothie for the day for the 30 days of change...

Got off to a good start this morning, with a smoothie, slightly chilled because I used some frozen fruit, our weather is hotting up over here so it is a welcomed addition to the smoothie. I also managed to drink more water which is good for the system. 

My grandson Malakai and step daughter Ahisha came round to visit and it was a great excuse to make some more smoothie and get some more vitamins in.


More smoothie to go round!
Malakai is used to having smoothies - his parents make them regularly, so he knows when he is on to a good thing.  He really enjoyed it especially in this heat, it made a refreshing drink, though I think that he was expecting a bigger glass!
Malakai enjoying his smoothie
After he finished his Smoothie he was after more, I wonder what he would have made of yesterdays smoothie!


Here is today's smoothie: Mango, Banana, Apple, Melon, Cabbage, Almond Milk

It definitely hit the spot!




The smoothie is part of the 30 days of change, click on the image below to see what it involves.



Sunday 8 June 2014

Smoothie Love - Day 21

Smoothie Love Day 21

Smoothie for the day for the 30 days of change...

I thought I would get this post up in time for you to follow the recipe if you wish. Smoothies are a great way to get your vitamins and minerals in your system. Depending what you put in them they can be a power house of goodness.

As with any smoothie you can adapt the recipes as you wish, adding or taking away an ingredient. The smoothies over the past few days you will notice don't have any cabbage in them, I have to get some more tomorrow. But you can chose from a wide variety - kale, spinage, red and green cabbage and loads more, just give them a try.


Here is today's smoothie: Pear, Banana, Mango chunks, Fruit Salad mix, Cashew nuts, Raisins, Almond Milk


The smoothie is part of the 30 days of change, click on the image below to see what it involves.

Wednesday 4 June 2014

Smoothie Love - Day 17

Smoothie Love Day 17


Smoothie for the day for the 30 days of change...

Ok, so I missed a few days, stuff happens, and you have to go with the flow, walk round, jump over and a whole load of other things while you are at it. I made the smoothies, but didn't get to post for a whole host of reasons, some of which I shared in yesterdays post about Taking time out. The main thing is to make sure you take note of whatever lessons you are to learn, then as you move on you are able to see where the possible pitfalls may show their face again.

Here is today's smoothie: Grapes, kiwi, blueberries, raisins, cashew nuts, coconut milk, and spinage.
The kiwi wasn't very sweet and so there were slightly sharp undertones, but it still tastes good. I have stocked up on supplies so looking forward to the coming recipes.


Smoothie Love - Day 17
The smoothie is part of the 30 days of change, click on the image below to see what it involves.

Tuesday 3 June 2014

Taking time out


I've taken time out, so it seems, well, its pretty evident.  Not sure what happened, felt stuck, as if I were in a fog and could only see a hands width in front of me.  I didn't know when it started, but it felt like the moment that I had resolved to make changes that there would be some resistance.

I think I had taken to much on my plate, as well as posting I am taking part in the courses - Soul Food and Life book, as well as dealing with the day to day.  I think the challenge would have been fine if I didn't try and do a vlog and edit and post. Keeping it real via the video is what I wanted but it seem to take forever and a day to load a 15 minute ramble, and then the fog came, and I stopped.

On top of all this as a family we have mourned the loss of my brother - Robert, there is no preparation to how you will feel, or how to deal with it all, .  The year has gone quickly, it's weird, and then again feels like forever, the loss still raw in our hearts and minds.  We remember his joy, his sense of humor, his love, warmth, his strength.

I paint, I draw, I create, as a way through.  I remember my conversations with Robert and the things I said I would explore, so many things that I don't want to let anymore time pass before I get to do them, and so I change.  Change is good.  I am still going to make the healthy changes that I said I would, I just won't worry about giving you a blow by blow video update, because essentially I want to pour all of that time into creating. I want to paint, I need to paint, it has become as essential to my heart as breathing is to my lungs, and a way to allow the heart to heal from the loss of the past few years.  Perhaps this is another lesson learnt from the challenge.

I will share with you some of the pieces as I finish them, and I am quite excited by the some of them. This painting is called Together...it is about our relationships
Together - Mixed media

Together - Though time and dimensions may separate, you will always be in my heart. Came from the same source to lead different lives, you were a strength and a support from the start.

We have to invest in our relationships and make the most of every opportunity, and knowing our purpose live as if it were our last day on the earth. 

Blessings always!

We have raised £1530 for Myeloma UK, if you want to donate you can do so HERE
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