My Week of Wearing Dresses

I chose to do a week of wearing only dresses or skirts. Why? I don't really know, it just kind of fell into my head one day as an idea for a weeker. I do, I feel, have a lot of really cute dresses and skirts, so I guess may be I just wanted to put them to good use too.

So, every day for 7 days I wore a dress or skirt. I chose a week where there wasn't any camping, beaching, or riding involved, just kind of a chill week. Though I must say, picking a thousand beans from my garden and taking a recycling load to the dump wearing a tutu skirt did make me feel a little impractical...

The overall results from it?

I loved it!! Here's why:

1. I saved so much time and energy.
I loved not having a ton of choices on what to wear. I didn't have to spend all that time on the dreaded question "what do I wear today?" And I also didn't change in and out of clothes second guessing my choice. Dresses especially being a one item choice was particularly wonderful. I've been reading and pinning a lot about minimalist wardrobes or capsule wardrobes, and I think this kind of gave me a taste of that freedom. It was so refreshing to not have to exert all that effort in deciding a top and bottom from hundreds (slight exaggeration) of clothing options I have.

2. It made me feel pretty.
How can you not feel this way when you're wearing a dress? I have so much more to downsize in my wardrobe, but as far as my dresses go I feel they are totally minimized for the time being, AKA I only have dresses/skirts that I love and feel pretty in. So, I wore stuff every day that I loved and felt pretty in! It brought about an ambiance of class to my life.

3. I matched my daughter
She loves wearing dresses, so when I also chose to wear a dress she was overjoyed! We both loved matching each other.

4. It was comfy.
I forgot how comfortable maxi skirts are especially. They are a perfect lounge about ensemble.


I'll probably do this weeker again I loved it so much.



Heaven's slice is wearing a pretty dress.

Stronger By The Weeker

That wasn't a spelling mistake.

"Weekers" - are my 7 day to-do type goal. They're kind of like my candy goals. They give me a taste of what doing that daily would be like without the full commitment, so I can take it or leave it and trial more things into my routine(not that I really have a routine). It's kind of the change up for fun thing I do at least once if not 4 times a month.

You can read more about my "every month a new year" by clicking this sentence <---

They've actually been pretty fun. Here are just a few I've done so far:

No Facebook
8 glasses of water
Reading my patriarchal blessing
Yoga
No sugar ( I won't be doing it again unless I become deathly allergic to sugar and a doctor orders me to stop...)
Cleaning/tidying the house after the kids are in bed
Wearing a dress or skirt


I've continued implementing some of these on a more regular basis without even really trying/meaning to as they've become a sort of joy to do. I'd strongly recommend weekers for whatever goal you want to taste, but not fully commit to just yet. Stay tuned to future posts on some of the results of mine!

PS the photo has nothing to do with this post.



Heaven's slice is self betterment, and changing it up every once in a while!

My week without sugar

I was going to title this 'the hardest week of my life,' but I thought people would probably get the wrong idea...

Why go a week without sugar? Well, given I'm currently writing this particular paragraph on day 6 of 7 without sugar, I almost don't remember why I started this stupid gesture. But I think, I think, I ultimately wanted to gain some sort of self-discipline lesson out of it. Like by giving up something I love and enjoy for a week that used to be an almost daily routine I'd somehow show myself that I can do anything I set my mind to, or like to prove I'm not addicted to sugar, or may be because I had 2 ginormous Billie Minor Pies one after another that made me so sick I decided to take a sugar break, or may be, may be, it was to be more grateful that sugar is in my life, absence does make the heart grow stronger you know. I know for sure it wasn't a health or diet thing, I know it sounds like it should be, but it defenetly wasn't that, that's just not me. May be it was because I just thought I needed an additional WEEKER this month and couldn't think of something, so I came up with this one off the top of my head. I don't know, I can't even focus anymore. I'm pretty much on countdown for Monday. I'll write more after this torture is finished.

...

Just FYI the reason why was indeed to gain more self-discipline and I thought after eating myself sick it would be easier to tackle a no sugar week for my WEEKER. It wasn't a diet thing but just an 'I'm gonna try something hard' thing. (I will be doing a post about WEEKERS later ;)

...

I chastised my husband for making pancakes on my day 7 and then vocalized later that night of all my baking plans for the morning in using that sweet white granulated delicacy. Then the weirdest thing happened - I woke up after my 7 day fast without sugar and my cravings vanished. Seriously. It was like my sweet tooth fell out over night. I had a part of a chocolate muffin just because I felt I had to. It was good, but not the same. I didn't crave more. It was weird. Later that night I had ice cream, again, just because I felt I should, and after a bowl of it, I didn't crave more. So weird. It's like the first bite was really good then it all tapered off from being very good at all; Whereas before, every bite was as fantastic as the first and I'd just chase more and more of it. I didn't anticipate this result on day 8 at all, in fact I'm still kind of in shock over the matter.

From what I gather 1 of 2 things happened, or may be a mixture of both. Either -

A) My defient personality that is my weakness came out swinging AKA - If you tell me 'No' I desire it that much more and if it's not 'against the rules' the appeal lessens dramatically for me. This could definitely explain why on day 8, when I could have sugar, it just no longer appealed the way it did. (This is my husband's vote ps.)

or

B) My sweet tooth did indeed fall out AKA - I starved my desire for sugar so much so that it died.

I don't know what the answer is but either way, my will power has increased a ton from this challenge and I feel like I could karate chop a 2 by 4 if I really wanted to. 

My sweet tooth has actually started to regrow because of these cookies pictured above. These are AMAZINGLY delicious and AMAZINGLY easy and quick to make. 
HERE'S THE RECIPE!!

Heaven's slice is will power... and delicious cookies!

The 20/20 Project

“My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness—be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children."   

- Pres. Thomas S. Monson

20 People.

              20 days.

Lives touched.
           
                 Serving changed.


As I pondered my previous post about serving THE ONE, a sudden idea came into my mind on how I could better achieve a more effective and less stressful way to love one another. This idea is what I call 'The 20/20 Project.'

What you do:

1. Make a list of 20 names of people in your life.
      On this list you MUST include the following:
        - Spouse (if applicable)
        - Children (if applicable)
        - Parents (if applicable)
        - At least 1 person you have negative feelings towards.
        - Yourself

2. Write verticaly # 1-20 with one name from your list beside each number.  Start with your own family and leave #20 for your own name. You can be strategic with birthday's if it applies.

3. Choose your month. This is your month from the 1st to the 20th where you will take the corresponding name into your heart and mind as your focus for that day. Place your list in such a way that you can only view the name for that day and dates past. e.g. --------------------------------------->

  Leave this on your night stand. Each morning, slowly pull out the next name for that day.


4. Serve that one in whatever way you feel impressed. From a text to a cookie drop-off, from forgiving to making amends. Heal that relationship and/or celebrate that relationship. Give patience, find empathy, spend your time, flash a smile, make a treat, buy a gift, write a letter etc. But above all else that day PRAY FOR THEM on your knees and in your heart.  Pray specifically for blessings to be poured upon them, pray in expression of gratitude for them, or even a prayer for yourself to have your heart softened toward them. Even if praying is the only thing you do for them that day, it will have a great impact for their good and your own.


5. Pullout the new name the following morning and repeat until your list is finished.


Tips and Commentary:

On your children's day: It was wonderful to start this off with my children. I feel as though my eyes were opened from an unknowing haze. I didn't do anything extravagant for their day, in fact, it was pretty normal happenings, but I mentally gave up my to do list of busyness. I played with them more presently, I stared into their eyes with full attention and gave them an array of patience that perhaps wasn't there before. My day felt a lot less distracted and lot more purposeful. Bouncing back between kids giving pieces here and there was unknowingly draining me and through this experiment I was able to deepen the pieces of me I was giving to them by allowing my time to run around theirs instead of the other way around. What I thought may be would mean 1 child would be ignored as the other got spoiled, oddly enough found a venue to give proper affection to both. I would recommend though doing as I did and having the toddler's day ahead of the baby's day, as I think that could have been a reason she coped with his day of attention so well.

On the day(s) you have a person you feel negatively towards: I STRONGLY recommend starting with a prayer for yourself to find desire and strength to let go. I also STRONGLY recommend you read and/or watch this talk: THE MERCIFUL OBTAIN MERCY (<--CLICK ON IT) This talk by Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf  stimulates motivation to let go of grievances, but does it in such a comforting way that your desire to change doesn't feel forced, but lovingly guided. It's a huge help for those hard days - because they are hard. To think you can forgive years of pain inflicted upon you by someone in a single day, is a seemingly impossibly task. I found though, that putting forth the effort by making it your main focus for a whole 24hrs draws out miracles inside yourself. Windows of remembrance start to close in your mind, and doors of empathy in your heart start to open.

On your day: Give yourself a break, a break from the to do's and to dont's and anything else that is guilting and overwhelming you. Do what you enjoy this day, even if it's just lazying around. Be ever-so kind to yourself and call in help to give you the time to do so if necessary. This is your guilt-free day of self indulgence. You spent 19 days focused on others, it's time to now be kind to yourself, stress and guilt free. ENJOY THIS DAY.

On day 21: (Bonus day) Reflect on your last 20 days; write down and/or ponder what insights you've received and lessons you have learned. I personally know this project was indeed inspired. I was able to forgive and let go of some negative grudges clouding the far back corners of my mind. I saw, at no random coincidence, person's reaching out to me for help on the exact day I placed them as my focus. I became closer to Heavenly Father as I dedicated the majority of my thoughts in prayer for others. This project stretched me to love more earnestly and judge less critically.


This project changed me for the better, and if you have a desire to take the challenge, I know it can do the same for you.  




Heaven's slice is caring for the one.

Every Month a New Year

A new year has commenced and I've got goals on the mind.

Over the past year or two I've noticed that there's something special about a 30 day time frame. For me, it's just short enough to keep my interest and motivation whilst also being just long enough to tackle a great feat.

Every month I am choosing 1 goal, 1 weeker, and 1 task/project to accomplish.

Goal = Something MAJOR that will be your primary focus for the month. Something like 465 things gone, memorizing something lengthy that's of great importance to you, or a certain book read...things like that.

Weeker = A 7 day daily regimen of something you want to or feel you should do, but are scared of commitment and/or too scatter brained to remember. Think things like flossing, drinking 8 glasses of water, taking only stairs for work, or getting dressed before noon... 7 days isn't overbearing, so you will probably actually do it. At the end of the 7 day trial you can then decide to take it or leave it. You have 4 weeks to squeeze in your 7 consecutive days to trial it. Once you do it you can take on another weeker for the month, or only do the 1, whatever you wish.

Task/project = Something you've been wanting to get done, but haven't for whatever reason. It's not something big, but something that does require a little time set aside.

This is your new year in a month. You're going to make it simple by having it few, but it's going to make a big impact.

Repeat for the next month.

Can you imagine what you'll be able to accomplish in 12 months!?! I just love it when productive ideas fall into my head!

With simplicity as my need and accomplishment as my desire, this progressed it's way into binder form. If you're interested, this is what I made to help me with this New Month = New Year project:

Materials

1 binder

   dividers (# depends on your personal categories)

1 plastic sleeve

1 bundle of loose sleeve paper

A list of your interests (faith, family, home, writing - limit them to what is MOST important to you) *must include Goals

Step 1 Write in alphabetical order your interests. Then write one on each tab.

Step 2 Put in the tabs with paper in between each into the binder.

Step 3 Put the plastic protecter with a page inside stating the Month on top then 'Goal', 'Weeker,' and Task/project' down the side.

Optional: Make it cute and put those Pinterest board quotes to good use!

How to use it:

You will write in your divided sections many things pertaining to the subject: wants, things to remember, any and every scribble you whimsy.

From those sections you are going to pull things you really want done and put it under your 'Goals' section.

From your 'Goals' section you are going to pull 1 hefty goal, 1 simple weeker, and 1 task/project to write on your month page that's in front of the binder. This way, your goal will be the first thing you will see every time you open the binder to jot a note down.

* Side note - Keep those month sheets so you can look over your accomplishments come the new year!

Heaven's slice is bettering yourself through goals.

The Purge: 465 Things Gone In 30 Days

                                                                

Confessions:  I'm counting a bundle I still have here as gone because I'm taking it somewhere special come a week or so. I included loose paper kind of like 10=1 type thing, just cause I had so many. Also, pretty sure I only got rid of may be 2 things from the photo above.

Why I did it

You know that whole post I did on UPLIFT OR DOWNPULL? Well minimalism is one of those things that uplifts me. I've always had an appreciation and desire for the simple. In fact, this may be why I love complicated stuff so much - because I love to u-n-complicate it. I love the idea of only having things in your home that you truly love, adore, and use; cutting out all the rest. In my leisurely pinterest pinning on the subject I came across the challenge HERE. It got me so giddy I knew I had to do it! Also, I have fears of becoming a hoarder and I want to make sure this fear doesn't come true. Though I had started ridding lots of stuff out of my house prior to, November was my plan of action.

How it works

Day 1 = get rid of 1 thing  Day 2 = 2 things and so on until Day 30 which all adds up to a whopping 465 things gone! I made myself a sheet like this(except larger obviously) and wrote out what I got rid of as it left my house:

Day	Thing(s)	Day	Things
1		16
2		17
3		18
4		19
5		20
6		21
7		22
8		23
9		24
10		25
11		26
12		27
13		28
14		29
15		30

I didn't really follow dates to get rid of stuff as much as I  just followed the sheet and tried to get it all out by the 30th. It was just easier that way.

The struggles

Basically here is my briefing on the process: Your mind and heart have to agree. There's no brain wins this one, heart wins that one, no compromises made, and no sacrificing for either side. The single item that has the attaching struggle needs to makes sense both emotionally to get rid of as well as logically to get rid of. It's a soul search for the answers on either side to find the justifying reasons to let it go. If effort has been made on both sides and an agreement hasn't been made, you keep it and move on to another item. I learned to emotionally justify unattaching myself to things and to logically see how an item can be useful even though it is not fulfilling an immediate need.

At the start, I actually leaned more on the side of wanting to get rid of EVERYTHING that wasn't an actual need. My logical brain burst onto the scene as a dictator over my heartfelt emotions and I quickly had to lead troops into a peaceful rally for democracy - I had to search my talents and dreams. These things enticed my logic to realize that although some items aren't a need, nor do they fulfill a purpose at the moment, they are a possibility that I do desire. Furthremore, this life isn't just food, clothing, and shelter, it's becoming our true selves; taking time in our talents and fulfilling goals and dreams that we have. Really though the real thing that broke through this stop point was my cheapskatingness; If I know I'm going to need this if my talents progress or my goals come true, it'd be nice if I didn't have to buy it again and save myself the money... super logical and economical.

Here is some of my personal thoughts to the common justifying pleas of keeping an item:

• But I love "so and so" and they gave me that. If it was hand craftingly made and that is the only thing you have that reminds you of them. Sure, keep it. But if it was one gift of many and was unused, unloved, and store bought, I say chuck it(give it/sell it)! People are not things, and honestly it's kinda weird how we attach people to items. Not saying I don't do this, actually it is because I am so sentimental I've learned that if I keep a limit to the sentimental things I have, I take better care of them and cherish them more.
• But it was a gift. If you fear that someone may be offended that you don't keep their gift, then that person doesn't know the meaning of a gift. A gift is something given, freely given, as in it is the recipient's choice as to what to do with that item. When people become preoccupied with the gift they gave you in where it's whereabouts is and if you are using it, then they did not give you a gift - they forced you to permanently borrow their thing. You literally got given a responsibility, not a gift. "Here, house my item forever, or I will hate you."  This is not a gift, and honestly I don't think near as many people are offended if you gave their gift up as you think. If I gave something to someone and they gave it to someone else and I found out, I would literally be glad because a) they know I am not a thing b) they don't feel the guilt of keeping things they don't want c) they know I wouldn't be offended and d) my gift quite literally became the gift that keeps on giving, YAY!
• But it's pretty. I had to really look at what I actually wear regularly and what decor my house mostly is. Though some things were pretty, I always opted out of wearing them, it was actually a chore to have them on my body and place them in my house. I felt guilt wearing them and guilt boxing them. Guilt is logically not good for the brain and emotionally suckeths... aka this thing has got to go!

Weird tip - Try not to hold an item for long (2-3 seconds) if at all! Something weird happens when you hold it, your body suddenly feels the need to hang onto it forever, and that's how hoarders are born... just kidding... but it's a little true.

A little recommendation - make sure family or the person who gave you item(s) wants it first before going elsewhere, just a polite thing to do ;)

What I gained by losing 465 things

- Better sense of what my talents are

- Better sense of what my dreams are

- More appreciation for what I have

- More selfless outlook on life

- More opportunities to give 

- Decreased stress levels

- Increased happiness

- Decreased guilt

- Decreased anxiety

- More clean and tidy home
- More efficient cleaning
- Tools to kick out regret and guilt
- Ability to focus in more on what truly matters
- More love for simple
- More ambition
- More time to myself (I don't how this happened, but it did)
- More motivation
- More focus on people instead of things
- More quality items
- More joy in the things I have
- Ability to see more of the things I love
- More creative/effictive ways to preserve/view sentimental things
- More empowerment
- More humility
- Realization of how incredibly blessed I am
- More focus on my family's needs
- More focus on the needs of others
- A little more pocket change
- More cautious spending
- More awareness on where I spend my money and time
- More attention to my little ones
- More awareness of what comes into my home and how it affects us
- More things I love in my home
- More space
- More acknowledgement of my true values


*I would write the reasons, but who really wants to read an even more gigantically long blog post?? You'll just have to do this yourself and see how you gain these things...which brings me to...

The Invitation
If you feel giddy and excited to do this then I invite you to do it! Don't do it though if you feel guilt to, I can't recommend it working to your benefit if you do it out of guilt. I think any hefty goal or project (within the confines of law and conscience) are a great thing to embark on and prove to be highly rewarding. Do it for you and see how it turns your heart toward others!


Conclusion
This project was easy, then overwhelmingly hard, and lastly super rewarding and easy. Overall, it was awesome, and I'm totally going to be doing it again most likely! Even now, off hand I can probably only name may be 20 things I got rid of, meaning I don't miss what I gave up at all. I gained so much more than what I lost and it became ever so true that:

Heaven's slice is giving.

A Whole Year!

I can dream pretty big and get pretty consumed by my imagination. I can get so consumed that I kind of get bored of that dream since I used up all my engergies with it in la la land. Eventually I just abandon any pursuit of the dream because its really already come true in my head. What I'm getting at is that I don't stick to things very often... But one year ago today I started this blog with the intentions of doing at least 1 post a week and I totally succeeded for an entire year!!! WHAT?!! So in honour of this great feat I'm doing a GIVEAWAY!... to myself... in the form of a small coke slurpee :) I may also make myself a cake too because I think there's a cake mix about to expire in my storage room... Any hoo I guess it goes to show if you find something you're really passionate about, you make the time and effort for it.

Also here's a flashback to my first blog post: CLICK HERE!

PS I'm sorry I'm not giving a slurpee to you also, it's just that I'm attempting to live like I'm broke for the next 2 months and I can't justify budgeting that in for the millions (slight exaggeration) that are reading this. 

Heaven's slice is celebrating it's 1 year old birthday.

2015 Goals

This photo has been brought to you in part by: my love of Jimmy Fallon.

I LOVE New Years! The biggest reason why though is the goals. I love looking at my 'time capsuled' goals of last year and coming up with new ones. It's fresh starts and new you's; the possibilities are endless and the hope is on high gear!

Since my goals, I feel, are super personal I'm keeping them private....BUT here are 2 things that will NEVER (wow that sounds really permanent) make it into my list of goals:

1. Weight - I'll admit in years past this was on my list in my teenagerdom of self-esteem struggles, but I've changed a lot since then. Even within the past year it seems I've changed even more drastically (may be it's called maturing??). I've become SUPER passionate about advocating heightened self-esteem and self-image in people, especially youth (yes having a daughter also played a HUGE role in this). How can I go about promoting that kids, especially girls, feel that they are beautiful who they are right now if I don't even think that of myself? So, I've been implementing things in myself to promote my own self-esteem, self-image, and overall self love. A large majority of negativity on one's self stems from body issues. Therefore, weight is now on the total outs of my vocabulary, actions, and even mind. There will be no goals regarding weight ever again in my New Years resolutions. No number on a scale is going to determine how happy I can be, nor do I believe it can for anyone really.

2. Size - Same thing, different unit of measure. 

I am all for being as healthy as you can be, but weight and size are not part of this. The number on that scale and the number on that dress's tag is not going to tell you your health. It won't tell you that your food choices that day were very nourishing to your body; Nor will it tell you what sort of strength your body has right now. Eating what makes your body feel good, full, energetic, nourished etc. and moving your body in ways that give you strength, energy, flexibility, and stamina are really the only realistic health goals one can have. Weight and size aren't part of it. Health is about making your body "feel" a certain way not about making your body "look" a certain way. It's a sharpening of one's mind and will give you the positive image you've always wanted; you'll have never looked more gorgeous!

So there it is folks, my 2 "NEVER going on my list of new years goals" goals. Feel free to adopt this way of thinking :) But... you don't HAVE to... ;)

Heaven's slice is a new year.

New Year's Resolutions

Quite honestly, I LOVE new year's resolutions. Every year I reflect in my journal what happened that year, review the goals and theme of last year, and write new goals and theme for the new year. I have around 50+ goals I excitedly write down. Some of these resolutions are serious, some are silly, some are physical, but most are spiritual. With each year it seems some goals stay in place even though they were already accomplished year after year and some goals get thrown to the wayside. Each new year I find myself more so editing my old resolutions instead of starting brand new. I like this way of doing it.

Next year at the start of 2015 is where I watch myself with great empathy. She will be older and therefore much wiser; having had even more experiences to go through forcing much growth and strength upon her. When she opens her journal to 2014 and the goals made, how will she take what I have wrote? -
What goals will offend her that that's actually what I thought was important in 2014?
What will make her proud that she fulfilled that daunting-but-oh-so-worth-it task?
What goals were completely out of her hands to begin with, and therefore hurt her to see them written on the page?
What goals will she regret weren't on that page?
What easy fun one's will she delightfully check off?
Will she feel like one who has failed?
Will she feel she has succeeded?
Will she be editing out most of the goals or will she be keeping them for the new year?

I often look to my future self as a real person. I treat her like porcelain: beautiful, yet easily breakable. I don't want her to look back and be saddened by the choice I made earlier that day/month/year. I don't want her to remember that awful thing I said to her as she stood on the scale. I'd hate it if the guilt consumed her for what I didn't let her do for someone who needed her help. Those negative words or actions about a fellow child of god that I could fill her mouth with will break her into a million pieces and it will be a long recovery process. I'm so fortunate she's forgiven me for my teenage years and all those awful things I said and did to her.

I feel my future self is a very real and tangible being, after all, isn't she? Christ atoned for her over 2,000 years ago. Let us all take good care of our future selves in letting them know they were thought about, not only by our redeemer, but by us as well.

Happy New Year!

Heaven's slice is being kind to your future self.