Happy Summer everyone,
It’s been a while since I’ve last posted so I thought it was time for me to send out a quick hello. Yes, the blog is still live. I’ve just been caught up with the recent sale of our home of 25 years. It’s been busy, and now I’m in the middle of packing.
We are on to our next adventure … my husband and I have bought a 10 acre hobby farm, complete with rescue horses. We are so looking forward to this new chapter in our lives and it’s definitely going to be an adventure. We move out of our Aurora home the end of September, but don’t take possession of the farm until the end of October. So, to the cottage we go for a brief rest. When we move into the farm, the work begins. There has been a little bit of neglect maintenance wise on the property, so we have a lot to do in terms of restoring – trees to be maintained and some to be cleared out, fences to mend, barn clean up, horse shelters to be repaired and/or taken down, not to mention designing the new house and acquiring all the building permits needed for that. The list goes on, but this is something we’ve planned on doing for a long while now. Moving to the country and having jobs like this to keep us busy, keep us moving, keep us young! And since our travel plans have been put on hold for the next year or two, what better time to start a project of this scale, right?
Sometime in early Spring 2021, the real fun begins. Demolition of the current farmhouse and the building of the new. This adventure is a process, a little bit overwhelming when I look at it as one big picture. So, I’m taking this in phases. One step at a time. I’m just concentrating on each phase as I’m in it, and that’s it. Otherwise, I start feeling overwhelmed. There is a phrase in yoga, “trust the process”. We know this works in the discipline of yoga. Sometimes the work we do in class may seem like it didn’t take a whole lot of effort, but with continuous work in this manner, big changes come about. We have everything we need inside of ourselves, but yet sometimes we need to remind ourselves to trust. To trust in ourselves. Trust in the process. Take one step at a time. And to have a sense of trust in what can’t be seen. The final picture isn’t needed, in fact, you want to stay open and flexible to allow for new ideas to come forth. When we allow for an inner sense of knowing to guide us, things will get done. The results show up.
I’m no stranger to “trusting the process”. Usually, I use this tool when I’m feeling stuck, or in doubt, worry, maybe even fear. I can tell you, it’s a wonderful feeling to let yourself let go into trusting. Accepting that hardships will happen along the way to your end goal, but having the confidence that every lesson learned along the way brings you one step closer to fulfilling your purpose. And whether you want to believe it or not, failure is a good thing. Having faith is to have a deep sense of trust in what can’t be seen.
Here are some tips I’ve learned along the way for slowing down and enjoying the process while working towards your goals:
Stay present. Don’t look ahead so far that it causes you to feel stressed or overwhelmed. Just be in the moment and enjoy this place. Be right here, right now, in the moment. It’s not a race to the finish line, it’s more of a slow, long – distance run.
Be mindful. Practice self-awareness. Meditate if you’re feeling overwhelmed or really stressed. I was chatting with my Naturopath the other day and she mentioned that now, new med school students are actually being taught the benefits of mindfulness and meditation as a proven strategy to reduce stress (as opposed to using medication). Finally! So, enjoy the process and seek for help from WITHIN if needed.
Listen to your body. We are “whole” beings and stress will and does show up in your body – upset stomach, skin and hair maladies, low energy, low appetite, or the opposite, over eating, food cravings. Whatever it is, your body will signal you, so pay attention. Do what is needed to bring balance into your life.
Go with the flow, and be flexible. This is a journey, and as you move along, new ideas will come up. The original plan will morph into a better fit. So be resilient and listen to your instinct and your feelings. Allow for these changes along the way because it will fit your end goal needs much better. It’s ok to live with uncertainty for a while. In fact, let yourself live with uncertainty. This will allow you to be more open and flexible, and to recognize new ideas and opportunities as they arrive. Live with a sense of wonder. Let life support you. When we allow for joy to enter in, more will follow. Trust the process and enjoy it.
This journey my husband and I are embarking on, although a little overwhelming, doesn’t seem scary to us. It’s more exciting than anything. We’re focusing on “next steps”. One step at a time. For the next couple of years, that’s what we’ll be doing. It seems a little strange because when I look into my future, I don’t really see a concrete picture, and yet I feel a strong sense of being safe and secure, grounded. What we will be building together is not just a new “forever” home, but a new chapter in our lives.
I’ll keep you posted from time to time with updates.
Stay safe and be well,
Namaste,
Jacine