Empower Lifestyle & Fitness
In home facility Langley, BC, Canada

A simpler time............ This picture of me on lying on my pony and my sister holding her horse almost completely describes my childhood Living on the farm, my sister Tracy and I would wake up in the morning and go outside. We would play with the horses, chickens, puppies, cats, climb trees, fish in the creak, stand on the roof of the house picking cherries ... dig traps for people or animals to hopefully fall into. My parents worked nights so as you can imagine, we got into more mischief while they were a sleep then they will ever know. Memories were made almost daily back then. I often wonder what memories our children are making for themselves? What is their daily wake up routine? Do they wake up and grab their iPad or iPhone? Do they play outside enough? Are they supervised ever minute of the day? Are they ever just bored? Are they forced to use their imagination? Sharing this as I struggle sometimes. I would love to give Ava even half the childhood I had. What do you think your children remember?

If we only could see how perfect and beautiful we really are. I am sure the world would be a much kinder place. Talk to yourself as you would talk to someone you deeply love. You are truly worth it. ... Peace, Love, Empower

Not my post but such a good reminder in these challenging times RUN THE DISHWASHER TWICE. When I was at one of my lowest (mental) points in life, I couldn’t get out of bed some days. I had no energy or motivation and was barely getting by.... I had therapy once per week, and on this particular week I didn’t have much to ‘bring’ to the session. He asked how my week was and I really had nothing to say. What are you struggling with? he asked. I gestured around me and said I dunno man. Life. Not satisfied with my answer, he said No, what exactly are you worried about right now? What feels overwhelming? When you go home after this session, what issue will be staring at you? I knew the answer, but it was so ridiculous that I didn’t want to say it. I wanted to have something more substantial. Something more profound. But I didn’t. So I told him, Honestly? The dishes. It’s stupid, I know, but the more I look at them the more I CAN’T do them because I’ll have to scrub them before I put them in the dishwasher, because the dishwasher sucks, and I just can’t stand and scrub the dishes. I felt like an idiot even saying it. What kind of grown ass woman is undone by a stack of dishes? There are people out there with *actual* problems, and I’m whining to my therapist about dishes? But my therapist nodded in understanding and then said: RUN THE DISHWASHER TWICE. I began to tell him that you’re not supposed to, but he stopped me. Why the hell aren’t you supposed to? If you don’t want to scrub the dishes and your dishwasher sucks, run it twice. Run it three times, who cares?! Rules do not exist, so stop giving yourself rules. It blew my mind in a way that I don’t think I can properly express. That day, I went home and tossed my smelly dishes haphazardly into the dishwasher and ran it three times. I felt like I had conquered a dragon. The next day, I took a shower lying down. A few days later. I folded my laundry and put them wherever the fuck they fit. There were no longer arbitrary rules I had to follow, and it gave me the freedom to make accomplishments again. Now that I’m in a healthier place, I rinse off my dishes and put them in the dishwasher properly. I shower standing up. I sort my laundry. But at a time when living was a struggle instead of a blessing, I learned an incredibly important lesson: THERE ARE NO RULES. RUN THE DISHWASHER TWICE!!!