52 Weeks of being me!

I've been feeling the need for change, BIG change in my life for a while now and the more I thought about it the more I seemed to sink into sadness at how big a task this would be. After all I always had someone taking care of everything while I took on changes of these sort in my life. Now, although I have a loving partner, I am alone in the sense that he could walk away tomorrow with no real ripple effect other than I'd be heart broken. We own nothing together and I think after seven years he has but a few items of clothing in my home that belong to him. So I kind of feel like I'm hanging over a cliff by a tree branch waiting for it to snap. He truly is a beautiful man who is always there for me but this is still how I feel.

I have four grown children, who for the first time need nothing but the odd dinner and chat with me. I am very proud of them and though it is humbling to see the amazing men they have grown into it can be a daunting change in itself.

In my soul searching of late I came across this amazing blog Words of me project and in it I found the 52 Weeks of being me challenge, I sat on it for a little while saying that January would be the perfect time to start this challenge. After quitting my job randomly (don't worry I still have my job) I realised I couldn't keep living the way I am, I have to be the change. So as of today I am going to be that change.

The greatest risk any of us will take, is to be seen as we are ~ Cinderella

DIY Perfume

One thing you will quickly learn about me is that I love to make things for myself, my family and my home. Some things I am not so good at but in the area of homemade beauty products I've become rather good at, if I do say so myself.

So today my first recipe is one of my favourites, homemade perfume.

It's a beautiful, natural way for you to control what you put on your skin and in Ayurveda traditions is an important part of the morning ritual (as this blog develops I look forward to sharing more on Ayurveda).

This recipe is so simple and quick, I make it often as gifts for family and friends and everyone loves it.

All you need is :

• a small saucepan
• melting bowl
• organic Bees wax
• a carrier oil (like jojoba, sweet almond, olive or grape seed. I used sweet Almond oil)
• essential oil of choice
• a suitable container (small glass jar or old perfume pot)

If you have a double boiler use that but I don't so I have always improvised and just used a pot with boiling water and a ceramic bowl to melt my waxes and oils. Another thing you will quickly learn is I don't have a lot of money so will on the most part look for a cheaper alternative to achieve the same result unless it can't then I love a lovely man who generally always makes it happen for me.

So you basically melt your wax and oil, take off the heat and add your essential oils. Then add to your pot and watch as it hardens....and there you have it, a beautiful perfume made to suit your own taste.

Creating your blend is totally a personal choice but a few of my favourites are

• Rose Geranium
• Amber
• Vanilla (bear in mind this is an expensive EO)
• Frankincense

All that's left is to do is enjoy the easiest most beautiful way to spoil yourself everyday.

Long after one has forgotten what a woman wore, the memory of her perfume lingers ~ Christian Dior

Week one ~ Morning routine

If you are anything like me, you have a vague morning routine that lasts until you turn on the computer. Well that’s me anyway! I wake every morning at five to feed the animals and let the chickens out of there coop. I generally meditate for a while and share some gratitude with myself but that’s it, that’s when I generally turn the computer on and sit until I have to quickly get my breakfast, shower and head out the door in a mad rush to get to work on time.

On week one I hope to find some clarity on what’s really important to me and what is going to get me to a place where I don’t find my day is a mad rush because I haven’t taken the time to ground myself and really enjoy that time that I personally think is the best time of the day. The morning!

I really hope you enjoy my journey as I grow and learn, I hope that a long the way you find something that you need also.

If we want to direct our lives. We must take control of our consistent actions. It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. But what we do consistently ~Anthony Robbins