Keep Moving Forward
I have taken many courses at Coursera over the last 15+ years and it’s a great way to try something new. Occasionally, the topic isn’t what I thought, and I didn’t finish the course. That’s the flexibility I appreciate. Coursera has so many options not only for free courses but they have degree programs as well.
Take a look at their catalog to find your next learning adventure.
Melinda
Melinda
In this fast-paced social media world, it can be difficult to find the time to look within or back in time. I hope you find these quotes and questions interesting. So glad you stopped by today!
Continue reading “Deep Thoughts”
Recipe from Willow and Sage by Stampington
Making your own essential oil is easier than you think. Gather dried herbs and oil of your choice. Dried herbs are better than fresh ones to prevent mold.
Calendula Oil–Use for any skin remedies, like in lotion or facial oil.
Peppermint Oil–Wonderful for relieving aches and pains. It can be used as a massage oil or added to bathwater. If you have a headache, rub a bit on your wrist and breathe in the healing aroma.
Rosemary Oil–If you have hair troubles, such as poor growth, lice, or dandruff, rosemary is a great option. Add the infused oil to shampoo or use it as a hair mask.
Lemon Balm Oil–Lemon balm is a natural astringent and has antibacterial properties, which are amazing for healing cold sores and other skin irritations.
Place the dried herbs in a clean 1-quart mason jar. Cover the herbs with the oil of your choice with a 1-to-2 ratio. Add enough that the herbs are completely covered by at least an inch of oil. Seal the jar with an airtight lid, and add either place outside or in a sunny window. Let infuse for at least four weeks. When the oil is ready, strain it through cheesecloth, making sure to strain as much oil as possible. Store the oil in the same mason jar or pick one of your choice.
If you don’t have a place you buy your dried herbs from, you can go to the Stampington website, and towards the back, you will find many vendors who sell top-quality craft items.
Get creative with the scents you love.
Melinda
Repost from 2020
Willow & Sage by Stampington
Wooden diffuser sticks or other suitable decorative stick
Lavender essential oil
Tea Tree essential oil
Fractionated Coconut oil
Glass bottle
Blend essential oils into fractionated coconut oil at a ratio of about 1-4, fill the glass bottle halfway, and insert sticks.
Use a bottle with the smallest opening possible, and use as many sticks as you can fit into the opening. This will discourage oil from evaporating quickly through the bottle opening and encourage it to evaporate more slowly through diffuser sticks.
Display the diffuser far away from sunlight, strong lights, and excessive heat to increase the longevity of the oil blend, or display closer to these things for a stronger and shorter diffuser.
The gifts we make ourselves are the ones that come from the heart.
Melinda
Repost from 2020
The family cookbook contains recipes, my Granny’s & Gramps used often and is the type of food I grew up on. Many with veggies and tomatoes from the garden. Good ole Southern food like my Gramps dumplings, to Grannies pecan pie.
This is another baker’s secret, there are no instructions, but we’ll be okay.
You Will Need
4 cups flour self-rising
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 packets yeast
1 1/2 cup water
Dissolve yeast in the water
I think you dissolve yeast in the water first and then mix it together. You aficionados out there will know best, and roll them into a dough ball and cut them to size. I eat bread sometimes and would not pass on several hot biscuits in one sitting, even better with real butter!
Will keep it for several weeks.
Melinda
Grief is one of the most powerful emotions a person can experience. It’s also something that everyone has to deal with at some point in their lives. We love, we live, and we die. Then we’re left to pick up the pieces.
The fact is, grief hurts. It’s natural for it to hurt, and it’s natural for different people to have different experiences of this pain. But that doesn’t mean that every experience of grief is healthy. It’s easy to get sucked into a hole of grief that doesn’t stop hurting and that stains the rest of your life.
While it might not be as simple as “moving on”, it is possible to manage your grief. Here are some tips to help.
In some cases, you might find the grieving process begins before your loved one has passed away. Usually, this is due to a long illness that can only ever result in death. If you act as a caregiver, it can be hard to balance this grief with the practical parts of caring for your loved one.
Sometimes you have to compartmentalize. This means that, when you’re actively caring for them, you focus on the practical side of things. But you still need to allow yourself to process your grief.
But you should also try to find the joy in being a caregiver. It’s hard work, physically, mentally, and emotionally. But it allows you to spend time with someone you love and it allows you to demonstrate how much you love them, even if they can’t always recognize it.
Unfortunately, life goes on for all of us, even when we lose someone we love. Everything else doesn’t grind to a halt, even if we feel like it should. We have work, family responsibilities, chores, and bills.
Some people prefer to throw themselves into literally anything else so that they don’t have to think about their grief. Still others find it impossible to concentrate on anything else.
Even if you’re in the former camp, you still need to give yourself time to grieve. It hurts, but it needs to hurt. Don’t feel ashamed because you aren’t able to stop hurting after a few months, but also don’t feel guilty when you manage to have a moment without thinking about the person you lost.
Let yourself hurt and cry and grieve, but let yourself live as well.
Part of processing grief healthily includes talking to people you trust. If you’ve lost a family member or friend, you and your loved ones can help each other by talking about your shared grief. You aren’t being a burden, you’re just being human.
In some cases, you may feel as though you need to talk to someone else. That’s what grief counseling consultation is for. You can talk to someone who is experienced and trained to help you, but who also won’t be hurt by your feelings.
This is a collaborative post.
Melinda
I was not born into money and any money had to be made by me. Sometimes, I would think “If I had money, this would all go away.” The great thing is this encouraged me to jump out there and set the world on fire.
My first job was a paper route at 10 years old, just several blocks around my house, producing money that made me feel more in control and it felt great.
I worked my way into sales which is a natural fit for me, and I worked hard but always had my eye on the goal, more money. I joined a 2B company as a National Trainer with 15-20 offices. I had arrived at the top! Not really. I traveled 5-6 days a week, ran errands the entire weekend, and spent no time with my ex-husband. This job was the beginning of the breakdown in our marriage.
During those few years, my salary was between $250K-$350K, plus adding bonuses like money and exotic trips, I was riding high. I spent money like crazy, and never thought about my long-term future.
A few years later, I won a lawsuit and became a multi-millionaire. It was short-lived after paying the taxes and the lawyer and the settlement isn’t so large. Shortly after the settlement, I had Brain Surgery and took some time off to recover by remodeling and upgrading our house. While our marriage fell apart and we divorced.
I never asked myself if I was happy, fulfilled, and living a good life. I wasn’t and set out to make major changes. First I started focusing on the future while maintaining a fun life. After the divorce, I no longer had big money. It was a time for discovery.
I matured from the divorce and started writing down what made me happy or what I thought would. I started by giving a bit to charity and other ways to find joy and spent some time thinking about the type of man that I wanted in my life if the chance came again. I was open but already 38 years old.
Learning how to get in touch with myself happened after I married my husband. I have learned what “in sickness and in health means.” He’s had my back, loved me when I was in very dark places and mean, and has shown that love for over 23 years.
Our focus changed to what we want in our future and retirement, what number would give us a comfortable retirement. To do that you have to make sacrifices which in the beginning was hard for me but now, I would not go back to my high-rolling days.
Money didn’t give me joy, it flamed my ego which affected my marriage.
Money didn’t keep my Bipolar Disorder under control, I did.
Money didn’t keep my Grandparents from dying.
Money will not protect you from harm, death, illness, or stress.
I love our comfortable life watching TV together every night, and catching up on the day while sharing a meal. My husband washes his own clothes which makes it easier on me, takes care of the dogs, and cooks most of the time and in Summer he’s great about watering my plants.
What my journey taught me is money is great but it’s icing not the foundation of a great life.
Melinda
I’m glad you stopped by and hope to see you soon.
Melinda
Looking for the Light 
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