Do More With Less - Stash Busting 2018

How does this keep happening?

There are layers to this madness. Also, the rest of it is in my room.

Looking at this basket full of...well, stuff, I sigh.

My body feels heavy. 

Why do I keep hoarding? 

I find it so easy to tell myself that I'm actually quite minimalistic compared to some people but I know that the only area of my life that I'm truly pleased with how much (little?) I have is my skin care routine. I half want to push it all into a cupboard for another year, shoving my hand in intermittently for whatever single product I desire (ignoring all others!) and then rinse and repeat for the new year 2019.

Naaah. I can feel that this year is a going to be a year of letting go.

And jeez, isn't that a scary thought? To let go? To release? It's almost easier to stay in the spaces we've set out for ourselves than to explore the frightening liberation of a huge world without the weight. To stay buried under all the things I persuaded myself I needed in order to succeed at my hair goals and thus at life.

This year, I want to get down to mid back length (I'm about an inch or two away from my back bra strap). Having this hoard is definitely not going to help me get there. Lemme strip back and find what works for me, rather than trying to (unsuccessfully) emulate the success of others.

I'm still going to try and I AM going to be more mindful about my hair care. No more rush job on a Sunday because I think I should. I want to do less in general, so that I have the time to really experience the little I will be doing.

So rather than: 'wash deep condition strengthen condition stretch moisturise wait to dry style for twenty years go go go'...I want to just do one at a time and do it well. Does that make sense? I feel really wishy washy here and vague with my ramblings, but I know what I mean in my belly. I can feel the fire starting to crackle there for the fighting and struggling and fear and anxiety coming this year and I'm determined to face it without the weight of somebody else's armour.

The plan  hope/desire hair-wise for this year:

• Keep using henna.
• Moisturise regularly using my herb teas.
• Decide what products I like and will actually use (I'm a sucker for a good smell or a natural hair fad). I am currently building a spreadsheet and dear God, it is a behemoth of a thing. I know I'll be grateful when it's done but right now, it feels like extreme self-flagellation by Excel 😂
• Get rid of products I'm ambivalent about [including through this blog and instagram]. 
• Keep my needs and routines simple. 
• Connect with people, not 'brands', on Instagram. (You know what I mean. Can't have a conversation with an actual person, just getting media snippets and regurgitated niceties. If I don't know where their general interests lay...well, no ma'am, no ham, no thank you.)

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Sick

Say hello to my little friends.

All 3 (million) of them at this point maybe..

Nobody likes getting sick.

But when getting sick once means that it will be a snowball of different treatments, side effects and compounding illnesses, it feels like a real pain in the butt.

I've been sick since October. An infection that should have gone away, but didn't. My doctor recommended a treatment that I prayed and thought would work.

It didn't.

I spent Christmas and New Year sizzling in my skin.

The second (different) doctor recommended antibiotics. By now, the infection was ravaging my body and making it hard to function, so I had no choice.
But my heart sank a little. My immune system is pretty poor anyway, but adding antibiotics into the mix would blast away any happy bacteria I had left in my overheated, little overwrought body.

I'm finishing up the course now, with the effects of the infection still present, the symptoms of a virus erupting in my weakened state and my gut having given up the ghost after all this abuse.

I've been reading a lot of information that seems to imply that the health of your gut can have a huge impact on your health in general.
I said in my previous challenge post that I was looking at fermented foods. In this article, Curly Nikki mentioned the effect poor gut and digestive health may have on the hair - and to me, it makes sense. What is the point of taking lots of supplements, if your body can't/won't make use of it by absorbing it properly?

I said I was going to try and help heal my gut by eating more fermented foods.
So far I've got two jars of kimchi in my fridge (one pictured above - it was full at the beginning of this week), in order to help replenish my lost army sacrificed in the terrible battle against evil usurping bacteria any probiotics.
I'm making fruity gelatin once a week to feed these probiotics in my gut till I've used up all my little packets.
I'm bone broth(isn't it basically stock?)-ing my way through this (now) freezing winter, to help feed up and fix my gut too. (I'd been looking at it anyway, but in relation to my teeth).
I've got some fermented ginger and turmeric on the way too, just because you can never have too many good bacteria.

Fighting the good fight! Hoo-ha!

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New Year, Old Me

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I don't usually set New Year's resolutions. I didn't really believe in them. For me, the natural time for goal setting came as the days got shorter and colder and leaves fell and everywhere was bathed in a golden light. Time seemed to stretch eternal and seeped with hope and anticipation. Magical.


However, the other kind of magic struck me over the last two months - a frustratingly broken camera (my techno curse strikes again!), a lack of justice, a loss of hope, disbelief, the suffocating wrap of apathy around my neck. Bleak and cold midwinter clutched at me, as well as an unshakeable sickness.
My reaction?
Desperately throwing myself into my job, telling myself I'm too busy and sad to write on this here blog. Slashing at my internet ties and, in effect, my accountability.

The truth is, if I don't talk to you on here, I can easily go a few weeks not talking to anybody else properly. Plus, my soul was just too tired to talk, when it just seemed so pointless.

Anyway! Christmas, for me at least, proved invigorating and once again stoked those little embers of hope for the future I'd thought had been killed by the grey grimmness of reality. I read the feelings of others and the anger of many and know I was not alone. I crocheted and mixed up and created. I was rejected by potentially the cutest 18 month old in favour of my husband (hands off). Thins were put into perspective.

Idiots non carborundum.

I only have two resolutions really:

Consistent self-care.

You know when people say they let themselves go? Over the last three months, I've REALLY let myself go. It doesn't help that I'm married to possibly the lowest maintenance man in existence. He doesn't even scar when he gets spots, whereas I have scars that are possibly older than Methusalah. I've been using extra virgin olive oil as a body moisturiser, which is fine, but I'm tired of smelling like salad. Also, some days I work 8 to 8 and who wants to exercise at 9 in the evening? Not me!

So I want to:

• Start to cleanse my face once everyday (no, I don't at the moment. Hence, Methusalah's age mates still lingering on my face, playing checkers and heckling runners.)
• Treat myself experience wise - maybe once a week, or once a month. Just regularly enough that it stops me getting run down. Craft, relax, create or just pamper. Products are no fun if you don't take the time to use them properly.
• Continue researching biodegradable / sustainable / eco-friendly teeth cleaning options. Chewing sticks remind me of my grandma, but she did have great teeth, so...
• Give myself enough time to make what I need - no more olive oil body moisturiser! Shea butter only in 2015.

Simplify my stuff.

I have so much rubbish and I've just let it all build up. So I want to:

1. Use up my craft hobby stash - all the yarn, fabric and cosmetic ingredients that I don't use on a regular basis to be gone by August.
2. I am going to give away or get rid of all the clothes people have given me that I hate and still wear. And then make and/or buy some things I like and will wear with pride.
3. Stop making excuses for not using things that work - hate the applicator? Buy a new one. Keep running out of a necessary ingredient? Buy in bulk. I've been cheap for too long, and always try replacing what worked with something else, which just wastes money. 
   Yeah, I'm done with that now. Onwards with what works!

I hope you're having a good day and a lovely week. And happy new year! I hope it is full of joy, love, peace, fluffy things, blessings, warmth and positivity. Oh, and chocolate. Which clearly fits under the umbrella of all of the aforementioned.

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Big and little Goals

I've made it a habit of mine to post my yearly goals when autumn comes along - it feels a lot more natural than January 1st, in the midst of frost and cold and the dismantling of Christmas decorations. Eeesh *shivers*.

So I'm thinking that instead of approaching it like a wishlist, as in 'I hope somehow next year I'll have somehow managed to do this' I'll post my annual goal and then follow it up with what I'm doing this month to follow it up. See if it's realistic or not by taking little steps first. I've been massively inspired by Shelli's fitness achievements - her dedication is amazing and inspiring and, even better, totally achievable. 10 minutes a day? Let's do this!

Hair

Big Goal: Get to Bra Strap Length/Have 15 inches of hair all round by October 2014
Little goal(s) for October: Moisturise my twists regularly with rose water.
Continue caring for hair as necessary (washing and conditioning etc).
Keep up with my fitness goals.

Fitness

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Big Goal: Be able to do a handstand
Little goals for October: Continue focusing on general core and upper body fitness (I want to join a yoga class later on and am trying to give myself a little head start!).

Big Goal: Be able to keep up with the Wonder Thing. I'm feeling sluggish and lethargic, which isn't great going into the colder seasons. I want to look after myself so I have more energy and don't need afternoon naps any more!
Little goals for October: Exercise three times a week, to get re-used to it . Includes joining a dance class or sports team!
Drink 2 litres of water daily.
Start adding more vegetables and fruits back into my daily life - 5-a-day.

Life

Big Goal: Save £1500
Little goals for October: Start working again, even if it means joining new agencies.
Reclaim money from agencies and banks that is owed to me.
If I am working at least times three a week, create a realistic budget.

Big Goal: Have a welcoming home.
Little goals for October: Get some sofas.
Devise a laundry system of some sort.
Clear out recycling packaging from the back.

Big Goal: To feel more put together as a person
Little goal for October:: Take an hour off from my to do list and chores every week to have some pampering time.

Big Goal: To be able to do my own face in simple, flattering make up
Little goal for October: Buy some make up and experiment

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Hey There!

I have, in the past 6 months, moved between 3 countries, 5 cities, over 10 towns and many, many houses.

There have been cards, presents, far too much packing and an obscene excess of goodbyes to people I desperately want to see again. Many shenanigans, not always of my own making *glares at computer*

I have moved house twice, celebrated the birthdays of 6 family members', not including the birth of a new one) and gotten married (just once. Or maybe twice, depending on who you ask).

In short, I’m utterly knackered. 

As you might have guessed, looking after my hair (and myself in general) has taken a long back seat and hasn’t really been a priority of mine, despite its appearance being a looming focus for myself and many an aunt (more on that later).

I feel like I've completely fallen off the bandwagon of feeling bothered with my appearance and, after finally purchasing a mirror and taking a look at my ghastly reflection within, I'm more than desperate to climb back on.

Starting with the basics of course...

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