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COLLAGING, AN ALTERED BOOK, AND FOUND POETRY - CREATING NEW FROM OLD

Discovering the interconnections between collaging and found poetry - reframing art and literature in my own way.

FINDING MY CREATIVE SIDE

For those of you who read my blog regularly, you'll know that when I retired I tried my hand at lots of creative pastimes to see if any of them resonated. I'd never seen myself as even remotely "artistic" so it was quite a challenge to put that longheld belief to one side and to see if I was drawn to anything creative. 

Retirement has given me the time and space to dabble in lots of different areas and to discover what appeals and what was "one and done" for me. Some of the things I've tried (with a link to each at the beginning) include:
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EMBRACING CHANGE AND LIVING WITH A LIGHTER HEART

Letting go of what weighing us down so that we can use our time and energy to focus on the good we have now, and embrace what lies ahead.

LOSING THE HEAVINESS

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about a few issues that had weighed me down and the last two are still recent enough for me to know how heavy they've been to carry. I feel like they've been niggling away at me for months and they'd dragged my natural buoyancy down. When you have unhappinesses in your life you can feel like things are bigger and more important than they actually are.

What I've begun to notice is that, as I accept change in my life, I'm starting to feel lighter and more at peace, and I wanted to share that positivity today after a long period of feeling a bit flat....
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THE ART OF LETTING GO: HOW TO SIMPLIFY AND DECLUTTER YOUR LIFE

4 simple tips to help you let go of physical, mental, and emotional clutter in your life.

 THE ART OF LETTING GO

Over the course of our lives we accumulate so much in the way of clutter - notably, our possessions, commitments and even our thoughts. So, in a world where less is often considered more, it is a good idea to simplify and declutter all aspects of it on a regular basis.

The best way to do this is to let go of everything that is holding you back. If you don't, you can start to feel completely overwhelmed. But, if you do, it can be quite a liberating and invigorating experience.

But how do we kickstart the process of letting go enough to actually be able to simplify and declutter the complexities of our lives? And what does that actually mean?

Today I have a collaborative post that puts the spotlight on the art of letting go and how you can create the physical and mental space you need to live your best life.

 

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HOW STEPPING AWAY AND STEPPING BACK CAN LEAD TO STEPPING UP

Stepping away from toxic people and unhealthy situations can give us the space we need to grow and step into who we're meant to be.

HOW I USED TO DEAL WITH LIFE

For as long as I can remember, I've always been someone who wants everyone to be happy, to be doing well, and to be at peace with me. I HATE it when I feel like I've upset someone, or that they have an issue with me. Conflict causes me a lot of stress and that inner gut churning that is miserable. I then proceed to overthink everything, to try to smooth the waters, to apologize, or to change to make the other person more comfortable.

Well.... that was how I always used to be, but over the last few years I've been growing a bit of a backbone,  I've discovered boundaries, and I've worked on my self-worth. A few things have brought that into focus and that's what I'm writing about today....
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HOW TO FIND MORE JOY IN LIFE EACH AND EVERY DAY

How do we begin to live with joy as our natural default in a busy and sometimes messy world?

HOW DO WE FIND JOY?

I wrote a series of posts several years ago on twelve areas to focus on for happiness. It was popular because a lot of us are looking for ways to be happy and to not end up as grumpy old people. What I've come to see over the ensuing years is that there isn't a switch we turn on to make ourselves happy, we can't force ourselves to be happy....but we do have control over our minds and our thoughts, and we can set them towards joy by choosing what we give our attention to.

Our feelings follow our thinking....
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SHOULD YOU SELL YOUR CAR WHEN YOU RETIRE IN AUSTRALIA?

When you retire, should you keep or sell your car? Here's a comprehensive guide to help you make an informed decision.

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Over the last year or so my husband and I have been chatting about when it'll be time to downsize from two cars to one. Neither of us are driving to work anymore and most of the time at least one car is sitting idle in the garage....when do we sell one and save on some of the costs vs keeping both and having a car each that suits us? (I like small cars, he prefers a bigger engine and more space).

Today on the blog I have a collaboration that covers this topic in more detail and I found it to be really helpful with the list of pros and cons that come with making the decision of whether to sell, or to keep what you have...
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LOOKING BACK AT A WONDERFUL WINTER

Looking back at June, July, and August 2024 - winter in Australia - and highlights of what I've been doing during that time.

LOOKING BACK AT THE WINTER THAT'S BEEN

Winter has been a lovely change from the hot, dry, extended Summer we experienced here in Western Australia. The cooler days and the rain have been really welcome - it's so lovely to see the world green up around me and to hear the rain on the roof at night as I snuggle under the covers.

It's been three months since I wrote my last update and today I wanted to share a few of the highlights from the family, the blog, and life in general - I hope you'll enjoy them too.....
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WHEN A GOOD LIFE TIPS THE SCALES OVER AN EASY LIFE

As the second half of life has come along and things have steadied, I can see that it isn't an easy life that I'm drawn to, its a good life.

A GOOD LIFE VS AN EASY LIFE

When I was younger, I always had a small kernel of envy in my heart towards those who seemed to lead much easier lives. I'd see those who had large incomes, or those who were making big purchases, or those who seemed to be high fliers, and my heart would give a little twinge as I continued along with my daily life of work and paying bills, saving money, and going without those added extras.

I thought that the easy life was the best life, but as the second half of life has come along and things have steadied, I can see that it isn't an easy life that I'm drawn to, its a good life....
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CHOOSING "NO MATTER WHAT" PEOPLE OVER "JUST LET THEM" PEOPLE

I'll always choose to spend time with a friend who is there for me “no matter what" rather than with someone who treats me poorly.

"JUST LET THEM" QUOTE

I read a quote a little while ago, it was called "Let Them" - it was an attempt at being positive and proactive when it comes to people in your life who don't treat you in the way you'd like to be treated. At first it sounds very strong and powerful, but the more I thought about it, the less appealing it became.

This is the quote:
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5 HEALTHY HABITS TO ADOPT IN LATER LIFE

Healthy habits you can adopt to give you the best chance of living a much longer and more robust life.

INTRO

Today on the blog I have another great collaboration with some sensible advice on how to stay healthy so we can keep living our best life. I know that a positive mindset is vital, and it's so much easier to stay that way if we keep our body and brain in good shape too. 

So, let me pass the blog over to my collaborator to share some sensible tips on how to stay as healthy as possible as we progress through the second half of life...
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