love and crystals

I don't particularly feel like being overly informative right now, so I'm going to leave out the technical blah blah (for right now) on my raw cleanse. I'll give you the links here to the actual cleanse , and here to their full website. Suffice it to say though, that I am enjoying myself, I don't feel hungry, or really even yucky from my cleanse. I'm really enjoying it.

There was an interesting thought included in the packet that I would like to talk about though. We all know that I espouse self acceptance, and body consciousness and love, again with the blah blah... But something they said stopped me dead in my tracks. Could I look in the mirror each morning and say, "I love you." TO MY FACE!?! So I thought about it. I can say the words, "I love myself." but even that's different, more removed. I felt uncomfortable saying it to my face in exactly the way I would say it to Brandon's face, or to one of my kids. Why? Don't I truly believe in the idea that you can't truly love someone else until you love oneself? I do, I do; so I practised for a few days, and I now feel pretty good about saying it to myself. Maybe it was more of a just getting used to it, than an actual hang up, but still a barrier that I think makes a difference.

I asked Brandon if he could do it, and he said he would feel uncomfortable. I'd be interested to hear everyones thoughts on this, or give it a shot and tell us some results.

source

Recapturing Beauty

I, (like many of you, probably?) am obsessed with myself. I try not to say it like that very often, it doesn't taste very great coming out. I tend to try and temper it with a "I'm just trying to take good care of myself"; but, it's the truth, I take it to obsession. I spend way too much time thinking about the 20 pounds I have to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight, if my boobs are going to be super saggy after I finish birthing and feeding subsequent children. Whether my teeth are white enough, my eyelashes long enough, my clothes stylish enough. Did you know, (you didn't) that I prefer to sit in front of a mirror while I talk on the phone so that I can just stare at myself. I know where every wrinkle on my face is, the veins on my legs, and I've almost got ever erstwhile hair named. I'm self absorbed in the worst way. I crave acceptance from the way that I look. There, I said it; and there's a fine line of that accepted by society. It's alright to wear makeup, but how much, with what attitude? No one likes the "tramp", but what if that's really how she felt like looking? It's cool to look vintage geek chic, but the homeless man on the corner doesn't look very cool in his second hand clothes. I can have plastic surgery if its reconstructive, but keep it hush hush if it just makes me feel better about myself? And why should it make me feel better, who made it that way? I know that many of my issues stem from a childhood of looking a little different than most of the girls in my class, and though I was ridiculed, I had a supportive loving family. It didn't matter, I feel that I have/am/was bombarded by magazines, TV, radio, everything commercial, and I am definitely a product of a society that over sexualizes, and over simplifies the issue of beauty, both outer and inner.

Oh yes, inner beauty, the king of kings. You see, though I am self obsessed, I have successfully stripped some of that away, and I don't only think of myself. I also try to think about, help, and encourage others to be the best that they can be, by nurturing, teaching, and gently prodding others(if you know me, you know I'm a prodder, its a god given gift). Those things build my inner beauty day by day. But what is it about hearing "you're so hot sexy!" that's so much more flattering than "you're a nice lady"? I don't know!?!?! I value inner beauty, but I want to be beautiful on the outside too. I know that one of those can grow exponentially upward, while the other will begin to wither, hopefully somewhat gracefully. It's up to  me and you, and every person on this planet to take real beauty back! To feel glorious in the skin we're in, while we continue to build and grow both mind, body, and spirit.

This post obviously over simplifies all of the issues discussed, but it is something that I've thought a lot about for the last five years. And I think more and more women are ready to talk about it. Here is a link to a beautiful series some beautiful women I know from church have been doing :

Woman behind the picture (this is part nine, read them all!)

And on Tuesday, my friend Jacqui, asked me to teach a yoga class for the young women of our church, in my old ward. It was to fulfill the first requirement  for this: Recapturing Beauty , a ten day challenge put out by BYU to help you strengthen your belief in yourself. I think its beautiful, and strong. I'm going to do a post once a week for the next ten weeks to do each one. I'd love to hear some of your experiences if you decide to take the challenge too!

Luv,
 Livs

Oi Vey

I might be getting a little ahead of myself, but I've really been thinking of my New Year's resolutions. I've already started to get in the groove with some things no, a little jump start if you will. I try to make all my yearly goals about consciousness; opening awareness within myself. I'll share some here with you, in case you'd like to ponder them and take up the crusade as well.

1. My biggest material goal is to rid my house of any and all unnatural chemicals. I already buy all natural cleaning (and most beauty) products, but this year I'm slowly going to teach myself to make all of them. Thereby effectively cutting costs, increasing health by decreasing harmful chemicals in the body, increasing my preparedness skills (ain't goin' be no chapstick in the apocalypse), and increasing my self-worth.

2. This fits in to numero uno, but if I split it up and succeed then I look like a bigger success. Of course if I fail, then I'll be a bigger failure...oh you silly knife cutting both ways! Alack, I digress; I will really strive to get our act, as a family, together with our eating habits. I believe that properly fuelled, and free of harmful additives, or body was created by Heavenly Father to do incredible things, including healing itself. So I will be striving to live the word of wisdom more consciously; ie no addictive substances (sugar, you substitute for crack!), lots of fruits and veggies, and meat sparingly.

3. As I dive deeper into mommydom, and need those frequent mommy breaks, I want to try harder to stay away from the computer and television during this times. Pushing myself towards more creative outlets. I also want to use this same principle for being more consciously active with my kids. Finding new ways to engage with them, and help them grow.

4. While I was pregnant I tried to talk BMan into doing a sprint triathlon with me this upcoming year to loose our extra baby fat. He's looking kind of shaky, but I'm holding strong and can't wait to start training. For all you Lyons' out there, here's the one I think everyone over 10 in the fam should do this summer in Coeur d' Alene. It can even be done with teams for those really lazy people ;)

5. And my two ever present and constant goals of educating myself and service.


Well the girl is waking, so I guess I better get off the computer!

Peace