It’s OK to stop and prioritize. To think, reflect, and choose. And if the choice is made to postpone that is OK too.

Let’s back up a bit. The first three months of this year have been stressful for me. Not in a bad way though. But it was still stressful. Our family was waiting for a decision that was completely out of our hands. In the end the decision came with fantastic results. Great news! But it was still stressful.

Also, in our part of the world, January and February are quite grey. The sun only pops out once in a while and that’s not good for me. I like sunshine. And it’s been cold. And wet. And snowy. And slippery. Did I mention it was grey? Dull? Gloomy?

In March I received an award. Normally I’d be thrilled. But coupled with everything else that was going on, this award and all the fuss that came with it seeming like too much. I had to find something “pretty” to wear. Ugg – under pressure to look right. In the end, the award ceremony came and went. It was done well, I enjoyed myself, and I think I looked “classy” LOL.

And all of this brings us to today. I discovered that I needed some time to stop and prioritize. Think, reflect and choose. I needed to allow myself grace. And it took a bit longer than I thought it would. But in the last week, with good food, good sleep, and a few extra walks outside, I’m feeling more like myself again. It was a productive week at work, lots done, and a bunch of “to-dos” crossed off with my juicy red marked (yes, I do this at work too!). I am feeling better.

Today, I am hunkering in my sparkly office in the sunshine. I received a glass crystal ball as part of the work award. It is sitting on my windowsill and there are rainbows and sparkles all over the walls and ceilings. I love it!

I am going to focus on Young Women Over Fifty for a while. It feels good and it feels right.

I am also going to postpone March’s challenge until April. And that feels good and right as well.

Plus, I am  going to out outside and explore in that sunshine! 

“It’s so easy to forget that our expectations are powerful and they can set the stage for our experiences. So, with that in mind, this week as you go about your days, why not…

• • Expect ease.
  • Expect pleasant.
  • Expect good news.” – Cheryl Richardson 

Cheers from a sunny distance,

Cindy 

  “Start where you are. Simply begin. But begin.” – Seth Godin

I have been working up a lot of nerve to launch this site. And a lot of excuses. But then, there it was, maybe not the “perfect” timing, but the “right” timing. Launch it. Begin. Push start.

And that’s true for a lot of my life right now. Begin. Start where you are. Simply begin. I mean how many more opportunities are available to us if we keeping finding excuses to ignore the obvious ones?

There is a huge amount of relief now that I pushed the button and hit start. For those of you who are new to me, a bit of background. My first solo site was “Cindy’s Porch” – it focused on decluttering our finances, making our money work. Fast forward over twenty years and NOW we see how valuable and scary that world of finances can be. And I’m going to be honest with you here – it’s OK to talk about money. And be honest with yourself about your money. Yup, we’re still going to talk about it here!

Now, with the kids out of the house and totally on their own – three cheers for surviving that part of our lives LOL – I look back at this home that my husband and I live in and wonder, do I still need all this stuff? Back in the day it was called “decluttering” – now I call it – “un-nesting.” And yes, there are still kid toys hiding in the basement. Yup, we’re going to “unnest” here. A home-detangling of sorts!

The other thing – that I NEVER thought I would talk about publicly – is that I’m through menopause – whoot! Luckily for me, it was a smooth process. But it came with a few extra increases in my pant size! And honestly, it bugs me. I know that the extra flubber-blubber around the waist is not good for my inside guts. And I don’t like the new pants I had to buy. Also, I’m not happy with how much I huffed and puffed while out with my daughter and her husband over the Christmas holidays. This needs to change – for me.

Finally, I am going to be selfish here. I spent a lot of years focused on family, clients, online community, and more. So, for the next few months, while I get set up and make myself at home in my new “online” home, the focus is going to be on whatever works for me 😊. Squirrel!

Keep in mind, I’m always open to suggestions!

So here is your challenge for today on the first day of the year. What have you been working up the nerve to start? I am a big fan of day journals, agendas, and calendars. Pull out that shiny new one you have for 2025 and write down ONE, maybe TWO things you want to “simply begin.”

Cheers to being a young woman over fifty (sixty) and beyond!!!

Cindy

PS: Where are the comments? Honestly, I’m not up to dealing with the spam bots and weird comments that appear on new websites. For the time being, I will be linking these articles to Facebook and you are welcome to comment there. As I get better established, I’ll rethink the comment section.

Another PS: That cat? Belongs to my daughter – and no one messes with that cat!

I mentioned earlier that I am on a mission to drop two decades. I stepped on a scale and discovered that I was on my way to four decades past my comfort weight. Each decade equals ten pounds. Since I’ve already hit menopause, I’m not sure what my real weight should be. As well, I have lost a bunch of muscle mass and I’m determined to get it back again. I’m aiming for “two decades” as a start knowing that I may have to adjust my goal as I start gaining muscle mass again.

In the meantime, I’m working on food that is good for my body and good for those decades that I plan on loosing! Now, keep in mind, I’m not a nutritionist, doctor, or fitness guru. I’m just me trying to figure out what works for me. I’m also cheap. And it was that combination of just finished a Good Fitness workout, looking for Good Food, and being cheap that took me into my garden for tonight’s supper!

I headed into the garden and started shopping! Zucchini, patty pan squash, carrots, cucumber, spinach, mini tomatoes, and fresh basil. I found some fresh garlic, a lemon, and a pear in the fruit bowl. Then I opened the fridge and freezer and discovered feta cheese and a half a bag of shrimp. From the pantry came a can of black beans, a bag of almost empty quinoas, some walnuts, and a bunch of spices.

I mixed the sliced veggies, black beans, and the pear with a splash of olive oil, thinly sliced garlic, and a mixture of ginger, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, pepper with a teeny bit of salt.  Then I roasted it in the oven at 425 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes. While the veggies were roasting, I cooked up the quinoas adding some lemon zest into the boiling water. The shrimp was quickly stir fried with some butter, garlic, and lemon juice.

Then everything was plated (I watch too many cooking shows!) into a bowl with fresh spinach. I squirted a bit more lemon juice on the top, added some fresh basil, feta cheese, and chopped walnuts and supper was ready!

Good Food – fresh roasted veggies from the garden! Delicious!

 Cheers,

 Cindy