You control your attitude

https://youtu.be/2VUcj62MbBs

Kindness Matters

Kindness Matters Vlog: https://youtu.be/vcCo9Bqh9Os

Be a decent human

Be kind.  

Be a decent human.  

Treat others how you want to be treated.  

Things that come out of my mouth daily.  Sadly it’s not always my kids I am saying this too. No I have to say it to grown adults who apparently missed manners classes.  Now don’t get me wrong. I do say them to my kids. It cracks up my husband when I say, “be a decent human” to our 3 & 5 year olds. But I feel these lessons need to start early in life. 

Both my lovies, are sweet, kind, generous, and empathetic.  It makes my heart happy to watch them helping others or each other.  But they have a mean streak too.  So sometimes I have to remind them of manners.  It’s my job to teach them and sometimes remind them of their manners and to be a decent human.   

In a world where technology seems to be overtaking every aspect of life. We as a society have grown less empathetic, less patient, less hands on.  We used to learn from our parents how to grow food, make and repair things. We didn’t hire someone to build a fence, we did it.  We didn’t hire someone to fix the car, my daddy did it.  Then we stop teaching basic life skills. We stopped being honest and started being politically correct.  We stopped getting to know our neighbors in person and opt to stalk them online.  We stopped being kind to others. We stopped being patient. We stopped treating others regardless of their job or where they live  the same way we wanted to be treated. And a whole bunch of us just stopped being decent humans.  It’s easy to get caught up in what others have or just wanting to be selfish. I get it.  But where technology and material things fill your life, you become devoid of empathy.  Empathy keeps us human.   Empathy makes us want to treat others kindly empathy helps us be decent humans who are patient and kind.  

I urge you to take a step back and be a decent human. Be kind to others. Leave sweet notes or pay for someone behind you in line. Smile and say hi.  Sometimes just being seen by a friendly face can make someone’s day   Please go out in the world and spread kindness!  

Love

Jamie 

Hysterectomy and Burch -**TMI warning

Some of you followed my cancer journey.  If you didn’t I survived stage 3 breast cancer. Recently I had an abnormal ultrasound of the uterus. So while the doctor was removing my uterus they also did a Burch procedure that helps with me peeing during coughing, laughin, sneezing, tooting... this was done by a robot and was minimally invasive.  Came through surgery well. But found peeing rather difficult.  So I went from peeing myself to not being able to pee. Ironic. Huh?  

So Friday night after surgery we headed back to the er portion of the hospital to get a catheter. After having it removed Monday and passing the drs pee test in which I felt like barely but he said well (he wanted 2 ccs I gave him 12). Still was dribbling. I was assured this was normal and to not strain when peeing 

Okay ladies do you know how hard that is? Especially if you need to poop? You strain a little without realizing if. Well I realized I was straining but my body was like it was in birthing mode. It was like “listen lady you have to poop like your life depends on it”. And while it was cleaning me out, I passed a blood clot in my urine. The damn thing must have been there all along. It just didn’t clog the catheter & couldn’t bypass it either but when there was no catheter but there was pee in my bladder It stopped up the flow. If I laid down I could pee (super convenient) sometimes I could go standing if I moved around. And always could go in the car.. my conclusion is I was able to move it at times to get relief but because of surgery I was to sore to push.  I didn’t have to poop then but when I did the clot came out.  I can pee again. It’s amazing.  Horay for peeing!  So I’m pushing lots of fluids just to keep peeing.

 I’ll never complain about peeing myself again. It’s way better than to not be able to pee at all!  That hurts! Worst form of torture.. and hopefully the only I will ever experience. So don’t tell me secrets as it won’t take much for me to spill them!  But yay for not ever having to worry about uterine cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancee, Fallopian tube cancer or to Aunt Flo visiting ever again!  Now that surgery totally worth it. I shouldn’t have doubled down and just stayed the course. 

May peace be with you 

Jamie

Girl wash your face review

I am half way through “girl wash your face”. I swear I could have written it. Well not the stories she tells, obviously those are personal to Rachel and I have my own struggles. But the advice she gives is spot on. So many people wait to be happy, make excuses, tell yourself lies, when the power is there within you.  

This week has been less than stellar. It would make most people curl up in a ball and want to sleep the days away.  My kids have been extra special at night and in the mornings. You know the only time I have with them.  I have screamed at them more than I care to admit. It’s been rough. Some nights I have cried myself to sleep with the promise that tomorrow will be better. And you know what? I woke up and it was slightly better. I didn’t scream as easily. My feathers were not ruffled as much as the previous days. I took baby steps and that’s OK. I improved, I kept my promise.  I was able to step back and realize they needed a connection to me. Especially my oldest, he becomes a terror when not feeling connected.  But even he recognized it. Wednesday he refused to go to school. Normally we would have fought and he would have gone. He wasn’t sick but it was the day after a horrible, no good night. So I said okay. As long as he didn’t bother me while I worked. He promised and delivered!  I was so proud of us both.  He asked for snuggles when he needed it. Laid on the couch and watched transformers. He got alone time, mama time, and a mental break from everything and a physical break from people too. It was an amazing day.

 I love how at 5 he recognized what he needed to be happy and calm. I am proud of myself for starting each day fresh, choosing to be happy, choosing to behave better, choosing not to react so badly. Happiness is a choice. I say this over and over but it’s the truth. You wake up every day and decide. You can wallow in all that has or will go wrong. You can keep complaining about the same things or you can make and keep promises to yourself, you can choose to change things, you can choose to be happy!  

Life is good my friends. Don’t let it pass you by because you keep choosing to be grumpy!  Choose happiness, every  single day!

~Jamie

Christians and Carnivores

So this post may piss some people off. And truly if it does you may want to look inside you as that means I hit a nerve and maybe you are blocking something out but I digress.  This post is about how so many Christians and carnivores seem to have holy than thou I’m right because I can’t possible open my mind to see why you think or feel the way I do. You should just eat meat and come to church 3 times a week. That should cure you.  Why do I need to be cured?  I live a good life, am kind to others, treat others better than most treat me.  I do not believe in killing ANYTHING, even an animal to eat.. but yes you are right. I’m an evil bitch and must be stopped. That’s right folks. I’m happy, I’m healthy, I don’t do any harm to anyone, treat others with respect and kindness no matter who they are, yet I’m the problem with my liberal, hippie, agnostic, vegan, mind.  

Just because I don’t believe in your god, that doesn’t make me a bad person. In fact lots of people don’t believe in the same gods or even god and are amazing people. I dare say some are more amazing than most Christians. At least they don’t lie about who they are every Sunday and keep it real 365 days a year. I am tired of having to defend why I don’t want to eat dead animals.  Or why I don’t want to waste my Sunday’s being around a bunch of hypocrites.  Why am I the bad guy?   Did you know Hinduism is the first documented religion?  Not Christianity. Not Judaism, Hinduism.  Let that sink in.  Also bible is man made. And i know this is a shocker but people lie...  the Bible was written as a guide to help people be a good person. And don’t do things like eat pork because you know pork could kill them.   I don’t need it to tell me go be a good person and i don’t eat meat. Being a good person comes from within. I also don’t need an outside source to take away sins or be in control of my life.  That’s my job.  I have to forgive myself. I have to be accountable to me. I have the choice. It’s not external. It’s internal.  Only I can bring myself peace. And I do. I’m also my kids & husbands peace. I am their calm when they are chaotic. I’m teaching my kids how to be their own calm.  We don’t need religion to be good, calm, zen, decent, humans. We believe it comes from within and if it comes from within you always have a way to control yourself. External things do not have to effect my mood, or me if I don’t let them. I am in control so please store pushing what you believe down my throat.  If you live a good  happy life people want to know your secret. If they aren’t asking you how you do if. You may want to focus a little more on you instead of me and others.. just a thought.  Clean your house before coming to mine.  

Carnivores.... No I don’t want to try your meat. I’m sure it’s delicious to you but it’s not my thing. No I don’t want fish. It’s an animal.   I’m happy to eat plant based products.  I don’t calorie count. I don’t diet. I’m not being fed hormone filled dead animal.  I eat what I crave which is a lot of fruits, veggies, beans and nuts. I can make a vegan version of any of my old comfort foods. I’m not hurting the environment, animals or meat eaters. I’m just eating clean   What I eat shouldn’t offend you.  I’m not killing anything to eat my plants. I’m growing a lot myself so no undocumented workers farming most of my food. So I’m really confused why I hear sly remarks  or bolder “just take a bite” um no. No means no. Whether it’s about sex or food. Just no please stop asking.  And gluten free is totally different than vegan.  Please learn the difference    I do not have a gluten intolerance in fact I love making bread.  Vegan means I don’t eat  or wear animal products. I lean more to the raw plant diet but I teter on the vegan line with bread and other not so plant based yet still animal free food.  I don’t do dairy (eggs, cheese, milk, milk products etc). It’s really not hard to grasp. Think fruits veggies, nuts, beans.  I get all my nutrients from plants and yes even my protein and iron. Research and  try some vegan dishes. I’m happy to cook for you. Also don’t turn your nose up before you try the food. It’s rude. If you aren’t going to have an open mind then why bother. 

We don’t have to agree but it would be nice if people would be respectful.  I don’t need lectures or snide comments. It’s my life and i have a say.  So please do you and I’ll do me   also just be a decent human. could you please? That would be great! 

Sincerely 

A fed up agnostic, liberal, hippie, vegan 

Feeling Grateful

Life gets busy. Sometimes not just busy but completely insane. We as humans try to push ourselves to the brink of insanity. It’s nuts. We have more cases of mental illness than ever before. If we stop and look at the world, it’s not the entire world. It’s places like the United States where you are expected to work 50/60 hour weeks, come home be a good parent, rinse and repeat.  We rarely let ourselves have downtime. We schedule our kids full of activities. Most of which the kids could care less about. If we could just slow down.... maybe we would be less stressed, more able to deal with stress, and over all be in better health.  

When I was little I can remember nothing was opened on sundays (thanksgiving, Christmas)   That was the day people rested. Then someone got greedy and thought “let me open up and make money” so they all followed suit. It’s crazy to think we used to use one day a week to rest. I remember we did a lot of Sunday drives. It was just mama daddy myself and my sister driving around exploring our “backyard”.   It was relaxing. 

To keep happy you must slow down and relax.  And why it is hard to do in this busy world, here are a few suggestions to help you out: 

-Start the day with a grateful ritual (end the day that way too) a simple “I am grateful I woke up” works!

-don’t schedule any activities for Sunday. Use this day to spend time with your family relaxing or doing an activity you love 

-nap or at least relax with a good book/tv show/meditate, but relax.  

-work out!  Yoga and Pilates are great for relaxing. So is a nice jog 

-put your phone away. You don’t need to be glued to it! 

I’m so grateful for my life and everyone in it. I hope I can help you too on your happiness journey!  It’s definitely a choice!  

~Jamie