Welcome back to Blogtober 2021 on Laura’s Books and Blogs! Below is part two of this year’s collection of blogger essays highlighting each blogger’s expertise in a subject or skill other than writing or blogging. Be sure to check out their blogs (all links will open in a new tab), as well as last week’s collection of essays. Then, share your areas of expertise, something you’ve spent 10,000 hours or more mastering, or working towards mastering, in the comments below!
How Gardening Provides Nourishment for Body and Soul
By: Jaya Avendel
Blog: www.ninchronicles.com
I live up on a four-acre homestead in rural Virginia with my parents and four siblings. One of the first things we did when we moved up here thirteen years ago from a small town was have our neighbor plow out a garden patch. For the first years, my parents managed the planting and weeding, and the rest of us tagged along to play in the dirt.
For the past six years I have continued to connect with the earth as the responsibility of weeding, planting, and picking falls primarily between me and my mother now.
Last year, my father fell ill. My mother was caring for him. The seedlings growing under lights in our basement and their transfer to the garden, combined with the sewing of seeds directly into the ground fell to me. I felt lost at first, but my confidence grew with the leafing plants and, though I took the failures personally at first, we had a good garden and one we all enjoyed after my father recovered.
Gardening is not just about planting and picking. It is about nourishment and valuing time. It is about connecting with the earth and connecting with yourself too.
Gardens do not have to be big or demand constant attention. Bring the green into your home with houseplants or herbs you can grow indoors to add a fresh zing to your cooking. These plants are easily cared for and very rewarding if you lack the yard space to plow out a patch.
If you asked me what my least favorite part about gardening is, I would say it is finding myself with my hands covered in dirt and no pen or paper on hand to write down an idea on.
My favorite part about gardening? The sun-warm tomatoes!
What is it Like to Live a Life of Gratitude?
By: Lynda Faye Schmidt
Blog: www.lyndafayeschmidt.com
Gratitude is the quality of being thankful, the readiness to show appreciation towards others and to return kindness. Feeling gratitude is an attitude and a choice, but it takes mindfulness to transform gratitude into a practice. To shift your perspective from what you don’t have to what you do, some simple changes can go a long way.
Keeping a journal to reflect on what you’re grateful for is a powerful tool. It changes your focus, and it puts your thoughts into words, which can assist in manifesting a more joyful experience of life. Meditation quiets your mind and improves your self-awareness. In relationship with others, expressing appreciation, giving gifts or compliments, and being generous all foster thankfulness. Smile and laugh more often; you’ll feel more joyous and present to your blessings.
The practice of gratitude feels good and has many positive side effects. It can improve your mental health and relationships. It can help reduce stress. It can lift you up and in turn, create a happier, peaceful, and loving experience of your life.
A born optimist, I started out on the right foot. I’ve always had a glass half full attitude. But recently, I’ve honed this skill. I’ve become so focused on the blessings in my life; my cup has transformed from half-full to overflowing.
I practice gratitude every day. Through mindfulness, I’ve trained my brain so that my first thoughts upon rising each morning are about something I’m looking forward to that day. Later, I write what I’m grateful for during my daily journal time. When I engage with others throughout the day, I express appreciation, smile and am polite. I acknowledge my partner for his love and kindness towards me. I notice the simple things, like the smell of coffee brewing, birds chirping, a sunset, an embrace, that I’m alive and breathing, blessed with another day.
Creating Art Over a Pandemic
By: Yemi King
Blog: www.yemiking.com
Hello, my name is Yemi Edwards.
Did I learn anything over pandemic? Well, actually, yes I did. I realised that if I took time a bit slower, I could actually draw. Yes, I found out that I had it in me to draw.
It’s a bit funny because when I went to university in the early 90’s, I took an art history class. I just couldn’t get a grasp of the subject of art. I became a photographer instead. But who would have known that after 20 years, if I just put the pencil to the sketchpad, I could actually make an image?
It started with a photograph of my late father. At that point, I learned that I could look at the picture and back to the paper and replicate what I saw. I was so excited. The drawing was admired by my close friends and family; it was a great triumph realising the skill was within me.
From there, I progressed from photographs to guides on drawing. After heading to the hobby store and purchasing my first manga pen set, I created anime/manga characters based on my family. For Mother’s Day, the family bought me a lightbox, and this made going from pen to coloured pens a lot easier.
I have been doing this now for almost 10 months, and I am so glad to have this skill to fall back on. Drawing and creating with pens and markers help slow down my life. With everyone back to a norm now, I am still struggling to adjust, so I still grab my A3 pad and sketch and doodle. I also invested in a digital pen for my iPad.
Hopefully, in the next 10 months, I will master how to make beautiful art on the device. But for now, I am always looking forward to the breakaway into my colourful world.
Like a Natural Woman
By: Deborah-Zenha Adams
Blog: http://www.deborah-adams.com
I’ve used some of my passions—endurance riding, genealogy, tarot—in my books, but I haven’t yet used my naturalist training in a novel or short story. Stay tuned for that….
I roam the river and woods on my own and with like-minded friends, but I also volunteer at the nearby National Wildlife Refuge. In a normal year, the Refuge hosts hundreds of children who visit us on school field trips. It matters. It matters a lot.
People take care of what they value, and we are able to introduce these kids to the natural world and help them understand why trees and bees are important to their lives (no pollinators, no chocolate) and how they can protect it all. Maybe they’ll share some of what they learn with their parents, or maybe they’ll become dedicated environmentalists themselves.
Every volunteer comes from a different background, from teacher to scout leader to burned-out poly sci major, and every volunteer engages with the children in a different way. I’m the irreverent one; I remind them to stay behind their hike leader so they can run away while the bear eats me (I’m told this isn’t the best way to reassure anyone that nature is a safe place, but the kids always laugh).
I point out every dead fish and armadillo on the trail, because what could be cooler than that, Huck? I explain to them that trees talk to each other, and can recognize which insect is chewing on them by the taste of its saliva. I teach them the difference between male and female turkey scat.
“I’ve never been in the woods before,” one nine year old girl tells me. “I thought I’d be scared, but I like it!” That’s what I love most about this gig—seeing nature work its magic.
Deborah-Zenha Adams is an award-winning author, a yoga educator, and a naturalist.
How to Find Your Purpose
By: Trish Ahjel Roberts
Blog: https://trishahjelroberts.com/
As an author, coach and speaker, I help people find purpose and passion in their lives. It is possible to live a simple life without seeking deep joy and fulfillment, but when you don’t rise to your potential, you will always feel like something is missing.
Try these 5 simple steps to ignite passion and purpose in your life:
- Figure out what you like. It may help to think back to your childhood. What did you enjoy most? Was it fixing things, playing sports, telling jokes, drawing, reading, singing, writing? Take some time to remember what set your little-kid soul on fire.
- Determine what you’re good at. You may have loved basketball, but were you good at it? Think about what you loved and were also skilled at. What do people ask for your help with?
- Find out what you care about. Besides your family, what are you passionate about? These might be charitable causes or strong values.
- Get still and listen. In order for your mind to organize the information you’ve kicked up, you’ll need to get still. Try journaling or meditation.
- Take action. Did you remember you loved to tell jokes and you care about the elderly? Why not volunteer for a comedy luncheon at your local nursing home? Perhaps you remembered how much you loved to work on your dad’s car, and you really care about children. Why not volunteer to teach foster kids how to fix cars? Maybe you love to sketch, and you care about dogs. Why not offer to draw dog portraits to help a local rescue advertise?
It may take more than one try but the quest for purpose is exciting and fulfilling. Repeat the 5 steps as many times as necessary and follow the path to your fullest potential!
Trish Ahjel Roberts is the author of 12 Steps to Mind-Blowing Happiness and founder of Mind-Blowing Happiness, LLC.
Buy it!
Buy a copy of the first edition of 12 Steps to Mind-Blowing Happiness by Trish Ahjel Roberts here, and help support local bookstores! This is an affiliate link, and I will earn a commission on any sales.
How to Master Gestational Diabetes
By: Alice Megan
Blog: www.aliceinsheffield.com
Pregnancy. It’s a wonderful time, right? Well, while it is absolutely worth it, people definitely downplay the downsides of pregnancy. From the sickness to exhaustion and random aches and pains, you can be fully appreciative of having a baby and still not enjoy the pregnancy part.
One of the benefits of being pregnant is “eating for two.” Nobody questions what you’re eating because you’re pregnant – except when you get Gestational Diabetes like I did. Diagnosed at 26 weeks meant that my third trimester was fully controlled by the diabetes, and I had to be really cautious about what I ate.
Gestational Diabetes is quite common in pregnancy. It’s high blood sugar linked to the placenta, which hopefully disappears just after birth. Here’s how I’ve spent the remaining 14 weeks of my pregnancy becoming an expert on GD.
- First, I researched absolutely everything I could around GD.
The NHS is wonderful. However, the advice given is quite generic. There’s a Facebook community and website that became my bible for everything GD.
- I did a complete overhaul of my kitchen and shopping.
I hid dry food in the pantry. Fresh food was placed into Tupperware. I ate healthier, GD-friendly alternatives, such as brown bread, high protein yogurts and snacks over sugar.
- I planned out and rearched all of my appointments.
With GD, you get more frequent growth scans followed by appointments with the diabetic team and consultants to discuss how you’re managing.
- I learned more about my particular kind of GD.
They perform fasting tests in the morning before meals and then typically again after eating (depending on your NHS). If your fasting levels are high, it can mean you need medication to help you regulate your sugars.
- Finally, I had to embrace the unexpected.
GD keeps you on your toes. It’s progressive so can get worse as your pregnancy progresses. It can also alter your birthing options, resulting in earlier inductions or C-sections. Give yourself time to adjust to the changes. Remember, your baby doesn’t care about your perfect birth plan. As long as they arrive happy and safely, you’ll be fine.
Pin it!
It is a real delight to be part of this and see how the different stories and ventures here all share their own unique outlook and life lessons!
Thanks so much for sharing, Laura.