What could you do more of?

There are a few things in my life I could do more of. Certainly spending time in the company of my good friends is something I definitely could do more of.

Walking Lily 🚶‍♀️ is another thing I could do more to keep us both fit and exercised.

I would like to go on more holidays that I can take Lily with me on these trips.  I hope to take her for a weekend away to the beach in the not too distant future.

There are always things in our life that we all could do more of, and this is constantly changing as our lives change and progress.

Definitely, I could try to spend more time writing ✍️ and doing other forms of creativity like watercolours and pastel drawings and teaching myself embroidery and the like.

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What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

https://www.google.com/adsense/new/u/0/pub-3691500166505297/privacymessaging The best advice I ever received came from my brother David when I was first diagnosed with my mental illness.  He advised me to surround myself with good people. It was advice I took to ❤️ heart and knew that to attract and keep good people in my life, I needed to be a good person and treat people well. I did lose some friends around this time,  but they weren’t good true friends around for good times who didn’t want to be there for more challenging times.   The friends I have made since and the friends 🧡 I have kept from that time are true friends 🧡 with lasting qualities.   I learned my lesson well and have David to thank for such wise counsel. Y

What things give you energy?

Writing gives me energy and a positive focus. Regularly writing this blog gives me energy for life and keeps my creative juices flowing.

Practising mindfulness in my everyday life gives me energy and positivity,  be it something like slowly eating my food and savouring the taste or gently stroking Lilys coat and focusing on how soft and real she feels..  In fact, caring for her is another thing that gives me energy. She is very easy to care for, and her loving affection always leaves me feeling content and energised. The positive support of my loved ones gives me energy and motivation to do well in this world 🌎 be it Russell telling me I am a positive force to be reckoned with,  or the kind wise comments of my psychiatrist,  all these things give me the energy and motivation to progress in my life and I don’t take this for granted. I guess I genuinely try to live my life with a glass half full approach and feel blessed for the good things I have that 🙏🏽 motivate me.

What’s your all-time favorite album?

My all-time favourite album would have to be Split Enz “True Colours “.  It was rekeased in 1980 and really put Split Enz on the global map. Neil Finn wrote I Got You, which he is now famous for.  Looking back on clips of Spilt Enz at the time, Neil looks around 16 years old   when he is reality was in his early 20s.   I actually have two copies of True Colours  one on cassette that I was given for my 11th birthday, and the other is a laser cur vinyl copy that is worth a fortune now. Laser cuts are amazing different shapes and patterns that produce a surface that has many colours. True Colours indeed.   I will never part with these as they have great sentimental value.  There are many albums in my collection that I love too many to list here, but True Colours being my first love is extra special ❤️.

My other favourite albums are  Goanna “Spirit Of Place,  Moving Pictures “Days Of Innocence” and Crowded House’s first self-titled album.

Which topics would you like to be more informed about?

When I was in my early 20s, I was obsessed with women’s fashion from the 40, 50s,  and 60s. I bought several second-hand dresses and cardigans,  and my mum made me some vintage style dresses 👗.  I wish I had learned more about the fashion labels of this time, particularly now as I plan to source some vintage clothes to sell on my ETSY shop.  I love the clothes from that era and watch YouTube clips from people with a love for vintage.  I plan to learn more from these sites and, hopefully, through thrifting, can come across some nice vintage pieces to sell. It is a nice little side interest to have, and I am a sponge absorbing as much knowledge as I can about fashion from that era.

What would your life be like without music?

I can’t even begin to imagine my life without music 🎶. It would be tragic and devastating.  My love of music is such a big part of my life.  So many songs 🎵 evoke different memories or feelings. So many songs 🎵 mean so much to me. To never hear Crowded House,  1927, Cold Chisel,  Hunters and Collectors,  the Beatles,  U2 etc etc, would be devastating and unbearable.   I have written only a select  few of the artists I would miss. There are literally thousands of songs 🎵 that make up my personal playlist, and I could never even imagine what it would be like to not hear them.  A world without music would be truly horrible.

How do you celebrate holidays?

I like to celebrate holidays by spending time with my loved one’s..  Until a few years ago I was a regular churchgoer.  Covid changed that and although I no longer regularly attend church I remain true to my faith and practice Christianity 🙏🏽 on a daily basis.

Christmas day is usually spent at my brother Peter’s home, and I look forward to that all year. Peter and his wife Kathy always make Christmas 🎄 Day a special time with their family.   This is my favourite celebration of the year.  I believe that we should spread goodwill all year round,  but Christmas is special celebrating the fact that Jesus existed. I love giving my loved ones ❤️ 💕 something special at Christmas time.

Other holidays I like to spend in Lily’s  company. I am hoping to take her for a holiday to the beach sometime soon. I took her for a weekend away just over a year ago, and she loved it. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the opportunity to do so again, but it is on top of my bucket list to take her to the beach.

Holidays give us the opportunity to be with loved ones but also allow us some quiet time to reflect upon life and gratitude 🙏🏽 for what we have in life. It is a time to reflect,  rejoice, and be grateful 🙏🏽 for our many gifts.

Share a lesson you wish you had learned earlier in life.

Today’s blog topic is a profound one.  I wish I had developed wisdom at an earlier time in my life.  Thus, I wish I had learned at an earlier age to accept what I can’t change and had the wisdom to know the difference of what I can and what I can’t change in my life.  It would have saved me a lot of heartache and pain, but I think it worked out the way it did to make me a far more empathic and compassionate human.  I still would like to be 21 again,  but with the wisdom I now have,how different my life could have been, but I try to love my life without regrets so Cest La Vie to that.

What are your favorite types of foods?

My favourite types of foods from other cultures are definitely Indian and Italian.  I love Indian cuisine and I love pasta and pizza 🍕 from Italy.  I also have a soft spot for Vietnamese and Lebanese food too.

I also love traditional home cooked meals, and at the moment, I am cooking some curried sausages and vegetables that remind me of my childhood.

I do have a sweet tooth that as I get older, I don’t crave sweet things as much.  My preferred snack is cheese or dip and crackers, and I prefer this to something sweet.  I love things like olives and salami to snack on as well. I gurss I am a foodie at heart ❤️.

How often do you walk or run?

I go for a walk just about every day. I do this to walk Lily 🚶‍♂️ my beloved little dog 🐕.   I love ❤️ this walk as it is good exercise for the both of us, but it is also bonding time for us.  She just loves this walk. I try to walk 🚶‍♂️ in the fresh, crisp morning air sunshine.  It is the best time of day to walk , when the world 🌎 is just starting to come to life and it is quiet and peaceful.   I am lucky to live really close to a dog friendly park and take in deep breaths to fill my lungs with the fresh crisp morning air.  I love this so much, and the best thing it is FREE.