Tag Archives: alberta

happiness

(Reluctantly) embracing change

Today I was informed I was to ride a different horse in my lesson. Even when I rode all the time and was young and brave, I was hesitant to ride new horses. I’ve always been part badass brave and part chicken shit, but my confidence isn’t what it used to be. However I’m finding the more I’m riding the braver I’m getting – in the saddle and in life.

This new horse is huge! And he’s my instructors horse so he’s very well trained. After I got over my fear of heights I discovered I was really enjoying myself. It’s a constant challenge, these lessons, and I am always learning new things I can work on.

I’ve been feeling very overwhelmed with my program lately, going back to school at this stage of life has not been easy. Riding helps me stay brave in all areas of my life

Standard
happiness

End of summer hurrah

We finished off summer doing one of my favorite traditions – one I’ve done since I was a kid. We went to the Cochrane parade and rodeo.

Of course my favorite is always mutton busting, but it was all fun to watch – with the one exception of the poor cowboy and horse who went down in the bucking competition. They did both get up and run out of the ring, so I’m assuming they’re ok. The footing was very muddy, and it sure took a lot of care and skill to preform today.

Tomorrow we all start new chapters in our lives. Everyone is stressed, excited, happy, fearful… it’s a technicolor of emotion in our house. But when I look at where we all were last summer, we have come so far.

Standard
happiness

Ciambelle

We went to a soft opening for the restaurant the boy is working at. It’s been fun listening to the process as they’ve prepared to open, more fun seeing how excited he’s getting about learning to be a chef.

The meal was awesome, but the dessert was divine. I’m not much of a Nutella fan usually, but these little donuts of goodness may be converting me.

Standard
happiness

Mutton bustin’ and trick riding

We went to the fair in town today – it was a beautiful summer day and I was so happy to have a forced family fun day – everyone gets so busy.

My girl fell in love with the trick riders

And who wouldn’t. It’s amazing to watch these girls hang all over their horses. The ultimate in trust.

I of course love the mutton busting. Those little kids are so darn cute

I realized today how great it is that I’m back doing this daily, tracking my gratitude has made me grateful for even more things.

Standard
happiness

Horsefly!

It was a girl day at the creek, well girls and horseflies. We are loving the summer weather and so grateful for the time to enjoy it.

Being by the creek is one of my soul happy places, I can feel myself relax and regain balance just by sitting beside it.

The horseflies made it a bit of a challenge, although they seemed more intent on biting the girls. I’d hear a scream horsefly then see them dive underwater.

Summer is magical

Standard
happiness

How it is

I was driving with the girl today and we were talking about a cousin of mine and his family. I said how I thought he and his wife are such great parents, how they’ve worked really hard at creating their family.

I said you’d be lucky to have parents like them, I think they’re really great people.

And the girl said I love them, I love to visit them. But I really like how our family is. I like that you’re our only parent. I feel like I’m lucky to be in this family.

And I stopped and breathed.

So often I feel badly for the kids, I see the lack, I think of my dad and want that kind of parent for them. But she didn’t see a lack at all. She loves our family as it is. And you know what? I do too.

We finished off the day at the creek. The best part of summer. And filled with memories of my dad, so it was like he was there too.

Standard
happiness

Laugh like you’re a kid

We had an awesome family fun day at the creek today. It’s one of my favorite places in the world to be, and I got to be there with the people I love.

And things like this happened

The girl and I went on an off-roading version of this that had me laughing for a good 20 minutes straight.

Not just happiness, but fun too!

Standard
happiness

Line of integrity

I spent the day listening to Tony Robbins, Rachael Hollis, and many other motivational speakers. All of it was amazing, much of it transformational. I’ll be absorbing it for a while.

Before today I’d never heard of Erin Skye Kelly, but she altered my thinking about decisions I make, and made me question my own integrity. Not my integrity towards others so much as my integrity towards myself. Do I honour my promises to myself the way that I should be?

She showed us this chart and said that we are all behaving in one of these four ways

The first one is where we are all aiming to be. I nudged my friend and said I feel like I’m stuck too often in the third box – where we do things that feel good but aren’t good for us. Because box two is hard, and box one feels unobtainable so often.

Then Erin said that the red line we see dividing the boxes is the line of integrity. And I quietly muttered shit.

It’s the little things like having that extra piece of chocolate, not doing my morning readings, not meditating, not working out, not forcing our asses around the dinner table. They seem small, but out together they place me on the wrong side of the line of integrity. It makes it so my words (or intentions) and actions don’t line up.

Today was absolutely amazing. I am filled with gratitude that I was able to be there and experience the energy, the love, the knowledge, the struggles, the wisdom, the peace.

Standard