Setting Intentions With A Vision Board

How do you set your life intentions? Once upon a time I made lists with my goals, plans and intentions for each year. Each list item included a check box and a very specific idea of how they should come to fruition. 

It was a very controlled system. I was good at making things happen. But here's the catch. Even when I carried out the plans perfectly and accomplished the goal, I didn't always feel satisfied. In fact, it was actually the plans that didn't go smoothly and the goals requiring outside help in achieving that gave me the greatest sense of fulfillment. How baffling for a Gantt chart loving control freak like me.

So I changed a few things and started opening myself up to things like mindfulness, synchronicity, and intuition to get me where I needed to be. I use vision boards now and I'm not afraid to change them every few months. I still make To Do lists and take action, but things aren't as rigid as they used to be. There is room for error. Unchecked boxes are no longer failures, but signs pointing me in new directions. I'm learning that it's about the journey, not the destination. It is much more satisfying. 

Paper Tams Make Mail Kit

Greetings on this beautiful May Day morning. I'm very excited to share some Paper Tams news. This month I am launching the Paper Tams Make Mail Kit. 

This kit is the result of putting countless mail art and letter writing kits together for classes taught over the past year. It includes many of my favorite items for making mail. 

Inside you will find six sheets of my favorite off white Tomoe River writing paper. This paper is fountain pen friendly while having a tissue thin feel of the letters of old. I feel like Jane Austen when writing on it.

Also included is a small mail art pack for making three vintage style envelopes much like the ones I make and share on my Instagram account. The pack contains kraft envelopes, address labels and various collage items like vintage papers, decorative napkin, tissue sheet, tags and tickets. 

At this time, The Paper Tams Make Mail Kits will be sold exclusively by the kind proprietor, Tona Bell, at The Paper Seahorse in Tampa, Florida. They will be available online and in her beautiful shop, which I encourage you to visit. Be on the lookout for them this month. 

Journal Prompt: How Do You Give Back?

When I sat down to journal about my vision and goals last year, I organized my thoughts into four different categories: Mind, Body, Soul, and Earth.  The Earth category includes any and everything I can do to give back to the universe. I feel it is very important to give back.

Over the years, I've found many ways to give back. Mostly it's been through volunteering my time or giving financially. But, this year I'm taking a different approach. I am working hard to give back to the earth. 

My home sits on two lots and the yard is quite large. When I first moved in 8 years ago, I did what most people do when they buy a home. I started taking care of my precious green lawn. The house came with a really nice sprinkler system. And, I hired someone to come each week to maintain and care for this lawn. Over time, I started to notice a few trends. 

First came to constant need to seed, fertilize and water the beast. As I watched patches die, I wondered what I was doing wrong. I was told to water more. This immediately bothered me because I felt like I was already using too much water. Add to that, I was learning more about Florida's fresh water challenges as we are seeing sea level rise around the coastal areas. 

A few years ago I decided to stop watering and let nature take it's course. The weekly lawn service was reduced to just cutting what grass managed to grow. Here's what happened. Half my yard turned into dirt and mud during the rainy season. The other half turned into mostly weeds.  

Then something magical happened. New neighbors moved in beside me and I watched as they slowly ripped out their lawn and turned their back yard into the most beautiful butterfly garden. No grass. Just gorgeous plants, shrubs, trees and natural walk ways. I loved it so much I started spending several evenings just sitting with them in the garden and enjoying wine. Not only was it beautiful, it took less water and maintenance than a lawn. Many of the plants they used are drought tolerant. Their garden also gave back to nature, feeding the butterflies, bees and other beneficial critters. 

So this year I'm working hard to turn my back yard into something that gives back to Mother Earth instead of just taking her resources. The project is a slow one because I'm doing all the work myself and I have a limited budget. But, it is so rewarding. If you are interested in what has happened so far, I've shared some highlights in my most recent journaling video below.