Finding my BLISS...

Finding my Bliss... Week 2 of Crafting my Life (Below is my response in our Ning group)

What I dreamed of as a child...

• to one day own a horse
• to go to Sable Island and photograph the wild horses
• and that's all I remember!

What makes me happy presently?

• Family- having quiet time or fun time or big gatherings with family, or even just a nice cuddle on the couch with my husband
• Creating- whether it be drawing or painting, scrapbooking, mixed media art, felting or handsewing...I am truly happy when I am creating...I just need to do it MORE!
• Nature- be it a walk on the beach, or through the forest, or camping. There is something blissful for me about being in the middle of nowhere and being one with nature
• Treasure hunting- Not much makes me happier then when I am at Value Village or a yard sale and I stumble across a great deal!. I hate shopping but treasure hunting is a passion :)
• Dancing- (even though I need some liquid courage and I am not good at it)
• Solitude- being in a candle bath all alone, or sitting and enjoying a good cup of coffee, or enjoying a good book
• Handmade- I have to admit I have a handmade addiction... I try to make gifts, and if I don't have the time or abilities I try to buy handmade. I love surfing Etsy (Amber D (woodmouse) has a wonderful shop and service...we have some of her lovelies, as well as mamakopp, mamaroots, jalu toys, just hatched, princess nimble thimble and many more ), just looking at all the wooden and handmade goodness makes me happy and when the box arrives...I am usually more happy about the wooden toys then my kids are!
• Blogs- Reading blogs is very blissful for me as they give me great inspiration and usually when I do get to sit and read it's when the kids are asleep and hubby is busy so it's what I do in the little bit of me time I have. I also find it very blissful to write on my own blog (www.siayla.blogspot.com) . I was absent for quite awhile but am slowly getting back into it and I have found I missed it so much!
• Storytelling- I love to create and retell stories to children especially with props like my wooden goodness or with puppets etc. The magic in a child's face is so rewarding as they listen so intently to your every word.
• Snorkeling- There is something very rewarding about swimming in the big vast ocean and sharing it with all the creatures there
• Horseback riding- Becoming one with a horse is sooo much more then just going for a trail ride...having that relationship and that respect for eachother
• Photography- I am not good at it, I know nothing about it really but I get so excited when I capture the perfect shot! Or when I get close enough to a bear, or owl or orca on the trails to get a wonderful picture. I think that is why I like scrapbooking...I love capturing memories on film and then displaying them.

What I Dream of for the future...

• to live a more simple life
• to learn how to can and preserve food from a garden I have yet to one day create
• to build an earthship (hoefully at or very near the ocean or a lake)
• to have a barn with yes you guessed it...horses
• to have the abilities to be self sustained so we can travel and enjoy life and not worry about bills

Some of these things you may read and say, "yes this makes you happy but does it bring you bliss?" and the answer is "YES!" I am a very passionate person and the things in life that bring me happiness, bring me bliss. Life is too short to not enjoy each bit of happiness to the full extent! So go out there and if eating chocolate makes you happy then have a big ol' bite and savor ever sense you feel when eating it...allow yourself that bliss!

...now I just need to make the time to be able to do these things to achieve my BLISS!