The Quilt Treatment!

  A number of years ago we took a trip over to America to do Disney with the children and also attend a family reunion. At that point in my life I was studying to do a life coaching qualification and I was reading a number of different self help books as part of the course. I started to carry around with me a little note book and write down all of the affirmations and uplifting saying that I came across in my reading and day to day life.

While we were staying at my nieces house (for the reunion) I noticed that she loved to sew quilts and she very kindly offered to make me a wall hanging for above my bed with some of my favourite sayings from my note book embroidered on to it. This quilt has hung above my bed for many years now and its everyday reminders (as I get ready for bed each night) have been priceless to me. 
 
Now I'm sure you will all agree that there are "good days', and there are "not so good" days..... and today is one of the latter. On days like today I am especially grateful  for my quilt to remind me once again of some of the things that matter and some things I can remember to apply in my life. 

Today I'd like to share with you some of the sayings and pictures that have helped me to turn my mood around time after time and have helped me gain a bit of balance and find comfort amidst some of the turbulent times that have surround me.


  

The "coal dust or diamonds" reminds me of how much pressure (geologically) is needed to make a diamond. Manufacturers of industrial diamonds  use high pressure over very short periods of time to create their masterpieces... whereas  slightly less pressure, sustained over prolonged periods of time is how they are produced in nature. Diamonds are pure carbon. Coal contains a heap of other impurities.   
When its been a particularly hard day I have to ask myself what would I prefer to be? Do I want to be the brilliant shining diamond or a lump of coal?  If it's the former I have to be able to withstand some pressure and deal with hard things and be willing to go through some refining ... (however, I'd like to emphasize that  to become a "diamond" you don't have to put up with all sorts of rubbish... just for the sake of it...! )

 .... there are days that I just don't feel up to the "job" of being wife, mum, carer, and..and...and....and... so many demands and so little time to get everything done and everyone happy and sorted... but I can handle it..... if I do it my way....IF I listen to my body and listen to what I am capable of and don't make too many demands all at once. I can handle it ...IF I priorities what is important  and leave some things undone (sometimes a LOT of things undone!)

The sheer amount of tasks to do can seem overwhelming at times and so this one is a good one for me to remember. Start Small, keep it simple and  be consistent. Last year when the garden was overflowing with weeds ... I spent a lot of time working on the back garden...and so the front driveway got neglected. I eventually decided that each time I went out in the car, before getting in it, I would pull 10 weed and then drive off. When I got back I would pull another 10 weeds and walk in the house and forget about them. Each journey it was the same.... day after day. Every time I used the car on  a school run, swim run or other outings I would pull 10 weeds at a time. By the end of about 2 weeks my front driveway was weedless!

A hard one for me! Especially when there are so many things that tend to go wrong..... like the major leak we've just had in the kitchen that has spread through the utility room and downstairs hallway and bathroom.....you can feel quite justified in feeling irritated and frustrated at something like that? I have to look at this one probably the most often!



When enough is enough and you want to throw in the towel this is a good one to go read. "Its always too soon to quit"... but sometimes quitting is sensible right? Right. There are times when it is absolutely OK to quit.... however this one helps me to weigh up the options and my motives for wanting to quit.... very often it just makes me feel like I  can  take one small step onwards or do things in a slightly different way, by which time I usually no longer want to quit!

Each night before I go to bed I try to write a list of things that I am grateful for... even on the worst of days there is always something to put on the list, however small. Usually once I've thought of one or two things, others come back in to my remembrance and the list grows longer and longer. This process helps me to see that even though it may have been "raining" ...the sun was still there shining away.

When a problem is staring you in the face it is sometimes difficult to see how it can present you with an opportunity but if you take the time to look, there usually is one. Like now for example...we are without carers to help with Heni... not a good scenario... (there are people who can help out a few hours here and there occasionally but our usual day to day hours of respite are non existent!) So what is the opportunity? To have our home all to our selves! (not sustainable I know but nice while it lasts)

Self explanatory!

This was a great quote from Susan Jeffer's book of the same title. I've come to realize that in life there will always be certain things we fear but if we move forwards courageously and get on with things even though they are scary it shows great courage. I love the quotes on my Pinterest board that say: "Courage is not the absence of fear it is the ability to act in the presence of fear" (Bruce Lee quote)  "Courage isn't always grandiose, sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says "I'll try again tomorrow"

I love this  empowering scripture as it make me feel like even though I am often weak and unable to do things by myself...I can receive help from above....that weak little old me can be made stronger and molded into a better version!

.....even when I feel lonely ..... I'm never really alone...

 This one reminds me to have patience and that "Rome wasn't built in a day" as the saying goes! Times may be hard but things will get better....

...another one to remind me of how the only time I have is right now! This very moment. The past no longer exists and the future is still out there...to enjoy the now and to be grateful for it.

 "I believe"...I Like this affirmation because it implies trust and faith that all things are possible. To believe is to not doubt...it reminds me to not doubt myself and try not to be down on myself. Norman Vincent Peale once said,  "believe in yourself, have faith in your abilities. Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own power you cannot be successful or happy". However I would also like to  add that I also put my belief and trust in a loving wise God who has his watchful eye over all his children... including me and mine. This panel helps me to put my trust in God and believe in good things to come. 

Jx

I hope that you have enjoyed the quilt and that it has inspired you to create your own affirmations note book that  you can use to uplift yourself when you have a "not so good day"....