So, I’ve been wanting to write a post like this for a while. You see, I know you most likely come to my blog for a tutorial or two, maybe some crafting inspiration, and that’s great, but I never intended it to be the only thing I posted here. When I started this blog, I chose my title, Beauty All Around, very carefully. It’s kind of my personal motto. Definitely not something that I have achieved, yet, but something I am striving for. Creating a beautiful life, not just beautiful things (notice, I changed my blog subtitle to reflect this?).
What is a beautiful life? For me, it’s a simple life. It’s living within our means. It’s teaching my children. It’s laughter. It’s true love. A warm and welcoming home. Good food that nourishes body and soul. It’s using resources wisely, not taking more than you need, and giving back as much as you can. Recycling. Composting. Home gardens. It’s local. It’s homemade. It’s sustainable. It’s balanced. It’s finding time to relax, take a breath, and recharge my soul. It’s recognizing what matters most, and always putting those things first.
That’s a lot, right? Yeah, so obviously I’m not there yet (my husband will definitely attest to that), but that doesn’t mean I have given up on my vision. The thing is, I know I can’t do it all at once. No way. But I know I can start small and do simple things, one at a time, and slowly (sometimes very slowly) I can create the beautiful life that I deeply desire.
How small? How simple? Well, there’s a few things I’ve already started, like
- cloth diapering (and now cloth wipes, too!)
- homemade yogurt
- homemade bread
- purchasing organic vegetables
- organic laundry soap
- handmade, educational toys
- teaching my daughter to read
- teaching my daughter Spanish
- composting
- canning/preserving fruit
- monthly budgeting
Maybe this seems like a lot, put together in a list like that, but I didn’t start these things all at once, and I’ve started slow, making sure not overwhelm myself. My general rule of thumb has been, think about an area that I can improve in my life, ask myself if I think I can do it, and then give it a try. Some things work, and some things I am not in a position to do yet. For example, here are some things that I would love to do, someday, but are on the “wait for the right time” list for now:
- beekeeping
- homemade, organic health and beauty products (I want to start with this)
- sewing my own clothes
- reusable paper towels and napkins
- reduce (eliminate) use of plastic products
- large organic garden
And I’m sure there are more things that I haven’t even considered yet. I may, in the future, take a break from my regular craft blogging to share with you some of the ways I have been trying to create a beautiful life. I hope you don’t mind too much.
How about you? What is your idea of a beautiful life? Any suggestions? Have a wonderful, beautiful weekend.
Beauty All Around 