scripture – the Essentialist Family

Simply Better Yourself

February 12, 2025Posted in goals, Happiness, Joy, Little Moments, Midlife, mindfulness, motherhood, scripture, simply better yourself, UncategorizedTagged focus on self, gratitude, Happiness, health, Midlife, motherhood, positive parenting, simple joy, simply better yourselfLeave a comment

Cheers to a new year of simply bettering yourself!

I’ve been MIA…sorry! Life happens and sometimes not in a good way. I herniated a disc in my back months ago and it took a long time to feel well enough to even want to write again. The pain was tremendous and effected every facet of my life. Yet through it all, I prayed…

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1.

I have come to see that years of putting off taking care of myself is wrong. It hurts myself and my family and there is no excuse. I am blessed with good health and function, yet I take it for granted. I believe I got injured for a reason. I needed pain to stop being in the cycle of taking care of everyone around me before I even thought about what I needed. I stopped needlessly worrying about mundane tasks, unimportant events, and unfulfilling relationships. I focused on what was essential to me and my loved ones.

One of my realizations was that now was the time to simply better myself…little steps each day to physically, spiritually and emotionally make me a stronger person. First up was starting my day with inspiration. Before I got out of bed, I read my devotional, wrote about the things I was grateful for, even when first thoughts were self-pity, anger and disappointment. Yet, I did encourage myself to dig deeper. look wide-eyed around me for all the goodness. Next, I was able to focus on my health…a 10-minute routine from my physical therapist on stretching my body is now what I do before I leave the house! This simple new habit led to joining a local gym so I could get into a warm therapy pool to ease the pain and foster healing even more. Now, I can say I’m a gym-regular and can’t imagine my days without it!! Why do bad things need to happen for us to truly focus on what’s important? I have worn out my emotional ‘battery’ on minutia for years and I am trying to stop because it is truly not worth it.

So, why am I telling you all this?? Because I want you to

Simply Better Yourself!

Seek out 1 small, easy way to make today better for yourself…not for others, but for you! Will you eat a healthier snack, go for a walk instead of watching TV, call a friend to catch up, sign up for that yoga class you’ve been dreaming about, or make a home-cooked meal instead of eating out? What is 1 thing you can do right now to Simply Better Yourself? I am definitely stronger, happier and healthier due to the little changes I strive to make each day. Will you join me?!! ♥︎

Joyfully following your path of life

November 6, 2024November 2, 2024Posted in Happiness, mindfulness, scripture, UncategorizedTagged gratitude, Joy, Simple moments, simply better yourselfLeave a comment

“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy.” -Psalm 16:11

How many times have you questioned what you are doing in life? Career? Relationships?

The other morning, I was walking with a friend and mentioned how I felt I wasn’t fully content. I felt I was being guided to do something new…again! She simply shrugged and said, “Welcome to life!” Many of us have this feeling of evolution or re-evaluation and it may not be part of our own ‘plan.’ But then I realize, this life isn’t my plan alone…God has a plan for my unique journey, more miraculous than I can imagine. So on the days life is tougher than I’d like, I remember it’s all part of His path for me. This calms me, focuses my worried brain, and helps me embrace the phase I’m in knowing it’s all taken care of. My heart can be happy because a road has already been paved and I can enjoy the ride.

Kiboshing trends

November 4, 2024November 2, 2024Posted in Happiness, Joy, Orthodox Parenting, scripture, UncategorizedTagged Family, gratitude, Joy, positive parenting, SimplicityLeave a comment

“Do not love the world or anything in the world.” -John 2:15

*Enjoying a rare sighting of the Northern Lights from our home in New England.*

I have two teenagers and a tween. Keeping them focused on what truly matters takes work. It’s a constant conversation about the newest iPhones, stylish clothes, trendy shows. Fortunately, I was never ‘hip’ when it came to that stuff. I always liked to go to bed early so never stayed up to watch the most talked about shows. My mom didn’t have money to splurge on popular clothing items so it wasn’t even an option. This carried me into adulthood with not wanting a lot of worldly items or staying current on pop culture. It just wasn’t important to me. Fast forward to parenthood and I have kids who hear about lots of things that I don’t find essential. But do they? Living by example hopefully encourages them to reflect on what’s truly vital in living a full, joyous life. What I do know for sure is that they value our family, our faith, serving others, helping one another, having fun a the beach, cooking together, constructing puzzles, taking hikes, and cuddling with our dog. And these are most worldly to me.

Fear not with love

November 2, 2024Posted in Family, Greek Orthodox Parenting, Happiness, Joy, Orthodox Parenting, scripture, UncategorizedTagged Family, love, positive parentingLeave a comment

“There is no fear in love.” -John 4:18

What a comforting thought for our children… where there is love, there can not be fear. When we raise our children with unconditional love, they learn to conquer worries, face tribulations, and solve problems all while remaining confident of our support. Yes, at times, we may get angry or disapprove of their decisions, but we still love them. And it is this simple love that carries them through the good and bad, the hurt and sorrow, the scary and painful.

Creating restful moments

October 4, 2024Posted in Christian, Happiness, mindfulness, scripture, simple joys, Simple moments, simply better yourself, the little momentsTagged focus on self, gratitude, Joy, peace, Simplicity, simply better yourselfLeave a comment

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Worrying a little less

October 1, 2024October 2, 2024Posted in Christian, Greek Orthodox Parenting, mindfulness, Orthodox Parenting, parenting, scripture, UncategorizedTagged Family, Joy, motherhood, positive parenting, simply better yourselfLeave a comment

“Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself.” -Matthew 6:34

The phone rang in the early morning. Our daughter was studying in Rome and had fallen. She was being taken to the hospital. Ironically, my husband and I were planning to visit her that weekend so we headed to the airport unsure what we were flying into. Various scenarios played in my head; does she have surgery in Rome, do we fly her home, can she finish her semester? My steadfast, rational husband kept assuring me not to worry until we knew exactly what we were dealing with. Turns out, our daughter did need to have surgery back in the States and would not be able to finish her semester abroad. Her peace and positivity throughout this ordeal were admirable. Even in pain, she was able to make reasoned decisions, not lamenting over experiences lost, but appreciating the time she did have and focusing on what was in her control at each moment. She didn’t spend extra energy worrying about what could potentially happen next yet instead put her effort into the now.

It’s comforting to look at our growing children as they make important life lessons while showing their strength of character, all while worrying a little less.