7 STEPS TO A HAPPIER DAY

the be project, v 5 - BE HAPPY 

a compilation of photos from recently -

1. savour

2. searching

3. film & feet

4. a best friend & the ocean

5. summer, please

6. an exciting shoot for beloved magazine

7. fresh air, warm skin

I've been savouring and breathing in life's simple joys - swimming in the ocean, sitting and thinking and praying, purposefully reading and studying God's word daily, doing yoga before bed, making delicious smoothies, laughing and eating and sharing with friends. The university semester begins in a few days and March will be full with weddings to photograph and assignments to complete but I've been physically, mentally and spiritually gearing up.

Are you overwhelmed by life's tasks?  Here's a little list of things to do which will brighten your day and plant a spark of joy in your soul.

Treat yourself 

Lunch at your favourite restaurant, a good book, an afternoon at the ocean, long, deep conversations, a favourite smoothie or drink, a delicious pizza, laughter with friends, a prayer and Bible reading session, trying something new, organising, dreaming, planning, writing: What is it that gets you excited about life?  Indulge in life's simplest pleasures.  Note what you love, do what you love, follow what you love.

Smile.

Smile, right now.  Grin!  Laugh!  Fake it till you make it.  Seriously, set your timer for 7 minutes and smile the entire time.  Note how your mindset changes as you smile: Smiling releases endorphins and serotonin - two amazing feel-good hormones.

Stay grateful. 

Look around you - there are countless blessings which God has showered on you and your life.  Write or speak out loud a long list of the things God has blessed you with.  Praise Him!

Switch your mindset.

We're born with 50% of our 'happiness', only about 10% of our happiness is environmental and 40% of our happiness is mindset-based (more here!).   Think positively, wash away thoughts of 'I can't do this' to 'I'm so excited to do this; I can and will complete this task'.

Deep breaths.  Perspective.  Absorb.

Our lives are fleeting and short; ultimately, we don't have yesterday or tomorrow - all we have for certain is today (and the hope of eternity!).  Breathe in this moment.  Let your body, mind and soul become so immersed in what it means to be alive now.  Feel your surroundings.  What can you hear? Smell?  Taste?  See?  Absorb and savour the strange and wonderful beauty of life.

Compliment someone.  Talk to a stranger.  Tell someone you love them.

One of the best ways to boost your happiness is to boost someone else's happiness.  Tell someone how wonderful they look today, say 'Hello!' and give a warm smile to a stranger, tell or text a friend letting them know you're thinking of them and love them.

Journal, write, pray, speak

Write your thoughts, feelings.  Speak them!  Pray over them!  Discuss your thoughts with a close friend or family member.  Releasing and sharing our feelings does wonders to spark a deep and inner sense of joy.


What do you do that plants a seed of joy in you heart?  I'd love to know! xx

THE BE PROJECT, V.4

Hello, hello!  A few months ago I decided to push university aside for the semester and focus on expanding my business:  I am currently taking excellent courses on small business (focusing on marketing and law) and also running my photography business. Somehow, days slip by far too easily and blogging, even when I crave sitting down with a steaming cup of peppermint tea and pouring my thoughts out in a blog post, gets pushed to the bottom of my to-do list (but I'm absolutely, 100% determined to improve and prioritise!).  In what ways have you struggled making time for things which should be a priority but somehow slip to the bottom of your to-do list?

On another note, recently I had the joy and privilege to be featured on Our Creative Life, a website featuring creative artists from around the world.  I'm very excited to share with you all my post on being productive + seven tips to enhance your productivity... here's a sneak peek: 

"If not now, when?  If not here, where?  Push yourself harder, further deeper into your work and passion. Seemingly mundane, insignificant acts lead to significant results. Wake up early to do devotions over scrolling through Facebook for twenty minutes, work on an art project or walk outside instead of watching TV, read an inspirational book over texting friends. As hard as it can be to build momentum and routine in your creative passion or hobbies, it is essential. Like pushing and jumping onto a merry-go-round, beginning is the hardest part of any endeavor, but once momentum is built, no one can stop you: You’re flying."  ... continued.  Read my seven hints and tips here and I'd love to know you thoughts and ideas on what improves productivity. :) 

Have a lovely rest of your week and I'll be back (very) soon! 

Acacia xx

THE BE PROJECT, V.3

Healthy living is an easy blend of simple living and healthy choices.  I’ve mentioned simple living; I see ‘healthy choices’ as choosing nuts, kale, avocado and milk over chocolate, chips, pizza, and Sprite.  In other words: choosing nutrition — a need  — over ‘junk’ — a want and keeping a balance between the two; sure, indulge in pizza and coke on weekends but let’s not splurge on our favourite junk foods on a daily basis.

A healthy lifestyle is an active one. Choosing to shut off your computer, jump up from your chair, open the front door and step outside can be difficult; beginning a task is often the hardest part.  Go crazy and just do it -- go on a walk, do fifty jumping jacks, run around with kids, take breaks in between sitting down.

While healthy thing living may be ideal, it is essential to put living, exercising, and eating into perspective.  Maintain balance and perspective when you eat; savour life and the food you eat -- be it sweet and sugary (think cinnamon rolls!) or plain and nutritious (think spinach).    

Be intentional.  Know what you're eating and what it is good for (eggs and nuts are a source of protein, spinach a source of iron, and so on). Buy good food, make good food, and most likely you'll eat good food.  It is equally important to be intentional in what you listen to, read, wear and how you act.  Classical music (as well as music in general) stimulates the mind.  Reading literature that encourages you to think critically benefits your mental health!  Even clothing has psychological effects. Clearly, how you act toward, judge and love others is crucial to living a healthy life. 

Get to the root of the issue.

  What is stopping you from eating healthy?  What is it that makes you want junk food?  Stress? Shopping habits?  Worries? Obligations?  Get rid of them! 

Maintain reasonable goals

...for instance, why not try cooking something different and healthy, eating fried egg for breakfast, and working out for 7 minutes?

 Get a friend to shop for you or try online shopping

Give your simple, healthy shopping list to a friend so that you can resist the temptation of a dark chocolate Cadbury bar sitting at the end of the aisle. Online shopping is a great alternative to shopping in person -- and it's a better way to resist picking up items of food you really don't need. 

Buy or borrow a good cookbook. 

Look for a cookbook without a million foreign ingredients you don’t have or haven’t heard of.  Libraries have cookbooks, too!  Or start an email or Facebook chain where you tag friends and share your favourite recipes.  Ask a parent or relative for a few of their healthy favourites.  

Go natural... and cheap.

 Companies earn billions of dollars each year when people like you and I buy their beauty products.  Do we really need the latest (and apparently greatest) cleanser or face moisturiser?  I replaced cleanser for Dove soap and moisturiser for Virgin Coconut Oil.  Dove soap cleared up some of the small bumps (milia) on my forehead.  Coconut oil de-frizzed my hair and my legs felt so soft.  Also, drinking more water (8 or so cups a day) made my skin noticeably clearer. 

greek yogurt + bananas topped with some (unhealthy?) chocolate.  it's all about balance. 

Do you have any healthy routines or habits?  I'd love to hear from you!
xx Acacia


You can view previous BE project posts here

THE BE PROJECT, v2

watercolour cards / yet to be personalised. 

simple bicycle.  pinterest-inspired. 

frankie mag cover inspired 

Beginning is sometimes the hardest part: what will I paint?  How will I paint it?  What if it doesn’t turn out nicely?  My questions are pressed between ‘do’ and ‘don’t’ — if I do paint, I’ll end up with a half-decent watercolour but if I don’t my hour is likely to be unwisely wasted on social media.  But this morning, filled with sun, hot air, freshly-clipped grass, and silly laughter is a watercolour asking to be painted; it is a morning whispering put me on paper and show me to the world.

  I pull out Windsor and Newton watercolour paints, 5 paint brushes and fill a tea cup with lukewarm water. I store paintings, ideas, and images I find on the web in a folder on my macbook. This time I rummage through my folder and decide to paint a watercolour by Inslee; a few words come to mind when I see the painting are fresh, movement, sunshine, breezy, skirt and white.

I begin by evaluating the art:  what is it that gives life to the painting?   The movement in her dress and the red in her cheeks and her arm, slightly bent back.  The positioning of her feet — one in front of another.

 A few tips on getting started in watercolour:

Where?

  Preferably somewhere stable — your desk, the kitchen table, propped up on a comfy chair or even a bed with a sturdy tray or book to lean on.  Sometimes I watercolour outside, but the bugs and breezes (and occasionally the sun!) get in the way unless the weather is lovely.  Choose an environment you feel most relaxed in. 

When?  

I prefer painting in the morning or mid-afternoon when light is at its peak.  When golden light filters through the window (usually late afternoon), the light appears to change quickly and it is difficult to maintain a steady source of light. If you choose to paint in the evening, I suggest beginning your watercolour using indoor lighting then adding your top coat or finishing touches using natural light. 

What? 

Start simply.  A watercolour set (I suggest using one or both of the small sets by Daler and Rowney or Windsor and Newton) and and a few paintbrushes — small, medium, large.  Ink pens give watercolours a ‘finished’ look - they add dimension.  I recommend using a 0.1 (ultra-fine) and/or 0.3 nib.

How?

-- Study:  What in the scene, image, or object you are copying makes you excited?  What is accentuated?  Pick out those things and prepare to emphasise them in your painting.

-- Start with a rough sketch.  Mark the top and bottom of your painting, and make correct proportions: Is there any symmetry?  Parallel lines?  Sphere shapes?  Add them in.  Squint your eyes and look at what your copying, evaluating it from a distance.  If you glasses, take them off to get a blurry and basic viewing of the picture without all the details.  Begin broadly then dive into the details.

-- Don’t erase yet!  After you are done your rough sketch, begin erasing mistakes and extra lines.  

-- Before you watercolour, take an eraser and lightly erase everything you’ve drawn — just enough so that there are are faint lines for you to follow as you watercolour.  

-- Base coat:  Paint essential, base colours lightly over the paper’s surface or just inside your pencil marks. If you need to, use a damp Kleenex to blot away any excess paint.  Add shadows with a deeper version of colours you use.

-- Final coat; add extra dimensions using shadows and coats of light and dark paint.

-- Finishing touches; consider outlining in ink and adding any small details with your fine paint brush.  

Sometimes I begin painting rather reluctantly, but once I delve into the world called ‘creating’ I don’t stop.  There’s that constant tension between do and don’t — once I break the barrier and just do it, I’m beautifully at ease.  My tip for you today? The more you just do it, the more you paint, the more talented you become. Talent can be built if there is consistency.    So what are you waiting for?  Be artsy!  Go paint! 

watercolour essentials: Daler and Rowney watercolour, 0.1 ink pen, small, medium, large paintbrushes, and eraser. 

Hello friends!  Hope you enjoyed this week's BE project.  You can find my first post on 'simplicity' here.  I'd love to hear from you -- have you used watercolour before?  X

THE BE PROJECT, v.1

V.1 | BE SIMPLE

Simple living is being intentional in what you do — choosing to do what matters, and cutting out the rest.  Stop worrying about tomorrow: now counts.  

Living simply isn’t a matter of doing; it is a matter of being.  Do: walk, pray, laugh, feel. Be: humble and quiet and intentional and grateful.  Living simply comes from within; once you are quiet and humbled, intentional and honest, then walking, praying, laughing and feeling will only come naturally.  Simplify by stripping your life to ‘essentials’ — eating, drinking, praying, loving, learning, then, if you deeply feel and enjoy each moment, life will unravel beautifully and simply.  

Let’s simplify life.

- Are there worries filtering through your mind? Stop them.  You can have control over them; it is wrong for worries to have control you. Live as if now was the only moment that mattered. 

- Learn to say 'no', even when it's hard to.  

- Choose walking, reading or creating over spending time on social media.  

- Write, think or talk for 10 minutes about your life now.  Study your life; what in it is unnecessary?  What are you doing — facebooking, shopping, worrying, procrastinating -- that gets in the way of more important things?

- Do but don't overdo; wise words by Alexandra Stoddard.

- Quit buying things you don't need and get rid of clutter.   Today, even, remove or throw out or give away 10 items from you room that you don't want or need. 

- Just do it.  Keep life simple by listening to (and obeying) Nike’s quote.

- A fresh coat of paint — anywhere or everywhere.  On your home, in your heart. 

- Say thank you for 15 things right now, the first 15 things that come to mind;  light, conversations, eyesight, tears, voices, sheets, laptops, words, travel, abilities, life, sleep, silence.  Say thank you for little things, the simple things.  They are the ones, after all, which add up to make your whole life. 

What do you do to keep life simple? 

  Have a beautiful day!  Acacia x