Monday Musings ~ Looking Back, Learning, Looking Forward

Tonight's Monday Musings finds me taking a trip backwards ⛟⛟ in time. What started out as just reviewing a few things on the blog, turned into reading some of my old posts.

Wow! What an eye-opening experience!  👀 😯  👀

I had honestly started the blog in 2012 to step out of my comfort zone.

It accomplished that and so much more!! I just didn't know how much I would I would be stepping out of my comfort zone over and over again.

In the past eight years, I have added so many new skills to my "repertoire"!

New Skills I've Learned This Past Decade

• Hitching a Trailer
• Towing 
• Writing and Promoting a Blog
• Running a Generator
• Running Electrical Lines 
• Painting 
• Starting a Fire

...and so much more!

What has looking in the rearview mirror taught me tonight? What can I use from this experience tonight?

Looking forward, I know that I can learn anything that I put my mind to! My confidence in myself has evolved over these years because I have succeeded in learning these skills.

So, my next question for myself: What will I be learning as I look forward?

Tuesday Motivation~ Embrace the Journey as You Follow Your Dreams

Embracing the Journey

"Someday"..."When I have the money"..."In five years, I will"...

What do all of these have in common? They are all comments that we have made at one point or another in our lives.  Have you found yourself making any of these statements?

If so, then you know what they really are...excuses, procrastination and fear talking.

However, I have an answer for you...TALK LOUDER.

Yes, that is exactly what I said...Talk Louder. Every time these thoughts come up, replace them louder with this:

~ Embrace the Journey ~

We all tend to see dreams as something that we will achieve one day, in the future. But, what is just as important as the dream itself, is the journey that we take to get to that dream.

Each step that we take in following our dreams should be just as exciting as the dream itself.  For example, my hubby and I have a dream of making a life being able to follow our interests and passions in our everyday life.

Our first step...moving to our place in the country where some of those passions can be followed whenever we step out our front door...fishing, enjoying wildlife, photography.

Just living on a quiet road where every visitor remarks about how peaceful it is at our place. This is all part of Embracing the Journey!!

Baby Steps

Since one of the first questions that we ask ourselves is "where do I start?", I will share an inspirational message with you. It comes from a woman whose story helped me in following my own dreams. Jenna Woginrich, in her book (Made From Scratch, p12) reminds her readers that  "Accepting where you are today, and working toward what's ahead, is the best you can do...But the starting point is to take control of what you can and smile with how things are.  Find your own happiness and dance with it." 

Taking Baby Steps is what you can do today towards your dreams of tomorrow. Taking Baby Steps is how you talk louder than the fear, also. Jenna wanted to own her own land where she could grow her own food. Living in the city, that wasn't possible at the moment. But growing several plants on her balcony was very possible.

My hubby would like to start beekeeping at some point. He has been attending meetings with local beekeepers in the area. He reads books, and articles in Mother Earth News and Countryside magazines, on the subject. Meanwhile, he has been putting money away for a beekeeping kit, hives and such.

Inspiration For the Road

I know it is not easy to talk louder than your fears. I used to be a master procrastinator! I would research anything to death, because it was my way of moving forward without ever moving forward.

So, I am leaving you with additional quotes that should help you to replace those negative thoughts.

😀 Remember to make a life, not just a living!

😀Life is meant to be enjoyed, not just endured! 

Are You Inspired?

If this post has inspired you to follow your dreams, take baby steps or embrace the journey, please leave me a comment below. I love encouraging others and hearing about your dreams!

If you love encouraging others too, please share this post through email, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest!

Small House Sunday ~ Review of "Tiny House Basics"

As you begin your journey into the Tiny House world, you are excited at all of the possibilities in front of you.

Then, you may begin to feel overwhelmed with all the information that you are finding. Quite understandable!

I think I have a solution to your problem! 

May I present a great resource that answers many of your questions all in one book...

Tiny House Basics by Joshua
Engbergand Shelley Engberg

As you start looking at books on the topic, you begin to discover that most of them seem to be just tiny house design & idea books. Although they are wonderful for that purpose, they just don't seem to be quite what you are wanting.  You are looking for so much more than than just design ideas.

What is it that you want?

You Want to Know Everything

With chapter titles like these, you can see that this book has so much more to offer!

• Making the Decision to Go Tiny
• Planning: Research
• Downsizing
• Building: The Unspoken Realities of Doing It Yourself, Plus the Cost
• Why We Chose Our Design Aesthetic and Layout
• Making Room For Your Junk in a Small Space
• Pets in a Tiny Home
• How Practical Is a Tiny House for th Long-Term?

And, here is my favorite ~

• Relationships in Tight Quarters

Chapter 8: Relationships in Tight Quarters
 (Source: Tiny House Basics)

Why is that chapter my favorite, you ask? Although my husband and I did end up choosing to live in a Amish-built shed that is being converted into a home, we had lived in our 18-foot camper for over a year.

We downsized from a 2,000 square-foot home, into an 18-foot camper. Now, we are happily living in our 500-square-foot "shabin".

A sketch of our home & guesthouse. 

Although my hubby and I did not choose to go into a tiny house, we were at a place in life a few years ago to make some decisions. We downsized, donated and dug deep into all of our possessions.

We researched our options, and the "shabin" eventually made the most sense for us. We needed a temporary place to live while we were converting the cabin. Since we already owned the camper, it made the most sense.

Going from a 2,000 square-foot ranch style house with a basement and garage down to a 18-foot camper...What an eye-opening experience!!! My hubby and I had to to stay on top of our relationship game!

Each chapter is filled with the questions you want answered. The authors have an easygoing writing style as they walk you through their experiences. Many of the chapters end with an extra, such as an "Are you ready?" quiz, tips for downsizing, etc.

I bring up my background as a librarian for two reasons. I have the soul of a researcher, and want to find the best user-friendly information I can find. The second reason is that as the adult librarian in a small library, I have to spend the money wisely. 

And I chose to spend the library's money on this tiny house book, out of the many that exist. I am sure that I will buy more in the future, but I was very confident in this purchase.

In Case You Want a Second Opinion

As I close this post, I leave you with one other glowing review. I had read a post in a in tiny house group. The person was in the beginning stages of planning, and wanted book recommendations for initial planning. 

I suggested "Tiny House Basics", and she chose to buy the book. Three days later, I received this reply: "This is so what I needed, excellent recommendation! It's so exciting reading each page and thinking over and over 'yes! This is exactly what I wanted to know!!'

Would Love to Hear Your Opinion

Have you read this book? If not, check it out and let me know what you think! Share this review with your friends who may be thinking of going tiny through FB, Twitter, IG and Pinterest!