Winding Down 2008, Ramping Up 2009

2008 has been an interesting year for me. My theme for the year was Intentional Harmony and Bountiful Abundance. I would say by the garden harvest, it was certainly bountifully abundant! I must have harvested six bushels of tomatoes, at least. Can you say lots of tomato sauce?

Intentions

For the year, I intended to indulge in hobbies/craft, enjoy my home and garden, move my body, think abundance and plentiful, honor my free time by staying present, acting with intention, and living consciously. For my family, I intended to cherish my parents, be open-hearted with Stephen, and spend time with my husband. For my career I set out to find-create additional sources of income for backup purposes and debt reduction, step into visionary and leading edge thinking, honor myself as a leader, and recognize my accomplishments. I would say I accomplished about 85% of that. Not too bad. I’m still working on being open-hearted with Stephen, and recognizing my accomplishments. I think it would be grand to create an “Accomplishments” page in a planner to make note of pinnacles and milestones throughout the year. If I had done that I could pull up that page and copy it down here.

Relief

In early 2008, I went from a worrying, struggling entrepreneur to being employed at my previous job as of April! I am so thankful to have the income which covers my living expenses on a regular basis. I'm also grateful for the fact that I know this job and am comfortable with the people and the activities. I am grateful that I no longer have to fret and worry over income. That was heavy and wore me down. That kind of stress crosses over into other areas of life, creating more stress and dis-ease. I now recall that I was sick for all of January last year.

The sacrifice of entrepreneurship and financial worries leaves me wanting to be home more and working out of my home office. I did it for eight years and am longing for that again, without the worries of money this time around.

New Horizons

I have been searching for a way to make extra income and do what I love. As a result, I’ve been developing a new business at the latter part of this year, with major launch pads during 2009. I have founded Conscious Living Circle and Green Queen Bee. Actually, Conscious Living Circle is the primary business, while Green Queen Bee is more of a playful alias. The focus is all about going green, organic, sustainable and being conscious of ourselves and how we “walk on this earth.” I’m here to model and help others make adjustments in their lives to live a life that will bring them more health, wealth, and abundance through living green and consciously. While the vision is big, it’s the little things that matter most, like daily practices of being mindful of recycling, turning off lights, using less energy, less resources, living simpler. Also, the practice stems inward as well: ensuring we give importance to the people and activities that mean the most to us, and that we pay attention to our own physical and mental health. Ultimately, it’s about living up to the best that we can be, tapping into all that is available to us, beyond just the daily grindstone of living.

What’s next? I’ll be starting the year by kicking off a very important workshop to set the tone for 2009, and to set intentions for your self, family, career, home, garden, and community. This will be a powerful workshop which will lift your success to the next level and bring a strong sense of balance in your life. I believe 2009 is going to be a big year of change for many on an individual basis and globally. Make sure you ground your intentions and keep your focus on your fortunes of the year to come.

In addition, beginning the first of the year, I’ll be starting a 6 week ezine course on Living a Greener Life. Each week will be a new topic that will move you forward on your path, helping you establish new habits which integrate nicely into your life. If you know of someone that would be interested in this, please forward this message to them so they may sign up. Or, they may simply sign up by emailing Greenbuzz at aweber dot com. Tell them to check their junk mail for a confirmation email so they can start receiving their goods.

See you in the exciting and fruitful new year of 2009!!!

Gratitudes~
Green Queen Bee

A Wonderful Thing

Shouting out to all my "followers" and subscribers a big Thank You and Happy Holidays! I finally put some decorations up and the living room looks beautiful. I skipped the outside lights this year, but saved a few bucks on electric bill. Presents are wrapped and under the tree. Fire in the woodstove. Groceries in the fridge. All is well. I'm looking forward to others opening the presents I picked out this year.

Here's wishing everyone a great holiday time and the best year yet: 2009! I feel big things are going to happen next year for many people on many levels. I'm looking forward to the adventure.

Lisa

Holiday Savings

I've figured out a way to save on electricity during the holidays: don't put up your lights until late! It's nearly Christmas and I just put my tree up yesterday: no outside lights and no decorations yet. I've just been too busy! I haven't made it a high priority. Although, my electric bill should be much lower than in years' past.

I was thinking of other ways to save on energy consumption this holiday season. Here are some ideas I thought of:

1) Get timers for all your holiday lights and set them for half the time you would usually have them lit! Please do not leave your holiday lights on until morning - such a waste!
2) Buy LED Christmas lights to replace strands as you need them. I think it would be just fine NOT to consume more if you don't need them. We just consume way too much in our society. So, unless you have someone who desperately needs lights, or you want to donate your lights to someone in need, please don't buy just for the sake of buying.
3) Burn environmentally friendly candles, but make sure they don't catch anything on fire. Candles make such a nice ambiance in the cold winter.
4) If you have a woodstove, try cooking your slow-cooking recipes on it, rather than using your stove-top.
5) Turn off other lights and appliances so you can counter-balance your holiday lights being on.

If you have any other suggestions, please feel free to write them in to me.

Be open, practice your awareness daily.

Let’s start with the basics. While some of the tips you may already know, there will be new ones to give you pause for thought: a deeper sense of realization. Stay open to the information and really examine how you can best integrate these practices into your life and influence others.

Being Green can mean so many different things for different people, and it can be taken to varying levels. If you’re operating on green principles already, ask yourself to what level have I lived this, and what level can I take it? Can I take it one step further? Be open; practice your awareness daily.

They say it takes 21 days to establish and integrate a new habit into your life. Let’s face it, though, one only keeps the habit for as long as they want to. Sometimes habits drop, and we need to become mindful of them again, reestablishing the 21 day implementation period.

Sign up for the Green Buzz ezine today and participate in the next 6-week program to establish new habits in your life. Together we will establish the foundation of our living green, organic, and sustainable. You will examine how you REALLY choose to live, and take it to the next level

As a result you will:

- Be living more consciously, feeling alive and vibrant.
- Be making a great contribution for the betterment of yourself, others, and the planet.
- Have valuable information to share with others that are like-minded.
- Save money and reduce costs by making economical, eco-friendly choices.
- Have an arsenal of tools and bright ideas for your launch pad toward future green and sustainable living.

First step is to sign up for Green Buzz ezine, confirm delivery in first email (check junk mail just in case), and begin buzzing your way toward conscious living.

Second step, write down everything you’ve accomplished thus far toward a green, organic, and sustainable journey. Then, write down what you’re grateful for. This step is very powerful in itself to create mindset shifts. Write down what you would like to gain over the next six weeks. Finally, send them to the Green Queen Bee to declare your intentions.

Gratitudes~
Lisa

[Green Buzz] Twitter and 6 weeks toward change

This is amazing! I hit over 100 followers today on Twitter. It's been less than a week, and I'm sharing and trading twits with others that enjoy the concept of going green, organic, and sustainable. It's like being surrounded by people that are all on the same wavelength. Very cool!

Also, exciting news. I'm ready for sign-ups for my ezine (see top right hand side of page). I have a six week program I'll be rolling out in my ezines which will help people focus on making new habits in their lives toward more green living. If you're interested in getting all six, be sure to sign up now and you won't miss them.

Gratitudes~
Lisa

gift of free music download

In the summer time, when my pool was set up, and it was very hot out, I was listening to reggae music, relaxing. One of the bands I recently was turned on to is Rootz Underground. Low and behold, I heard they were going to be in concert during July in Santa Cruz - on my son's 18th birthday! I had to take a road trip with my son to see the show. It was a lineup of about 4 or 5 bands, and Rootz Underground stole the show. They kicked ass! They had such high energy, and -- well, I have to admit, the singer is very attractive :)- I digress! Mostly, though, they captured my attention 100% mesmerizing. I was in the groove with them. I love their songs, rhythm, and ENERGY! This band is definitely worth while seeing if you ever have the opportunity. In the meantime, they are offering a FREE download of their entire LIVE album for a limited time. Go get yours here:

http://www.rootzunderground.com/store/shopexd.asp?id=203

GQBEE at it again

Demanding green at local stores and saving big $$$. How? I went to Kelly-Moore to get some samples for exterior paint, but I fretted about buying paint that was bad for the environment. They stopped carrying another brand that was enviro-friendly, saying it didn't sell. Well....did they advertise it well enough? They had it for six months: I never heard they had it. Anyways, I saw a poster about their environmental friendly paints that are mostly for interior. I then noticed e-coat for both interior and exterior. I asked about that. They don't carry it in the store, but can order it for me. GREAT! Order it up. It's recycled paint! Yay for Green Queen Bee.



Here's the best part: it's only $8.95 a gallon! I'm telling all my friends. Here you go: If you're planning on painting, go green, well recycled that is. Or, get the Enviro-friendly version.

All this because I chose to be a little pushy, or buzzy, and demanded green. The more we, as consumers, start asserting ourselves because we believe in it, the more suppliers will respond.

My next maneuver is to find organic chicken food that's not triple the cost. Or, start writing letters to the chicken feed company, demanding they be reasonable in their pricing.

[Green Buzz] Go Local for holiday shopping

My friend was getting set to travel out of the area and hit some big box stores for holiday shopping. It would have been about 100 miles round trip, and after calculating carbon emissions at terrapass.com I'm guestimating it would have produced about 88 lbs of carbon into the atmosphere. Instead, they decided to SHOP LOCALLY! What a great concept. They probably only produced about 10 lbs of carbon and --- here's the bonus --- supported local business!

Don't get me wrong! I'm an avid online shopper myself, and intend to sell Green products online in the very near future. That in itself saves time and money, and perhaps my own carbon footprint to a degree. However, those items do have to be shipped from far away. The one thing I can say, is they are usually "ride-sharing" with other packages. And, when one buys locally, those products typically had to be shipped to that location. So, all in all, I've just deduced that shopping online and shopping locally are both good for the planet and for the people.

When shopping locally, please pay attention to the small "ma and pa" shops in your area. These businesses are owned by people that are your neighbors, that you shop with, and that do business with other businesses in the area, such as yours! In these economic times, it is important that we support each other and help each other out. Shop local, too.

Great Idea for everyday printing- Eco Friendly Font

A company called Spranq experimented with and created a font which prints best at 9 or 10 points and saves on ink! It's called EcoFont and it uses much less ink. Now when you print on your recycled paper, you can use the EcoFont and really save. Check it out at:

http://www.ecofont.eu/ecofont_en.html

I downloaded it. It's very cool.

Here it is close up, but at 9 or 10 pts, you can't tell on a printed piece of paper.

Twitter

Have you checked out Twitter yet? It's growing like wildfire. At first it was really confusing to me, but then I got it- and, guess what? It's a lot of fun. You can check me out at:



It's really cool! Sign up, post a picture (it's a faux pas not to have one up), and start posting...it's really fuuuuuun :)

Bush puts exclamation point on the worst president

EVER!

I just read this article about the EPA approving a last minute rule change by our lovely lame duck President Bush. This rule change will reverse the protection of the streams from getting mining wastes dumped over them. This threatens our water sources from the high country. Hello people! Healthy water availability is an increasing problem throughout the entire world. What the hell are they thinking?

Read more here:

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/56921.html

I'll be seeking out a petition online somewhere for this.

This train is rollin’

Are you on it?

Here it is: Law of Attraction in full force. What we think about, and feel an emotional connection with, we attract. I have obviously been thinking a lot about this “green” movement and as a result have been receiving numerous, no, massive quantities of green this, and green that, clean technology, green economy, green jobs initiatives, go green, sustainable, and on and on it goes. There is much movement being made by Corporations, Government, businesses, and individuals. That’s a great thing! We are in a time of great change and it truly is exciting to watch it unfold.

However, it is giving me a bit of anxiety and a sense of urgency. I have been a strong supporter and “believer” in this movement for several years now, and have made strides in my own life and home to make changes. It is past due for me to share with the world, become an important figure in this change, and make a profitable business related to it. I want to live my passion and be a successful entrepreneur. It’s time for me to examine where I am presently, where I want to go, and develop all the steps in between in order to ensure that I am on the train and not on a hand cart behind it. Where are you?

This time of year is a natural one for reflection, looking back at past accomplishments, and looking forward to the new year. It’s no wonder there are so many “business” planning workshops. I’ve participated and conducted business planning sessions before. I’m in the process of developing a more holistic planning program for myself, and to share with others. It’s more about a “life theme” for the next year, and includes some business stuff, too. It’s about being content with your journey you take next year through visualizing, planning, and creating the adventure. Yes, milestones are wonderful, and acquiring things and accomplishments is gratifying. However, have you ever noticed it’s only temporary before you move on to the next want or desire? Therefore, becoming consciously aware of the process, noticing the transitions, and importantly staying in the flow of life is key. Anybody interested?

Perception

Once you start getting in the green loop, it’s everywhere. Everyone is touting going Green and/or Sustainable. However, what does that really mean? If they change out their light bulbs to CF light bulbs, does that mean they’re green? What about a vineyard that installs solar power and wind power, but still uses chemicals on their grapes, rather than go Organic? To what degree do we as individuals take this? That is the grand questions.

In my opinion, if we gradually awaken ourselves to the needs of the environment and ourselves and our future, then we can gradually awaken ourselves to the changes we choose to make. That is the key word, choose. All of our choices are ours to make. We have the curse and the privilege to make. But, how do we, as a society of humans, individually make our decisions? Is it based on assumption, or values, or both? We make assumptions based on outside factors combined with beliefs. Most of the time, we make our evaluations and assumptions from input received in short, perceivable, snippets. Maybe its sparked by a conversation with someone, or from a commercial on TV, the “news,” or sometimes from thin air – out of our own heads. More importantly, when it’s something we have a passion for, or are interested in the moment, it seems to come into our reality more often. Have you ever been in the market for a new car and then all of a sudden, you see that same car everywhere you go? My Dad recently sent me a video on the net which exemplified perception really well. The speaker showed a short video of a group of teens throwing the basketball back and forth. Before hand, he asked that the audience count the times the basketball was being tossed for a subset group within the video. He also upped the ante and said usually one gender gets it wrong. I, along with the audience, intently watched and counted until the end. The speaker asked if anyone noticed anything unusual. I did not see anything unusual. I simply counted. Hence, there was a person in a gorilla suit that entered the middle of the circle and jumped around. I never saw it. My perception was focused and eliminated any unnecessary information. Virtually, it’s the same with everything we do in life. How we do anything is how we do everything. Therefore, when there is something we are focused upon, we perceive it a certain way. It does not mean that all the facts are there, nor there’s anything else to take into consideration. A song I once knew goes “It’s all how you look at it and how you perceive.” - Pele Juju. What a great verse.

How does this all relate to my topic today? I feel the more we look at things from an observer or macro perspective, and the more we gather information, the better off we’ll be to truly make our own decision toward the progress we want to make in this world with our own contributions to making it a better place.

My intention is to provide information from many perspectives and resources to you in and around the topics of consciously living as it relates to self, others, animals, and planet. My specific focus is saving our environment now and in the future, becoming healthy beings through spiritual nourishment and earthly nourishment (organic foods that we consume), and doing good for others and community through social change. It’s broad and I suspect I will either have a great time exploring and sharing with you on these, or I will narrow it down. Either way, I’m all about having fun with this, following my passion, and believing and trusting the money will come – for we all deserve our own fortunes, abundance, and prosperity. I type this as I remind myself, it’s not about the acquisitions, it’s about being in the flow. Being in this genre of sustainability is my flow.

Abundance and Prosperity

Being in the river of life, so to speak, can sometimes be overwhelming and interesting, particularly for those of us that need to have everything under control. Yesterday, I noticed manifestation in full force when my husband announced he wanted to get my art studio built, and when I was able to lock in a refinance rate of 5.0%. I have been visualizing these things for a couple years now. They are coming to fruition…and I am so excited. I was awake most of the night mulling them over in my head with a whirl of thoughts. Some overwhelm, some excitement, some worry, etc. It’s interesting to notice the times where I’m not “going with the flow” but worrying and doubting. I recognize this as the place where “flow” stops – an eddy perhaps? I was cognizant to get back in the flow this morning. So I did my recent visualization of mentally receiving an additional $1,000 each day and then mentally spending that money. This morning, I was up to $11,000 to receive and spend. I also recognized this morning that I have consciously been giving more, like on Freecycle, and just in general. This is all part of the flow. I’ve read about it before in books. When I mentally received my money, I took 10% off the top to pay myself first and then I spend a portion of it to pay my Mom’s mortgage payment to alleviate her from paying it, and from my best friend paying rent for this month. This still left me with enough to pay for a new art studio (all virtually of course). But, since I’ve started this, I’ve been able to visualize paying off my credit card debt, socking away some money toward retirement, acquiring solar panels, and helping others. I’ve noticed this practice creates a great flow of energy. Tomorrow I’ll have $!2,000 to spend. I’m looking forward to the day I receive enough money to pay off my student loan, and then there will come a day when I can pay off my mortgage. All this in one year! Can you imagine receiving this kind of money? It’s fantastic!

I'm Back

I'm back from my Thanksgiving trip. I had a great time: a lot of cooking! My Aunt and I cooked a Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday and a Pasta Bar spread for my cousin's baby shower on Saturday. Cooking, dishes, relax, cooking, dishes, relax. That's what I did. I didn't even exercise or blog like I thought I would. It was so nice to have a vacation away from all that needs to get done in daily life.

Thanksgiving TIP: When you boil your potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes, etc., dump the used water into large stock pot. When you make your turkey soup next day, utilize the saved water, chock full of flavor and vitamins and minerals. It contributes to a great stock/soup.

I managed to save nearly all the compost-able scraps from Thanksgiving and came back with a large bag full to add to my compost pile. It's easy to do. Just put a bowl or tupperware container on the counter while you're preparing your food and throw the scraps in for easy access. This is such a great time of year to bulk up the compost pile for next spring. The secret is to have equal parts "green" and "brown" with a sprinkling of dirt in between. For example, you can take food scraps (obviously no meat) and/or fresh green clippings for your green part. Then, layer with brown, either dried grass or dried leaves (anything brown). Then, sprinkle a small layer of existing dirt and sprinkle with water. Continue to layer until you have a big pile. You can make compost in several types of containers or simply make a big pile. I have boxes that we made. Each layer nests inside each other, leaving an inch gap between each layer for aeration.

The combination of green with the brown contents is what heats up and makes the compost "cook." I believe the dirt adds minerals, but also acts as an insulator to help keep the brown and green cooking. If you simply leave it alone, it will compost in about six months. You can also opt to stir it up, adding more air to the pile which will compost it faster. The trick is to get it heated up first, though. If you're having troubles getting your compost to heat up, it may be too dry or too wet, or not layered properly. It should have the moisture content of a damp sponge. You can try covering it with plastic to solarize it which will hasten the composting, especially in winter. Otherwise, just let it sit for six months. It will eventually be feathery soft soil. If you need to supplement your compost, manure and/or alfalfa pellets will help. Remember, though, these items are considered green. Make sure you balance it with brown contents.