do brave things saturday

this weeks braveries:

*penned an idea for a novel i want to write (eek!)

*stayed silent

*ranted

*sent my husband to a men's retreat for 4 days (one with no phones or internet and two boys with croup at home!)

*continued to engage in a relationship in conflict

*went to valu plus top valu market - the most stressful grocery store ever.

*shared a vulnerable idea

*dreamed a whole bunch

*housed backyarded a stray dog and searched for its owner (when my normal course of action would have been to let it fend for itself in the dark streets - heartless, i know... i may have been forced into this by my bleeding-animal-heart sister... but i still feel brave, feeding him meat scraps and all while jason is gone on his trip), even trying to take two boys out walking with him during a break in the rain yesterday... we made it halfway down the street before i realized the impossibility of the task sans sidewalks or the double stroller, which was soaked... and it started hailing as soon as we got back into the house. c'est la vie.

*put myself out there, risking rejection and loss

*jumped in mud puddles

*bought a writing desk (feels like it makes this "writer" stuff real... scary to say) and allowed it to decorate itself (seriously. these pieces all just flew here in the span of 5 minutes) in the temporary space we put it...

i know jess is speaking bravely this week... anyone else? braveries?

#dobravethings saturday

i've been enjoying my last week as a blonde for a while...
and i also:

*painted my nails minty seafoamy green with polish i didn't steal ;)

*laughed at myself

*signed up for elora's ecourse

*helped edit a book

*began a weeklong fast from "social media on my phone" in order to be more present with real life (oh, instagram, i miss you so)

*made my own chicken broth  (people. you have to touch bones to do this. it's brave. ;)

*accepted an invitation

*asked a hard question

*ran out the door to an impromptu dinner with friends - without makeup

*embraced my inner dragon-slayer

we were out at panera when i decided to do a little art-journaling... using a broken pencil from jason's bag, a pen i found in one of my books, and then nail polish, since i didn't have any other paint - it was perfect for "blue-green dragon" scales :)

#dobravethings saturday

this week i:

*asked for help

*spoke hard truth

*bought a brave-inspired bracelet on etsy

*exercised

*let jason go camping in the desert with the guys after this week

*gave a good long hug (touch is my "love language" and i'm always afraid people will not want to receive in the way i want to give. to hell with that kind of thinking - if it's awkward, so what?! you're getting hugged!)

*cursed

*encouraged somebody

*linked up for imperfect prose

*volunteered to write a guest post

*wrote a book review

*prayed

*danced with my husband

*announced my weight-loss goal on instagram (fitting into my wedding ring ;)

some of my friends have started telling me their braveries, and they. are. so. brave.

 tell me about yours...?

#dobravethings saturday

ok. will do.

 and, oh, i have been. this journey has already been so full, and has it only been 12 days?


this week i:

*danced

*jumped on the bed with joey :)

*drank a cup of coffee... BLACK (that it was french press helped this to happen - seriously, why does anyone use a coffeemaker? my sister brought me a french press this week, and i've used it every day. #nevergoingback)

*made a phone call

*experimented with a recipe

*contacted the girl who does my hair, scheduled a time to complete #1 & #2 off my list!

*really listened

*spoke up

*agreed with God

*handled disappointments with grace (sometimes ;)

*had my story-coaching session with elora (you guys, this was so amazing. i got off my skype call with her - {OH! that was brave - skype is like the epitome of all i fear/hate ;} - and told my sister "well, that was like the coolest thing i've ever done!" she just has this way of seeing and helping you see... well, you're just gonna have to try it for yourself ;)

so, what brave things are you doing? leave me a comment with one (or a few)!

#dobravethings saturday

the bravest thing i've done so far this year has definitely been beginning this blog, and the daily posts, and the daily post-{post}-traumatic-syndrome processing afterwards... but there have been some other risky behaviors going on around here, and i wanted to share them (maybe you'll be inspired to be brave yourself, or see how you already are without even realizing it...!)

in no particular order, my braveries of the week:

*tried a top knot

*disappointed someone (this is brave for me, as my tendency is to orient my life around the expectations of others. i chose what was better, even though it disappointed, and i'd do it again)

*started a family gratitude journal (even when all seemed pitted against it ever happening)

*experimented with my daily routine

*did not let them define me

*risked stepping closer to God

*didn't shy away, but pressed into hard conversations (this will have to be an ongoing, daily choice as i naturally avoid these...)

*read the bible

*signed up for a story-coaching session with Elora

*gave a risky gift (all gifts feel risky to me - this needs to be explored)


what brave things are you doing?