Why wait Sam, do it now

We all live different lives, with some of us living so uniquely and so out the box that writing about it just has to be mandatory.
However, when these unique lives are so enjoyable different, those living it are all about the living than having time to write about it and jot down life experiences.

However, to me, I find it so important to relay these stories.. to tell the tales for those truly living how humans should live. Those living a life on the complete opposite spectrum to what is considered 'normal'.

Case in point, my dearest friend Sam.

She lives a life controversial to some, but admired by so many others. After speaking with her now (and yes she has a cellphone and reception even in the outdoors she calls home) I informed her not to waste time to tell her tale. Not to put a start date or create a heavy load with all her experiences from which to start writing, but to address this telling of her tale in small bites, here and now. If not now, than when?

I offered to write something on her (for her)... to give her a small taste of what it would be like for her if she'd take two minutes from her extra-ordindary daily life to inspire everyone else by reading about her journey.

So here's your first words of encouragement Sam... I've spent a few minutes writing about you. I took one photo and made it online for the world to see. Think of the moment, think in the now. Post in the now. Talk in the now. You have something amazing... so tell others about it. If you won't, I will.

In short, and not taking anything from just how amazing this truly this, Sam lives in a very small town in Greyton, where the community is small; electricity is non-existent; trading and bartering for daily goods and living necessities is the name of the game; everyone becomes their own farmer; living is simple; organic food is consumed constantly; nature is golden and living without money is hard, but certainly possible.

When your parents told you that the normal 9-5 job and bill-orientated life of adulthood is the only thing destined for you, Sam is proving this wrong. When those who said money is everything and if you're not surrounded by all that glitters, then you're not living, Sam is proving them wrong. For all those deeply embedded in human nature and old societal programming who believe that unhappiness is found in the jobless, the hippie life or a life in small towns and nature-filled areas, Sam is showing that happiness does truly exist, even more so, in a life that is anything but conventional.

As in that movie Wanderlust, I feel it's so important for everyone to experience some time, or some part of their lives, in those small communities where they grow their own vegetables, dine in candle light and aren't ordered by alarm clocks. What an experience to be hold... well... it's definitely on my bucket list.

As seen in Sam's picture, a world where technology and nature can exist to create something much better than that which we are set to believe in from childhood. She's also got nature on her side and organic fruit to munch on. Bliss.

I can just imagine the life lessons she is learning. I can just imagine how her mind is focused on the now. How human stresses are not regularly interrupting her beautiful experiences of what life should truly be about. I don't know the finer details or how exactly it is in Sam's world, but in two minutes of speaking with her, it's encouraged me to encourage you all to take a look at your life and to, some time in future, be enthusiastic enough to try live a life you never expected or one you thought was not possible. It is possible. It's not all butterflies and candyfloss I'm sure, but there is so much to life and surely it provides a better solution to the mundane life of working your lives away to pay bills.. following along like sheep to the grave.

*Samantha Cartwright is a reiki practitioner, among other spiritual gifts she offers. Her life is a story of lessons learnt and messages of spiritual awareness. For more information on who she is and what she does, or to contact her for healing, visit http://www.serendipity-sun.com/?page_id=144

Keep inspiring Sam (and possibly... I'll keep writing for you)
And to everyone reading this... remember it's possible. Live outside the box. Be inspired. Happiness is out there in its own rare forms other than where most of society thinks it is. Many paths... choose the rocky one.

*Comment below on the unique life you live and share your tale. Or comment below if you would like me to write more stories on Sam and hear more about her life and the spiritual lessons which go with it.

Cleaning tips from the non-professional

Hello readers,

How great it is to be getting back into my blogging. The same can be said for my cleaning. Let's just hope both lasts longer than the blink of an eye or a moment of passing gas.

Yes, it's the first of January and one would expect the common spring clean to take place, but for me (one who would rather stick hot coals in her eye balls than clean), this cleaning mania is not from year-end hussle but from a proactive choice.

After going away for a few days, with the dogs now learning the "scary" life of the outdoor wilderness (aka the back garden) during the day and night (a big step for us all), the dogs are now outside which means the house can be cleaner for longer. I also came back from holiday knowing the geysers and plumbing of the house were going to be fixed, which meant that if I cleaned, I could finally live in an at-least functional house. I wanted to clean, to change the energy of the house, the layout and get everything sorted. To focus on the now and make our living space the best it could be. (PS - we moved in two years ago and were not aware of the full extent of the damages/condition of the house.)

So even from the onset of arriving after a 6-hour journey from Durban, we started cleaning right away. It is now a few days later and we're still going at it. And on my journey to breaking my back and turning the skin of my hands into leather shoes from all the detergents used, I have gained a few tips to help you in your cleaning journey where you start at one end and never seem to leave that end... at all.... ever. More tips to follow as we get deeper into the journey of elbow grease and shiny surfaces.
So on your break between picking up dog shit and washing the Pronutro-encrusted bowl left by the kiddies, have a read and a laugh.

Tip 1: Don't start cleaning. Just don't. Simple. The more you clean the more you realise just how much more there is to go. Sometimes cleaning is surface level, other times it's like a car engine. You think there is one problem but upon further inspection, you find 10 more. So if you're not willing to open that can of worms, don't even start. Be prepared to clean and then realise there is more than meets the germ-seeking eye. Be prepared to dance, like the cha-cha... one step forward and two steps back.
Tip 2: Do not have black curtains in your bedroom or pretty much any room. This is not a strict rule but but black curtains keep in the energy, the staleness and stop energy flow. Keep it light and fresh.

Tip 3: Take breaks, smoke a shit load. Be inspired in these breaks. Don't just clean to clean, but clean to be creative. Try different objects in different places, different room layouts, different decor options, different uses for different things. Clean and be creative all in one big ball of "holy fuck, cleaning is actually quite fun".

Tip 4: Don't be hard on yourself. You'll be happy to know there are others who live further in the pig shit than you.
Tip 5: Do room by room or area by area. Start and finish something so you can see the change/transformation. You need gratification when cleaning and to feel like you have accomplished something. This little bit here and little bit there is like wearing a pair of pants with a hole in both the groin area and the buttock area. It doesn't work and leaves you feel incomplete.
Tip 6: Cleaning and maintaining a clean space and having dogs goes well together in the same way that ice loves the desert. If you're like me and the pups are your babies, remember that you can love them but you can also have routine. Reduce the stress of waking up to wee's and poo's on the floor or constant cleaning with the dogs sleeping inside. Set a routine and boundaries, have the pups outside, as hard as it may be. It's healthier for everyone.
Tip 7: Be a beggar sometimes. When cleaning and trying to make your house better, don't feel bad for asking others if they have any leftover paint, frames, wood, whatever. If they do, then great. If they don't, that's also fine. You'll be surprised how much money you save by just asking. And asking doesn't make you cheap, it makes you proactive.
Tip 8: The bath can be very handy with large sums of dishes when you're facing a tiny sink. After a big meal or catering (weird as it may sound), chuck all the dishes in one hot bath. They soak, rinse and wash so fast and it saves you constant counter space making and rerunning of water.
Tip 9: Washing floors on your knees (the typical South African way) far beats using a mop. Just saying. Moving around with dirt, hot water from the kettle (great for removing floors stains) and germs on your knees is fun. Who needs a spa mud treatment when this is free?
Tip 10: Don't fear empty spaces. If your house is a weird and enlarged space like mine and you're left with large spaces of nothing, don't worry. Face the emptiness and move on. There is a place for everything and everything in its place and there's no need to fill space with crap and fluffy teddy bears and broken hand-me-downs just because. Sometimes simple and decluttered is better. Try out different objects/furniture in different rooms and see what fits and sadly if the rest of the house is now cozy but there's a large empty space, it's okay. Rather get most spaces proportionally filled than scatter everything around.
Tip 11: Keep going. Rome was not built in a day and with dogs in and out, full-time work and having no domestic worker, it will take you a while. But little bit by little bit and if you start to become consumed, that's great. It's a process. No ... Aladdin and the genie is a movie and we cannot blink and wish for a clean house. So start and take it in your stride. If I can clean and last this long in a house that could have put me in a mental hospital by now, anyone can do it.

Back to cleaning I go....

Let me know your cleaning tips and stories by commenting below.

Maturity in change of thoughts (Be money wise, not festive stupid)

As I look back on the year that was, so many thoughts, so many changes, so much additional growing up. And this is not the ego thinking you're mature and wiser than all, or thinking that you've changed and got your old girl panties on when you're still sporting nappies, it's just the simple realisation of how one's change of thought really reveals growth and maturity.

How you can think one thing, sweat blood and tears to defend it, and then further down the "awareness" line you start thinking, saying, believing the complete opposite. Oh shit, you have unintentionally swapped debating sides - but hey, it feels good.

Sometimes, when you think something, step back and review this thought you actually are taken aback with how your new thought is a complete 360 of the old thought. A reversal of mature proportions. This happens in the learning school of life. And its something to look observe, pat yourself on the back and move forward feeling good.

Case in point... growing up in my early twenties, money flew out the door and debt was raised with every passing Christmas - I was not overly stupid but I was not wise.

But as I started maturing and paying off debt - with my mindset firmly fixed on "live like a pauper so you can finally breathe with no debt strangling you to death" things were different this year (2015). Yes, the festive season is not over but already I can pat myself on the back and be proud of my new thoughts and actions this holiday season - where santa is a robber in disguise.

If you've already have been paid and are looking at January like it's a desert, don't be too hard on yourself, just take my advice and next year act the exact opposite - be money wise, not festive stupid. If you've hitched a ride on the "Save money, enjoy Christmas on the cheapo side" then well done, join the club, and pour yourself a glass of water! Well not to that extreme if you know what I mean, I'm not saying instead of a turkey you have to eat maggi noodles and enjoy the holidays like those on the TV show Extreme Cheapskates. But you have been rational and future minded so well done. It's tough to be cautious and to hold back, but in January, you'll see... we'll be laughing.

This year I vowed to not go on credit for any gifts. I vowed to make my money last so that I would not have to humble (and embarrass) myself to ask to borrow money from family members. I vowed to focus on experience rather than purchases. I vowed to go through the festive money wise and not have to go through January stressing my labia off when not even a crust of bread was affordable. This year would be different and it was (so far) and for that I am so grateful and proud. I managed to pay bills, get to durban for a quick get away, come home with money and still have money for January.

Some tips I have learnt regarding money and the festive season:

1. Pay all your bills first (everyone says this, but do it.)
2. Be prepared to put SOME money aside for you, even if it means paying one or two bills slightly lower. You NEED THIS! When you have money (even though it's a little) you're not in the mind frame of no money. Think money, receive money. Think no money and all you get is desperation. The law of attraction. It also relates to doing extra jobs to get through the holidays. Think small and you'll end up working your butt off for nix to nothing. Think big and do big jobs that are worth your time and effort.
3. Spend what you can on presents and don't feel bad if they are not worth a million rand or less than what another person buys you. You come first and there is no need to go into debt when you buy something for thought, not for showing off.
4. Allow others to buy, make dinner or offer things. I always, always, used to buy others things and offer food this year. This year I removed my stubborness and took in the graciousness in which things were given. And no, this doesn't mean ask or sponge off others.
5. Sleep more. We have such hectic years. Use the holiday to sleep, rest. You can't be spending money when you're sleeping. So catch up on those hours lost instead of constantly keeping yourself busy and emptying your wallet.
6. If you have many jobs or are waiting for people to pay you.... as hard as it may be, ask some of them to pay you end of Dec or beginning of Jan. This means you won't spend it and will make do with what you have, knowing calmly that you still have money coming in.

So this Christmas wasn't a penny crusher for me. I've enjoyed myself, I've purchased gifts with heart and I'm not terrified of January. Cheers to me and being money wise, a mind frame I shall use throughout my life moving forward. Yes, I could have had 2 minutes of pleasure eating an overpriced icecream, but the feeling of making it through by myself is worth that much more! May we all find ways to get through January. 2016 will not be a year of debt, but building savings.
First Christmas survived and succeeded as the new rational me
- Santa, go F yourself.

Give it a name because you fear it

Life is hard for everyone at the moment. All around me I see people depressed, unhappy and 'bipolar'. I put 'bipolar' into inverted commas because ... well you'll see just now. They say the outer is the inner, but in this case specifically these people are just confirming how happy I am.

I have not written a blog in a while. I have so much to talk about, have experienced so much growth, but I'm in such a space of truth that whatever I say will be truth - in-your-face truth. Some may think I'm going mad, others won't understand it or argue it. But I thought I'd write tonight for those that will relate. So, let the truth be told. I've stood in my own truth for so long, now it's time to share it.

Instead of going into detail, let's make this short and sweet. A lot of shit has gone down lately... enough for anyone to go jumping off a cliff or singing happily at the top of their voices with joy. A rollercoaster if you will. But overall, despite bad things happening, I've maintained this overall positivity. Some may call it hyper 'bipolar', others have called it manic, or forced. I was called hyper 'bipolar' recently, as well as manic positive - neither one correct, neither one having anything to do with me. Let me explain. But before I do, it erked me when they called me this. It made me question myself. And there is nothing worse when you know yourself and question it. But hey, this questioning made me write this blog and realise a few things.

When anyone is too down or too happy, humans naturally look at this as abnormal. It makes them uncomfortable. This constant willingness to see the positive in everything, to constantly feel this vibration of happiness is so out of their own realm that they want to put a name on it and place in the corner. Touched by no one - keeping it a secret. It's like humans have been indoctrinated to feel down, to feel unhappy and it's if being happy is going to be bad. Like a flu virus. This positive energy is going to touch others, and in society this is wrong. I'm not talking about being chucky cheese and having a constant unnatural smile on your face 24.7. I do have down moments, but not those that will place me in the 'bipolar' category. That's normal but overall I am positive. I am a happy spiritual being. That's why people look at me and think I am forcing it. That I'm making it unnatural. No, actually.... it's unnatural for YOU to be unhappy and down. Can't you see the truth? Who is to say your way is right? How can my positive way be wrong?

Bringing this back to the point, mankind has placed labels on things. Being positive is not hyper 'bipolar'. Shocker - this illness does not exist. It only exists only in this man-made name. We as humans are supposed to be happy and positive constantly. As souls, we're supposed to float in this positive vibrant energy. But humans and society have claimed otherwise. So before you take me to a doctor, make me swallow pills that will make me numb.... have a think about us as humans, our beliefs systems, what we were taught. And before you wait to watch me hit my low after my high, slice a knife across my wrist and cry.... please know you'll be wasting your time. Once you're in this new realm, this new shift you can see emotions for what they are and embrace them.... one smile at a time

And remember that we're all mirrors. So if you see someone who is happy and it annoys you, ask yourself... why are you not as happy? What is irritating me about them being happy? If you try and be a doctor and medically diagnose someone, remember that you're just seeing yourself and you're trying to reflect your own 'illness' on them. Misery loves company.

Before I end this, please note that if you've been diagnosed with bipolar or any other relatable illness for chemical/body reasons, I agree to that. Then it's not an emotional/mental based 'illness' but a chemical one which medication can find a balance.

So be happy. It's the only option and may you spread this happiness everywhere. WHether you force it in the beginning, or wonder why you've been so happy for so long and when you low will come, or why you look at the positive when a negative hits, don't ask why.... just embrace it.

Tips on renewing your drivers licence in SA

Unlike this picture which showcases a woman smiling after getting her licence renewed.... most South Africans walk out of the licensing department hot, sweaty, irritable and with a very long face. That was me today after I renewed mine. A chore that we all wait for the last minute to do, with sheer dread splashed across our worried faces.

In South Africa, our systems are backwards and you generally have to book an entire day off to renew your driving licence, depending on if you have the right department and documents with you - which no one gives a damn about telling you which ones. If you don't, well that's a whole other story in itself.

In South Africa you can expect hot stuffy rooms filled with bad fuck'en B.O, long-ass queues and only one teller or eye tester working when there are a plethora of stalls available. Don't forget the machines are all broken, people are unfriendly and do not help and every person working there looks like they wish to be somewhere else.

But we all have to venture into this adventure, so here are some tips I picked up on my journey to the dark side of the world.

Although there may be signs to not eat or drink, screw that! If I'm forced to sit in a hot room and lose water through copious amounts of sweat, then I will drink my water and enjoy it too. Hiding a bag of food or crisps in your handbag is also another handy way to avoid starvation. With all the long hours sat there, I am surprised we don't walk out the license department looking like the mummy. I cleverly hid my bag of Doritos in my bag, opened it slowly and allowed the chip-like aromas to fill the room - and wait for the people sitting next to me to peer jealously at me. Oh yes baby. It's time to chew. Remember to chew slowly as to make out that you're only chewing gum. Gum is not a food group and therefore does not qualify.

Take anti-bacterial wipes with you when doing an eye test, so as to wipe the lenses and forehead area of the machine. I swear I've acquired pink eye. My eyes are feeling a lil' bit on the itchy side. Where are the eye drops? Who knows how many stink eyes have seen those lenses, let alone how many sweaty, zitty-fied foreheads have touched that piece above the lenses. Thinking about it gives me nightmares. Hold on... going to wash my face now with the strongest anti-bacterial stuff I can find. Hold on...

...Much better.

Do as the Chinese do and wear a face mask. I think I'm getting the flu now, sneezing and sniffing. Should have worn a damn face mask to protect me from germs. I mean... in these rooms, people basically sit on you. "Hi... here is my lap, please make yourself comfy." And with close spaces like these, it's pretty much guaranteed you'll walk out with something new (and I'm not talking about your drivers licence!) These masks will also help with the smell that lingers in the air, especially when you get a waft of someone's underarm when they fan themselves with their documents. MMM..... Doritos and arm stink... a delicious combo!

But all in all, I managed to survive and renew my licence. Thank goodness it's over... I'd much rather pick up dog shit in a heatwave then suffer through that again. At least you only have to do it once every five years ... and by that time... let's hope SA will be in the technological game then and you can do it online!

Spiritual vs reality: Finding the balance

I have not written a blog for 2015 yet, but hell's bells and Lucifer's balls this is a mighty one to start with.

It's taken me pretty much my whole life and two significant years to be whacked across the face with a life lesson that would inevitably change my whole existence. Powerful stuff 'ey

In nutshell, I've always been a workaholic. I have always looked to the future, worried about life, bills, money and everything realistic in between. Then 2014 happened. And somehow in the months of this unfruitful year I became a 'hippie'. Not in the traditional sense... I did not have dreads, smoke pot or wear multi-coloured robes. (I am not judging those who live this lifestyle so please place ducktape neatly over your mouth before you comment.) What I mean is that I acquired the spiritual way of thinking that these fun-loving people possess.

Let me break it down ... In 2014, I went with the flow of the universe. I denied reality and thought that things would work out. I was living in denial thinking that the plants would feed me and the air would pay my bills. I loved being in this space which I now refer to as 'what the fuck were you thinking!?'

I went from workaholic to freelance writer. Working for myself. One day I finally smelt the burnt coffee and realised that this thinking and this lifestyle was not working for me. It wasn't. I ended up with a shit load of debt, a car that was disfunctional, walking to the shops until my heels bled, and overall in a very unhappy state.

On a journey to get my life in order I got a full time job and a stable income. I started paying off debt. Everything became crystal clear when I spoke to a friend and she spoke words of wisdom. Here's the reality bat, WHAM, BOOF, SMACK! My journey, and every painstaking step became crystal clear. Although her words grinding like cheese on a grater, there was truth. This stuck to my soul like dried Pronutro on a bowl. It forever changed my thinking, the way I saw people and their lifestyles.

I went from being a workaholic to a 'hippie'. I wanted to cram all my dogs in a van and travel the country. Pfft... yea right. It was there that I thought balance was. Wrong. It was only after I returned to work, still thinking in the spiritual way but living in reality, that I realised where balance was. Being a workaholic is one side of the polar express and being a hippie was the other. Either side did not offer balance I so unrealistically thought it did. Yes, the universe (and God) provide you for, yes there is a universal path and we must go with the flow of life, but we also have to eat, live, feed our dogs, take a shit in a toilet which we pay for. When you put your foot in the door and say "Hey, Universe I'm trying here," the universe offers so much more. The rewards are greater because you've found balance.

I am grateful to have crossed the different paths and have travelled the polar express in such an extreme way. I now see both sides of the spectrum. I can understand both the spiritual hippie and the realistic workaholic. Most people will never be able to understand or see eye to eye. It's like putting Santa Claus and the Easter bunny together... they will never find a space of understanding. But I do. I love both sides for what they are, what they have taught me. And as I continue on my path of what I now believe to be balance, I can now look positively into the future with excitement.

May you find your own balance in whatever way it may be. Grow in your spirituality, but remember that we live in a world where money is key and being a responsible being is important. Allow the universe to provide for you, but never just take. Pay it back. As much as I'd love to live on an Island and sit on the beach all day eating bananas, I'm not a monkey. Find the balance and live as a earthling and as a spiritual being. Be a part of all dimensions - balance between living on earth and in the spiritual realm.

So in closing... this was my lesson and I thank everyone and God (Universe) for helping find it. We all have different paths and love everyone for that. No judgments are placed, this is just my own personal opinion for what I have gathered and how I feel about things. But if you find truth or are offended but what I am saying, then maybe the universe is trying to tell you to find balance and if I've taught you a lesson than I am grateful for that.

Till next time monkeys,

Stay lifted, stay balanced

I know

Although there are third world countries with starving children and epidemics popping up everywhere, I still have my problems. And although they may seem insignificant when comparing the two.... everyone's problems are big to themselves. So before you read this post and think I'm a self-centred asshole, and my problems are small.... just remember that we all have problems (and you have to help yourself first before helping others.)

This post titled I know, revolves around the concept of money and what I know. No, I am not your accountant nor do I know how to budget (as how can you budget with no money esp when you can count your pennies on one hand.) This is for my fellow struggling generation who can find some humour in the frustration of not having money.

I know

I know how it feels when you have to look at the menu at a restaurant and claim you're on a diet when you order the cheapest salad on the menu.
I know how it feels when you feel cheap for asking friends to buy you drinks and fear that they will never invite the group 'hobo' to the next event.
I know how it feels when Two Minute Maggie noodles becomes your staple diet and your body starts rotting away from lack of Vit C.
I know how it feels when you run out of juice and opt to squeeze oranges into your glass of window and bullshit yourself that its Fanta.
I know how it feels when you're driving on fumes and talk to your car in the hope that it will go further.
I know how it feels when you have R10 left on your bank card and drip sweat when you try and buy eggs, hoping that the word DECLINE doesn't come up on the card machine.
I know how it feels when you go to the shops looking for the cheapest ingredients, even if it means you buy cardboard cheese puffs instead of Parmesan.
I know how it feels when you have to pick up 'stompies' in the wet garden when you have no smokes to puff on.
I know how it feels when you have R200 and have to buy dog food, human food, smokes and petrol. An impossible feat.
I know how it feels when you have to ask for money and feel your integrity and pride wash away like beach sand.
I know how it feels when your ears are raped from regular calls from debt collectors and you develop an aversion to your mobile phone.
I know how it feels when you look at your bank balance and your heart sinks with the R0.00 appear on the screen.
I know how it feels when you wear broken shoes for ages but keep reminding yourself that it broke today.
I know how it feels when someone asks you how much it is to fill your petrol tank and you respond with "I don't know, it's been a while."

But being aware of all the above has its pro's.

I know that I am proud when I get money in, when I pay a bill or buy something... knowing that I did it, me, myself and I. I'm greatful and surprized when additional money comes in. I feel that extra bit of magic and happiness when I have money to spend on something I want to spend it on. I value money more and when I become rich, or better off even, I'll appreciate it. Then the above will change to the below:

I know how it feels when I have enough money to be able to help others out and loan them money in their time of need.
I know how it feels when my debts are paid off and I no longer receive calls from those collectors.
I know how it feels when I have extra savings in my account in case something happens.
I know how it feels when I can spend money on special things that feed the soul and brighten the smile.
I know how it feels when I can buy stuff that will enhance my house, my future, my car.
I know how it feels to have the sense of pride and honour back. To no longer have to ask others for help.

To others like me who are struggling financially, we'll get there. We will.