Fresh Starts and New Beginnings

I have a wonderful life.  It's taken me to my 50's to realize just how wonderful my life really is.  A combination of what I have created for myself and what the crazy universe has decided to throw at me. It's a wonderful mix, warts and all.  I didn't need to jump off a bridge in Bedford Falls to come to this realization.  Although, I do feel that some angels have from time to time stepped in and shown me the way.
I feel my life is so wonderful and I'm so happy with it, that I want to live as long and healthy as I can.  I think it's a combination of attitude/out look on life, staying challenged and fearless and what I'm eating as a diet.  I feel a person can control a lot of what's going on with themselves with diet.
Last week, I embarked on a Spring Cleanse.  Aside from the first three days of apple juice/water/fiber/and whey protein...this Cleanse is a bounty of fresh, clean, tasty fruits, vegetables and meats.   I'm feeling great. And have some amazing energy. It feels like a fresh start.  So, week one and half of a six week cleanse.  I'm taking it a day at a time.  I didn't give it much thought, other than, it was approved by my doctor to do, the food looked great.  Actually, if I would have thought about the first three days, I would have said I'll pass.  I'm also not allowing myself to think about the no sugar (I did have some on Wednesday, but just a smidge and didn't like the feeling afterward.)
In all that, and with this energy, I have this overwhelming drive to tackle everything (and I do mean everything) in my life all at once in the next week.  A wise friend of mine cautioned me and coached me on the hazards of doing this.  I came to realization, that this cleanse is an opportunity for my body to heal and get some balance back.  Not an opportunity to push it beyond it's limits, just because I am antsy.  So, I'm allowing myself to be in this process.  I'm also feeling like it will not only shift my way of eating, but I'll wind up being healthier in mind body and spirit.  But it's difficult, and yet I know I have created this wonderful life I was just bragging about, so I can do this.
Now to this week's project.  My co-worker just purchased her first house.  To say it was an extremely emotional and difficult time for her would be an understatement.  At one point, I thought that maybe someone was holding her 75 year old mother hostage in the trunk of a car until my co-worker closed on her house.  That's how emotionally tense this situation was for her.  She closed on a house that she wasn't very happy about. Me being me, I asked her why?  She said that it wasn't the house of her dreams and on top of everything else she hates new beginnings.  Also, she discovered that house buying isn't like a trip to Target and that bothered her greatly.  I felt a little sad for her.  I know purchasing a house is a big deal.  I've been there, but for me it was the biggest new beginning of all time. I celebrated. (Although, I hate packing and moving).  Still, my hope for my co-worker is that she can get to a place of joy with her purchase and want to celebrate.

Again, me being me, I'm going to help her out. (Not with the moving and packing, with the celebrating)  I created a little  kitchen set featuring her cat and love of her life The Dollie Lana.  A blue eye gray Siamese cat.  I'm feeling very clever about the pot holders as they were silver heat resistant pre-made ones from Dollar Tree.  I took them apart, decorated and re-assembled.  I also found the blue towels (what we like to call Dollie Lana blue) also at Dollar Tree...so fun

She was touched by the gift and told me that these look so fresh and new that it struck that she was on her way to a fresh start in her life.  She finally felt like celebrating her purchase.  Cool.  Welcome to home ownership.
Life is about ups and downs. I also feel it's about what we do with those ups and downs.  How we ride the roller coaster.  I like mine with fast turns, hills to climb, followed by a big water slide. Like it or not, we are all on the roller coaster.  I'd rather be screaming for joy  and laughing until I wet myself, than screaming out of fear of the next turn or hill or even the water slide.
Is there a fresh start or new beginning you are currently embracing or reluctant to embrace?  What is it?  And how are you embracing it or not embracing it? If you decided to embrace it, what benefits do you think you would gain?

Until next week...create to feel great!
33 projects complete! 19 to go! (The Campaign is in the "Teens" again )

"The Going Overboard For Myself" sub-challenge Update- I decided to make PJ pants! I needed some new ones and love having stacks of PJ pants.  So, this week I made a pair of PJ pants.  Just in time for a relaxing weekend.


Yes, those are Sponge Bob Square Pants PJ Pants and Gus.