Sweet enough

How do you have your tea? Black? White? Sugar? Maybe you’re saying ” TEA?! Cmon! Where’s my coffee! I bleed coffee.” (Ew.) 

I love it when people say, “I like my tea, like I like my man”… I mean, “I don’t need sugar darl, I’m sweet enough…” 

That’s so cute. And .. SO TRUE! 

I once heard that women are the colour and beauty of the world, they make life sweet. (Better shape up!?)

I also heard that kind words are like honey. Nice and sweet. (Better use more of them?)

There’s so many things that make life sweet… But for some reason I get caught up in the things I don’t have. Like a man. Cue violins. 

Happy 2016. Who was your New Years kiss? 

Nope. 

That’s not what we are talking about. Life is sweet enough!! 

I suppose I should start blogging again. 

You know, new year, new me blah blah. I was going to start again any ways, for you and for me. 

So many things have changed since I’ve written the last ones. Like …I’m blonde now (with a hint of pinks, purples and blues from the coloured chalks that my sisters added on NYE)

I’ll update you on that as we go, but for now, Here’s what I’m trying out in 2016: 
•366 days of intentional singleness. 

•366 days of no sugar. 

•365 days (let’s be realistic now..it’s 2.1.16) of small achievable goals, like book lists, documentaries, skills (finish that scarf I started knitting ) , finish watching friends, parks and recreation, travel to _____,______,&______! 

Ps. ITS A LEAP YEAR.

Here’s why, and you can judge, you can comment.

Or not. 
1. First the easy one : small achievable goals. I love fasting And cutting things out of my life. I’m doing a juice & social media cleanse soon (as a part of my Aussie church’s “fresh air fast”.

It makes you focus, and it makes you appreciate the things that you cut out. It gives you a new perspective too! Life can be mundane and boring so it’s good to have a challenge! I also like monthly goals , like “say no-vember ” and “one month of no tv or one month of baths or something . So fun! I could plan them.. But I’d rather go with the flow. 
2. Singleness. Oh but Eden, when did you last even have a boyfriend? 

Thanks for pointing that out. Again.

So, I haven’t had one in a while. Like 5 years. Being single , has had its ups and downs. But I’m never content with it, there’s been times where Ive been rocking it, “like look at me everyone! I’m single and loving it” but often I’ll meet someone , talk to them, fall for them, they don’t always fall for me, or for a number of reasons, I can’t be with them and then there’s the questions , and mind games “does he like me?” “do I like him?” “why didn’t he message back instantly?” “Our wedding will be…” 

I have a big heart, Love attention and love boys (well actually men! But I seem to always fall for boys who don’t know how to be a gentleman). I’m always chasing. It’s just exhausting! 

So what does a year of intentionally being single look like? 

I’m not 100% sure yet, but I think it’s more about thoughts. 

When I meet someone, I’m going to work on not thinking “I could marry him”, im avoiding mind games, dates, dreaming of PrincE charming. 

2015 was a big year, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. (Stay tuned for that post) , I’m really good at making my life about others. So I’m going to be a great girlfriend/wife . (I’m just so humble. )

I’m not that good at looking after me. I’m selfish, and I’m good at talking about me, and making fun of me. However, when it comes to resting, caring, dreaming, goal setting etc. I’m usually horrid. So I want to intentionally spend a couple of hundred days putting things in place to get better at doing those things. This blog is step one, and where I’ll document my new strategies etc. 

Some good ideas I have recently read: 

– Being single for a year is a gift, not a curse.

– You have the rest of forever to be with the one you choose to spend forever with.

– Be committed to you. & God 

– DATE YOU. Do you actually want to? You’re going to be with you for ever … If you can’t stand that , how can you expect anyone else to? 

Instead of searching for “da one” I’m focussing on: 

-Prayer. I wanna see miracles. Life in conversation with God is actually better, now I have had season without that I can confirm! 

-Finding out what I’m truly passionate about. Get dreaming, drawing and researching. I haven’t had a gap year, or saved for anything. Ever. 

-Building on existing relationships (I haven’t been that good at those, I like jumping around the world ) 

-feeling good in my own skin. 

– resting and being refreshed . Relationships (and teaching) and moving house and countries and cities can be exhausting …… 

– “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians‬ ‭4:8-9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

– “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” Ephesians‬ ‭4:23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

– “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” Psalms‬ ‭51:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

3. No sugar. 
Drum roll please … Get ready! This will blow your mind: sugar is killing us. It’s probably causing cancer , and slowing us down. It’s natural! But too much of anything is bad…right? Well.. I’m not going to give you any science right now, you can google that for yourself, but I’ve had seasons in 2015 without processed sugar , and they were awesome! Chocolate (for more reason that one) is my biggest weakness, and you’re probably thinking, “so what? Just eat it”. 

Since December 2014 , I have fallen asleep in multiple public places (basketball games, theatres, busses , trains, and the sofa when friends are over) , often alone and covered in…. 

Not poo. But chocolate. 

(If you go far enough back on my Instagram there is photo evidence of this.) I would eat chocolate and need a nap. Not a light – easily -disturbed nap. But a heavy – coma – like nap, that I couldn’t stop or break out of . 

My blood sugar levels are crazy!! Long story short, my body doesn’t break things down very well, and sugar impacts me a lot more than I thought! (If you really want to know more about the workings of my body, let me know and I’ll try to articulate them) 

I’m already dairy, gluten, yeast and wheat free. So I might as well solidify it and do them all with no sugar for a full year! I did a few months here and there in 2015 and compared to the months with those things , I slept better, my mood, energy skin, hair, teeth, and other bodily functions were so much better!! 

So what do I eat? 

Fresh , un packaged stuff and home made. Veggies and fruit. And pseudo grains (Quinoa , chia, flax, etc. )

I follow @deliciouslyElla, @KBSUGARFREE, @ameliafreer for tips. 

It’s about replacement, for example :

Honey for refined sugar

Date syrup and other fruits are actually so sweet! 

I’ll make my own raw chocolate (& nutella) with cacao ! (If you want recipes, stay tuned! ) I love it! I get to be creative and invent stuff in the kitchen! 

I’ve also introduced certain teas, sulpha and comfrey lead into my diet to suppress cravings. (All natural remedies).

So it seems possible … But I know it will be hard! Sugar is every where and in everything! It has its positives , but I’ve made my mind up! It’s only 364 more days. Besides, when I give it up… I might not ever want it again! 

The thing I hate the most is the social aspect, when I was teaching kids would buy my chocolate , or when you go out for a meal… “hi I’m Eden and yeah, I can’t eat that, that , that or that” but there are ways around it. I’m not the first to do this. So feel free to give me tips! 
So 2016 shall be an adventure, I’ll be searching for things other than a man or the chase of a boyfriend or eating ice cream and chocolates to make life sweeter. 

What are your plans? 

What are you going to do this year? This week or this month? 

What will you go without? Why or why not? 

How do you like your tea? 

Welcome to 2016. There’s no going back now. 

“But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive!” Psalms‬ ‭54:4‬ ‭NLT‬‬