My dear friends, 

I thought about just titling this post "A Mermaids Seaweed Smoothie", but then I said to myself two things, "They'll never click over because unless you're a mermaid, even the thought that it would taste delicious would stop you in your tracks and for SEO purposes it's a tricky thing to title blog posts highly niched."

The truth is, I am notorious for changing the names to things and giving everything a nickname. So in good mermaid landlocked humour, I want to still call it 'A Mermaids Seaweed Smoothie' even though there's not an ounce of seaweed in it.

Now having prefaced all that, I am also a person that will not drink or eat something unless it tastes divine. I have never been that gal that would eat diet foods because they're good for me, but taste like rubbage. So when I say this spinach lemonade is yummy, I scouts honour swear to it.

I drink this lemonade every single day, like clockwork. The reason I started drinking it, was because before I started practising the law of attraction, I had lived with the belief that I had adrenal fatigue. I adapted that belief because other people would tell me it wasn't normal that I enjoyed sleeping so much. Nowadays, I know I slept frequently because I had loads of resistance in my awakening state. I was constantly on the lookout for ways to raise my iron levels without impacting my digestive system.

I might also state that I have anaemia. I am not able to donate blood because of it, and if you know anything about anaemia, you are aware exhaustion is apart of your life. I finally found this recipe, tried it and loved it. The best part is there are only a few ingredients and it gives me resounding energy.

A Mermaids Seaweed Smoothie
Ninja Blender {you don't have to use a ninja, I just love my ninja. It blends the ice to perfection, like a snowcone, yum}

Spinach 2 cups {just grab a few handfuls and throw it in the blender

Fresh Lemon Juice 4 tablespoons ( I like a tart/sour lemonade so you can play with the taste by adding or subtracting the amount)

Honey 2 tablespoons {Treasure Trove Tip ~I actually heat my honey up in a little bit of water in the microwave before adding it to the blender of ice. If you don't the honey is too cold and won't blend well.}

Ice and Purified Water {I just guess with the amount of ice and water. I like my lemonade thick.}

And there you have it! Spinach lemonade, it's sweet, cool and refreshing. These are all things I would know about since I live in Florida and I'm a true Southern woman. {smile}

I would love to know if you try this and then swim back and tell me what you think.

How Gardening Taught Me About Perseverance

 My dear friends, 

Yesterday I spent the day in the front garden planting lovely new flowers that my BG {Beloved Gardener} surprised me with as an early Easter gift.

I am constantly thinking, especially when occupied in my pursuits.

As I began to dig, there was unveiling evidence of small cobblestones all throughout the patch of dirt where I was to cultivate. When gardening, before you start, you lay out your plants to see where they will look nice. There is symmetry, height, width and sun availability to take into consideration.

So in my tenacity to spade exactly where I had laid out the flowers, my thoughts about gardening twirled into a metaphor about life.

I could have easily surrendered, to look for other spots in the garden to plant those flowers because the place I was digging was beastly. It took me twice as long, and I was exhausted by days end.

How often do we see other folks in the face of adverse circumstances or lack of determination seek the easy way out; looking for a quick fix or short cut? Perhaps, I should speak individually on this matter. I have seen oftentimes where folks want to skip the arduous work as an entrepreneur, or artist, in order to relieve their plight.

I find that folks want to ride the coattails of others, instead of spending the efforts, necessary time and years to put into the work of success all on their own.

I know the world is made up of NOW, and we spend quite a bit of attention on the arrival of successful individuals. Too often we don't see all of those voyages that were lengthy, tear-jerking, and disappointing.

For example, I have seen a friend that wrote 5 books and spent nights crying because she was hoping that 5th book would've been picked up by a traditional publishing company.{Good news, she finally did get published and they both turned out to be New York Times Best Sellers} Or the woman spending years going on auditions to only get picked over for parts time and again. Those are the moments we don't often see, we see the arrivals-the big breaks, the highlighted reel.

I believe it takes many folks years, and I would hope in the future that we see more of the voyages, so as to inspire folks that are in the beginning/middle stages. I do believe it would create a visual of encouragement. 

When folks skip steps, they are missing all of the beautiful aspects of what will one day be so meaningful for them. The fact that they didn’t give in or surrender when there were 'cobblestones' in their way. They didn't seek easier, softer soil, and the universe indeed rewards that immeasurably. The flowers will be symmetrical and have height variation. It will be a living, breathing colourful pallet of wonder. 

It would’ve been more facile for me to move the flowers to the back garden, but in the long term, I would’ve regretted it. I would have had to transplant them from one bed to another for lack of sun, constantly worry about the chickens demolishing the new growth, and have to put up wire fencing to keep the ladies from eating petals.

How often folks do this same type of extra work because they wanted to skip steps, take an easier route, and not work arduously for their success. In the end, it’s so much better to play the long~end game, receive true accolades from within because you know you did all the work yourself. The reward: you’ll have a gorgeous garden of flowers.

There's going to be days, in fact, mostly that your garden will look like rubbage, you'll have no blooms and there's an enormous amount of weeds to pluck.

We need to stop looking at other folks gardens, comparing it to ours. It's an easy trap to look upon their blooming flowers, picturesque {social media worthy photographs} and then get down on ourselves because ours looks less appealing. 

Give yourself time, remember your voyage is your own. We aren't seeing all the time and effort they put into their garden. All of the years they've spent time weeding, cultivating, learning, researching, and digging. The times they didn't go out dancing with their friends but stayed home on weekends to work in the garden. You aren't seeing behind the picket fence, you're looking at what appears externally. 

Don't be so hard on yourself, and surely remember to keep your head down and work on your dreams. When you do this, you'll find you have no time to even notice another woman's garden/success, because you'll be too busy accomplishing yours. 

Before you know it, you will be the woman with the beautiful garden/success story.

I shall write again soon.

Most affably yours til my next swim, Raquelxxx

6 Ways To Navigate As You Transition Out Of Your Religious {Mormon} Faith

My dear friends,

I speak often on my blog about subjects that are partly vexing. My attempts are too fragrant them just enough to know that I am polite in my efforts, and in no way do I have the intentions to cause anyone affliction. 

With that being said, I should also like to share a quote that I have on my desk as a reminder of my well being.

"What other people think of me is none of my business."~Gary Oldman

A verifiable writer has an expansive desire to speak about their lives, share particulars that nearly ripped them to emotional shreds, or to simply write about a lovely stroll at the park. A writer must write as if their life depends on it. Between writing and breathing, in order to survive;  both are required {smile}.