Wednesday, July 25, 2018

So... Where was I?

So, I believe in the last blog I mentioned I was pregnant. I had my baby in October and since then, my life has been a busy beaver! Everything is going very well across the board.
My plans for this blog. I was never great and writing in the first place, but I believe I may start something new this coming year where I start reviewing my decks on here as well as on YT. However, the difference will be going down a ranked number system from something like either a 1-5 or 1-7 or 1-10, depending on how many areas I can find to review a deck with. The boxes, the books, the deck itself can all be reviewed. We will see! But anyways, thought I would give a quick heads up and of course follow me on YT where I post regularly multiple times a week!

Monday, July 31, 2017

Update and Change of Writing Space!

Hey everyone. It has been a long time since I made a blog. I feel bad but life gets in the way! So I am about seven months pregnant and that is the main reason I have been AWOL.  Everything is going well by the way. :)
On a side note, I have changed where I write things. I am not a huge blogger, but I do enjoy writing an occasional article. So here is where you can find me now!
http://hubpages.com/@tarajeancochran
Also, I am stil lon YT and making videos. So check me out there too ladies and gents! Thanks for staying tuned!

Monday, February 27, 2017

Cursing or Binding Trump

By the way ladies and gents, I am back!

So this is a hot topic going on right now that a large group of witches are planning to bind (to restrain him from hurting others or himself) or curse (to actually hurt him) Trump. The reason because well, he is a tool, but because he is hurting so many communities and is already creating religious persecution towards Muslims so why would he stop there? We know witches have always had a red latter tagged on us for hundreds of years.
The idea is to all participate this and throw this energy at him all at the same time, the theory being the more energy at one time will make it more effective. Which makes sense to me. The question is, is it the right option?
Now, I am someone who tends to like doing the mundane options first because generally you can see tangible results from that rather then magical right off the bat. For example: groups of people trying to pass things to make impeachment possible, getting your local politicians involved to push for investigations for clear law breaking by the presidents, protesting, and so on. These are tangible mundane things people can choose to do first and can see quick results usually. If those don't work, I can see that the magical way of doing things can boost the mundane or support it, or if you have run out of ideas of the mundane option, this is the better option.
The thing I worry about most is that are we just feeding into the controversy by being so blatant about this? There is already a following of a large christian group planning on countering the witches by praying against them. This just brings me back to Salem witch trials and the idea that witches are frightening and threatening.
Putting groups of people against each other is never healthy and this is exactly what Trump wants, separation, not a coming together as one. We are one United States of America but we are completely stripped from having those connections that bring us together. Remember 9/11? We all came together even those against the war. This is like the complete opposite of that. It is incredibly sad.
Do I think this is the correct option? No. Would I stop anyone from participating? Definitely not, it is their choice. But be mindful of the bigger picture. Are we making a bad situation better, or are we exacerbating it and falling into the holes people like Trump have dug for us waiting for us to trip and fall into it?
Be mindful. That is your exercise this week.

Monday, January 30, 2017

Blogging Update!

Hey everyone. I know I haven't blogged in a few weeks and I am just letting you know, i do have plans to make a few blogs soon I have just been focusing more on a few other projects!
I made a new gaming channel called The Bat Prototype, a play on me being blind lol.  More projects on my personal channel Lippy Witch. And doing many deck reviews! I also have an instagram under Lippy Witch. I will be making a blog soon so keep an eye out! Hope everyone is well.

Monday, January 9, 2017

Accept it, because it won't change

We all have things about ourselves and our lives that we have difficulty accepting. Some of us struggle with family relationships that the other person isn't going to change and the relationship is probably irretrievable broken, but you keep attempting to fix it. Or coming out as gay after being taught all your life that it is wrong. Or accepting maybe the job you wanted and finally got, that it isn't the right fit you thought it would be. There are varying degrees of trivial to serious things that one can and should accept.
Often times the things we struggle to accept in life make it that much harder to be of a mind to know what you want or don't want. Ignoring reality or choosing to not accept something for what it is tends to have ripple affects on someone's actions and choices. It makes decisions less assured or concrete because you may feel well if the something that won't be accepted or the struggle, why wouldn't it be the same for every other decision?
Accepting difficult situations or choices or lifestyles can cause a lot of discord in one's mind. For example, someone who is gay and has chosen to ignore the fact based on various reasons like raised in a home where it is taught it is wrong, this can make someone self hate. We have seen it time and time again that politicians and church officials that rail the hardest against homosexuality, they end up coming out as gay down the road and it was their way of trying to push their truth away.
Accepting isn't an easy thing to do for some aspects of one's life, but the process and the conclusion of coming to a place of being able to accept a situation makes the mind and the body much more cohesive and sated, and for many, much happier.

You task this week is to address something you have struggled to accept, and start the process in earnest to do so.

Monday, January 2, 2017

Setting Intentions... Really?

Time and time again, particularly this time of year, I hear people stating how they are setting intentions. They may be pagan or they may be mundane. New years resolutions or starting off with a clean slate or a ritual, we all do it in some way, shape, or form. There is one problem with this though. Many set their intentions and then assume that is all they need to do and months or a year down the road, they are shocked that nothing happened! Why is this? It is because setting intentions are not the end, it is the beginning.
Setting intentions for the new year or anything else, it is the beginning. The first step in a long process to reach your goal. The intention is your goal being set, the starting line. When you succeed in achieving that goal, that is the finish line. There is still a long race to get to that end point though. Here is some suggestions to help you achieve that goal.
After setting the goal, you need to make a plan, and it can vary in how detailed and complicated it will be but the more simple, the easier it will tend to be to stick to. For me, as an example, I have made a goal to lose 30lbs this year and to get healthier overall. I have created a spreadsheet to track my food intake, exercise, sleep, and notes where I would put when and what is hurting, when I am tired, and when I am in pain to see if anything correlates with anything. I have used websites but I wanted to set up something specific to my needs which don't have restriction like many websites do. Mine is very detailed but someone else may just need to just track their weight and food intake by keeping a journal rather a spreadsheet on a computer. I use a computer spreadsheet just for my vision needs and my handwriting is horrendous. Remember, you can always change what doesn't work for you and adapt it into what will if  you find what you initially have set for you isn't working.
Another suggestion is find someone or something to keep you accountable. Setting a reminder on your digital devices like an alarm or have a person remind you or keep you accountable in your actions like a significant other or friend helps a lot for the times you forget or don't feel like doing it. Having a support system helps a lot. I have a friend, spouse, and notifications to keep me on point.
Use visual aides like pictures, encouraging words, or even playing music that gets you in the mood to achieve your goal. I am more into audio then visual stimuli so I use energetic music to get me pumped for when I want to exercise.  Some may use words like "healthy" and use the image of this word  to stick on a bathroom mirror or a kitchen fridge as a reminder and an affirmation to stay on point. Try to avoid things that will discourage you. For example, for me trying to lose weight, putting a wafe-like skinny chick as a picture to try and encourage me would just be discouraging. Putting someone like Ashley Graham, the plus sized model who is curvy, healthy, and looks great, is something I would love to strive for and reminds me that beauty isn't equating to skinny and a rail.
This leads me into another suggestion. Forget social norms or what they think is acceptable in THEIR opinion. As above, a wafe like feature is not realistic for many of us and is actually unhealthy for many as well, but someone like Ashley Graham is something many of us can achieve and still be confident about in looking like. She is now become the new normal in society which is great, but she is still struggling against an uphill battle for normative changes. Not everyone is trying to lose weight it is just a common resolution. Some have goals of cleaning/organizing a room in their home that has just been a strain for various reasons. Some people are perfectly comfortable with a unorganized room and if this is a goal you set because of others wanting you to, this is just not going to happen (unless it is a health hazard then I suggest doing it anyways). If something doesn't bother you and isn't hurting or risking anything or anyone, why change it?Which leads me into my final point.
You need to set intentions for you and your wants and needs and not for what others want you to do. Again, if someone is quilting you into doing something you personally have no issue with and it really isn't hurting anyone, then what is the point? It probably won't change your life and other then making the other person happy, is it doing anything for you? You need to set intentions that will make a difference in your life and that you WANT or NEED. Not what others want in order to "fix" you.
Your homework today is to set an intention (if you haven't already) and then make an action plan, step by step, on how you will achieve it and start imp lamenting it right away. No time like the present!
Happy new years everyone!