Have you enjoyed yourself this weekend? I have, and now feel beautifully relaxed and refreshed. 
Sometimes we just need to take the time to relax and allow a little gentleness into our lives. I often find myself always trying to do everything that “needs to be done” and “keeping everyone happy”. But, sometimes I really think we need to be mindful of our own needs; our own physical health and wellbeing. Keeping up in life I find certainly takes its toll and I need to be mindful to allow a little down time, a slower pace, and for things to just happen as they arise rather than planning, organizing and doing all the time. A little self-love is the perfect remedy.
We didn’t get up to much over the weekend, but that’s the beauty of some weekends. We just enjoyed some lovely time relaxing at home with friends with the kids enjoying some playtime together and spent time together working in our garden and enjoying playing with the boys. It’s been awesome Autumn weather too; crisp cool nights and soothing sunny warm days with gentle breezes. My favorite time of the year, I love it!
One downer though is I think I might have to go off coffee for a while or for good. Oh nooooo! I hadn’t had one during the week I was run down with a cold, but had started having one every second day or so once I started feeling better. However, instead of it giving me the lift and warming feeling it used to, its frazzled my brain, left me feeling kind of nauseated and fatigued. I know really weird and I can’t explain it. Other than I definitely feel better without it. I don’t know why I’m so upset about it. I guess it’s because I love the whole ritual and shared moments with close friends over a coffee, but it looks like I’ll be switching to more herbal tea for the time being.
I shared a few little photos on my Facebook page last week of a some fun I had experimenting for an hour here and there with my painting. I haven’t had a lot of time recently but decided to make the most of the few moments I had. Otherwise, if I don’t paint or draw or be creative in some way I kinda lose the plot a bit and get all grumpy and internalized. Not good and I’m definitely happier and lighter when I’m expressing my creativity in some form. Again, I’m still pushing the merging of my illustrative work with my painting techniques. I have a couple of larger finished paintings too that I must share with you all soon. Slowly slowly I’m adding to my “illustrations” and “paintings” pages on my home page here too. So if you’re interested in these, keep checking back for updates. Here’s a little of what I’ve been up to the past week creatively. 
I also love Brene Brown as you know and watched this latest talk of hers this afternoon while Flynn slept. I love the way it opens up a whole new view on things for me and I’m learning loads of wisdom from her work. So I thought I’d share this latest talk with you all.
Wishing you a great week ahead. Have fun & just take a moment here and there for yourself. It really does do wonders!
Liza xxx
Liza Zeni 
Liza ~ good for you for taking some well deserved time off. If you aren’t feeling your best, then you can’t be giving your best to others. I am loving the development in your merged work. It has such a delicate quality about it.
Thanks Linda for your feedback on my new work, it’s always great to hear others thoughts. Yes I’m learning to listen more to my body these days and it’s working. Feeling much better this week, and I have gone a whole week without a coffee, who would have thought I could do that! Wishing you a great weekend xxx
Liza, it is so true that we all need a little self love, a little down time…and so good of you to recognize and take the time to do so. I, too, am in love with Brene Brown. I just can’t get enough of her – I am off to buy one of her books today.
Thank-you sweet Lori, I know learning to tune in more and more to my body these days. Sometimes I don’t really want to listen to it and power on, but I feel so much better for it when I do follow through and grant it’s wishes (O: I’m the same, totally can’t get enough of Brene, love everything she’s got to say! xxx
Hi Liza, thank you very much for this post. I know where you are coming from about coffee. I no longer drink caffeine but I couldn’t give up the ritual of having a coffee. I now drink decaf coffee. Cafés have come a long way in perfecting decaf coffee. Also look out for the coffee brands that extract caffeine using the ‘all natural Water Process Decaf’ method as usually it is done by chemicals. Here in NZ I use a brand Caffe L’Affare and I’m sure there must be a similar brand in Australia. So I hope that helps.
Hi Kirrily, I’m now hearing of many who nolonger drink coffee. It’s been a week now and I definitely feel better for it and have enjoyed my herbal teas each day. Luckily I have always loved tea and have a great variety so it’s not been too much of a problem. More just the social aspect and ritual at home with hubby of having a coffee. I’ve never tried decaf, thankyou very much for the tip on the chemicals too as I didn’t know that and am glad I know now! Liza x
I love what you are doing in your studio, Liza! I also need to watch this video – it keeps popping up in different places, but I haven’t taken the time to watch it yet. I will add it to my list for tomorrow, for sure! xo (Oh, and about the coffee – I would feel the same way. Tea just isn’t the same to me – something about the texture, I think.)
Hi Kathleen, thank-you for your great positive feedback again (O: I’m having a lot of fun with these little pieces that I’m trialing new things on, love them and can’t wait to turn them into larger pieces and a collection of little ones too, much fun! Yes do watch it, so inspiring I could watch it over many times. Yes, that’s it, it’s the texture for sure! I’ve been trying to work it out and I don’t have milk in my tea as I drink mainly herbal teas so that’s it, thank-you I couldn’t work out what it was. It’s been a week now and actually it’s been easier than I thought, most likely as it was really disagreeing with me. I feel really great this week. Have a lovely weekend Kathleen xxx
Hi Liza, its great to hear that you are feeling refreshed. I couldn’t agree more about self care. It is so important (note to self). Sorry to hear that you are missing your coffee! I know what you mean about it being a ritual. Thanks for sharing the Brene Brown talk! I will check it out. :))
Thank-you Wini, I’m having a better week this week though and feel all the better for giving coffee a miss. Yes Brene, super inspiring, I can’t get enough of her at the moment. Liza xxx
I do enjoy running on over drive. In the long run it does not work for me. I am learning to stop moving and try to stop thinking for a short while. Not too long other wise I find myself going back to doing nothing.
I too love the ritual of drinking a hot beverage. The making of it or the making the plan to go out to meet and drink coffee, natter and watch the world go by as the coffee goes down in the cup. I have been drinking decaf coffee for ever. It is still lovely. Some brands better than others. What will your coffee maker do if he can not make you coffee ?
It is tricky to define our selves as needs to be done isn’t it !
I think we’re quite similar Helen. I find this too. I love the feel of being so inspired to just run with the wind, but if I don’t nurture my body and wellbeing I usually fall in a heap. My body doesn’t always keep up with my natural zest and enthusiasm! I havn’t tried decaf, not sure why, just always been so taken with a really good coffee that decaf feels a bit like white chocolate to me. But I can’t judge until I’ve tasted right! I know, Michael is feeling a little dismayed that I’ve gone off it for the time being or for good. He’s been trying to tempt me all week, but so far I’ve stuck to tea actually quite happily. He even stuck a bag of fresh beans under my nose this morning in hope I’d oblige…I loved the smell, but still didn’t feel like one. Definitely going to listen while my body is resisting it for now. Liza xxx