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365 Challenge
Hope is not an illusion | Day 99 of my 2023 Journal
Hope is not an illusion. Hope lifts us out of what is; hope is how we transcend. Not just spiritually but on all levels of life. When we dare to hope, we lift out of the gravity of what is and move into becoming.
The same boat | Day 98 of my 2023 Journal
It is so easy to be annoyed with other people, and it is a common trap to believe your perspective is proper and that others got it wrong. I sometimes talk with other radical people, and even in these conversations, it is easy to condemn those inside the box. Feeling smarter and better. Let us not forget we all have a journey, and we are all worthy.
Just hanging out | Day 97 of my 2023 Journal
Just hanging out is a great luxury. In the morning, we all did our thing: The teenagers went for a walk and a croissant at the vegan, gluten-free bakery they had found, I did some morning shopping for the family, my husband did his yoga, and the youngest caught up with some sleep.
The memories | Day 96 of my 2023 Journal
Why do we travel to see churches we might forget? Why do we read books that might fade from our memory? Well. Because we are alive. Because the process of living, of leaning into the universe, touching the people we meet, absorbing from what is, adjusting to the immediate changes, or initiating them is what we do as humans.
Slow down | Day 95 of my 2023 Journal
Work is when we engage and take part. But the concept has become hollow, focused only on the monetary outcome. This is part of the suppression of women, of artists, and of freedom. When work became measurable by money and with the invention of the concept of BNP, the understanding of value changed, and we lost the awe of the very important work done by especially women.
Steepest decent | Day 94 of my 2023 Journal
Sometimes I feel like a sheep when in big crowds of tourists. Yet at the same time, I am happy for all the other people who get to visit epic places and enjoy the cultural history or the wonders of nature as long as I can find the steepest decent fast when I need it.
Pantheon and Trastevere | Day 93 of my 2023 Journal
I am not particularly focused on my children learning world history. It is one of the many things that happen by itself while living a life with enough time. Whatever puzzles us, we can dive into it. We have time.
The things we learn | Day 92 of my 2023 Journal
Every week, write down the things we learned that week. I am sure I would gain a lot of peace of mind from doing such an exercise regularly. All loose ends tied in my mind. Anchoring of decisions, knowledge, and new info.
Pisa and Lucca | Day 91 of my 2023 Journal
The leaning tower of Pisa truly is a must. So we went. To take the pictures, all the stupid ones and some extra stupid ones. Like everyone else. The vibe of these places is quite enjoyable. Everyone is having fun.
The importance of time | Day 90 of my 2023 Journal
We have to ask ourselves why we have an epidemic of depression and of stress reactions. Both of these psychological states are about not being aligned with time, happy to be present in life.
Florence | Day 89 of my 2023 Journal
Visiting the David is garnished with masterpieces of Florentine art from the 15th and 16th centuries. We have seen a lot in this genre before, and it could have been a replay. It was not. This museum truly holds masterpiece after masterpiece. We moved slowly.
My minimalist wardrobe | Day 88 of my 2023 Journal
We have to face our modern society and how consumerism is consuming us. And our world. It is extremely hard to stop. We keep buying stuff, we keep accumulating, and we find new things to want all the time.
Playing games | Day 87 of my 2023 Journal
Playing games with each other creates a space for confirming our codependence, our ethical stand, and in the end, our love for each other. It also creates a space where we all agree on following the same rules for a while.
Florence American Cemetery | Day 86 of my 2023 Journal
Walking the graveyard and memorial yesterday with my husband and children and with my sister and her children sparked good conversations and deep thoughts. My oldest son just read a book where war is a deadly sin as it is an extreme waste of resources, the most valuable resources of all. I am reading Dante and on a similar thought pattern. So, we had an interesting conversation.
Family | Day 85 of my 2023 Journal
Our psyche evolves, stabilizes, and thrives with other people. We are supposed to be close to our parents, siblings, children, spouses, cousins, and friends. Family is important. We have to take it seriously.
Cinque Terre | Day 84 of my 2023 Journal
Ten years ago, we visited Italy in our first van conversion; we went for one day to Cinque Terre. This time we wanted to come back to walk the trails along the coast between the cities and enjoy the beauty. we were in for a surprise!
From Verona to Cinque Terre | Day 83 of my 2023 Journal
I believe teenage girls need their mothers much more than our society appreciates and that the way we raise children in institutions, pushing them to grow “resilient,” “mature,” and “independent,” is all just a huge hoax tearing families apart, numbing and dumbing down emotions that are pure, true and natural.
Maintenance | Day 82 of my 2023 Journal
One advantage of living in a van is the number of things that need fixing/maintenance is much smaller compared to living in a house. Another advantage is once you start, you just have to finish. Otherwise, there is nowhere to live.
The fair city of Verona | Day 81 of my 2023 Journal
This is a general warning for everyone who loves Shakespeare. For everyone who loves literature. Maybe for everyone in general. Do not visit Juliet's house in Verona. Don't go anywhere near it. Not if you hold your view on humanity, dear.
Pausing | Day 80 of my 2023 Journal
It is sometimes emotionally complicated to stop. I remember someone said: “Vacation is doing something you are not usually doing.” Now we do not do vacations, but sometimes we do pause.
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Hi, I'm Cecilie Conrad
Cancer-surviving psychologist, former single-parent; co-sleeping, yogi, gluten-free, primarily plant-eating; happily married, stay-at-home, organic barefooted hippie and mother of four, living in a bus, knitting teddy bears and learning languages, counseling and enjoying sunsets.
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I advise personally and from the heart, present and releasing. I know the way out of the darkness and the frustrations, the way to your true self, the way you must go to live an amazing life.
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