By Sandra Dee Owens Have you ever felt overwhelmed, or lost clarity and confidence? I have. “Empty The Room” is my simple approach to removing mind (and room) clutter, to regain clarity and confidence. But, of course, simple—is not the same as easy. Paint I hated the deep, pumpkin orange from its first roll on…

The Funologist's guide to getting ‘unstuck’ By Sandra Dee Owens The smallest room My brain is approximately 6” long. A rather small space to keep organized it would seem, yet of all the rooms I own, this one is the most cluttered. Merriam Webster’s definition of clutter is "to fill or cover with scattered or…

By Sandra Dee Owens Have you ever noticed that young children are not judgemental about the weather? They simply go outside and play in whatever mother nature is dishing out that day. Sadly, our acceptance of weather narrows with age. Cold weather often means hard work, discomfort, and even danger, bringing out a gripe and…

By Sandra Dee Owens Living without running water for 8 years was the hardest part for me. In our early 20s my husband and I had bought a small piece of land with a burnt-down house on it. It was cheap and had important features we needed in order to shift from homelessness to first-time…

By Sandra Dee Owens Session 5 I have no memory of counseling session 5. Session 6 At the end of session 6, the last one my husband and I would attend, the counselor suggested we find a Plan B before winter arrived with us still living in a small garage with two young children and…

By Sandra Dee Owens Editor’s note: This is the fourth part in a series of The Funologist’s stories called “The Garage Years.” This column is published the first edition of each month. For previous parts visit: mountaintimes.info/category/column/funologist. Part 5 of this series will be published Nov. 3. Expectations I had had expectations. Expectations that my…

By Sandra Dee Owens When I had a nervous breakdown at 29, I called a local crisis line, and after talking me back from the edge I had fallen over, the on-call counselor suggested I come in and talk with someone. I went to six weekly counseling sessions. My husband came with me, stating, “Your…

 How too much stress for too long can make you sick By Sandra Dee Owens Editor’s note: This is Part 2 of The Funologist's story "The garage years."Part 1 was printed in the July 7 issue of the Mountain Times. Look for Part 3 of this series in the first edition of September. “And I…

How personal challenges can break, then rebuild you—stronger By Sandra Dee Owens When I was 29 I lost my mental health. It took nearly three years to get it back. Though a nervous breakdown was the most painful thing I have ever endured, I learned so much about myself, that I am grateful for the…

By Sandra Dee Owens  When I was 25 I lost my health. I had no health insurance and was turned down for disability. While that news felt devastating at the time, I now view this as the greatest gift my health could have received. In chronic pain due to a degenerating spinal condition (scoliosis) and…

By Sandra Dee Owens A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single ... thought. Before taking a single step, I first have to think about taking a single step. Consciously or otherwise, everything begins ... with a thought. Even Funology, a wellness lifestyle that takes fun seriously — is rooted in thought. Focusing…

By Sandra Dee Owens All my life, I noticed it. The presence of a gentle, internal voice, offering helpful suggestions I mostly ignored. No, not ignored ... flicked off my shoulder like a bothersome bug. I gave my internal guidance system no respect or attention. And all my life, I noticed a collection of bold,…

Is your relationship with fear contentious or friendly? By Sandra Dee Owens Throughout my life, I have thought of fear as something I should overcome, battle and conquer. But when I began snow swimming four years ago, I wanted a fresh perspective—so fear would not stop me from doing what I wanted to do. First,…

How embracing the word ‘slower’ lead to a new sport: snow swimming By Sandra Dee Owens Have you ever made your own speed limits? After I received two speeding tickets and a warning within six weeks—I realized I had a problem. With an excellent, 40-year driving record before this life “phase,” I suddenly found myself…

Flipping the switch from boring—to “woohoo!!!” By Sandra Dee Owens Have you ever yearned to do something but were afraid to try it? Climbing out of the mid-October water, I excitedly hopped up and down at the effectiveness of my winter “swimsuit” against the plummeting air and water temperatures. The previous morning, before dawn, I…