Actively Seeking Gratitude

Image by Tattooed JJ - very busy via Flickr

Ok, so we made a start. No more extra added salt and a daily mini-hike. So far, so good. This week I am going to take my baby steps concentrated on mental health. I just made a deal with my husband this morning to look for at least 5 situations or events during the day for which we can feel grateful, and to share them with each other each evening. This should be easy for Eugene, as he loves going to work each day, playing with his water balloons, hosting his waterwars! He always has great stories of the new and returning people that he meets and entertains there. I will have to be more conscience in my daily activities, maybe even inventing activities that will provide satisfaction and/or eventful activity. Trying out a new recipe, applying for new positions for the next season of our travels, finding a new book, looking for activities to meet new people, etc.

The second will be to attempt to take every negative situation or activity I experience and flip the glass to be half full. Like in the photo, 'better then sleeping on a sidewalk!' What lesson can I learn? Have I walked a mile in the other guys shoes? What can I do to either correct the situation, or putting in enough thought to actually determine how I will handle the situation differently next time. These are goals that cannot do anything but improve my life. Wish me luck, while I work on creating my own!

Until next time.....

Shaking Out a New Spice of Life!

Image via Wikipedia

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Definition of insanity; doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
What you do is what you get.
Wish in one hand and s___ in the other and find out which fills up the quickest.

We have all heard them. We amusingly grin, then move on to repeat the same old routine of our daily activities. When was the last time you thought twice about them, maybe even considering these simple little window openings, a call to action!

Nothing happens by accident. There is a higher purpose to everything that happens in this lifetime. Sometimes we don't understand it at the time, but somewhere down the road, it comes back to provide an insight, a lesson. If we can keep this in mind, it can take a little of the sting out of the hurt, or the false pride from the lucky, yet unearned prize.

Anything worth having is worth working for. Although I totally believe this, I have been a poor performer in putting this to work in some portions of my life. I believe love, health and happiness are worth having. Although I have worked on love and happiness, I really have avoided my own health. I
do not take care of my physical body the way I should, and it is beginning to show.

Now I am not good at making major changes all at once, at least while being able to maintain those changes long term, baby steps are more my style. So..........today I resolve...........

I will attempt to implement two small changes per week. That adds up to 104 of them per year. As water retention has been more and more bothersome lately, today I resolve to take my salt shaker off the table. (I love my salt.....), but I will pick up some Mrs. Dash seasonings when I go to the store this afternoon. I will also walk my block once a day (small circle really, but more then what I am currently walking), regardless of the weather or any other excuse I can find myself making.

That's it for now. I will decide next weeks actions, next week. I will just allow myself to feel accomplished if I stick to these two things this week. I am on a roll!!!

Until next time......