To live a well balanced, rewarding life of our dreams by day and sleep restfully at night.
Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind. ~ Seneca
A few prompts to get your journal writing started today:
1. What is my favorite place? Why? How do I feel when I am there?
2. If time or money were not at issue, where would I take off to visit right now?
3. I am happy where I am because….
4. What does home mean to me?
No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow. ~ Lin Yutang
Dear God,
Good morning. Thank you for this new day. I am excited by much these days.
Thank you for all of the people in my life and the doors that continue to open as I seek to better myself and my life.
May I be guided by your loving spirit and know that peace reigns in my heart.
Please help me to have a clear head when in stress or feel excited.
May I remain centered so that I can be the most help to others and myself.
Thank you for being there when I am scared and when I feel unsure.
Thank you.
In my younger years, love was magical and it was splendid (as it still is now).
However, as a young woman, I had some less than mature and admirable ideas about love (as we do when we are young).
Thinking back, I can recall attitudes of:
1. “If he loved me, he would…” (a combination of entitlement and wanting my boyfriend/husband to read my mind)
2. “what have you done for me lately”? (keeping tabs, needing constant demonstration and proof that the man loves me, being selfish)
3. Having super high, unrealistic expectations of the relationship (a combination of not wanting to take responsibility for my life and that whole mind reading thing…see number 1).
Many years later, I am 46 years old and (happily) on my second marriage. I am certainly not perfect but I’d like to think that I have learned a thing or two.
A more mature love consists of:
1. Focusing on what you can give to your partner.
2. Communication and asking for what you want (men need and appreciate some direction especially when it comes in the form of a neutral request rather than from a silent pouty state or angry state because they did not read our minds).
3. Seeing the good in your spouse and remembering why you fell in love and married him in the first place (even on those bad days)
4. Deciding your relationship is more important than being right.
5. Be supportive, give feedback, listen a lot, and do not criticize (guard your mouth and words that come out dilligently)
6. Make your marriage top priority over anything else.
That about wraps it up. Oh, be sure to laugh regularly. Break up routines, have adventures and date nights (especially important if you have kids). Keep the fun and passion alive.
I find that during times when my mind is stuck in a worrying pattern, it just may be I have too much time on my hands. There is nothing like getting busy and working at a task (getting in “the flow”) that makes the worrying monkey mind go away.
Here are some ways to get busy and say good bye to worry:
1. Hit the gym and have a good work out!
2. Try a new fitness class at the gym.
3. Do something creative: write, paint, draw, sculpt, dance…
4. Do some volunteer work
5. Set a few goals that are important to you and take action on them.
6. Get lost in a really good book.
7. Join a new club: Toastmasters, a local French club, Book club, etc.
8. Organize something: your closets, your bookshelves, that junk drawer you have in the kitchen, your files, email inbox, or photos on your computer
9. Write thank you letters to anyone who has made a difference in your life.
10. When all else fails, call mom or cuddle with your cat.
In Peace,
Debra
1. The squirrels in your back patio knocked over the bird bath off it’s pedestal again.
2. The sun is shining,
3. the almost full moon too…
4. You think of all the good people in your life,
5. and you focus on all the good you have coming your way such as: a new career, a tax refund check, a vacation, a date with your spouse this coming weekend…
Cheers! (and smiles)..
Debra
Monday morning,
you have arrived.
A blustery day (so far)…
I need to find a way
to turn you into something worthwhile.
Perhaps I will remember to:
smile,
be thankful for the little things,
and disassociate from people and experiences that
do not serve my happiness and well being.
Yeah, Monday morning…
As you turn to afternoon,
may you mellow a bit and treat me kindly
as I soon embark upon your trail this A.M.
In concert with you, Dear day,
I will find a way to
peace,
an armor to deflect the stress…
and eventually rest so that I may welcome in
Tuesday with promise.
Life is good when:
1. You have supportive people all around you who love you and “have your back”, no matter what!
2. You are excited about something… (a new project, a vacation in the works, a book you are reading, new people you are meeting…)
3. You start your day with good coffee and end your day with good beer or wine…
4. The sun is shining…
5. An excellent film comes into your mail box via Netflix
6. You receive hugs when you need them
7. Comfortable clothing, socks, blankets…
8. Having faith: faith in God, faith in yourself, faith in our society.
In Peace,
Debra