Category Archives: Thankful

Monday Gets Happy

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Did you ever wake up some mornings and just say “Hello World, It’s going to be a great day!”?  It just seems that everything is brighter, all the colors around you look more intense and vibrant and even your sense of smell is acute, and you are overwhelmed with multiple fragrances at every turn.  Well, It has been one of those days for me.

Monday Gets Happy

I’m really not sure why it has turned into such a good day.  I didn’t get much sleep last night and I have to do laundry today (ugh!) AND there’s a big stack of dishes in my sink! (double ugh!)  I think it’s because I recently had to have a good talk with myself about my attitude.  It was one of those “is my cup half full or half empty” type of discussions.  Life is a bit of a struggle for me right now, but I can choose to make things better…..or I can just choose to continue to complain about all the obstacles that seem to be in my way or decisions that are frustrating to me.  The anxiety that comes with struggles of life is some times paralyzing.  We keep spinning our wheels and feel that there is no way out of the current situation.  The truth is that it’s actually easier to do something about it.  But, often, we don’t see the path of least resistance.  We get in our comfort zone and when things change, we just keep resisting to make that change.

I think the people who are most successful and happy in life don’t have any preconceptions about themselves.  They just move forward not thinking that it might be difficult or not on their “life itinerary”.  They are constantly reinventing themselves and are always open to new adventures or new paths to take on their journey.  My grandmother was like that.  You could say to her “Do you want to go with me?”  She ALWAYS answered  “Yes!”  Each time, you could remind her that you didn’t tell her where we were going, but her response was always the same… “It doesn’t really matter!”  And…she was very sincere about that answer…AND she was always smiling and happy.  Her children would sometimes get messages from her that she was in another state…or even several states away.  All because someone had posed that question to her….”Do you want to go?”  She changed her “path”…and away she would go!

I guess it is a healthy thing to do too.  My grandmother lived to the ‘ripe ole age’ of 96 and lived on her own for most of that time.  I sure hope I have half the ‘spunk’ she did when I reach her matured age.

Life is an adventure and it can be an exciting and rewarding one or it can be filled with lots of struggles…..sometimes self-imposed….sometimes just ones thrown at us that make us take a better look at the whole picture of the journey we might be on.  Today….I am choosing to look at my ‘glass of life’ differently.  I am going to make it a great day…no matter what direction it takes me.  I am saying “Yes” to the question “Do you want to go?”

So, how about you?  Do you need a kick start?

What obstacles seem to be keeping you from moving forward?

Are there really obstacles…or are YOU the obstacle?

Change your attitude, Change your path, Change your day!!

I hope you enjoy your new chosen itinerary.

I hope you find some exciting adventures.

But most of all…I hope your Monday Gets Happy too!

Smiles,

Nancy

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Monday Gets on the Scale

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OK….I have a question.  If you have a driver’s license that lists your weight and height, are they accurate?  If not, are they off by 10%, 20%, Yikes! 30% or more???  If so, join the club.  Supposedly, most women lie about their weight and men lie about their height.  Not all states require the weight part, but I wonder why we have such an important document that we feel the need to avoid the truth?!!  Do you think that when other people look at our license that they check the weight or height and then snicker to themselves?  Obviously, it’s not important to DMV because I’ve never had to “weigh in” for them.  Have you?  Oh the horror, right?!!

What I find interesting about the weight part is that we know we need to lose weight, but feel the need to avoid dealing with it even when it comes to being a responsible and honest, license-carrying citizen.  I wonder if we had to weigh in at the DMV when we renewed our license if we would even avoid renewing it….kind of like we do when we need to go to the doctor.  How many of you have tried to make great effort to lose a pound or more the week or two before your doctor’s appointment?  I’m raising my hand because I’ve sure been there.  I even try to find the very lightest weight clothing sometimes….no heavy jeans or boots are on my body when I step on that scale!!  Let’s get honest…..

Monday Gets on the Scale

I went through years of professing my weight (the one of my choosing) to DMV or anyone else that asked, knowing that it was a huge exaggeration.  I knew I needed to lose weight and get healthy, but I continued to live in the fiction world.  Why did I wait so long to do anything about it??  I still can’t answer that question.   I guess we all have to “hit that wall” that makes us “look in the mirror” to make changes in our lives.  I am very thankful that I found info about the Paleo lifestyle this year.  I can say honestly that I am finally at the weight that I have proclaimed for years and less than I have weighed in at least 15 years or more.  What ‘clicked’ I wonder?  What makes us throw those bad habits out the window?

It is really intriguing to me to see someone seem to change, literally, overnight.  They do all the things that are wrong for them and then suddenly, one day, all the “lessons” they have been given miraculously make sense.  I wonder if it is something cosmic-like…..if all the stars are aligned in a certain manner and we “receive” information…that info suddenly will get absorbed??!!   Any scientist out there that can answer that question?  I have a bunch of other issues to work on too, so maybe I could start planning for that cosmic-alignment moment now.

What would you like to change about yourself?

How close are you to your DMV weight?

And, yes, what do you have on your “list” that you have not ever checked off?

I wonder what is going to have to happen in your life to get you to “look in the mirror” and see the reality.

Are you ready to change?

Well, whatever you would like to happen, be sure to stop saying:  “Oh, I could never give that up”, or “I just don’t have time” or even “I’ll work on that next year.”

How about changing your mantra to “I Matter” or “I care about myself” or even “I love myself”.  It is amazing to me to talk to people who are not able to say this to themselves…..AND they don’t know that others care about them either.

So today…..I’m saying it for you.  I’m going to tell you the truth because I care.

YOU MATTER…..YOU ARE A GOOD PERSON…..YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY BEING THE BEST PERSON YOU CAN BE!!

Did you hear me???!!

Are you ready to start?  Repeat after me….

I Matter.  I Matter.  I Matter.

Now, take the next step and make changes.  What do you see in the mirror?

Pretend the planets are in alignment and you can

do anything you want to do…..starting today…now!!

You can do it.

Smiles,

Nancy

Monday Gets Taken Away by Calgon

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“Calgon Take Me Away”  is an old commercial slogan that has been “on the air” and repeated over and over since the early 1980s and it still rings true today for me!  I’m Ready for a little R&R!!  How about you?  I’m not sure just having a bathtub filled with bubbles is going to do it for me.  I’m just a bit tired today and need something special to happen.

I can’t imagine what it might be like for some of you who have several kids or maybe you’re juggling a couple of jobs AND a single parent. Add furry, four-legged pets to the equation and your chore list just doubled.  Having older parents who you care for can also add to a drain on your energy.  Maintaining a house you creates a constant list of things to do.  And just cooking three meals a day and other mundane daily chores can create multiple hours of things we need to day EVERY DAY!  No wonder we’re tired.  We need a break!

We push ourselves beyond a normal limit sometimes.  We don’t take time for ourselves to rest.  We keep saying we’re going to take a break, but fail to “put ourselves on the calendar” and schedule it.  We keep doing for others and neglect our own needs.  We say we’ll do it next week…next month…..and THEN Holy Cow!  It’s already next year!!  Yikes!  What happens to the time?!

Are you ready?  I’m giving you a “get out of jail free” card today.  Admit it….you need a break.  So today……

MONDAY GETS TAKEN AWAY BY CALGON

We have to take care of ourselves, if nothing else, so we can keep taking care of others.  We always seem to put ourselves last in line for nurturing and allowing ourselves to feel that “We Matter”.  It seems easy to do nice things for others, but we can’t seem to stop the process of being last on the list.  If we would start taking care of “Me”, then we could likely do a lot more for others.  Would that motivate you to take the time to be taken away by Calgon today?

Okay.  Here’s the fun part….if you could do anything you wanted to do today, what would it be?  Maybe stay in bed ALL day.  Or perhaps, read a book you started months ago.  What about having a super duper spa day?!!  Wow!  What an amazing thought!  Maybe just find a nice shady spot, bring a picnic lunch and stare into space for several hours would be a relaxing day for you.  I think I would like to go somewhere to look at the water.  I love the smell of the ocean breeze and the sound of the waves hitting the shoreline.  Maybe I’ll stop for a nice icy smoothie afterwards and then take a long afternoon nap.  That sure sounds like a relaxing day.

I don’t want to hold you up any longer…..you’ve got some planning to do.  If you can’t make today a Calgon kind of day, then at least take the time today to make plans for what you will do within the next week.

Make it something fun and just about you.

Remember to whisper to yourself throughout the day….

I Matter!  I Matter!  I Matter!

If we don’t take care of ourselves, then we limit

ourselves every day in what we can accomplish.

Make today a super, super day

Got to run…..the ocean breeze is calling my name.

Smiles,

Nancy

Monday Gets Thankful

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I woke up this morning and before I could completely get my eyes opened, I found myself feeling very thankful for a lot of things in my life.  I stretched my arms out and immediately felt my sweet old lab, Tramp.

My “view” this morning.

He is there for me always no matter what kind of day I am having….Blessing #1 of the day.  The longer I laid in bed, the longer my list of gratefulness grew!  The irony here is that I have been struggling a bit in my work-a-day world and feeling a bit defeated at times.  I felt like doors had been closing for me and I was in a “woe is me” state of mind (Hmmm..sounds like a song perhaps). But yet, this morning, I found myself counting my blessings.  So let me share with you a bit……

Monday Gets Thankful

 I have to wonder if just “changing my attitude” made the difference.  Last night, I had to “sit myself down” and give myself a good talking to about my attitude.  What I realized was how much energy I was wasting feeling defeated and how it really wasn’t helping my situation.  It sure isn’t a way to win friends or move you forward if all you do is complain about your situation and problems.  Although I have to say, that part of the reason for changing my attitude had to do with some of the extremely kind and caring messages and words that I received from my friends and family.  Many offers of kindness have been sent my way.  How lucky I am to have sweet angels all around me who are “holding me up” when I need the extra boost…..many Blessings for sure!!

I have the sweetest son in the whole world who always boost my spirit by believing in me and making me feel that I can accomplish whatever I set my mind to.  He always believes I can “win the race” with flying colors.

I Can Do It!!

He does have a way of bringing out the stubborn-ness in me to prove that I can do something!!   Although…when I mentioned that I would like to try skydiving recently, he was not too supportive!!?!! Blessing! Blessing! Blessing! Tenfold!

As you know from my post last week, I have taking great strides in improving my health by following a Paleo lifestyle.  This diet plan may not be for everyone, but it sure is working for me….2 more pounds lighter this week.  I just can’t imagine having adversities in my life and dealing with health issues that would add to the struggles right now….in that regard, another scoop of Blessings for me!  I wonder if Ben & Jerry have thought of creating a flavor called “Blessings”.  I doubt if I could stop with just one scoop.

So, before I “lay it on too thick”, here is what I really wanted to share.  Life is a struggle for everyone….no matter what their situation might be.  But what we need to do is just count our blessings and keep saying to ourselves….“I Matter”  If we just believe in ourselves, then we can accomplish great things.  What it really is all about is “Love”….loving ourselves….and we all know “Love can move Mountains!  Right?  I have a few friends out there who are struggling right along with me right now, so here is a personal wish for you…..I love you and I believe in you and “You Matter” to me…So go Move a Mountain!!

So, what mountain do you want to move today?!!

Life getting you down too and sending you a bunch of struggles to deal with that are feeling like burdens and too much to handle sometimes?!!

Count your Blessings, my dear friends and fellow bloggers.  That’s right….make that darn list and realize all the good things that you have to be thankful for today.  You might be surprised like I was to find out just how long your list might stretch.

I’d like to give you a little “kick start”….I’m letting you know that “YOU MATTER”.

Did you hear me?…..YOU MATTER!

Make your list, count your blessings, change your attitude and before the day ends…Make sure that you tell someone else YOU MATTER too!

By making a difference in someone else’s life, you will be surprised to find how much of a difference you can make in your own life too!

Have a great Monday! Be Thankful for the moment and the day!

You Matter!

Smiles,  Nancy