appreciate what I have

starting today. I already do several of the items on the list – I often say “Hello” to strangers because I think that most people want to interact with other people, but they have been conditioned to avoid rejection. I also try to exercise 3X a week. My yard is full of plants, most of which survive nicely. And I talk with my friends at least once a week. (I probably spend too much time talking…) So this should be painless, except cutting my TV Time in half. I am spoiled by Tevo. But I know that I am spending too much time watching mindless television.

I just got back from a visit to the physical therapist. I have been getting my knee worked on since it has been hurting for years. We went thru the exercises, and why my knee hurts. Now I need to practice what he showed me. If my knee has been bothering me for years, why am I having so much trouble following thru on this? I need to appreciate my body, my mind, my health, my values, etc., more and do what needs to be done to appreciate me.

so that my errands are done by the weekend. I want to be able to enjoy the weekends instead of spending them doing chores and running errands. And If I can get this habit established soon, I’ll be doing great since I offered to be a beta-tester for our 9/80 work week (every other Friday off). Woohoo. Let’s start by appreciating life. :)

I realize that a major factor in appreciating what I have is to have the time (and energy) to enjoy things. So I have started the Flylady routines to get my house organized. It’s slow going, but I can see progress, and it has helped me to relax. The house is getting in better shape, to the point where I can start thinking about inviting people over in the near future.

Yeah. Keep going. I don’t think I have ever had my house in a state where I could relax when I came home, so this should be a huge step forward if I can get it under control.

Work has been frustrating. I am not interested in my classes this quarter and my home life has been a mess. That doesn’t leave much that I am enjoying. Winter is always a difficult time for me since I don’t exercise and the cold, dark days make it hard to be motivated. But this year has been tough.

Things will turn around soon. Work will be less stressful soon (or more depending upon what I may be doing). I joined a gym near my house that opens in March. That means I can start exercising on a regular basis. There’s even a pool!! And I finish the quarter at the end of March! So, I can see that things will get better soon.

Of course it’s easy to blame work and school for being unhappy. I have to accept that I haven’t been taking care of things I own as I should. I need to get my house clean and organized and have people over! It’s been years since I invited people over for a party, or even just to have pizza and watch a movie.

However my goal is to appreciate what I have. I appreciate my friends at work. It is one of the bright points of going to work when things are tough. R & M have been very supportive over the past few months with the crazy schedule that I have had. And J has also been available to help out with project stuff. And then G has always been there for a conversation or a cup of coffee.

So, thank you my friends! You have made work bearable during some difficult times.

It’s not that here is bad, I just have this incredible urge to be in Hawai’i. It’s a nice day in Pasadena, slightly overcast but warm. A good day to be outside, especially for winter. But all I can think about is living in Hawai’i. I think I am just totally burned out on work and school and I am desperate for a change. Well, I hope that is all it is. This is why I have this goal, why can’t I just appreciate where I live and enjoy it?

I know it sounds trite but today I appreciate being alive. For the second time in exactly one year, there was a van accident related to work that killed three employees. It’s a hard slap in the face that makes you realize how often you take being alive for granted.

How often do we really think that today could be our last day alive? For me, hardly ever. But today, one year after the first van accident, I thought about my friends, and my life, and the things that I enjoy, and I realized that I don’t spend enough time appreciating them. So this evening I am thinking about what I value and how much those things mean to me.

Time to call my friends and family, and give all the cats hugs and attention. It’s so easy to get caught up in the problems of work, and bills, and responsibilities that grab your attention but really don’t mean that much. Tonight the cats get lots of petting and attention and tomorrow I take time to see the sunrise and enjoy the weather. Work can wait a bit, I have some living to do.

there are a lot of them that I don’t have to add to my list:

get out of debt
finish my MS degree
buy a house
lose 30 pounds
get a job

(you get the picture). Now I am not saying that these are not worthwhile goals because they are for the people who want to accomplish them. What I am saying is that I don’t have a lot of negative things in my life, for which I should be thankful.

I appreciate not having a lot of things that need to be fixed in my life. I appreciate having enough money to be able to buy things that I want (but not necessarily need) and being able to pay off all my bills every month. I appreciate having good health, though I should be eating better. :)

I appreciate having a house and a yard and a good vehicle. I especially appreciate living in Southern California where the weather is usually nice.

I really appreciate being able to walk to work when I want. And I appreciate being surrounded by nature even though I live in the city. (There were tiny frogs and toads in my backyard the other evening. They are so cute!!!) And then the raccoons came through the yard but it was 7:15 in the morning! They must have been partying too hard and lost track of time.

Working full time and going to school full time has kept me from having much free time. I value time right now. I miss not having an hour a day to read 43things and get inspired reading other peoples’ goals and comments.

I only have to endure for three months before I get a short break. :) And I’ll get to meet my fellow students in December – so I am really looking forward to that!

like my cats. They are very special to me and I do take the time to pet them, and talk to them every day. They bring such joy to my life. I try to provide them with a safe and loving home. They are very happy living here.