see the good: it's always there - find it!

I haven’t done as well with this in the past year as I’d hoped. I’ve had a case of the “blahs” since around August or September (‘09) and I can’t seem to shake it. As you might imagine, it really affects my ability to see the good. But I’m thinking if I start exercising on a regular basis and get back to some of my old healthier habits (eating better and more often, taking supplements, improve my sleep habits, etc.), my energy levels and mood might improve. At least that’s what I keep reading/hearing. Trouble is, when you feel “blah”, the last thing you want to do is exercise (or do much of anything else). I read an excellent, inspiring blog post yesterday about New Year’s resolutions making the point that we should think of them as “gifts” to ourselves vs. some set-in-stone, difficult thing we HAVE to do. How great is that? So I’m going to try to keep that in mind and change my thought process about resolutions, goals, and the like. I love the idea of a gift to myself. :)

P.S. Here’s the link to the blog post: http://www.crankyfitness.com/2009/12/gifts.html It’s an uplifting, just-what-I-needed-to-hear kind of read and it could be applied to any New Year’s resolution, not just fitness/health-related goals.

P.P.S. If anyone has any tips about how to combat the “blahs”, stay positive, or anything else I mentioned above, please feel free to share. I’d love to hear any suggestions you might have.

Didn’t have to work hard to find something positive this year. It was a really nice Christmas. I feel so blessed! :)
It wasn’t perfect (what is?) but I could easily find a lot more good than bad. In fact, to remember the bad things about it, I really have to think hard. So I guess that means that I am even closer to completing this goal! :D In the past, I would’ve been dwelling on every little negative thing, causing myself to feel bad along with the people around me. It really feels good to dwell on the positive instead!

I did receive some very thoughtful gifts & I am enormously grateful for them. But even more than that, I felt that the time with my family went particularly well this year. For example, right before dinner at my grandparent’s house, we all stood around the island in the kitchen and held hands while my grandfather said the blessing. It was a nice moment. Especially when my sister and I squeezed hands (kinda like a little silent “I love you” squeeze). I know…I’m a softy. lol ;) But really, it’s those kind of things that I think really capture the true meaning of Christmas.

I was also excited to give the gifts I gave this year. I didn’t overspend and buy a ton of stuff either (yay!). I purchased from some really amazing online stores that allowed me to give donations to good causes at the same time. I also gave split pea soup kits I made myself, and some fair-trade jewelry & gifts and eco-friendly items (like reusable bags and natural cleaning & beauty products). If you’re interested, I highly recommend the Greater Good Network of online stores. Every purchase at one of the shops funds a good cause: The Hunger Site store (gives food to the hungry), The Rainforest Site store (endangered rainforest preservation), The Animal Rescue Site store (food and care for rescued animals), The Literacy Site store (books for low-income children), The Child Health Site store (healthcare for needy kids), and The Breast Cancer Site store (mammograms for women in need). All the stores carry mostly the same items (only a few things are exclusive to a specific store) and they have a lot of nice things for gifts or for yourself. You can also combine items from different stores in the same order to support more than one cause. Everything I ordered was of high quality & nicely packaged. It’s not all ridiculously expensive either; they have reasonable prices & lots of sales. By the way, I don’t work for them or anything. I’m just a satisfied customer who thinks they’re terrific for allowing me to purchase gifts and make a difference at the same time. It’s a win-win! :)

Well now that this is getting kind of long and starting to sound like an advertisement, that might be my cue to wrap this up. I am truly thankful for what was a meaningful, blessed Christmas spent with people I love.

I hope you had a wonderful holiday too. Best wishes for the new year!

The picture is of a quote: wise, wise words. I will try to keep them in mind as I work toward this goal.

On a daily basis, I am actively trying to find the positive in any given situation/person. It seems to be pretty integrated into my thinking now. But I still don’t feel that I can check this off just yet. I am always trying to see the good, but I don’t always get there. Still, progress is being made!

I hope everyone had a very happy Thanksgiving. Thankfulness is a very big part of seeing the good. And gratitude can fill one’s heart & soul with joy & warmth, which can help one to see the good later, in darker times. Also, practicing regular mindful gratitude has been proven by scientific studies to greatly improve the body, mind, and soul. So don’t limit giving thanks to just one day out of the year – keep an attitude of gratitude all year long!

This is a constant struggle, but I’m on my way, little by little. Our water heater recently sprung a leak & it appears we’re going to have a buy a new one – even though finances have been especially tight the past few months. But I’m making the best of it: at least cold showers make me use less water b/c I’m in such a hurry to get out! And we’ve been heating water up in pots on the stove to wash dishes & laughing about how we feel like old-fashioned pioneer folks – it’s really not that bad, actually! At least we have running water, unlike so many in the world without access to ANY clean water. Looking at things from a different perspective can really change your outlook on things. But I still miss my warm showers! :)