This has nothing to do with this post; but aren’t the lilacs beautiful right now!
Thursday mornings at 8:30 am finds me gathering with 3 to 5 other women, depending on who shows up, spending a half-hour in contemplative prayer. Our two inspiring leaders, Gail and Kathy, always provide us with a theme for the day along with applicable Bible verses and other quotes. Today’s theme was fitness – taking care of our bodies…a topic near and dear to my heart, and on which you will hear me harp frequently.
In one of my posts nearly a year ago (see: Taking Care of My Vessel), I wrote about the idea of our body being the vessel that carries us through life, so we need to take good care of it. One of our Biblical references this morning was from 1 Corinthians 3. Paraphrasing – each of us is a temple housing God’s spirit; God’s temple is sacred – so, in essence, our body is sacred! What better reason do we need to handle it with care?
My suggestions for taking care of our body both physically and mentally are listed below. (This is the repeating part – I know I am reiterating here, but I feel it is a worthy endeavor.)
Eat lots of vegetables, a few less fruits; and, don’t forget to include protein and a good fat with each meal and snack.
Drink lots of water each day.
Get a good night’s rest – 7-8 hours of good sleep.
Exercise regularly. Include enjoying the outdoors as often as possible – walk, golf, ski, garden, jog, bike, play ball with your kids or grandkids, etc.
Pray, meditate, sit in silence (no technology/social media!) for several minutes or longer each day.
Keep a mental or written gratitude journal and add to it each day.
Spend time regularly interacting with other individuals – family, friends, co-workers, community. Studies have shown that for a variety of reasons, maintaining friendships can increase longevity!
No texting or sending/reading emails while driving! In fact, how about NOT using cell phones at all while driving!?!
Relax!
Selfie of my cat, Cassie (if she were in fact, able to maneuver her smart phone camera!)
Cassie sits on my lap as I write this. We should all take a lesson from her in how to relax!
I walked into a co-worker’s office the other day and was curious to see a package of colored pencils on her side desk. I was amazed to see the beautiful array of hues in the package – there must have been at least 36 different colors! It reminded me of how fun it was as a child to get a new box of crayons to begin the school year. The big box of 64 crayons, or however many were in that box, was an extra special treat. Remember how besides the primary colors, there were crayons called Carnation Pink, Cerulean or Scarlet, along with Blue Green, Green Yellow, and Violet Red? Oh, the possibilities for creating colorful pictures!
My friend, Lisa, had ordered the pencils I saw on her desk online, and had just received them. I immediately exclaimed over the wonderful pencils, so we chatted about them for a minute. Her intent is to also order some coloring pages (or maybe she already has) and to create pictures using the pencils as a way to relieve stress, relax and create something beautiful. It isn’t that she is an artist; she just wants to enjoy coloring again.
I can understand Lisa’s excitement about receiving the pencils and the coloring pages, as I have gotten hooked on coloring mandalas in the past few years.
Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning center, circumference or magic circle. Mandalas are indeed, always circular in shape, and then have a design – some simple, some quite complex – within the circle. The designs beg for use of multiple colors to complete them. I enjoy considering just what colors I should put together, and how to space or repeat the colors in the design.
I use coloring mandalas for relaxation…and sometimes, to entertain my grandsons.
Just last week I spent the day with Jack and Max and my daughter, Amy. Amy had a couple of errands to run so the boys and I had some time to kill while we waited her return when we would all leave to go to a movie. One of the boys pulled out their box of crayons and colored pencils and again, seeing an array of colorful pencils delighted me.
“Let’s color mandalas,” I suggested.
It’s very easy to Google mandalas and find free printable pages of them – and, in fact, some specifically meant for children that have less complex designs. So, we printed off three different designs and spent the next 45 minutes or so coloring! When Maxie finished working on his printed mandala, he drew another one free-hand that he proceeded to color. Actually, so did I though I cheated and traced a glass to get a nice round circle, before adding my own custom design to the inside.
I have a book called Creating Mandalas by Susanne F. Fincher, that I purchased soon after I was introduced to this concept at a silent prayer retreat I was attending. The author explains the history of mandalas and how various people use them (e.g., insight, healing, self-expression). In Eastern religions like Hinduism and Buddhism they are used as an aid to meditation.
Ms. Fincher’s book is fun because she goes into detail about what various colors, numbers and forms one includes in their mandala design, may mean. I find myself using the color yellow often when I work on my mandalas. Fincher says using yellow “reveals the capacity for consciousness,” or “may reveal a readiness to learn, the dawning of awareness about something, or a willingness to own your unique point of view”. I just happen to like yellow because it reminds me of the sun and I love bright, cheerful colors. Fincher also has theories about what it means to put different colors together when coloring or designing a mandala.
In essence, if I were to create my own mandala rather than using one someone else designed, I could psycho-analyze what my work was saying about me. I don’t really get into the analysis of my coloring that deeply other than to occasionally see what the colors I used on any specific piece may be saying about my state of mind on that particular day…bored, depressed, happy, excited, etc., etc., etc.
Mostly, I just use the mandala as a tool to allow me the opportunity to utilize all the brightly colored pencils! I am no artist, but coloring allows me to be creative and it is very calming.
I would encourage you to get out the crayons or colored pencils, markers, whatever – buy some if you don’t have any, and color like you did as a kid.
When I was a teenager – many, many moons ago, my mother owned and ran a clothing consignment store. Now, I grew up in the small town of Austin, MN. This consignment store was in operation in the early 1960s – long before consignment stores were in vogue, so to speak (at least in southern Minnesota). In truth, the fact that my mom was selling used clothing was a source of embarrassment to me. Nevermind, that I was often the recipient of some special garment, still stylish and in good shape, from clothing someone dropped off to be consigned. I would never divulge to my friends where that particular piece of clothing came from. Back in the day, we referred to garage sales as “rummage” sales – not exactly a positive reference. This store of my mom’s seemed like a huge rummage sale to me!
Fast forward to the 1990s and present day – consignment stores abound; and, now I purchase about 75% of my clothing from such stores and am proud to brag to my friends about the bargains I find.
Wow, my mom was way ahead of her time in her thinking to have a consignment store. I, as an insecure teenager, did not appreciate that at the time.
The consignment stores of today are very selective in what brands of clothing they will accept – some even going so far as to only taking high-end designer brands. All of them require the clothing to be in excellent condition and in current style. My mom operated more like a thrift store of today where as long as the clothing was in good shape she hung it on the racks for sale. In-style fashion wasn’t necessarily as important a requirement. (I must add though, you can find some surprisingly great pieces at thrift stores these days if you are willing to plow through the racks.)
So, here’s what I love about consignment shopping -
Like items are grouped together (e.g., all the sweaters are in one place) as opposed to other retail stores where you might find skirts or pants in four different locations or departments of the store, depending on their brand. I don’t have to run to different parts of the store to compare similar garments…much more convenient.
Often items are arranged by color. If I have a particular color in mind and/or just want to look at colors I know I can wear, I can go right to that color grouping and save time.
Clothing prices are substantially lower than what I find in department/specialty stores. I can get more outfits for my clothing budget dollars!
Though the clothing is used, occasionally, an item still has original price tags indicating it has not been worn by anyone else (someone didn’t like it when they got it home, size/color was wrong or whatever). These are my favorite finds!
Now, granted over the years, I have purchased an item here and there that hasn’t worked out once I got it home – like, what was I thinking!? (A bargain is not always a bargain!) The good news is, I can take the garment back to the consignment store and consign it in my name, therefore earning cash towards future purchases; or, I can donate the mistake to charity for someone else to use. I’m not out a huge sum of money for my error.
More often, I come home with items that I wear to their death. Some of my favorite standbys have been purchased at consignment stores.
A favorite tunic sweater and necklace I wear frequently – consignment store finds
And, don’t forget handbags and jewelry. In a previous post, I indicated I am going to try and shake up my conservative wardrobe and jazz up my style. I said my first step in that process is to start wearing dangly earrings (as opposed to boring posts). Upon deciding to make this style change, I immediately went to my favorite consignment store and purchased a pair of flashy silver dangle earrings – at a substantially lower price than I would have paid at a regular retail store.
Likewise, I satisfy my handbag fetish by regularly shopping for a different bag at the consignment store. I can only switch purses as often as I do because I purchase used ones. I could not afford to do this if I paid retail prices.
Two of my favorite handbags and a scarf – all consignment store finds
If you are into consignment shopping or get into it after reading this (hooray, if I’m that persuasive), a really fun thing to do is shop a second-hand store you find while traveling to a different part of the country. Styles in other locales might be different than you’re used to and can provide some new interest to your wardrobe.
A few years ago on a girls weekend trip to San Diego, my friends and I shopped a couple of consignment stores in the area. I believe all of us that were comfortable with this type of shopping made purchases that day. My “find” was a denim jean jacket which I am still wearing today.
Denim jacket found in CA consignment store
Just a quick mention – shopping home consignment stores is great fun also. Take a look at the table setting I recently scored. The table runner, candle holder centerpiece, napkins, glasses and plates were all purchased second-hand for under $40 in total!
Dinner, anyone?
So, my advice today is to shop consignment. What do you have to lose?
Remember those lyrics from 1988? They were from a song of the same name written and performed a cappella by Bobby McFerrin. You might remember the song from the movie, Cocktail, which starred Tom Cruise.
I’m thinking of that famous (is it famous?) phrase today, because March 20 is International Day of Happiness - who knew? I must have read of its existence somewhere because I added it to my list of potential blog topics. I don’t remember the magazine or website where it was mentioned. (I really need to start noting from where I get my inspiration snippets so I don’t have to wonder when I come upon the ideas on my list at a later date!)
At any rate, I Googled International Day of Happiness and learned it has been celebrated throughout the world (really?) since it was established by the UN General Assembly in 2012. I won’t bore you with the entire UN resolution, but basically it recognizes the human pursuit of happiness and wants the day to promote the well-being of people around the world. Therefore, the UN is inviting people everywhere to observe this special day.
So, how do we find happiness and ease worry? A worthy endeavor, I think.
Here are some ideas –
Ice Cream is Happiness!
Set your cares aside for awhile and go out for ice cream.
The second verse of the Don’t Worry Be Happy song says –
“In every life we have some trouble, but when you worry, you make it double!”
I think I’ve shared with you somewhere on this blog site that my husband has nominated me (or maybe appointed me) to the all-world worry team. I admit, I have earned that distinction. But, I do know that diversions are good to get my mind off of whatever the worry-of-the-day might be; so, I’m all for going out for ice cream! It makes me happy.
I’ve also written about my love for watching movies – another activity that makes me happy, and which is a great escape. Last night I found the movie, In Her Shoes, on Direct TV. Yes, I have watched it before at least a couple of times, but it has been awhile, so I watched it again…a great diversion from balancing my check book which has a way of causing me worry. (Is there ever enough money?)
Tulips are Happiness!
The beginning indications of spring arriving here in Minnesota bring happiness to me. Tulips appearing for sale at the flower stands, snow melting and warmer temps all cause me to smile; hopefully, some of you have that same reaction. Oh, and more hours of daylight are a huge relief to me!
It really goes back to just recognizing that small, everyday “good” things occurring in life can provide happiness. (Remember the gratitude journal from my last post?)
Here are some simple activities that are making me happy today –
enjoying a clean house (sometimes mine is clean)
getting an “all’s well” check up at the dentist
watching a very content cat lazing in the sunshine
spending an evening with book club friends
anticipating a meal at a restaurant touting authentic New Orleans cuisine
diving into a new issue of Oprah magazine
I’m sure you get the idea. Finding happiness is really all about approaching life with a good attitude. And, surrounding yourself with happy people doesn’t hurt either.
On Wikipedia (who doesn’t love Wikipedia?), I found a list of several organizations supporting the recognition of International Day of Happiness, and offering various activities for celebrating the day. If you’re interested check it out.
So, celebrate on March 20.
BUT, I think we should CREATE HAPPINESS in our lives every day! Are you with me?
My instructor and some of my classmates from the recent class I took on blogging think I should be posting a piece on this site once a week.
But sometimes, life gets in the way of that goal – as it has recently; and, then, 3, 4 or 5 weeks pass and I have had neither the time nor the inspiration for writing a blog post!
There was hospital time in January for hubby who had a couple of stents put in his heart. Though I wasn’t the one being hospitalized, I did have to spend time worrying, and visiting him. Then, there was work, appointments, errands, cold/ugly winter weather and various other distractions that either affected my time or mental state to keep me from writing.
Fortunately, not all of life that got in the way was negative stuff. There were a lot of fun activities that occupied my time also – like making Valentine cookies with my two grandsons…
taking in Gopher basketball games with my husband, attending the grandsons’ basketball games, having dinner with friends, etc. etc. etc. Not bad stuff, but still, accounting for some of the life that got in the way.
I consider my blog a fun hobby or pastime; so, thinking I don’t have the time to take for it, can get in my way of writing.
BUT, life was made up of the good stuff as I wrote this piece. I was sitting in sunny southern California, feeling relaxed. Plus, since I was on a vacation and away from home, I had the gift of time – no distractions of work or every day living. I begin writing my posts by doing a very rough draft long-hand, then, do my editing as I type it into this blog site. Since I had my trusty red notebook with me, I was able to take advantage of my free time in CA to write this.
It’s amazing to me how revitalizing it is to “get away from it all” as they say. (Who is “they”, by the way?) A day before we left home on this trip, my body seemed to be aching all over – especially in my neck and shoulders where I tend to carry stress/tension. A half day after arriving at our destination, all those aches disappeared. Granted, sitting in a hot tub might have helped ease the situation; but, just clearing my brain of worry and scurry removed the effects of stress.
The trick now, and I know it is not easy, is to find at least some blocks of stress-free time in everyday life. Vacations are not always possible; and, Roger and I are not fortunate enough to be able to spend extended periods of time away from the Minnesota winter. (However, we do have the extreme good fortune of having wonderful friends who invite us to share part of their away time during the winter months.)
As I pondered ways I could take the good vacation feelings home with me and escape now and then from the negative aspects of life, I came up with some ideas that may help me. See if any appeal to you.
MAKE time to: (notice the word – make)
meditate (yoga, contemplative prayer)
immerse myself in a great novel
exercise – doing something I like to do (like walking outside), not something I think I should be doing (like the elliptical machine)
get together with friends for a cup of tea, a meal, or a nice long walk
take in a movie
keep a gratitude journal – regularly noting 3-5 things for which I am grateful. (Psychologists say you cannot be anxious if you think of the things for which you are grateful.)
get a massage or other spa/salon treatment
work a crossword puzzle, put together a jigsaw puzzle, or play a new game with family or friends
try a new recipe
And, my favorite:
ignore the to-do list for a day and just do whatever comes to mind and go wherever the wind blows me!
Oh, and be thankful for the fun activities already in my life which I mentioned above!
As I said, I was on a vacation as I wrote the list above. It remains to be seen, now that I am home, just how many of these ideas I’ll put into play to create feel-good, vacation-like scenarios. But, I have good intentions.
Do you have any ideas to add to my list? I’d welcome your input. You can leave comments below.
So, several months ago, RC and I purchased two flat screen TVs – one for his TV room and one for our living room. Two because it is almost impossible for me to watch TV with RC who successfully watches 2 or 3 programs simultaneously by clicking back and forth with the remote. This drives me crazy!
And, yes, I know some of you are horrified that we put a TV in our living room; but, we have a very small house that does not include a family room. If we are ever to entertain friends for a Super Bowl or Oscar night party or the like, we need to have a TV in a room big enough to provide seating for more than two people…thus, the living room. Not to mention the fact, I previously watched anything I was interested in on a small TV in our bedroom while sitting propped up by pillows on our bed – not a good posture for my back; now, I can watch in the comfort of an easy chair.
Anyhow, that is just backstory for how and why we acquired two new TVs – probably TMI for you.
When we purchased the new flat screens we added a Blu Ray player. Though I love watching movies, it’s not often we rent DVDs – in fact, very rarely; and wow, other than Red Box you don’t see video stores anymore, do you? We thought it might come in handy though, to be able to entertain our grandsons when they are over, by slipping a DVD into the Blu Ray player.
Turns out, now, several months later, we have never used the Blu Ray player. I turn to DirectTV for my movies and, as I indicated in a previous post, I am content to watch some movies multiple times.
Well, though I am a library user for borrowing books, it just occurred to me the other day the library also has a DVD section with scores of selections available for 7-day rental. I’ve never taken advantage of this opportunity. In my mid-winter doldrums (see previous post) I find great escape in watching a movie. ZOWIE, I suddently have discovered a cheap resource for obtaining and watching a variety of films!
So, to get to the point – yesterday, I went to the library and checked out three DVDs (Nebraska, 42 and How Do You Know – in case you’re interested). I brought them home and sat down to discover how to use this Blu Ray thingamachig that has been sitting idle.
Library selections
This is where the “uff da” comes in – after 45 minutes of both RC and I attempting to figure out how to make this thing work, we were unsuccessful and gave up.
Said demon device & its instruction manual
What dolts we are!! We even have the instruction manual, but that didn’t seem to help us.
I find it rather embarrassing or maybe discouraging because it appears we are now the old folks that can’t keep up with how to use new-fangled equipment, but we are going to have to find someone to assist us in learning how to use the technology we purchased. It will definitely be someone from a younger generation – likely, our 9-year-old grandson!
I hate admitting defeat and I hate being classified as a silly or dumb old lady!
I have never had much interest in science or technology and how or why things work. I just want them to work when I want them to work!
My other current struggle with technology is getting this blog site set up in what I consider a pleasing, readable, easy to maneuver format. I visit other blog sites and am impressed with how professional some of them appear. I have a long way to go!
Some of you reading this may be affected by one of my current challenges – sending email notifications of new posts to those of you kind enough to sign up for such messages. I managed to send you an email just one time for a previous post; I’ll be darned (damned, really) if I can figure out what I did to accomplish that notification. I haven’t been able to duplicate it.
Again, what a dolt!!
I can’t promise I’ll ever figure all of this technology junk out, but I’ll keep trying. For the Blu Ray player, I just want to be able to watch a movie when I want to! For this blog, I really just want to do the writing and have everything else just work and look good!
Am I alone in feeling frustration with this fast-changing world of technology we live in, or do you also encounter some challenges?
I’m looking for ideas to pull me (and maybe some of you) out of the mid-winter doldrums. I know I’m not alone in needing a solution. What are things you do to keep from having the blues?
A person’s lack of energy and motivation to do anything at this time of year may be caused by the lack of light exposure during these short winter days. It’s called S.A.D. – seasonal affective disorder. I’m sure that is my problem. On my work days, I drive to work in the dark; and, it turns dark shortly after I arrive home in the late afternoon. I work in the lower level of a building where there are no windows, but we have special skylights that bring in natural light. The natural light is nice, but if I don’t wander upstairs during the day I really don’t see the sunlight or even know what the weather is doing outside.
You’d think knowing the cause of my malaise would help me combat it, but so far, that is not the case!
Some of the methods I do employ to try and cheer up are:
making a daily listing of several things for which I am grateful – either in my gratitude journal or at least, in my mind. In truth, I am a very blessed person so I could fill pages of my journal with things I am thankful for…SO, WHY AM I BLUE?
taking time to sit under one of those special lights that are supposed to imitate outdoor light (phototherapy). Now, the only problem with this process is if I spend time under the light too late in the day, it must mess with my melatonin and I can’t get to sleep at bedtime. So, I need to use the light during morning hours which are not convenient on my work days.
walking outside instead of using the indoor track. I try to get outside a couple of times a week but avoid walking on dark roadways so again, my opportunities are somewhat restricted. Though it’s not always sunny, I think just getting into real daylight and fresh air is helpful…SHOULD BE, DON’T YOU THINK?
getting enough protein in my diet which provides tryptophan which is necessary to make serotonin which has something to do with helping people be happy. Way too scientific for me to comprehend, but I’m willing to try anything.
I know this is a temporary condition for me. It seems I have the same lack of gumption each year about this time. However, I would sure love to discover a way to overcome it. (I can’t afford to move to a tropical island for the winter!)
Is anybody out there a fellow sufferer, and if so, do you have any great ideas for overcoming the doldrums?
I’d also be curious to know if those of you lucky enough to either live in warmer climates than Minnesota, or who spend your winters in sunny places also suffer from S.A.D.? I would love to hear from you.
Meanwhile, I will strive to find something more cheerful to write about before I sit down to create another post. One piece of advice I have read is to surround yourself with happy, upbeat people – I probably haven’t fit that bill for you with this post…sorry!
I don’t have a bucket list, not sure if I really see the necessity for one since I seem to already live a fairly fulfilling life. I’m also realistic enough to know that I’ll never have enough money at my disposal to do some of the grand things I hear people put on their lists (e.g., seeing the 7 wonders of the world or visiting all the continents). But, I have long had the dream of having our whole family (daughter, son, their spouses and children) vacation together. My vision has always been someplace warm in winter like Hawaii – 1st choice, or Florida.
Well, not warm and not exotic, but rather very cold and simple, we have just spent several days together on the North Shore of Lake Superior in two small, cozy cabins.
View from the deck of our cabin.
It really was a dream come true for me. Lots of quality family time playing games, hiking, eating and laughing. I think “quality time” is an overused phrase, but it does best describe the time we had. When you’re away from Wi-Fi, Direct TV and all the responsibilities and options for things to do you face at home, you’re forced to pay attention to one another.
Yes, we did have cellular service, albeit sketchy, so tablets and phones were still being utilized when we could get service.
An amusing example of the cellular challenges: Our two cabins were several yards apart so running between the two meant a short walk in the bitter cold we experienced while there. (Occasionally someone would jump in the car and drive the short distance just to avoid the cold.) Son-in-law, Dan, texted those of us in the other cabin one morning to inquire about breakfast plans. We received the text about 5 hours later at 2:00 pm in the afternoon – long after we had actually convened and finished breakfast. You can see, that mode of communicating wasn’t very reliable.
One day we took a walk through the woods along the shore. Though there was very little snow – much to our dismay (snow boards remained unused leaning against the side of the cabin) – we did encounter some ice on the trail which had previously had snow and been groomed for cross-country skiing. Six-year-old Max had fun using a stick to try and break the ice on puddles that were frozen solid.
The ice formations on the rocks at water’s edge were beautiful. We spent some time throwing smaller rocks at these formations to see if we could break them. We examined holes in tree trunks made by woodpeckers, and wondered at tall birch trees broken off at their base, and now resting across other trees’ branches – did they crash down during a storm or fall gradually as their trunks rotted?
Such simple entertainment!
There are 10 cabins on this property, but only two are heated for winter use. Thus, we had the entire place to ourselves. We bundled up and walked down the long driveway past all the cabins one morning and listened to Dan’s stories. Dan and his mother, aunts, uncles, and cousins have been renting the cabins we were in for many, many years. Dan has been there for annual vacations over the 4th of July since he was about 3 years old. So, he knows the history of the place and has lots of memories to share with those of us new to the experience.
Our hike down the driveway ended at the fish house which is used by the owner of the cabins to clean fish, store his boat, nets and other equipment he uses for commercial fishing. We spent some time tossing rocks from the shore onto the long, icy pier there to see if we could get them to skid off the end into the water. The boys, both big and small, had fun taking turns skipping rocks on the open lake water to see who could achieve the best score. The morning’s activity ended in family pics lakeside.
The matriarch and patriarch with their babies.
Again, such simple entertainment!
Indoor activity included lots of game playing. One evening we had an elaborate Tenzie tournament. Tenzieis a very simple, but fun, dice game appropriate for all age levels. Since there were eight of us and only four can play the game at one time, our two “older” boys, Dan and Pete, devised a player bracket board to indicate who was to play whom and show winners and losers – quite sophisticated. When it turned out I was one of the losers, I declared it a very poorly run tournament!
Kids having fun.
Eating, napping, reading, crossword puzzles, Sudoku and solitaire filled the rest of our hours. A very relaxing time for everyone.
Drama queen and king!
I was not disappointed in our family vacation. For us, our simple, relatively inexpensive vacation was just as satisfying as if we had spent a week (and lots of money) in Hawaii. Just goes to show you making/taking time to sustain relationships provides the greatest satisfaction!
Happy New Year everyone.
May you find ways to spend “quality time” with those you love in 2015!
Thursday, 12:00 noon, standing in line at my local post office. I wanted to purchase 25 Christmas stamps – the gingerbread house version – to affix to the Christmas greeting cards I am sending this year. Yes, I could have saved time by just slapping the every-day version of stamps I have on the cards, but it is so much more festive to use the stamps designed for the season.
I was about sixth in line and every one of those people in front of me had one or more packages for the clerk to process. One guy had a large box with about 20 small packages inside that needed postage!
Oh, and it was lunch time, so there was only one clerk! I assume the other was on his break. (Note to self: don’t go to the PO at lunch time.)
Really, I’m quite amazed at how patiently I awaited my turn. Fortunately, I had no place else to be for several hours – that helped me wait calmly.
But, I started thinking of ways one might pass time while waiting in line during the holiday season.
Here are some ideas for you if you find yourself in this situation -
The obvious – use your smart phone to:
check emails and text messages
send an email or text message – the latter being what I chose to do in this situation
make a phone call – though this could be considered rude by those around you
make a move in your word game
check new Facebook posts or make one
take a selfie (at the risk of those around you thinking you are very self-centered)
Practice your deep breathing technique to relieve stress.
Shop for holiday cards or colorful package wrapping materials that are abundantly available for sale in the PO.
Eavesdrop on the phone conversation the person in front of you is having.
Critique the apparel of those standing in line with you (in your mind, unless you are really bold!).
Smile and/or chat with your fellow in-line standers.
Make a list – mentally, written, or in the notes on your phone
grocery
gift
to-do
Pull the book, Kindle or tablet you carry in your bag for just such occasions, and read a chapter of your book.
Chip off your old nail polish.
Try to remain calm and realize waiting in line is just part of the holiday bustle.
The holidays are upon us creating a flurry of activity for most people…parties, shopping, wrapping, writing, decorating, baking. As I pondered a topic for a new blog post, I wondered how I could help you find enjoyment in the season?
On Thursday mornings, I often join a small group of people at my church for a half-hour of contemplative prayer. Much of our time together is spent in silence. Today, our mantra, if you will, was “Be Still”. (Actually, Be Still and Know that God is Here – changed slightly from Be Still and Know That I Am God from the Psalms.)
It was the inspiration I needed for this post. In my mind, being still is one of the best ways to find enjoyment in this busy season. It calms me and helps me discern which of my activity options are most important and will be the most rewarding, allowing me to say no to the activities I find less important, time consuming and stress-inducing.
Here is how I accomplish being still. I sit in a quiet room in a comfortable position. I close my eyes, or I light a candle and focus on the flame. I begin by breathing in deeply and exhaling slowly to calm me. Though difficult, I try to rid my mind of what happened yesterday, what’s going to happen tomorrow, or even what’s going to happen in the next hour. This brings me into the “present moment” – I’m sure you’ve all heard that phrase. I use a word or two that I repeat over and over in my mind, like “silence”, “be still”, “calm”, or “listen” to bring me back to the present when my mind wanders – and believe me, it does have a way of wandering!
When I spend a few minutes in this silent state, I am amazed at what my Spirit says to me.
I encourage you to try it – just be still and listen!
So, back to getting through the holiday season and all the accompanying preparations and events, with as little stress and with the most enjoyment possible…I am going to share my favorite “12 Days of Christmas” activities (in no particular order other than the first and foremost – being still and listening to my heart). I hope that you will be inspired to take time and figure out what is most important to you, letting some of the not-so-important things drop off your list. Here goes –
Being Still and Listening and then trusting your heart.
Going to a tree farm with son, Peter, daughter-in-law, Karen, and grandsons, Jack and Max, to cut our Christmas tree. This also involves drinking hot chocolate or apple cider and munching on Christmas cookies. (Side note for those wondering – parents of Jack and Max – Amy & Dan – like to get their tree earlier than we do so have already cut and decorated their tree by the time we get around to it; thus, they do not accompany us on our outing, they just let us borrow their kids. Actually, I think they use the time to shop for the kids’ gifts.)
Taking time to sit and enjoy the lights and ornaments on the Christmas tree once it is decorated. This may involve sipping a glass of wine and listening to Christmas music while relaxing.
Making sugar cut-out cookies with the grandsons – frosting them is the best part. See the photo to see some of our creations – messy, and probably not worthy of a sophisticated cookie tray display, but, oh so much fun. (And really, I don’t even like baking!)
Enjoying Tom & Jerry beverages with good friends at a restaurant all decked out with beautiful decorations for the season – an outing that has become an annual tradition.
Getting enough sleep and keeping my exercise routine.
Spending the first Friday in December shopping at the Mall of America (with a side trip to Ikea) with my two girls – Amy and Karen. This is often referred to as “the best day of the year”. We start with coffee, then shop, then lunch, then a glass of wine somewhere, and end with dinner…just the girls!
Watching the movie, White Christmas, starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney…one of my favorite movies.
Making fudge.
Writing Christmas cards – some years yes, some years no if I’m feeling stressed about getting them done.
Keeping a gratitude journal – either written or just in my mind. Each day listing 3-5 things for which I am grateful.
Giving to others who are not so fortunate. Each year, my office mates and I sponsor a family in need and provide gifts for them. My church provides opportunities for giving to others like contributing to the Food Shelf or providing gifts for Homeless Teens, my choice this year.
However your choose to spend your time this month, I hope you find joy in meaningful times with family and friends, and peace of mind.
