Finding the good despite the blah ….

After a bit of a blah week filled with injury, illness, setbacks, a funeral and disappointment I thought I would re-post this blog from way back in 2015. It is a good reminder for me to keeping on looking forward and means I save a bit of thought and typing this week 🙂

It seems sometimes, no matter how much we try to focus on being positive and living a life of gratitude, all it takes is one annoying slow driver when you’re in a rush or some minor hiccup in the day for any iota of positivity to disappear.  Or maybe that is just me! 🙂

Our brains then seem determined to mull over, ruminate, replay or get frustrated with the ‘bad, blah’ bits of our day, no matter how insignificant. We end up with our needle stuck on the record of negativity (showing my age here) rather than seeing and focusing on all the fantastic things that are actually around us.  Research tell us it is a survival thing to keep the bad stuff in mind but maybe it is also that we are so accustomed to all our ‘pleasures’ and ‘freedoms’ that we are begin to take them for granted and expect them constantly.

When we take even a minute to focus on all the good things that are happening to us or around us it helps to lift our moods, our spirits and our health.  I know it can be hard when life is turning you upside down yet just a quick minute of thinking about the good in your life and giving a bit of thanks for that can actually improve your mood, improve your health and help you to live longer!

I am so grateful for this clear, crisp day; for my ability to climb up my kids 'adventure' trails; for my kids; for an obedient dog; for a camera to record the memory and for getting to have this to look back on.

Remember though, just like one shower will never keep you clean for very long, the practice of gratitude needs to be a regular thing. Not necessarily daily but the practice of gratitude needs to be something that we make a point to do. Without it our lives don’t feel quite as good because we tend to focus on the things that aren’t great instead of what is. Honestly … I know from experience on this one that looking for the positive is a game changer!

Even in times when the world feels like it is falling in around you there is always something positive that you can be grateful for. The fact that you are alive, that the sun is shining, that you have unlimited access to the Internet, that you have running water inside, that you have heating, that you live in a culture that allows you personal freedoms could all be reasons to be grateful.

So to get you started with seeing the good give this little exercise a go. It has been modified from Christiane Northrup, M.D’s book.

-First think of something you can ‘brag’ about, something you are proud of. It could be a recent or distant achievement.

– Second identify something you are thankful for or appreciate having.  What do you have in your life that others in the world don’t and wish they did?

– Lastly think of a time when you were happy, truly happy, and let that bring a smile to your face as you move into your day.

Sometimes it is an effort to halt the wheels of negativity however it is an effort worth making regularly. Not only will it help increase your lifespan but it will make that life a little more pleasant to be in. Taking time to remember all the things we have in our lives that are great and wonderful will only benefit you and the people around you.

Hope this finds you counting your blessings already.

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz

Seeing the good, despite the blah!

It seems sometimes that no matter how much we try to focus on being positive and living a life of gratitude all it takes is one annoying slow driver when you’re in a rush or some minor hiccup in the day for any iota of positivity to disappear.  Or maybe that is just me! 🙂

Our brains seem determined to mull over, replay and get frustrated with the ‘bad, blah’ bits of our day, no matter how insignificant,  rather than focus on all the fantastic things that are around us.  Maybe it is a survival thing or maybe it is that we are so accustomed to all our ‘pleasures’ and ‘freedoms’ that we are beginning to take them for granted.

Yet when we take even a minute to focus on all the good things that are happening to us or around us it never fails to lift our moods and our health.  Yes, being positive and giving thanks actually improve your health and help you to live longer!

I am so grateful for a clear, crisp day; for my ability to climb up my kids ‘adventure’ trails; for my kids; for an obedient dog; for a camera to record the memory and much more.

Just like one shower will never keep you clean for very long the practise of gratitude needs to be a regular thing though. The practise of gratitude needs to be something that we make a point to do because without it our lives don’t feel quite as good.

Even in times when the world feels like it is falling in around you there is always something positive that you can be grateful for. The fact that you are alive, that the sun is shining, that you have unlimited access to the Internet, that you live in a culture that allows you personal freedoms could all be reasons to be grateful.

Give it a go with this little exercise that I have modified from Christiane Northrup, M.D’s book.

-First think of something you can ‘brag’ about, something you are proud of. It could be a recent or distant achievement.

– Second identify something you are thankful for or appreciate having.  What do you have in your life that others don’t and wish they did?

– Lastly think of a time when you were happy, truely happy, and let that bring a smile to your face as you move into your day.

It is an effort, I know, to halt the wheels of negativity however it is an effort worth making each day.  Taking time to remember all the things we have in our lives that are great and wonderful will only benefit you and the people around you.

Hope this finds you counting your blessings already.

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz

How grateful I am….

How grateful I am to be living in a country free from war.

How grateful I am to be living in a country where I can walk by myself without fear.

How grateful I am to be living in a country where I can choose the way my children are educated.

How grateful I am to be living in a country with people I love.

How grateful I am to be living in a country where people take action for the things that matter, because they can.

How grateful I am to living with such good health.

How grateful I am to be living in a place where the sea, river and native bush are all within walking distance.

How grateful I am for local knowledge that leads us to natural hot springs by a river’s edge.

How grateful I am to have the opportunity to live in a place which is truly unique

How grateful I am to be living in New Zealand.

Arohanui

Y

Counting reasons to be grateful

I used to post on Facebook, at the end of each monthly, about all the things/people/events I was grateful for.  It seems though that in between getting on here to blog, home-educating, writing articles, having consultations and connecting with people I haven’t done one for ages!

So I thought it would be best to just combine it all and make it my last Monday of the month blog – ‘Counting reasons to be grateful’.  When I actually stop and think, there are so many people who help me each month to move forward, so many people who help me stay positive, so many events which I am lucky enough to be part of and so many things to be grateful for. It is just that often I’m so busy rushing along to achieve all my dreams that I forget all the splendid and wonderful moments I have been given.  That is why I love doing this list.  I know that half the people I am grateful for won’t ever read this, or even know that I am truly grateful, however in putting it out there I feel that I am at least taking time to acknowledge them 🙂

Why don’t you join me and create your own list?  You could blog about it, tweet, text, Facebook or use any other social media you can think of to share the love around.  Remind yourself of all the wonderful things in your life that you are grateful for and I guarantee you will feel fantastic at the end of it. Try it!  Go on, write that list and share it with the world!

Thanks so much to the following:  My supportive husband, my lovely kids, my health, my extended family, my friends, Boundless Explorers FB group, Ata Mai Education Trust, Bach Flower remedies, EFT, Life Learner’s camps, Sunny days for birthdays, warmth on a rainy day, a dog who always wants to run, all the wonderful women I have connected with through Leonie Dawson’s ‘Amazing Life and Biz Academy’, Google for helping me find great inspirational quotes :), Carol Look, Brad Yates, the local library, Book Island, family stories shared, Resonate Magazine, freebies on the internet, old photos, start right series of books, new business connections, my clients, followers and subscribers (so grateful to you all!), SPCA, Mid-summer madness gift-a-thon, Brownies, Keas group, Mailchimp, Dept. of Conservation, Play Mobile for replying to my boy’s letter, the toy library, our ‘Boney’ chicken for all her yummy eggs (yes that really is her name!), Matariki, Veronika Maser and her fermentation course, local glow worm caves, Bush walks in the sun, exploring West Coast Beaches, Fivver, letters (actual receive in the letter box and open up the envelope kind) from friends, the kid’s pen pals, online family history websites, inquisitive minds, runs under the stars, hearing the sea from my bed along everything else which has made me stop, smile and realise what a great month it has been.

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz