Laughing until you Cry
This is something that I hope everyone has had the pleasure of doing. This week alone I have on three occasions laughed so hard that I had to wipe tears away. Thank you to good friends for making this possible, even if everyone else thinks we may be just a bit crazy, whether it be in an office, a restaurant, or right in the middle of a parking lot. Tell a joke, laugh at a joke, laugh at your silly mishaps, laugh at a ridiculous situation, but laugh- let the joy pour out of you. It is infectious, it brings hope to those suffering through the unthinkable. Pure joy, love, and laughter.
Switch Roles
Are you the caregiver? Are you worried about everyone else? Do people offer help and you have no idea how to accept? Do you simply want to trudge along and do it yourself? That's ok, I understand, I am that Type A organized person who has no clue how to accept help from anyone else. However, with that being said, the amazing joy and relief that you get from having someone take over, or at least contribute- it is beyond compare. I have stumbled upon this more than a few times, and am still learning my lesson. Poor hubby is along for the ride in this- but I think I am getting better... maybe? :) The reason why this simple pleasure is one on my mind is for the benefit of someone else. Despite my career path, there are seldom few moments when I feel as though I have truly helped someone. This week, though, was different in one particular case, a mother, forever the caregiver, who finally (with some very strong encouragement and cheerleading) let her very concerned children become the caregivers, even if just for one day. Remember, if you don't care for yourself, how are you going to care for anyone else? Just a thought.
Music for the Moment
Wow, this will need to be a dedicated blog post down the line. A few brief thoughts. This weeks workouts were not the easiest, they were difficult to keep pushing through this nagging little pain, or the idea that there are many other things that need to be done. However, for every moment, there was an anthem, a beat that kept me trucking along. I often wonder what the soundtrack of my life would look like. A great variety from Eminem and Wiz Khalifa to push me through a hard section on the bike, to a chill session with Matt Kearny or The Piano Guys, cleaning the house to Shakira and Vanilla Ice, easing the pain of commute with Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan, and everything in between. Music often gets drowned out by the incessant chatter of the TV saying a whole lot about nothing or the most recent show about Moonshine. Turn it off, and then turn it up.
Read, Read, Read
Wow, this is something that tends to get put on the back burner. At least for me, I tend to get home and the TV is already on, I punch out a workout, and then settle in to make dinner. After dinner and the TV is still on, and now we sit mindlessly playing stupid games, scrolling facebook, and overall, just spending too much time plugged in. We sit next to each other on the couch, but somehow it seems much further than that.
Tonight, as he heads out to clear snow after yet another snow storm, I grab a blanket and a book. I turn off the TV, turn on the Pandora radio, and snuggle in. As I finish the last words of the book, I look up and find that it is quickly approaching midnight. And I feel... refreshed. I can't say that I have ever felt refreshed after watching TV. But after reading an inspiring and motivating back whilst listening to gentle music (see above), I crawled off the couch and felt- calm.
Those who know me know that on the surface, a facade of calm, while underneath it all, my brain goes 100mph, worrying about everything, thinking about responsibilities, money, schedules... everything. But tonight, I am truly calm. And every time I feel it start to rise up, I take a breath and think, "Not tonight, tonight is mine."
And with these simple pleasures, I am so incredibly happy. (Although dreaming of a turn in the weather so I can finally get off the trainer!)
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