The Simplest things can bring the Biggest Joys

Have you ever just taken the time to enjoy life. I mean without rushing around like a chicken with its head cut off taking the time. I mean just living in that moment of pure bliss and enjoying the feel of the sun on your face, the wind on your skin and comfort of a well worn pair of shoes that actually fit your feet like they were made for it.

Today my blog is on comfort and where we can find it in the simple things in life.  Taking the time to actually listen to the laughter of a small child or loved one.  Watching a friends face light up as they share their good news over a cup of steaming coffee.  Enjoying the sky streaked with all the incredible colors of a sunset after a storm has passed.  The simple joys that many take for granted in their daily lives.

Happiness can be found as close your nearest bookshelf by enjoying your favorite book for the uptenth time.  It can be found in the warmth of snuggling up under your favorite blanket watching a rerun of your favorite show.  It can even be found in the company of good friends reliving their happiest memories.  Happiness doesn't have to be expensive.

I have heard many people say I don't have the time to be happy I am to busy earning a living, or I don't have the money to be happy because I am always broke from paying my bills.  If you cannot take 5 minutes out of you day to enjoy the simple things in life I really feel for ya.  You give 110% to your family, you give 110% to your boss to earn that paycheck.  You spend so many hours of your day worrying about how to pay this or do that or if you will be able to afford that gift for your loved one or spouse. What about you?  Who is going to take the time to make sure you are happy?

I know that friends think of us and support us during bad times. I know that partners go out of their way to make sure we are cared for and provided for. But who really takes care of you.  Who is going to hold your hand while sitting in the dentist chair to have a tooth pulled or filled, or stroke you hair when that headache starts from all the stress of the day catches up to you? 

You have to take the time to enjoy life, you have to take that few seconds, or moments to simply enjoy the many blessings we each have in our life.  You have to take the time to stop and smell the roses even if you cannot afford to buy the rose bush. Life is to short to spend it running from point A to point B.  It can wear a body out, age you faster, and cause health issues down the line if you stay in fast forward mode constantly.

Studies have shown that people who don't take the time to unwind or destress after a while begin to show signs of high blood pressure, diabetes, as well as slew of other health issues.  It can lead to bleeding ulcers, obesity, and migraines.  Take the time to take care of yourself.  It isn't a crime to on occasion put yourself first.  It isn't morally wrong to decide that you are just as important as that house you work so many hours each week to pay for.  It isn't wrong to take that moment in time to just live in the moment and enjoy the simple joys that life has to offer.  It is called being wise not being selfish.

If you think you cannot afford to enjoy life think about the cost of an office visit to your local doctor. Yes your insurance may cover the major part of the bill but what about the co-pay.  What does it cost you in time to sit in that office and patiently wait to be seen. How about once you make it through the magical doors and actually make it into a room and wait again for the doctor to get around to actually talking to you.  How about the cost of the frustration in repeatedly telling first the medical assistant, then the nurse then the doctor about what ails you, when it started, what you are doing in your life to remedy the problem.  What you have tried and failed to fix the problem and your own personal theories as to why you have the problem.

Now think what does it actually cost you in the long run to stop, and enjoy that incredible sunset or to inhale those incredible smells coming from your local bakery, or just snuggle down into that super soft sweater or blanket?  What is the over all cost of actually taking the time to care for yourself with the same passion and dedication you give when caring for someone else.

If you were to change places with your best friend and giving advice to yourself regarding what makes you happy what would you say?  Would you say yes run around like crazy, don't take time for yourself, and most of all don't enjoy life. Of course you wouldn't.  You best friend wants only the best for you. They love you and want to keep you around as long as possible. They are going to tell you that you are worth it and that you deserve to be happy.  They aren't going to tell you to stay in a destructive relationship that is destroying your health much less to continue in life choices that may be doing the exact same thing, only slower and sneakier.

Take the time to allow your needs and desires to be primary.  You don't have to do it 24/7 but every now and again take the time to pamper yourself. Take that extra long shower or bath, simply enjoying the feel of the warm water as it surrounds you. Notice the way it feels on your skin and how it slowly runs every curve of your body.  The water is not biased towards you because you have stretch marks or a few extra pounds why are you judging your body based on a stereotype that is unreal and fed to us from early childhood by the marketing executives. Do you really think those women look like that when they roll out of bed first thing in the morning. I don't think so. They are airbrushed and have make up artist to make them look that good.

Learn to love your body and become comfortable in your own skin, regardless of what the scale says or your drivers license says regarding your age and weight.  Learn to appreciate all the wonderful things your body can do for you such as feeling the light touch of butterfly as it lands on your shoulder, or the sight of a beautiful piece of art.  Or the taste of something sweet or salty on your tongue.  How about the sound of your favorite music as you lose yourself in the notes.  These are the simple joys you need to pay attention to.

Our world is filled with incredible sites, and amazing smells and taste that are out of this world. But if you rush around grabbing your meals through a drive through window. From the time your feet hit the floor in the morning until you fall back into bed exhausted at the end of the day are running full speed ahead you don't take the time to notice the wonder around you.  You don't take the time to actually appreciate life in all its incredibly amazing ways.  You are to busy trying to catch something that in reality doesn't exist.

Now I know we all want everything yesterday.  We want to be able to go "I want" and it magically appear before us. The genie in the bottle scenario.  We all want to be able to see something in my minds eye and become a reality standing before us.  But unfortunately life isn't star trek where they can order a 5 course meal and a computer generates it for us. Would be nice and would save a lot of cooking time over the holidays but it aint happening, at least not yet.  Give the tech gurus a few more years and maybe they can make that a reality. But for now we have to make due.

I know at times there just aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish all the things we want to get done. We have jobs, and families, and school or friends.  Obligations and bills, and things that pull us from here to there and back again. We often times take on responsibilities of others that could be released and given to others who can share those burdens.  If you are married let your husband help out with getting the chores done or the errands run.  If he isn't willing to help out then figure out which ones are gotta do and which ones are just not that important.

Learn to combine trips so that you aren't wasting your precious time running all over the city several times a week.  If you have more than one stop to make then try to combine trips, this not only saves on gas it also saves on wear and tear on your car, and your nerves.  Learn to say No to things that really won't matter in the long run. Think about it, we all love to climb into a made bed but is the earth going to stop revolving because one day this week you didn't make the bed?  Is it going to spin off its axle because instead of the 10 minutes it may take to do that you actually soaked in a hot tub or steaming shower?

Learn to decipher what is really important and what is just what we think is important.  Learn to say No to things that waste our time and energy.  If someone is negative and you find yourself walking away from a visit with them sick and exhausted. Don't do it. Limit their access to your life, it isn't worth how miserable you feel for days afterwards.  Use your time wisely and use it to do things that make you happy.  Yes we all have those relatives we really wish would move to another planet but do yourself a favor.  Just skip one phone conversation with them this week.  There is a reason caller ID is so freakin nice to have. It isn't just for those telemarketers if also lets us control who we talk to.  If it is important they will leave a voice mail and you can always call them back if you need to. The world isn't going to end if you put your happiness before someone else's for once.

I know many will feel my blog is selfish and self centered, but let me tell you since I have started putting this into real life usage these tips and tricks have helped me far more than you will ever understand unless on occasion you do the same. It is amazing how much better you feel when you stop and say I am important and my happiness is important and well some of this other stuff is just wasting my time and my energy and I have better things to do with my life.

I hope today's blog has given everyone some food for thought.  I hope that everyone finds the time in their busy crazy lives to start doing and not just talk about the things in their life that make them happy.  That everyone realizes that being happy doesn't cost near as much as being miserable and living a life of just existing or worse yet being miserable and waking up one day to realize you have wasted decades of time better spent.

Until tomorrow blog buddies, stay safe, stay sane and be happy.

Take some time today and notice the beauty that is all around you.  Stop and smell those flowers and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us. Be that the view from your apartment window or that tree growing proud and strong in your front yard. Beauty is everywhere if you allow yourself to see it.  Don't spend your life filled with woulda, shoulda, coulda.  Instead take the time to enjoy life and all its simple pleasures.

Fun things to Try

Ever been stuck in a rut?  Same thing day in day out nothing new or exciting in your life. You want to find your bliss but have no idea where to even begin. Maybe you are just trying to spice up your life a little bit and find something new to try.

Today is Friday and Friday means new things to try and new experiences to have.  If you are stuck in a rut with no relief in sight why not do something different, something a little out of your ordinary comfort zone, something perhaps with your partner or significant other or even just a friend.

Most people think of the average run of the mill things to do, like dinner and a movie, or perhaps a movie at home with popcorn.  I am going to give you a list of things you probably haven't though to try but most are very ecomical and easy to find as close as you nearest larger cities. Some are even available through some of your smaller rural areas as well.  They are google away from being discovered.

Fun Thing to Try:

1.  A cooking class, there are many options on this one some culinary schools offer them as well as many local chefs at some of the finer restaurants offer them it only takes a little digging to discover a hidden jem in your local area.  Some offer singles cooking if you are cooking for one and who knows you might just meet another single in your area you share more in common with than you may realize.  Or make a date night of it and learn to cook your favorite cuisine with your special someone.

2.  Rollerskating, most of rollerskate as young children but often forget the enjoyment we found rolling around the skating rink with a partner or even alone. Some skating rinks have day skating which may be more suitable than night time in which someone who hasn't been on skates in a long time may be more comfortable. I myself am learning to in line skate which I never thought I would do.

3.  Take a walk through a local park or hiking trail.  This might seem like a same old same old but take your camera when you go. Actually stop and enjoy the scenery and take photos of what you see. You never know you may discover you have a gift for photography along the way and learn a little something about nature to boot.

4.  Do a movie marathon, now this isn't as simple as it sounds. First you have to pick the theme for the movies then make a night of it. Include all of your favorite junk foods or healthy snacks depending if you are still on that diet you promised to go on the first of the year, and pick a theme. It can be a series or just a subject matter. For New Years Eve my husband and I did movie marathon instead of being out on the roads with all the police and drunk drivers. We had a blast and it was something we don't do on a regular basis.

5.  Do a scavenger hunt, a scavenger hunt can be anything it doesn't have to be completely insane and although it is difficult to do alone it isn't impossible.  For my honeymoon since my new husband and I were pretty much broke we made up a list of movies we both wanted for our collection of dvds and then went to Pawn Shops with the list in hand. We found many of the titles and the winner got to pick the first movie watched during our movie marathon to follow.

6.  Take a dance class, now this can be any style of dance that has captured your imagination.  If you have always dreamed of being on stage for swan lake many dance studios offer beginner lessons for adults.  Ir you have dreamed of gliding across the dance floor with you special someone then take a ballroom dance class together. If you are alone but would learn that is ok too many dance classes are mandatory that you bring you own partner and offer open dances after their classes for practice your new skills as well as showing off you new mastered moves.

7.  Get a massage.  Many of the local massage institutions offer low cost massage options, you can go unwind and allow someone to knead the knots out of your back and shoulders.  If you prefer a couples retreat for the day you can often find these through local spas that offer special packages for him and her or even her and her or him and him.

8.  Have your picture made, now to many this might sound a little expensive because many photo studios charge an outrageous amount to do photo work. But if you do a little digging you can often find an inspiring photographer who is building a portfolio through the local art school. This might be your chance to actually have that killer head shot you have been wanting for networking site profile picture.

9.  Try a new local restaurant, many times the true hidden jems in an area are the Mom and Pop places off the beaten track who aren't owned by a global giant. Take a walk on the wild side and check one out. My husband and I found the absolute best BBQ we had ever had in a little hole in the wall place we had passed many times but never stopped in before. The food just might surprise you as well as the fact that often times the people working there have a vested interest in customer service and quality food.  If you go back or tell your friends it helps them grow their business and it also keeps your money local.

10.  See a play, many of us have seen the plays put on by our kids at their schools, or even attended plays when we were children as field trips. But when is the last time you actually went to an adult play and sat and got lost in the story?  Many local theaters put on seasonal productions as well as put out calls for those interested in joining the arts.  You never know you might discover that enjoy being part of the theater, and if not it is still stepping outside your comfort zone for an evening.

I hope these 10 things gave you some ideas for something new and exciting to try in your life.  I am including a site I found with 47 more to try or just think about. Who knows you just might find you bliss during one of these stepping outside your normal comfort zone.

47 Cheap, Fun things to do this weekend

I hope my blog today finds you well, I am proud to report we have broken the 200 views in less than two weeks of blogging.  That was my first goal set for the new year accomplished.  I am hoping to have 1,000 by the end of the first 6 months.  That lets me know that not only are people reading my blog but they are also telling their friends.  I hope that my journey of self discovery and finding my bliss motivates others to do the same. Even if it small things it is still a big difference in your life.  Do something special for yourself this weekend. Take time to take care of yourself. You will be a far happier and healthier person for it.

This week I am taking a class in brewing beer, I am not a huge beer drinker but I love to step outside my comfort zone every now and again and shake things up.  I went today and purchased the materials I would need after finding someone who teaches a class and tomorrow morning I am going to learn to brew my own beer. My darling husband will be reaping the rewards from this out of my comfort zone experience, but I am enjoying the new challenge and the chance to expand my knowledge. I found my teacher through a friend on facebook. She heard I wanted to learn and had a friend who gave classes for free. All I had to buy was the materials needed and some basic equipment most of which I already had.  And so tomorrow I am going to try something different and do something new.  I hope my bravery reminds everyone that you are never to old to learn a new skill.

Until Tomorrow, Stay safe, stay sane and stay happy.