Peace and Gratitude — uplifting

Happy September! Fall is around the corner, and hopefully cooler, more comfortable weather is coming with it. I can’t wait to take my daily walks in the crisp autumn air. While I wait for my favorite season to make it’s appearance, I’ll just keep walking and exercising outdoors. No matter the weather or season, being outdoors is therapeutic. I find that spending time outdoors whether walking, running, gardening, or just taking a break, it clears my mind and lifts my spirits. I found an article from Mindful about a guided walking meditation. Here are the basic points: Walk with intention. We’re...

It’s official. Summer is ending. To me this has seemed like the longest summer in history because we’ve all been at home together since March. Kiddos are going back to school - most likely virtually, but hopefully their brains will be engaged in something other than video games. Soon we’ll be raking leaves and preparing for the holidays. But before all of that, let’s celebrate Labor Day! Are you with me? Good! Let’s treat ourselves to some self love and pampering. Spoil yourself a little with some fun jewelry. Make your fashion statement on those Zoom calls. No matter the...

During one of my daily walks, I came across this book sharing box. I have seen these before, but never in my neck of the woods. I think these are a great idea. When my husband and I sailed around in our sailboat for a year, we came across book sharing libraries at marinas. Cruisers could leave books that they were done with and pick up some new ones. I remember one of the first things we looked for when we arrived at a new port was the marina library. Seeing this book sharing box in a neighborhood made me...

  I have been feeling a little anxious lately. It’s no wonder with all of what is going on in the world. I have stopped listening to the news. I have started watching comedy acts on YouTube and watching funny movies. I sometimes have a tightness in my chest whenever I start to think about everything. I force myself to stop thinking and breath deeply. The breathing works to calm me. These are times that we must be kind to ourselves.  I found this 20 minute meditation from Kristin Neff, PhD. She is one of the world’s leading experts on...