Happiness

Happiness, Self care

Love your legs

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Legs

I pulled a muscle in my calf last weekend running up a hill. A friend calls it “blowing out your calf” or “calf heart attack” – both more accurate ways to describe it. One minute I was fine, the next I heard and felt a snap (like a rubber band) and could barely walk.

One thing I realized after my injury and diagnosis is that I take my legs for granted. As we were driving from the doctor’s office, I saw all of these people on the street, walking or running like it was the most natural thing. I thought to myself, “Those people don’t even realize how lucky they are!”

When I’m back on my feet, and walking, running, dancing, doing yoga, climbing stairs and riding my bike, I hope I remember one thing: I sure do love my legs.

Photo courtesy of Franco Folini.

 

Happiness, Self care

Love is . . .

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LoveIs

When I was young, there was a cartoon called, “Love is…” that appeared in the Rocky Mountain News that I found both adorable and disturbing. The young characters rarely wore clothing and they were always doing sweet (and many times, sappy) things for each other.

I’ve been thinking about that cartoon a lot lately. My boyfriend takes care of me – really takes care of me. He took me to the doctor yesterday after I sprained a muscle, worried it could be more; fixed the heater in my yoga room because he knows I like to be warm in the morning; learned to make delicious french toast so he’d have something in his arsenal for a hearty breakfast.

Taking care of me usually fell on me, so suddenly having someone else who not only wants to do it, but will, is humbling. I suddenly feel like that little girl in the cartoon, coddled and cuddled, loved and adored. It’s funny how things from your youth come full circle. Funny and grand.

Photo courtesy of gags9999.

Happiness, Life lessons, Self care

You say you want a resolution, well, y’know

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FlowerInHand

I have always been a fan of New Year’s Resolutions. I think of it as a way to start fresh and recreate myself. Each year, I hunker down and make my list. It usually includes:

  • Meditate
  • Exercise
  • Clean out/simplify
  • Live in the moment
  • Relax

This year, it occurred to me that I’ve done well in some areas. Yoga, for example, made my list years ago and it’s now a daily staple. But, for the most part, I still struggle with the others.

Might it be that creating resolutions prevents me from living in the moment? Or that the stress of refining what I hope to accomplish keeps me from relaxing?

When I think about the people I admire most, they don’t seem to worry about reinvention. Frankly, they don’t seem to worry. Maybe that’s the key.

Photo courtesy of Alice Popkorn.

Happiness

Hug me, won’t you?

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Hugs

I once read that 8-10 hugs per day increases your health, emotional state, and general well being. I grew up in a household where we always kissed and hugged upon arrival and departure. It was normal to me and now, of course, I’ve passed it on to my boys. When I see homeless people on the side of the road, I wonder, “Do they have someone to hug?”

I think the reason hugs are so restorative is that they connect you with another soul, if only for a few seconds. It’s like, for once, all the ego, judgement and differences disappear and we’re just two people sharing a moment in time.

Imagine what a different world this would be if hugs replaced jealousy. If hugs replaced ignorance and fear. Imagine…

Merry Christmas and lots of hugs to you and yours.

Photo courtesy of Tambako The Jaguar.

 

 

 

 

Happiness, Parenting

The Terrible Teens

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When I first got pregnant, I worried about three things:

– One: How much pain are we talking about?

– Two: What will I feed them since I don’t cook?

– Three: How will I handle the teen years?

The answers were “quite a bit,” “pasta and then you’ll learn more,” and “quite easily.” Maybe my kids are different, or maybe we’re not quite there yet (they’re 12 and 15) but my boys are still really sweet.

Yes, they leave their socks around the house (what’s with that?); yes, they wait till the last minute to do their homework (I usually have to spin my head like in The Exorcist to help them get to it); and yes, they eat constantly. But overall, they’re good boys – smart, wise, resourceful. They’re my IT department, my sages, my little loves. They take part in family meetings and decisions, help with dinner, do their chores (with a bit of reminding), and get really good grades in school.

So if you’re wondering, “Should I take the plunge?” my answer would be an emphatic yes. Look out for the socks though.

Happiness, Life lessons

More happiness to love

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I saw this on the side of a bus yesterday and thought, “Wow, do they know what they’re doing!” It was an ad for McDonald’s.

A friend of mine was telling me about a book called, “Who Moved My Cheese?” It’s about four characters who live in a maze and are each seeking their own “cheese.” It may be romance, a satisfying career, spirituality, or wealth. Their “cheese” is taken away and the story lies in how they deal with it.

In the end though, we are all seeking love and happiness. We may think we’ll find it through the car we drive, or by looking younger, or by buying up all the boots at Nordstrom’s. But the truth is that true happiness can be found in simply living in the now. When you think about famous people you admire – for me, that’s writers, artists, spiritual guides – they are focused and passionate and living for today.

Believe me, just because I know it’s true doesn’t mean I always practice it. I’m the worst when it comes to living in the past or planning the future (to-do lists abound in my world). But my hope is, the more I see the value in simply “being,” the more I’ll simply be.