Appreciating the Small Stuff – Page 2

The Buds of Spring

While I realize that this past winter here in New York hasn’t exactly been “typical,” and many days felt like Spring, I can’t help but get excited when I “see” signs of Spring around me. While I absolutely love flowers, buds on a bush or tree are one of my favorite signs of Spring. It always feels like a re-birth to me, an awakening, and a fresh start when I see the buds peeking their way through and into our air space. I caught this glimpse through a bush yesterday on my way home.

So today I am really appreciating the buds around me and wondering what budding inspirations are ready to bloom? Have a great day, everyone!

Today Is A Good Day!

It’s been awhile since I posted here. That seems to happen a lot with me. Having several blogs, a part-time business and a full-time job in a field I love means I do things when I feel inspired. Today I was inspired by my friends at GoodVibeUniversity, where I read a thread in the forums called “Today was a good day.” But rather than reflect on a day that still isn’t over, I decided to call mine, “Today IS a Good Day!”

This is another way to practice the art of appreciation EVERYDAY. I may not write it here, but I do find things and people to appreciate everyday. I’ve made it a habit. And you know what happens? My days get better and better! I “see” things that I never noticed before and often they are really beautiful.

So today IS a good day! It’s a holiday and I’m enjoying another day off, snuggled in my warm home, while I appreciate that I don’t have to go out in the cold today! I’m also loving those kitties that have made my back yard their home. I haven’t seen one of them in awhile, so perhaps someone took him in as their own. (He was my favorite and the most beautiful.) But 3 of the kitties remain and are growing! I love how we look at each other through the kitchen window and love sending them love (and receiving their “thanks” of appreciation for the food I’ve let out for them, too).

I have been wanting a pet again for awhile now and have been going back and forth between dogs and cats (not to mention that I’d have to negociate it with my landlords). But today I realized that these are my pets now! While they may not be in my home, I’m quite attached to these little creatures and am enjoying having them around. They are getting more comfortable with me, too.

While today is quite cold for New York City, the sun is stunningly beautiful. The kitties like to perch themselves on top of a plastic bin that my landlady has on the back porch. The sun hits the bin for some hours during the day, so it’s warmer there for them, and higher up (as cats love it to be).I added an old afghan to the top of it to keep them warmer.

Yes, today is a good day! And in the spirit of Access Consciousness, which I’ve just recently became aware of, I’m asking: What else is possible for today? How does it get any better than this? I can’t wait to see what’s next!

Relaxing

I appreciate that I know how to relax and I’m relaxing right now, after having gone through this conference I was in charge of. It has been a learning experience and there were times when I didn’t take care of myself because of it. Many people hurried out of here tonight, in their rush to get home and back to their offices tomorrow. Yet some of us remain, including myself. I met a woman who was having a late dinner and we struck up a conversation about how good it feels to just relax and wait to leave for home until tomorrow. We were remarking how good it feels to have decided that and how others were commenting they wish they’d done the same.

I’m glad I made that decision. I know the importance of relaxing and am happy I’ve made some time for it tonight. I’m tired and a bit sleepy, so it makes it easy to relax! So I’ll end this post and wish everyone a relaxing evening, too!

Knowing How to Build A Campfire

I was a Girl Scout. I also used to camp a lot with my parents. I learned many things about camping and cooking outside over the years. While I rarely do that now, today I’m reminded of the importance of knowing how to build a campfire. I know how to do it and I appreciate that I was given opportunities to practice it. While I’m still at my conference, we’re in a beautiful, wooded area, where the hotel has a fire pit. So tonight we roasted S’mores. The experience brought back many fond memories of building campfires, eating food cooked over the open fire, roasting marshmellows and making S’mores.

So today I’m appreciating knowing how to build a campfire. I found this video on YouTube so you can learn, too.

My Abundant Supply of Water

Today I am in awe and appreciation of my abundant supply of water. It’s something I definitely don’t take for granted. I’ve been in places where water wasn’t so readily available and I’m so appreciative that it always is around when I want it: to drink, to bathe, shower, do laundry, water my plants, or admire it in a beautiful fountain. They say our physical bodies are mainly made up of water, so I routinely bless the water I drink. I know that blessing it and saying “thank you” before I drink it makes a difference in how I feel.

My posts will be short these days as I’m away at a conference. While there, I will be admiring the beautiful Lake George, an abundant supply of water by itself, amidst the backdrop of the Adirondeck Mountains.

I’d like to close today’s post with an invitation for you to visit my charity on this blog and to sign up for Social Vibe. My charity is called “Water” and it’s about providing clean water for people who need it. Right now there aren’t any activities listed but new ones are coming soon! Take a look on the right hand side panel and click for more information. The more you click on the products, the more wells and water is available for people that don’t have such an abundant supply like me. Thank you so much for your support!

Aw, Fridays!

dreamstimefree_15930328 — Green Calendar Courtesy of Dreamstime

You know that feeling at the end of a work week, in anticipation of a weekend of relaxation and fun? It’s that feeling many of us who work a Monday through Friday routine get on Fridays. The “Thank God It’s Friday!” comments we hear and speak conjure up feelings of relief that the work week is coming to an end, with an eager anticipation of what’s to come over the next two days. While I’m a huge fan of appreciating EVERY day of the week, I’ve dedicated today’s post to an appreciation of Fridays.

I love the feeling of Fridays – There’s often a more “casual” feel to Fridays, and people seem to be more relaxed. In some work spaces, employees actually dress more casually, too. You hear people talking about their plans for the weekend and it often means less meetings at work for me. There’s a lot of excitement in the feeling of Fridays, and often, at the end of the day, people rush out the door to go out for a drink, shopping, meet up with friends or family, take off on that weekend trip, or just to go home and relax. It feels different than the end of a weekday where you have to return to work the next day, because Fridays feel more like “mini-vacations” with two full days (and 3 nights) to play!

I love the feeling of Fridays because they feel “freeing” – where we can anticipate the weekend with eagerness as we go through our day. While we all have the power to appreciate ANY day like Fridays, many of us do not. (How many of you feel the same about Mondays as you do about Fridays?) Yet we would be so better off if we could master that feeling everyday of the week. After all, who doesn’t want to feel free, relaxed and excited for what’s to come? That’s the key to happiness, my friends!

So I heard Joel Osteen has a new book out called “Everyday is Friday.” While I haven’t read it yet, I’m imagining that he might be sending a similar message that we have the ability to make anyday like Fridays with our attitudes and faith. When I think about it, when I regularly practice appreciation on the other days of the week, Fridays don’t really feel so special because everyday is wonderful! After all, I’m alive! I can appreciate that on Fridays as easily as Mondays or Thursdays. But I admit there is something extra special about that Friday “feeling” and finding it on other days may be the key to loving your life more fully. So make the choice that everyday is freeing, fun, relaxed and joyful and your life will dramatically improve!

Aw, Fridays! Can you feel it?

“Meow” – In Appreciation of Cats and Kitties

“Meow.” What’s that? I said, “I’m a cat lover!” How about you? I’m also a dog lover (but I’ll save elaborating on that for another post). I grew up with cats and had both dogs and cats in some of my adult life. At this moment in time, I have neither a cat nor a dog, but I have been thinking about getting a pet again for over a year now. With my busy travel schedule, I haven’t felt that the time was right or that I could give my pet the care that she or he deserves. (I also need to check with my landlords that it’s ok!)

Since I’ve been thinking so much about cats, they’ve been hanging out near my place a lot this past year. There’s been several, but I particularly have seen this black cat with white spots a lot. On one of the recent days when I was home sick, as I was washing dishes in the kitchen, I caught something moving out of the corner of my left eye. So I went to the window and much to my surprise, I saw the cat whose been hanging out around my home, her partner and adorable little kitties! So I pulled out my iPod and recorded a bit through my very dirty window.

I think we can all agree to look past the dirty window and marvel at the playfulness of little kitties! I’ve since cleaned the window up so I can get better views of what they’re doing. It’s clear they’ve made my back yard their home and I’m having fun enjoying all these cats while I can. It was especially enjoyable when I was home sick as they brought a big smile to my face and joy to my heart.

So if you like cats, (or even if you don’t), you’ve got to admit they are cute to watch, don’t you think? EnJOY!

And please excuse that dirty window – “Meow!”

Appreciating Bambi

I’m in Iowa City/Coralville for the Labor Day weekend and already I’ve had a close encounter with “Bambi.” Of course, it’s not the Disney “Bambi” movie, but with a deer that was grazing in my daughter’s yard in town. Deer around here are fairly plentiful. As I pulled into the driveway, Bambi was actually a lot closer and we had a “stare down” for about a minute or so, before I could get my phone camera out to take a photo. I even was able to drive the car up a bit, roll down my window, and stick my phone out the window without Bambi moving an inch! Then, right before I took the photo, Bambi got a bit shy and moved a bit further away (which is the image I’m posting).

I love how we can share spaces with animals in the “wild” and get along! I’m appreciating their beauty, even though I know there are many who find them a nuisance. I just find deer to be very beautiful creatures and this one is obviously very accustomed to being around people. So today I am appreciating the beauty of deer!

Appreciating Garbage Workers

The other day on my way to work, I got behind a garbage truck on a hill. It reminded me how much I personally wouldn’t like that job: heavy lifting, smelly cans and bags of garbage, and little recognition for a job well done. In thinking about how hard that job seemed to me, I realized how much I appreciate the people who do this for a living. I watched in awe as they jumped off and on that truck, hurling garbage bin after bin onto the truck, all quickly and efficiently as they took away our “stuff” that we don’t want, leaving us with empty bins that we continue to fill again and again. And I smiled when the driver of the truck was able to move the heavy rig over, waving me on, so I could pass them to get onto my day job. I was reminded of the many times I’ve had that happen here, and how much I appreciate the kindness in that.

I’m so happy that there are people who do this work! Imagine our lives without them! What a mess we would have! So today, I’m appreciating garbage workers! I really appreciate their reliability several times a week in showing up for their jobs, in how they efficiently handle a job that I personally would never want to do, and how they help to haul away junk we no longer want and recycle materials that can be made into other stuff (that we probably eventually will no longer want!), so we put it in the garbage bin to be taken away again! Thank you, garbage workers! Life is so much easier with you in it!

It’s Snowing Over My Tulips!

I just added this cute little “extra” to this blog, which means that it will be snowing here until January 4, 2011! How cool is that? I love it. While normally one doesn’t see tulips in full bloom with snow falling on them, I’m liking the temporary look. And while I’m liking it, it reminded me of how much I really do love snow.

So today I’m appreciating snow! While we don’t have any yet here in New York City, I can go to this blog of mine and get some anytime, day or night!