When It All Seems too Much Aug 19
An Invitation for this week
Make a list of things that lift your spirits and do one every day.
If at all possible, get outdoors for at least 20 minutes every day -preferably a park, a garden, green space, or near the water.
Look up when it gets dark and see if you can identify a planet, constellation, satellite, and gaze at the moon.
Make a list of people you like who you have not been in contact with and reach out to at least one of them.
Consider the basics:
- Sleep
- Exercise
- Food and water
- The company of others
- A reason to get up in the morning
A Second Invitation
Choose one thing from the basics to focus on this week. Pick the one that needs a little practice and zoom in on what would be of most value to you if you would do that one thing every day. Don’t go overboard. See Examples:
Sleep – Go to bed at the same time every night this week
Food and water – maybe you need more vegetables – add one new vegetable each day to your plate or two extra glasses of water each day if you are not getting enough. It’s up to you.
You get the picture
Whenever we are struggling, whether it is with illness, caregiving, loneliness, or fractured relationships… it is important to see ourselves playing an active role in our own treatment and our own life. Don’t wait for others to solve our problems. Read, research, ask questions – investigate and take action. Don’t overlook the basics. They appear so obvious and ordinary, yet they are easy to neglect and they play an outsized role in the quality of our everyday life.
Always humor If we orient ourselves towards humor, we can find many opportunities during our day to have a chuckle or a smile. And it simply improves our well-being. It isn’t so much joke telling but more often tender storytelling that makes us smile or laugh.
All of these suggestions can fit into our daily lives. Play with them. Make them your own. Enjoy.See what happens.
NOTES
1:) I Know a Cure for Sadness by Hafiz
“I know a cure for sadness:
Let your hands touch something that makes your eyes smile.
I bet there are a hundred objects close by that can do that.
Look at beauty’s gift to us-
Her power is so great she enlivens
The earth, the sky, our soul.”
3:) Thank you, all of you, for coming by to read these scribbles. I am honoured to have your company. May you not resist the abundance and beauty of summer. As well as the best gelato that you can find.
Warmest wishes, Trudy
PS Photos – the banner photo is from the stairwell going up to the rooftop garden at Vij’s restaurant in Vancouver. If you click on it you can see the beautiful mosaic. It is one of my MOST favourite restaurants. Thanks Rob and Allison. The scrumptious looking tomatoes are the fourth harvest this summer on Gabriola Island. Mediterranean salads everyday. Thanks Gottfried.
PPS Next week I will be on the road travelling east to the Maritimes – along the St Lawrence in Quebec to New Brunswick; PEI; Nova Scotia (in particular my beloved Cabot Trail) And then return. You will hear from me but possibly a day late.
PPPS This is an old updated post that felt right for me tonight.
Trudy are you beaming into my living room? I needed every word of your post tonight and I bless you. Will start tonight with an email to a friend and when I get up tomorrow morning I can only hope that I feel a bit better. This gut problem is really starting to wear me into the ground. Sending you love as always,
Thank you dear pat. I hope you get relief soon. Certainly, Long term discomfort wears us down. I always appreciate your thoughtful notes.
Warmly, Trudy
I’m in Maritimes at this moment. On a tour which started 8/13 in Halifax. We did the Cabot Trail which was fantastic. Came from PEI today to New Brunswick. Next week I go to St John’s NFL.
Such a lovely area of our world. Enjoy your trip. njb
Nancy Jo…how great to hear from you. You have certainly landed in a different part of the continent. My trip is similar except I’m not going to NFLD and I am traveling solo with lovely people and sights to visit along the way. I will look forward to getting your overview if you have a chance. Continual safe and adventurous travels.Warmly, Trudy
I love Mackesy’s book and the quote you chose Trudy, simple but necessary wisdom. Happy Trails next week on your birthday adventures!!!! much love to you
I so love his little book too, dear Janice.I am getting excited about my adventure. Gentle hugs, Trudy
We can never hear the basics of a happy life to often,thank you Trudy and yes enjoy your trip home.i am remembering the wonderful trip my husband, along with his cousins from England had, hiking that beautiful Cabot trail. I always say going up one feels like Scotland coming down other side and it’s france. I am in the middle of my birthday celebrations – truly.i actually turned 86 today which means I have 11 bonus birthdays. Living life.
Dear Jean: I know it must sound like old hat by now, but it is hard to believe that you turned 86. Honestly, you are amazing!I am confident that you have enjoyed wonderful birthday gatherings. We are so fortunate to keep having birthdays. Not everyone gets to do so. I love the Cabot Trail and the last time I was there was 15 years ago, when I biked the distance and the hills; most nervous on the downhills and slow on the up hills and it all worked out.
Happy, Happy Birthday and welcome to your brand new year. Warmest wishes, Trudy