Yes I'm full of 'positive' today.
There was no alarm to wake me and I'm looking forward to spending the day with friends and family celebrating Australia Day sharing roast lamb with all the trimmings, pavlova and chocolate ripple log. Not a day to think about the diet.
I'm unashamedly a proud Aussie and to me today is a real holiday. One to kick back and relax, create new memories and enjoy the lovely country we live in and share it with the people I love the most. I look around me and am grateful for all I have and the opportunities I have been given and worked hard to achieve.
I think this is part of the revive I am looking for. Now I'm off to celebrate.
AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE. OI, OI, OI.
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Friday, 20 January 2012
I found one
After my musing about the pursuit of things that may soothe, inspire or revive, I think I've found one that works for me.
This little ray of enlightenment hit me while impatiently waiting for the bus to get home after work.
One thing that revives me is a laugh. It doesn't have to be a full belly laugh that ends up hurting your sides could be though just depending on what happened.
This is weird but I saw something (right now I can't even remember what it was) that gave me a little chuckle and my impatience and frustration disappeared. Then it hit me there was a little revival going on inside my head.
I love a good laugh but I'm never sure what will trigger it. I know my friend Deb and I have had some fantastic ones over the years and I know there are more to come.
Laughter is so spontaneous and those little endorphins start tripping around and the next thing you know you are feeling 'different' and the revival has started. Of course you can't laugh all the time but I know I'm going to be looking for the funny things just to get a little rush that will get me through the day.
Here's a saying that made me laugh today.
'If you keep getting melons maybe your dyslexic'. Think about it.
This little ray of enlightenment hit me while impatiently waiting for the bus to get home after work.
One thing that revives me is a laugh. It doesn't have to be a full belly laugh that ends up hurting your sides could be though just depending on what happened.
This is weird but I saw something (right now I can't even remember what it was) that gave me a little chuckle and my impatience and frustration disappeared. Then it hit me there was a little revival going on inside my head.
I love a good laugh but I'm never sure what will trigger it. I know my friend Deb and I have had some fantastic ones over the years and I know there are more to come.
Laughter is so spontaneous and those little endorphins start tripping around and the next thing you know you are feeling 'different' and the revival has started. Of course you can't laugh all the time but I know I'm going to be looking for the funny things just to get a little rush that will get me through the day.
Here's a saying that made me laugh today.
'If you keep getting melons maybe your dyslexic'. Think about it.
Thursday, 19 January 2012
I'm back
This returning from holidays has thrown a spanner in the works. I am up with the sparrows and get to bed well after dark. My first day back at work on Tuesday was a rude shock to the system and if I could have found a way to have a nap at about 1 o'clock I would have happily curled up under my desk. Unfortunately it has been hectic catching up and getting back into work mode and many pleasure activities have taken a back seat and as you would be aware my blog is one of them.
My holiday was certainly a time for reflection and I'm still looking for things that may soothe, inspire or revive me. As my daughter has been saying I need to be present and not dwell on the past or invest too much time worrying about the future. I am sure I inherited the worry gene from my Mum. One of her favourite sayings was 'It's a worry' so no wonder.
Naturally work takes up a lot of my thoughts and I need to learn to let go and leave it at the office where it belongs.
I haven't found anything in particular to soothe, inspire of revive but by being in the moment (away from work) I can drift off to wherever my mind may take me with silly thoughts and some contemplation. How will I find these things and also perhaps find my passion? I don't know but stay tuned.
My holiday was certainly a time for reflection and I'm still looking for things that may soothe, inspire or revive me. As my daughter has been saying I need to be present and not dwell on the past or invest too much time worrying about the future. I am sure I inherited the worry gene from my Mum. One of her favourite sayings was 'It's a worry' so no wonder.
Naturally work takes up a lot of my thoughts and I need to learn to let go and leave it at the office where it belongs.
I haven't found anything in particular to soothe, inspire of revive but by being in the moment (away from work) I can drift off to wherever my mind may take me with silly thoughts and some contemplation. How will I find these things and also perhaps find my passion? I don't know but stay tuned.
Sunday, 8 January 2012
Going forward
Over the last week I have either sat down to write on my BLOG or at least thought about it but my mind just seemed to be blank.
I have slept in, rested, read, caught up with family and friends and generally relaxed. Am I felling recharged? No. I was so looking forward to this break away from the everyday.
Not having to go to work and wake up with the alarm every morning. That part I have enjoyed.
Catching up with family and friends, yes that part I have enjoyed.
What I think of as relaxing, yes I’m enjoying that part as well.
So why am I feeling more tired, tense, less enthusiastic and generally out of sorts?
Don't get me wrong I am grateful for all I have. I love my peace and quiet and time to reflect but am guilty of negative inner dialogue. I am blessed to have a very supportive and loving circle of family and friends however positive reinforcement from those around me does not stop those negative thoughts.
I have been challenged with my weight and fitness for many years. In my head I know I have to watch what I eat and exercise more and have tried many times to stick to sensible eating and exercise plans. My heart or inner self does not seem to get it. I hate the word diet as for me (and I’m sure many others) it has very negative connotations. My diet is exactly what I eat not some plan where I have to have a pantry full of legumes and dry crackers that I eat only once a week. Have you ever noticed how most diet plans have a different thing for breakfast lunch dinner and snacks for 7 – 14 days? Bloody ridiculous and impractical as you end up with all this rubbish going stale in the pantry and becoming science experiments in the fridge. Bring back the simplicity I say.
Perhaps a change of focus may help. Forget the eating plan. Maybe it’s time to really look at what will soothe, inspire and revive ME!
Time to start looking for things that really soothe me so I can sleep contentedly at night.
Time to look for inspiration so I can embrace each new experience with gusto.
Time to find the key to being revived so the circle of me is complete. Then I can put a lot more into the rest of the world. As my daughter told me recently: ‘Live the life you love and you’ll love the life you live’. Maybe then my heart will get it.
How will this pan out? I don’t know but maybe the first step of putting it down in writing for others to read is the start.
I have slept in, rested, read, caught up with family and friends and generally relaxed. Am I felling recharged? No. I was so looking forward to this break away from the everyday.
Not having to go to work and wake up with the alarm every morning. That part I have enjoyed.
Catching up with family and friends, yes that part I have enjoyed.
What I think of as relaxing, yes I’m enjoying that part as well.
So why am I feeling more tired, tense, less enthusiastic and generally out of sorts?
Don't get me wrong I am grateful for all I have. I love my peace and quiet and time to reflect but am guilty of negative inner dialogue. I am blessed to have a very supportive and loving circle of family and friends however positive reinforcement from those around me does not stop those negative thoughts.
I have been challenged with my weight and fitness for many years. In my head I know I have to watch what I eat and exercise more and have tried many times to stick to sensible eating and exercise plans. My heart or inner self does not seem to get it. I hate the word diet as for me (and I’m sure many others) it has very negative connotations. My diet is exactly what I eat not some plan where I have to have a pantry full of legumes and dry crackers that I eat only once a week. Have you ever noticed how most diet plans have a different thing for breakfast lunch dinner and snacks for 7 – 14 days? Bloody ridiculous and impractical as you end up with all this rubbish going stale in the pantry and becoming science experiments in the fridge. Bring back the simplicity I say.
Perhaps a change of focus may help. Forget the eating plan. Maybe it’s time to really look at what will soothe, inspire and revive ME!
Time to start looking for things that really soothe me so I can sleep contentedly at night.
Time to look for inspiration so I can embrace each new experience with gusto.
Time to find the key to being revived so the circle of me is complete. Then I can put a lot more into the rest of the world. As my daughter told me recently: ‘Live the life you love and you’ll love the life you live’. Maybe then my heart will get it.
How will this pan out? I don’t know but maybe the first step of putting it down in writing for others to read is the start.
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
Holidays
I am finally on a much-needed holiday from the stresses of work.
Many people have asked me what I’m doing on my break. When I reply just relaxing and spending time with family and friends I often get a funny look. To me a holiday is a break from the everyday things I do.
So instead of being out of bed at 5.35am and getting myself off to work I can sleep in with no alarm to wake me. It’s amazing how more refreshed I feel if I wake up with my body clock and not the alarm. Try it some time it really works.
For some people a holiday is a time to go mad seeing sights in different places, having new experiences and creating new memories. Racing top get to the airport to catch a plane to who knows where and probably having a really good time but then needing a holiday to recover when they get back.
Don’t get me wrong I like to travel but the best way for me to recharge my batteries is to plug into the family and friends I have around me.
Chilling out and making time for everyday things is as much of a holiday to me as one spent in far away places. Try it you might like it.
Many people have asked me what I’m doing on my break. When I reply just relaxing and spending time with family and friends I often get a funny look. To me a holiday is a break from the everyday things I do.
So instead of being out of bed at 5.35am and getting myself off to work I can sleep in with no alarm to wake me. It’s amazing how more refreshed I feel if I wake up with my body clock and not the alarm. Try it some time it really works.
For some people a holiday is a time to go mad seeing sights in different places, having new experiences and creating new memories. Racing top get to the airport to catch a plane to who knows where and probably having a really good time but then needing a holiday to recover when they get back.
Don’t get me wrong I like to travel but the best way for me to recharge my batteries is to plug into the family and friends I have around me.
Chilling out and making time for everyday things is as much of a holiday to me as one spent in far away places. Try it you might like it.
Friday, 23 December 2011
Christmas fare
Just two sleeps to go!
I was starting to prepare ‘the food’ for our family Christmas get together and I started to think of the food traditions that evolve for one reason or another.
Thinking of Christmas and big meals reminds me of traditional hot Christmas dinners (yes with roast turkey, pork and ham) prepared at home on sweltering hot days when the kids were a lot younger and unable to help and I was still married. My now ex-husband (who loved the hot dinners) thought he was helping by pointing a very inadequate pedestal fan into the kitchen to 'cool me down' while I slaved away over a hot stove to produce a feast fit for a king. The sweat was rolling off my brow and I could hear the kids and said husband playing with the presents of the day or swimming in the pool. As you can imagine afterwards I was exhausted. Didn't help that I had usually got to bed at about 2.00am the night before (had to make sure the kids were asleep before Santa came) and then up at about 5.00am with the kids to see what Santa had brought. Oh the memories, but I wouldn't swap them.
One thing that always differs from tradition was desert. I love Christmas pudding with all the trimmings but I’m out on my own on that one. The only reason my ex-husband used to eat it was to get the money that used to be in the traditional Christmas pudding (with the change to decimal currency this tradition has slowly died out). I had to think of another way.
My ex loved Chocolate Ripple Log (if my family are reading this they are going weak at the knees at the thought of it). Chocolate ripple biscuits sandwiched together with sweetened whipped cream and then covered completely in the remainder of the whipped cream refrigerate over night then eat. It only took one taste and all of the family were hooked. Now our Christmas dinner always ends with a Chocolate Ripple Log. Yum!!! You would never guess what‘s on my to do list this Christmas.
I was starting to prepare ‘the food’ for our family Christmas get together and I started to think of the food traditions that evolve for one reason or another.
Thinking of Christmas and big meals reminds me of traditional hot Christmas dinners (yes with roast turkey, pork and ham) prepared at home on sweltering hot days when the kids were a lot younger and unable to help and I was still married. My now ex-husband (who loved the hot dinners) thought he was helping by pointing a very inadequate pedestal fan into the kitchen to 'cool me down' while I slaved away over a hot stove to produce a feast fit for a king. The sweat was rolling off my brow and I could hear the kids and said husband playing with the presents of the day or swimming in the pool. As you can imagine afterwards I was exhausted. Didn't help that I had usually got to bed at about 2.00am the night before (had to make sure the kids were asleep before Santa came) and then up at about 5.00am with the kids to see what Santa had brought. Oh the memories, but I wouldn't swap them.
One thing that always differs from tradition was desert. I love Christmas pudding with all the trimmings but I’m out on my own on that one. The only reason my ex-husband used to eat it was to get the money that used to be in the traditional Christmas pudding (with the change to decimal currency this tradition has slowly died out). I had to think of another way.
My ex loved Chocolate Ripple Log (if my family are reading this they are going weak at the knees at the thought of it). Chocolate ripple biscuits sandwiched together with sweetened whipped cream and then covered completely in the remainder of the whipped cream refrigerate over night then eat. It only took one taste and all of the family were hooked. Now our Christmas dinner always ends with a Chocolate Ripple Log. Yum!!! You would never guess what‘s on my to do list this Christmas.
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Be careful what you say
It's summer, a few days before Christmas and a little event that happens at this time every year has gone by. It's the Summer Solstice i.e. the day with the most number of daylight hours. Of course in the Northern hemisphere it's the opposite and the day with the least number of daylight hours.
For some reason when I was growing up my Mum in always made a point of mentioning this and it has stuck with me. She used to say it was the longest day of the year. Of course being an impressionable child I thought it meant the day was actually longer than any other. Talk about taking things literally. It took a long time to really understand what it meant.
Brings to mind another saying Mum used quite a lot. If one of us asked what day it was she would tell us the day of the week than add 'all day'. It was years later I found out my brother thought that meant there were days in the week that changed half way through. Hilarious! He's really very clever but that had him confused for quite a while.
Brings home how trusting children can be and how they can take things literally. Talk to your family and see what weird stuff they thought you were referring to with crazy sayings.
For some reason when I was growing up my Mum in always made a point of mentioning this and it has stuck with me. She used to say it was the longest day of the year. Of course being an impressionable child I thought it meant the day was actually longer than any other. Talk about taking things literally. It took a long time to really understand what it meant.
Brings to mind another saying Mum used quite a lot. If one of us asked what day it was she would tell us the day of the week than add 'all day'. It was years later I found out my brother thought that meant there were days in the week that changed half way through. Hilarious! He's really very clever but that had him confused for quite a while.
Brings home how trusting children can be and how they can take things literally. Talk to your family and see what weird stuff they thought you were referring to with crazy sayings.
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