This morning I was sitting in my sunny kitchen savouring the most delicious cup of coffee and I looked at it and declared to the world (my kitchen) I love coffee.
I absolutely and completely LOVE coffee. I know its not a healthy thing to do but its my only 'vice' (well the one I will admit to here).
I have a filter coffee machine. Everyday I relish the whole process of filling the machine with water and spoon in the coffee and as it starts to filter - ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh the smell. The aroma of the brewing coffee is the best, most welcoming and it is a quick air freshener.
I know my limit - too many cups and the joy has gone.
I am not into cappucino or latte but it has to be pure black strong delicious coffee. I prefer ground coffee. When I open the bag of coffee, my heart flips with pure love. If I am in a bad mood, I look forward to a proper cup of coffee. Its one of the small pleasures in my life.
Even the word 'coffee' is magical - it rolls off your tongue. I also love beautiful coffee cups - not an ugly thick mug. I don't mind mugs of coffee but it has to be a pretty mug. Earlier this year I was given a present of a Cath Kitson cup and saucer and I particularly enjoy sipping the beautiful beverage from that cup. It not only smells gorgeous, it looks ever better.
The day is not complete until I have had at least one delicious cup of delicious, scrummy yummy coffee.
Gotta go - have to sniff a bag of coffee..........
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Value Who You Are
This is not as easy as you think.
How many of us truly value who we are? How do we show that we value exactly who we are as opposed to who we want to be?
Have you ever paid attention to what you are thinking and saying to YOURSELF? I am sure that you would be shocked at how mean and nasty and unreasonable you are to yourself.
Tiny insignificant things are blown out of proportion and you have this false idea of who you are.
Valuing yourself, to me, means accepting yourself - good parts and not so good parts!
Ask yourself how you can value who you are? How can you honour who you are in your thoughts, words and actions?
Whatever you do, do it with love and without judgement. Do not 'beat yourself up', over this.
Take your time and be aware of what you are doing or thinking and remember that you are not as bad as you think you are. Focus on the positive aspects and acknowledge the not so good aspect.
No-one is perfect and in life we want balance. We all have aspects of ourselves that we don't like, embrace them and remember they are all part of you and that makes them wonderful.
I am finishing with a poem that i have pinned up on my kitchen. Its called 'Give Yourself a Hug'.
How many of us truly value who we are? How do we show that we value exactly who we are as opposed to who we want to be?
Have you ever paid attention to what you are thinking and saying to YOURSELF? I am sure that you would be shocked at how mean and nasty and unreasonable you are to yourself.
Tiny insignificant things are blown out of proportion and you have this false idea of who you are.
Valuing yourself, to me, means accepting yourself - good parts and not so good parts!
Ask yourself how you can value who you are? How can you honour who you are in your thoughts, words and actions?
Whatever you do, do it with love and without judgement. Do not 'beat yourself up', over this.
Take your time and be aware of what you are doing or thinking and remember that you are not as bad as you think you are. Focus on the positive aspects and acknowledge the not so good aspect.
No-one is perfect and in life we want balance. We all have aspects of ourselves that we don't like, embrace them and remember they are all part of you and that makes them wonderful.
I am finishing with a poem that i have pinned up on my kitchen. Its called 'Give Yourself a Hug'.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Power of the Mind
Next time you feel like crap read this 'locked in syndrome'.
Yesterday I listened to a woman who this time last year was experiencing this nightmare. According to doctors she would not speak, walk again. Now she has written a book and can now speak.
She did it through her determined will power. Even though she was condemned to a horrible life, she decided otherwise and well done to her.
She was 39, stressed out of her mind and she mistook the constant headache as a sign of stress. She ignored her body telling her to slow down.
Made me think again.
Yesterday I listened to a woman who this time last year was experiencing this nightmare. According to doctors she would not speak, walk again. Now she has written a book and can now speak.
She did it through her determined will power. Even though she was condemned to a horrible life, she decided otherwise and well done to her.
She was 39, stressed out of her mind and she mistook the constant headache as a sign of stress. She ignored her body telling her to slow down.
Made me think again.
Friday, April 8, 2011
The Bliss of Doing Nothing
We are all busy - rushing here there and whatever. How many times do we wish 'if only I had nothing to do .....'
Well doing nothing is hard to do !!
Its part of the madness of the world - we always have to be doing something. How many times do we feel guilty if we decide to have five minutes to ourselves? I bet you that your brain goes into overdrive, listing all the things you could be doing.
Children are in clubs, piano classes, football, girl guides etc etc. They go to school, come home and do homework and then dash out to football etc. When do they ever get a chance to do nothing and I don't mean watching a TV. They have to be entertained at all times - parks, TV, games, films ..........
The message is 'go go go. Busy busy busy'. Its madness and one of the reasons, I'm sure, that we are so stressed and sick. If we get a cold, we go to work instead of staying at home in bed. No we soldier on like lunatics.
The message must be 'Do nothing!' I remember as a child asking my mother what I could do and her reply was 'Do nothing. Sit there and relax.'
It is difficult to do because in that moment the 'To do' list is running through my head in a loop. But I am getting there and I am willing to say 'I did nothing today' and feel ok with that.
Kick back, relax and do nothing !!!!!!!!
Well doing nothing is hard to do !!
Its part of the madness of the world - we always have to be doing something. How many times do we feel guilty if we decide to have five minutes to ourselves? I bet you that your brain goes into overdrive, listing all the things you could be doing.
Children are in clubs, piano classes, football, girl guides etc etc. They go to school, come home and do homework and then dash out to football etc. When do they ever get a chance to do nothing and I don't mean watching a TV. They have to be entertained at all times - parks, TV, games, films ..........
The message is 'go go go. Busy busy busy'. Its madness and one of the reasons, I'm sure, that we are so stressed and sick. If we get a cold, we go to work instead of staying at home in bed. No we soldier on like lunatics.
The message must be 'Do nothing!' I remember as a child asking my mother what I could do and her reply was 'Do nothing. Sit there and relax.'
It is difficult to do because in that moment the 'To do' list is running through my head in a loop. But I am getting there and I am willing to say 'I did nothing today' and feel ok with that.
Kick back, relax and do nothing !!!!!!!!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Secret smiles
What makes your heart sing?
Is it the aroma of fresh coffee or the softness of your daughters hand in yours?
We all have a list somewhere in our heads that we access, sigh over and then plod on in our lives.
Doesn't it make sense to examine the list, edit it and use it daily. How can we make sure to implement some of those 'heart warmers' into our daily lives? It comes back to taking a moment in the rush of life to pause and enjoy a pleasure. Its the little things that help us deal with the not so pleasant parts of daily life.
Perhaps one delicious cup of freshly brewed coffee that is enjoyed and savoured is better than gulping sour instant coffee.
Taking a few minutes to fully appreciate the garden - weeds and all.
Gazing fondly at a picture of George Clooney and dreaming 'If only .......'
We all have our own heart warmers. Its time now to draw up a fresh list and plan how to slip some of them into life as often as possible.
We all deserve our own private smile - others will wonder what you're up to.
Is it the aroma of fresh coffee or the softness of your daughters hand in yours?
We all have a list somewhere in our heads that we access, sigh over and then plod on in our lives.
Doesn't it make sense to examine the list, edit it and use it daily. How can we make sure to implement some of those 'heart warmers' into our daily lives? It comes back to taking a moment in the rush of life to pause and enjoy a pleasure. Its the little things that help us deal with the not so pleasant parts of daily life.
Perhaps one delicious cup of freshly brewed coffee that is enjoyed and savoured is better than gulping sour instant coffee.
Taking a few minutes to fully appreciate the garden - weeds and all.
Gazing fondly at a picture of George Clooney and dreaming 'If only .......'
We all have our own heart warmers. Its time now to draw up a fresh list and plan how to slip some of them into life as often as possible.
We all deserve our own private smile - others will wonder what you're up to.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Stop, look and listen - just for a minute if you can.
When I walked the dogs today I paid attention to it all. Instead of allowing my mind to race with worries, arguments etc I looked around me, I inhaled all the smells and I listened. I suppose you could say it was a walking meditation !
I smelt the sweetness of the damp grass recently cut that stuck to my shoes. A slight breeze gathered momentum as it moved forward from the far side of the wood. I watched as the tall trees swayed as the breeze brushed through them, like God was running His hand against them. Grey squirrels darted up ivy covered tree trunks, pausing slightly. Birds chattered and sang loud and soft hidden from my view. My two dogs plonked along quietly sniffing and sneezing and panting. In the distance the hum of the passing traffic was just audible.
My feet were cold but my face was warm. I walked slowly looking and listening and feeling. When the dogs stopped to eat grass or just look around them, I did the same - I didn't eat grass !!! All three of us moved slowly and silently and reverently.
Three dogs ran yelping and barking into the big field beside the path we were walking on. They bounced about playfully chasing each other and stopping as they heard the summoning whistles of their owner. We were back at the car by now.
Reminds of that poem by William Henry Davies 'Time to stop and stare'.
What is this life if full of care
How do I feel now - rested and relaxed and better. The same worries are still there but for 45 minutes I paid attention to something else. It was nice - we'll do it again tomorrow.
I smelt the sweetness of the damp grass recently cut that stuck to my shoes. A slight breeze gathered momentum as it moved forward from the far side of the wood. I watched as the tall trees swayed as the breeze brushed through them, like God was running His hand against them. Grey squirrels darted up ivy covered tree trunks, pausing slightly. Birds chattered and sang loud and soft hidden from my view. My two dogs plonked along quietly sniffing and sneezing and panting. In the distance the hum of the passing traffic was just audible.
My feet were cold but my face was warm. I walked slowly looking and listening and feeling. When the dogs stopped to eat grass or just look around them, I did the same - I didn't eat grass !!! All three of us moved slowly and silently and reverently.
Three dogs ran yelping and barking into the big field beside the path we were walking on. They bounced about playfully chasing each other and stopping as they heard the summoning whistles of their owner. We were back at the car by now.
Reminds of that poem by William Henry Davies 'Time to stop and stare'.
What is this life if full of care
We have no time to stand and stare?
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep, or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.............................
How do I feel now - rested and relaxed and better. The same worries are still there but for 45 minutes I paid attention to something else. It was nice - we'll do it again tomorrow.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Its a dogs life ....
Short and sweet today and inspired by my two old dogs. Here are the 'rules' they seem to live by.
1. Don't bite the hand that feeds you - think about it.
2. Have a walk everyday and enjoy every second of it - see it, feel it, love it.
3. Wag your tail at everyone - friend and foe.
4. When you're tired - sleep.
5. Never worry - what you need always turns up at the right time (bowl of water, bowl of food).
6. Don't take it personally when I ignore you - now is not the time - I am tired/sleepy/want to be alone ....
7. Live in the moment and always expect the best - I know she has a treat for me somewhere
Something here for everyone.
1. Don't bite the hand that feeds you - think about it.
2. Have a walk everyday and enjoy every second of it - see it, feel it, love it.
3. Wag your tail at everyone - friend and foe.
4. When you're tired - sleep.
5. Never worry - what you need always turns up at the right time (bowl of water, bowl of food).
6. Don't take it personally when I ignore you - now is not the time - I am tired/sleepy/want to be alone ....
7. Live in the moment and always expect the best - I know she has a treat for me somewhere
Something here for everyone.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Fluff and stuff
This morning I crawled out of bed, fed the dogs and decided to meditate. I watched 'Eat, Pray Love' last night and I thought 'I could do with a bit of that'. SO back into the bed, few deep breaths, closed my eyes and waited.
Of course loads of things popped into my head and as I looked at them I realised that these thoughts are all fluff - you know that light lint etc that gets stuck to your clothes. I realise that I pay so much attention to this fluff when it would suit me better to pluck it off !! I decided I would do just that - look at it and then pluck it off.
This took some time because a lot of it kept coming back !!! When I stopped looking at it I listened to my body. What was my body saying to me 'You are tired. Let it go and rest'. That is what I did. I am just back from a walk with the dogs. It couldn't be classed as a walk - more of a stroll. I watched the dogs as they dandered along, stopping to sniff a blade of grass or watch a squirrel scurry up a tree. Instead of letting my mind run amok with worries and things to do lists, I watched the dogs. They have the same walk every day and every day they sniff and explore as if it is their first time here. I suppose you could say I had a walking meditation.
So what am I saying? Most of the worries and anxieties and fretting I do is just fluff and stuff. Look at it, sniff it and let it go.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
When do we need to leave well alone?
I have ignored my garden for months now and looked sadly at my precious plants fading and collapsing under snow, frost and heavy rain.
My Clematis that I nurtured was a tangle of dry leaves slumped against the fence. My tree lilies were 3 bare sticks. My flowerbed was worse !!! Upturned pots and spilled soil lay amongst the remains of the lupins.
I knew that I would have to go out and clear away the debris and start all over again.
How wrong was I? The tree lilies tips are peeping out of the soil - clearly seen when I cleared away yucky leaves. The lupins are green and fresh and rising up to meet the new spring air. The clematis have sprouted fresh healthy green leaves and the peony roses are shooting up.
Nature is wonderful and never fails. No matter what is thrown at it in terms of rain or whatever, those buds still appear in spring. Ok not everything survives but that is natural. That's the way of nature - its a cycle.
How many times have we interfered and messed things up instead of letting life happen?
We coat our skins with anti-wrinkle creams, colour our hair, dose ourselves with multivitamins in a useless attempt to hold back the years. If we stop pushing against what is obvious and may be inevitable, life is easier. There I was, all geared up to dig up and throw away and causing myself upset. Instead of looking out at my garden in the middle of winter and be grateful for it, I was reprimanding myself. Forces far greater than I are silently working away, accepting and going with the flow.
Can we do this in life? Are there times when it is better to stop and trust that we are being looked after? Is this called intuition - that knowing intelligence that tells us to stop or go?
So today I am letting go of the need to control everything. There are things I can control.
Trust and believe that you are being looked after. There is an intelligence greater than me and even though my ego says otherwise, I don't know everything and I do not need to fix everything. Somethings look after themselves and are better without me sticking my nose in.
My Clematis that I nurtured was a tangle of dry leaves slumped against the fence. My tree lilies were 3 bare sticks. My flowerbed was worse !!! Upturned pots and spilled soil lay amongst the remains of the lupins.
I knew that I would have to go out and clear away the debris and start all over again.
How wrong was I? The tree lilies tips are peeping out of the soil - clearly seen when I cleared away yucky leaves. The lupins are green and fresh and rising up to meet the new spring air. The clematis have sprouted fresh healthy green leaves and the peony roses are shooting up.
Nature is wonderful and never fails. No matter what is thrown at it in terms of rain or whatever, those buds still appear in spring. Ok not everything survives but that is natural. That's the way of nature - its a cycle.
How many times have we interfered and messed things up instead of letting life happen?
We coat our skins with anti-wrinkle creams, colour our hair, dose ourselves with multivitamins in a useless attempt to hold back the years. If we stop pushing against what is obvious and may be inevitable, life is easier. There I was, all geared up to dig up and throw away and causing myself upset. Instead of looking out at my garden in the middle of winter and be grateful for it, I was reprimanding myself. Forces far greater than I are silently working away, accepting and going with the flow.
Can we do this in life? Are there times when it is better to stop and trust that we are being looked after? Is this called intuition - that knowing intelligence that tells us to stop or go?
So today I am letting go of the need to control everything. There are things I can control.
Trust and believe that you are being looked after. There is an intelligence greater than me and even though my ego says otherwise, I don't know everything and I do not need to fix everything. Somethings look after themselves and are better without me sticking my nose in.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Food and friends and feeling awful
What's your strategy for dealing with the crap life can throw at you? Are you a 'burning martyr' - say nothing but the stench is gagging? Do you bore the daylights out of any poor sod who stupidly asks you how you're doing as you drone on and on and on and onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn?
I am an 'Advanced user' of both and they don't work. At the end of it, you still feel bloody awful and people are now openly avoiding you !!! So what is a girl to do?
Three words - FOOD, FRIENDS, FALL.
We are social beings - yes we all love to be in a tribe. We love a good gossip - coffee is not the same unless its with a sneaky side of 'NEWS' delivered by Mildred who knows EVERYTHING about EVERYBODY. So why in the name of goodness do we shun our tribe when we get a metaphorical kick in the teeth. What do we do - we paint on a smile and pretend that all is well.
WRONG WRONG WRONG. SO this is what you do.
Please remember location location location - the photocopying room is not suitable, nor the biscuit aisle in Tesco !!
1. Fall into the misery - yep that's right. Just wallow in it, smell it, and see it. DO NOT START THE POSITIVITY THING - you know the sage advice 'Suck it up'..
Acknowledge that you feel bloody awful and you deserve to feel it 100%. If that means sobbing and sobbing - DO IT.
2. Next is to gather the food and friends - think carefully to avoid further upset !!
Food - a packet of stale biscuits doesn't work. Neither does the bowl of old cold mashed potato in the fridge. You have to eat food that you LOVE. So think carefully - what food do you LOVE? Calorific value doesn't count. What does count is that the food of choice makes your heart sing and won't give you the runs.........
You need friends or friend to share the food with as you pour out your heart. Judgment and PC are to be left outside. You do not want that look as you rip into your misery. Curse, swear and spit BUT GET IT ALL OUT.
Whatever you do, please please please pick your confidante carefully. Need as I say more !!!!
There you are - it works for me. Lasts an hour or two but never longer than 3 hours. By then I feel sooooo much better and the world looks better and I need to clean my teeth after all that chocolate. Your friends will have come up with a solution and you have a result.
Bring on the next drama - I still have a tray of Belgian chocolates to be devoured.
I am an 'Advanced user' of both and they don't work. At the end of it, you still feel bloody awful and people are now openly avoiding you !!! So what is a girl to do?
Three words - FOOD, FRIENDS, FALL.
We are social beings - yes we all love to be in a tribe. We love a good gossip - coffee is not the same unless its with a sneaky side of 'NEWS' delivered by Mildred who knows EVERYTHING about EVERYBODY. So why in the name of goodness do we shun our tribe when we get a metaphorical kick in the teeth. What do we do - we paint on a smile and pretend that all is well.
WRONG WRONG WRONG. SO this is what you do.
Please remember location location location - the photocopying room is not suitable, nor the biscuit aisle in Tesco !!
1. Fall into the misery - yep that's right. Just wallow in it, smell it, and see it. DO NOT START THE POSITIVITY THING - you know the sage advice 'Suck it up'..
Acknowledge that you feel bloody awful and you deserve to feel it 100%. If that means sobbing and sobbing - DO IT.
2. Next is to gather the food and friends - think carefully to avoid further upset !!
Food - a packet of stale biscuits doesn't work. Neither does the bowl of old cold mashed potato in the fridge. You have to eat food that you LOVE. So think carefully - what food do you LOVE? Calorific value doesn't count. What does count is that the food of choice makes your heart sing and won't give you the runs.........
You need friends or friend to share the food with as you pour out your heart. Judgment and PC are to be left outside. You do not want that look as you rip into your misery. Curse, swear and spit BUT GET IT ALL OUT.
Whatever you do, please please please pick your confidante carefully. Need as I say more !!!!
There you are - it works for me. Lasts an hour or two but never longer than 3 hours. By then I feel sooooo much better and the world looks better and I need to clean my teeth after all that chocolate. Your friends will have come up with a solution and you have a result.
Bring on the next drama - I still have a tray of Belgian chocolates to be devoured.
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