Take Back Your Day

Oh Monday, you are putting up a good fight, but not good enough!

Sometimes every day seems like Monday. That has especially been the case with me lately. However, it has done me no good to sit here and wallow in it. Last week I decided to say I'M DONE with letting the day(s) defeat me. I took two days off of work to do whatever I wanted....and I most certainly enjoyed them!
It was as if I hit a refresh button. No expectations, no usual frustrations, no one telling me I needed to do something or how to do it. It was so nice.

Then....it was back to the grind. So while it was short-lived, it was amazing. So I ask myself, how can I turn any bad day around to make it MY day? Because, let's face it, we cannot just take a day off of work when we feel like it. I have a bad habit of worrying myself with what I have to do throughout the week (cleaning, washing clothes, going to work, meeting deadlines..etc), and I never just experience the present...I never enjoy the small things given to me in the 24 hours I am living at this very moment.

I started thinking about this as soon as I walked out of the house today to head to work. So I decided to try a few things to take back my day, and so far they are working for me.

I took a new route to work. It changed things up for me. It defied my norm and made driving to work feel as if it wasn't so routine and monotonous. I also turned on music that I knew would give me that extra little push to start my day off right. When I got to work, I turned on music. Music always makes things better (in my humble opinion). I am much more productive when there is music!

I have also decided that when I get frustrated at work I will excuse myself and run/walk the stairs. So, I will either be really skinny soon or learn not to get so frustrated so I won't have to walk/run the stairs. Nothing like some strict discipline :)

One of my favorite changes is the way I greeted and responded to greetings this morning. When an intern arrived and asked how my weekend was, I didn't do the usual "it was good, and yours?" Instead, I highlighted the best parts of the weekend. I told her all about the softball tournament, the movie, and best of all, the gum story. It felt so nice to not be so robotic and conventional.

[Gum Story: Melissa and I were in Target and the cashier asked us if we had any gum. Melissa gave her two pieces of hers, and then signaled to me to put a pack of gum on the conveyor belt. Once we payed, Melissa handed the cashier her own pack of gum. She came out of her lane and gave Melissa a huge hug and said she made her whole day.  It was a great moment.]

Reminding yourself of the good and great things that happened makes for a wonderful trick to turn your day around. I continued doing small things that ended up making big differences. I organized my work space, I took breaks to walk the stairs, get fresh air, or to enjoy a snack. I did stuff for ME. I may be forced to be in a certain environment, but I will not be forced to be miserable. I am blessed to have a job, I am blessed to be given the opportunity to help others through my work, but I am also blessed with choices to make on how my day will unfold.

I recognize the importance to do the small things to remind myself that the day is what I make of it. It is MY day, and so why should I let others claim it? If you feel like this, start changing things up. Eat something different, try a new coffee flavor, spend 15 more minutes getting ready in the morning to pamper yourself, do yoga when you wake up, be extra nice. Get together with your co-workers and have a theme week where you wear crazy socks or have a show and tell. Do something unfamiliar on your breaks - eat somewhere you have never eaten, go somewhere you have never been, sit at the park and count the runners. Whatever you do, do something different. This will be a great break in routine, and it will create a new memory, it will be a topic to talk to others about, it will be YOUR new experience...it will make your dreaded work hours not so dreadful. If you are in a position where you cannot do any of these things, then make your after hours worth your working hours. Before you walk in the door this evening, take a deep breath and leave your work stuff on the doormat and enjoy what is on the other side of that door. Free yourself from anything that happened between the hours of 8 and 5. Take advantage of the fact that there is still time in the day after work just for YOU!

Matt Nathanson sings, "Everyday is the start of something beautiful, and in the end nothing stays the same." So every day doesn't have to be bad, every day doesn't have to be dreadful. Every day is a new chance to take back your day, to rise and accept the challenge to give it all you you've got to make sure your smiling in the beginning, middle and end of your day. If you wake up in the morning it is a gift, so be alive, feel alive and LIVE that day like it was unexpected.

Where Melissa works, they have a quote of the week. I love this idea. I wanted to steal it, but I didn't. Instead, I have come up with a topic of the week. So, whenever we are having a bad day, or see someone else who has a bad day, we talk about the topic to turn things around. I will  let you know how this works out for us in my work environment ;)

Until then, have a great time making changes and creating new opportunities to evolve in the renovations of your daily life. Just remember to start by taking back your day!

Peace and joy,
Beth

Beauty and the Beach

As I was driving to work this morning, I was listening to John Mayer as he sings,
" A little bit of summer is what the whole year is all about"

I couldn't help but to immediately agree. Having grown up on the Gulf Coast, I would be lying if I said summer wasn't an exciting time of year. Summer just seems to make everything better. It makes the chilliest of nights totally worth it. Given this beaming excitement, I often struggle with summer because it is the dreaded bathing suit season.

It is as if the shore is the runway, and as people walk by having their own good time, spectators posted up in their chairs or beach towels are critiquing everything from weight, to attractiveness, to bathing suit fashion to the way they walk. At least this is how it is in my head, which is why I never walk the beach.

This year however, I propose to myself to change my mindset so I can thoroughly enjoy the season of bliss. I have decided to not compare myself to anyone. Anyone who knows me know this is a rather large feat, but I deserve the break from the self sabotage.

Last year I had the most fun I have had in a very long time on a beach in California. It is MUCH different in CA. The people there are all naturally sunkissed and fit. They are also very active. You don't see people just laying out on the beach reading books. There are soccer games, dog walking, jogging, surfing...etc. No one cares about anything. It was apparently contagious. For the first time in YEARS, I got my behind up and played paddle ball with my friends....on the beach. It was a BLAST. It was that simple game that made me realize how much I have missed out on when going to the beach just because I was in my own head.

I gained a new appreciation for the beach. I finally enjoyed the sand, lost track of time and lost myself in genuine enjoyment. I honestly cannot wait until the next time my feet hit the sand. I am more comfortable with myself, not because I have lost weight or anything, but because it is just exhausting being uncomfortable. You miss out on so much because you just spend time worrying about things and judgement that probably aren't even happening! I know I am not the only one who struggled with this.

If you are reading this and you struggle with what should be the most wonderful season of the year, please remember:
give yourself a break from the nature of your thoughts and enjoy the nature of reality. Soak in the sun, curl your toes in the sand, smell the wind from the shore, listen to the waves, get lost in the aroma of sunscreen and enjoy the therapeutic essence of the beach during summer. If you live in an area that is unfortunately not near a beach, just step outside and let the sun warm your soul, look up and thank God for such beauty. Take in the blue skies, how the flowers paint the community around you, and the overall glow of outdoors. The sunsets get prettier, the sunrise is more pleasant and mornings are just a little bit easier to bare.

I unfortunately work in an office that has windows so high up that I cannot enjoy the beauty of summer and spring as I would like to while working, but I am somewhat comforted by the fact that the season is approaching and that in itself helps. I can step outside if I need to, I can take a short drive to the beach or bay on the weekends, I CAN and WILL find a way to enjoy what God has given us. There is so much to look forward to during spring and summer. There's race season, softball, beach time, outdoor live music, concerts, crawfish, festivals...etc. How could you NOT love this time of year!?!

I feel somewhat empowered by my new mindset, and it's nice.

If you take anything from this post, take this:
Free your mind of worry to make room for wonder. That's the beauty of the beach...it's the greatest escape.

Peace and Joy,
Beth

Spectator High

Good Morning, Readers!
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.
I realized something this weekend that I should really keep in the front of my mind on a more regular basis. Each day is a gift, and what we decide to do with that gift projects our outlook on how we define quality of life. It is about taking the day and what it gives us and making the most if it. It is never giving up on your gift. It is about defining the principals of quality for those moments of each day, allowing hope to prevail that there is something good in every moment of every day.

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending The Biggest Loser Run/Walk in downtown Mobile. They had a 1 mile fun run, a 5k, and a half marathon. I wanted to be jealous that I was not running it, but I knew that was not a very productive attitude to have, and thank God I didn't because my experience would not have been so wonderful.

Upon my arrival, I believed to only be there to support someone very near and dear to me. I was ready with my camera, and map on my phone, to capture as much of her run as I could. I ran from the start, caught them at mile 4, and ran back to the finish to await her arrival and to celebrate her success. But, as I reached mile 4, I realized there was so much more to what I was doing. I found myself cheering for people I have never even seen, getting thank you's from people who were clearly out of breath. A few high-fives and several cheers later, I made my way back to the finish line. All I could think about was how thrilling that was. I said to myself, "It is race season and I love it!"

Once I arrived at the finish line, I took a step back (metaphorically) and just soaked it all in. The lifestyle of a runner is a beautiful thing, and terribly underrated. I was surrounded by people who were there for the same reasons I was. The atmosphere was extraordinary. There were thousands of people there, all playing a part in the success of these runners (including themselves). There were wonderful volunteers, there were bands, there were motivational speakers, there was great music, there were hundreds of spectators....all the people you would expect an an event like this. But what goes unrecognized by many are small things each of these people are doing. The creative signs, the rushing of those trying to get that perfect picture, the cheering for strangers, the motivational phrases to those who appear to be struggling, the children running to the finish line with their parent(s), the runners who already finished but go back to find their friends and run them in to keep them going,  the costumes, the food donations and so much more. In that moment of soaking it all in, I realized something very important: everyone was smiling! It was as if everyone pressed pause on any stress or challenge they have been facing and enjoyed the hours of complete happiness. 

What a great experience for first time runners, first time half-marathoners, and first-time 5k-ers. Those who are seasoned in running enjoyed the awesome course and may have PR'd (just as MJ did). Though many participants had looks of pain on their face, they were still able to squeeze out a smile, wave, or thank you every time I cheered for them and yelled motivational quotes. They CHOSE to be happy, despite what their muscles may have been telling them. There were people who had knee injuries, arms in slings, limps, and other ailments, yet nothing was stopping these people from finishing! It is an amazing phenomenon; one we should all be so lucky to experience. 

Race season is a blessing in disguise. It is a time to collaborate with complete strangers who share the same goal as you and form a tiny world where everyone is happy and can celebrate in harmony from mile one to mile 3, 13, or 26. It is about sharing ideas, tips, trends and experiences with friends and strangers. It is about welcoming people from other states, and being welcomed when it is your turn to travel for a race.
 It is about knowing that whatever comes of the day, you DID SOMETHING, you accomplished something, you supported something and most importantly you stood for something! You don't only celebrate crossing the finish line, you celebrate how proud you are of your runner, yourself for running, the person you ran next to, the respected pride you have for others who ran the race and the pride you have for those who supported you along the way. 

Other celebrations occur for the gift of being able to run, having the chance to run, having the chance to inspire, make a difference and motivate others. We celebrate our health, our well-being and our will. We also thank God for providing us with such beautiful days, grace, faith and trust.

Words cannot describe how proud I was, not only for every runner, but for MJ in particular. She set a goal and she reached it, despite of her feats of injury. She motivates me daily, and throw her into a group of thousands of others with her same mindset and all you can do is ask yourself, "where can I sign up?"

I am proud to be a runner....and even more proud to be a part of the running community. 

So what is it about race season that we could apply to every day life? How can we make our every days small worlds of happiness? Try assigning quality to it and hope life reciprocates that gesture. If something comes along in your day to take away from that quality, find something good about that particular speedbump and be thankful for it, because nine times out of ten, it probably taught you something.

Peace, Joy and Happiness,
Beth

                                                     Melissa Jones & her FINISHER medal...P.S. she had a 7 min PR!

My Words, Your Meanings

Unlike many bloggers I follow, I don't have children to post about, telling stories of their ages, stages and milestones. I don't have a specific topic to write about, nor have I overcome any life-threatening, life-changing circumstance. However, what I DO have are my words. 

Every day we speak, hear, type and read words. I strongly believe that interpretation and understanding of such words is an under-appreciated art form. Whether you are the sender or receiver of the words and phrases, you still apply the context, tone and body language to fit your needs at that moment in time, resulting in someone else's words becoming your own story. I personally do this with famous quotes, lyrics and even quirky messages on T-shirts.

Benjamin Franklin said, "Either write something worth reading, or do something worth writing."

My daily goal in life is to say something or write something that is of some worth to someone else. I think this is important in anyone's life. I may not know everything, but I understand that you never know when your words can change someone's life. It could be a simple phrase, it could be a book. It could be a look you give someone. It could be a gesture. Whatever it may be, it is influencing someone, somewhere. People are often thirsty to relate someone else's words, stories or lyrics to their own lives to help make sense of their life, or what they may be going through at that time, or to even get them through certain feelings. Words are used to validate emotions, change a mood, and in some extreme cases, save lives. 

We use words to make points, defend ideas, express ideas and share thoughts. These exact operations are what leads to growth, whether it be spiritually, emotionally, mentally or cognitively. Words expand our minds through personal interpretation and exceeding our own levels of understanding. They simply move us. 

We apply words to actions, facial expressions, pictures and pretty much everything around us. We describe with words, we express feelings with words, we assign meaning with words. My personal favorite is to develop creativity with words. Either way, I strive to use my words to inspire, encourage, influence and educate. Though some days are a struggle for this aspiration, I still have the most important words, and those are the words to God through prayer. 

So welcome to my blog. May you be uplifted, encouraged and find positive meanings in the sequence of letters I write, for it is not about MY message, it is simply about the words and what YOU make of them.