Motivational Monday – An Activity of Gratitude

A gratitude journal or gratitude jar are two ways to record the things for which you are grateful.

Are you familiar with the Chicken Soup for the Soul books? Each book has a theme and is a collection of inspirational true stories. In a recent story I read, the writer talked about an activity he participated in at his church. The activity was an exercise in gratitude. He was to make a list of 100 things he was grateful for.

As I read the Chicken Soup story, it caused me to ponder whether I could produce 100 items of gratitude. How about you, can you generate a list of 100 items? The key to accomplishing this task is to not overthink the process. This is for your eyes only. There will be no points deducted for spelling or grammar; sentence fragments are accepted.

My call to action for you is to sit down for 10 minutes and create your list of gratitude. Your list can include big things, little things, silly things, and anything in between. Make this a family activity and sit down together. If you like challenges, set a timer and see who can produce the most items in 5 minutes. Repeat the process for another 5 minutes.

Keep your gratitude list in a location that is easily accessible to you. Pull it out when you need a boost to your day.

I am grateful that you took the time to read this blog post. May your attitude of gratitude brighten someone’s day.

  

Fun Friday – 3 Easy ways to amuse yourself with your own sense of humor

 

“A laugh a day keeps stress at bay,” that’s my mantra and I’m sticking to it. Last week I talked about laughter being therapeutic. One of the ways to use laughter as therapy is to explore your own sense of humor, amuse yourself.

My family is very helpful to me when it comes to finding things amusing. Our Thanksgiving is a small gathering of the immediate family. We each bring an item to mom’s house. My brother is the first to shout out, “I’ll bring the pop.” He doesn’t want to cook anything.

This year Mama said, “Let’s have a B.Y.O.B. celebration.” After a pregnant pause, she followed up with, “Everybody can… Bring Your Own Blankets.”

This leads us to the 3 ways to amuse yourself.

1.      Have fun with your family – as you enjoy time with family, something amusing is bound to happen. Kids will entertain you with things they do or say, pets even add their own flair. Relax and observe.

2.      Create a funny video – are you a fan of TikTok, Instagram Reels or some other social media outlet? It can be a video of you doing something funny, a pet, or a family member who is willing to join you.

3.      Make fun of yourself – this does not imply that you should be mean to yourself. Think about something funny that’s happened to you recently. I keep getting emails from Harry’s Men’s Razors. I deleted one the other day as I said, “I know my mustache is thick, but I don’t need your razor.”

Love yourself enough to laugh for the health of it every day. What are some ways you amuse yourself?

Words of Wisdom - Happy Thanksgiving

 

YouTube Video Credit: Steele House

Motivational Monday – 5 Ways to Celebrate National Family Week

 

Photo Credit: courageouschristianfather.com

National Family was first proclaimed by President Nixon in 1972. It is recognized November 20 – 26 and is all about celebrating family. This is a great opportunity to express gratitude and enjoy those who you consider family.

Below are 5 ways you can celebrate National Family Week.

·         Have a family movie marathon – is there a favorite movie or collection of movies that you like to watch during the Holiday season? Start watching them now.

·         Have a family sports carnival – if your family is anything like mine, I’m sure you can find something around the house to include in your carnival. We have a basketball that needs air in it, a football that is rarely used (dormant in a corner), and a tennis ball tucked inside of a roller skate.

·         Make a special family breakfast

·         Hold a family game night – although my sons are older they still enjoy the thrill of a family game night. My younger son came home from college one weekend and said, “Ma, I have a new game that we need to pay.” He proceeded to demonstrate the game to me. He read a phrase from one of the game cards, except he was speaking in a garbled tone, then asked if I could understand what he was saying. My son finally told me that the game is called Incoherent, and I was supposed to guess what he was saying.

·         Be active together – take a walk through a park, your neighborhood, or a downtown area. It doesn’t matter where you go, get out and breathe in fresh air.

Celebrate your family this Holiday season by spending time doing more of the things you enjoy.

What would you add to the list of ways to celebrate National Family Week?

Fitness Friday – A new kind of workout

What does your current fitness routine look like? Are you out in the evening walking your dog, up early doing stretches, or riding a Peloton bike with a virtual coach? I’ve done them all at some point along the fitness journey. It’s good to add variety to your workout, it’s like trying different seasonings on your food.

I accidentally engaged in a new workout the other day. It was an accident because I wasn’t quite prepared. The culprit of my woes was a new pair of stretchy leggings that were on sale and cute. The long adhesive removable tag attached to the leg read Large.

As I attempted to try the pants on at home, I realized the label was misleading. There should have been a warning that stated: Due to COVID and the shortage of supplies, less material was used to make this garment.

If that statement was attached somewhere, I would have known to purchase the next larger size. There were no fitting rooms at the store so I grabbed the size I would typically wear.

Here we are back at the point of me preparing for my routine workout. It was more like playing a game of Twister – left foot in, right hand reach and pull pant leg. I was thrown into this workout without a warm-up; it was an immediate high intensity training.

There was no time for deep breathing, it was rapid fire, short quick breaths. This reminded me of child birthing class where we practiced breathing using the phrase – he, he, whooo; he, he, whooo; then blew out a breath between repetitions.

I was worried the leggings wouldn’t make it over my protruding belly. I quickly discovered there was no need for worry. They made it over my knees and refused to stretch any further.

The leggings gripped my legs like an exercise band. I left them there and began doing squats, standing donkey kicks, and other fitness moves I learned over the years. After a few minutes of intense fighting with the pants, I gave up and began the cool down.

In a seated position on the floor, my breathing became slower and more deliberate. I removed the leggings one leg at a time, relaxed my body, then threw the pants across the room. I’d had enough of my new workout.

Don’t give up on your fitness journey. When you hit a speed bump, go over it, and keep moving.

What type of fitness mishaps have you experienced? 

Wordless Wednesday - Can you use a laugh today? - Comedy of Mike Goodwin

 

Part-time Christian - Mike Goodwin Comedian

Made up Words from the South - Mike Goodwin Comedian

Motivational Monday – National Entrepreneurship Month – 3 Ways to celebrate

 

Have you heard…November is recognized as National Entrepreneurship Month? It’s a time to “celebrate the men and women who have the courage to take smart risks in business (National Today).” More specifically, National Entrepreneurship Day is celebrated on November 16^th.

Here are 3 ways to celebrate National Entrepreneurship Day:

1.      Attend an event hosted by local business owners – support an independent bookstore, a boutique, or a pop-up shop.

2.      Post a message of support social media – post a recommendation or words of gratitude for entrepreneurs you know.

3.      Bring your idea to life – have you thought about starting your own business. Take time this month to explore your options and research your ideas.

If you have a business idea, get together with a friend or two who are budding entrepreneurs. You can serve as accountability partners to each other. Touch base with each other periodically to discuss the progress.

The evening I got together with friends was our second meeting. In order to ignite our creativity, we first fueled our bellies. A variety of Mediterranean dishes, soup, warm bread with garlic butter, and beverages, pleased our palates. The food was only a part of the camaraderie.

Our girl’s night in included catching up on life since the last time we’d seen each other, a few months prior. By the end if the night we had all set up our L.L.C. and set goals for the next 30 days. The challenge presented to me was to increase my YouTube subscribers by 70%.

I’m inviting you to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking here. You will find tidbits of humor and inspiration for your day.

What would you add to the list of ways to celebrate National Entrepreneurship Day and Month? If you are an entrepreneur, leave the name of your business in the comments.

Fun Friday – Laughter Therapy – 5 Ways to practice laughing

 

Sometimes you have to amuse yourself.

Laughing is therapeutic. You don’t have to call a doctor for this type of therapy (unless you really need to), you can do it yourself or with a group of friends. When you’re feeling stressed, anxious, or agitated, find something that makes you laugh. When was the last time you laughed out loud?

Laughter is powerful, and according to the experts it reduces physical, mental, and emotional stress. I’m going to believe the experts, you know why..? I like to laugh, and I believe you do as well. Below are 5 Ways you can practice laughter therapy.

1.      Practice laughing five minutes a day.

2.      Laugh with other people – you don’t have to worry about being funny, just relax, and share laughs as they happen.

3.      Create your own laughter club.

4.      Amuse yourself with your own sense of humor.

5.      Look for humor – it’s all around you. Watch a funny TV show, search newspaper headlines (can be online or print edition – they still exist) or load fun games on your phone.

I am becoming an expert at amusing myself and finding humor around me. Here what I mean…

One thing I find challenging is eating the right combination of foods for weight loss. For some reason eating a family size bag of Skinny Pop popcorn over a couple of days, does not lead to weight loss. Since I am failing in this area, I sought help.

I signed up for a 30-day fitness challenge. As part of the challenge, it was suggested that I take before and after pictures of myself, which were to include front, side, and back views. I took photos and when I looked at them…I knew I had done the right thing by signing up for the challenge. I don’t know who stole my body that was once in shape, but I want it back.

It’s not that I’m totally out of shape, I’d just like a different shape, one that is not so…round. I am committed to working toward long, lean muscles, as the lady in my yoga video emphasizes. As I continue to be a work in progress, I will practice laughing through my efforts.

Laughing is therapeutic. What are your tips for including laughter in your day?

If you enjoyed this story, there are more like it in my eBook Laughter HELPS - A Happier, Healthier You. Order here.

Happy Veteran's Day

 To those who have served in the military, thank you for your service.

Motivational Monday – World Kindness Day – 7 Ways to Celebrate

 

World Kindness Day is celebrated November 13^th. Acts of kindness can uplift the giver and receiver of the deed. Think about a time you did something kind for someone, or you were the recipient of kindness. How did you feel?

There are things you can do for World Kindness Day that don’t cost any money; Below are 3.

1.      Smile and say hi to someone.

2.      Send a note of gratitude – whether it’s an email or snail mail, express your gratitude to someone.

3.      Write a recommendation or review – perhaps you know someone who is job searching, or an author; Support them through your words.

Here are more ways to spread kindness, some may cost money, but you decide what to spend.

4.      Put together birthday boxes for co-workers – form a team to put together boxes or bags at the beginning of the month for individuals with birthdays that month. You could include a card signed by everyone, a gift card to a local coffee shop, or something else the person likes.

5.      Donate school supplies to a local school.

6.      Create a Kindness Jar – this can be something you do at home or at the office. Decorate a mason jar and include the words “Spread Kindness.” Have a small note pad or sticky notes next to the jar. Individuals can write a family member’s name or co=worker’s name, depending on whether the jar is for home or the office. Add a kind thought and drop the note in the jar.

At a staff meeting ask each person to read a note. At home notes can be read at the end of the week or make it a family night tradition.

7.      Create “Blessing Bags” – collect items to donate to a women’s shelter or homeless shelter.

All of the ideas above were adapted from an article titled, 20nWorld Kindness Day Activities to Try at Home and Work. Click here for the full article. Try any of the ideas and put your own spin on them.

What would you add to the list of ways to celebrate World Kindness Day? Spread kindness on World Kindness Day and beyond.

 

Wellness Wednesday – National Play Outside Day – 5 Ways to Celebrate

 

Statute of kids playing outside - Navy Pier, Chicago, IL

Running, laughing, playing, these things remind me of childhood, and being outside. The fun does not have to stop after childhood, in fact it should not stop. National Play Outside Day is celebrated on November 5^th and encourages everyone to get outside and play.

The purpose of Play Outside Day is for kids, families, adults, and grandparents, to make play a priority. How you play is up to you. You could have an outdoor family scavenger hunt, visit a park or playground outside of your area, or play hopscotch.

Below are 5 ideas to help you celebrate National Play Outside Day.

1.      Create paper airplanes and see who can fly theirs the farthest.

2.      Have  pillow fight outside.

3.      Blow bubbles.

4.      Go for a power walk.

5.      Build a fort using lawn furniture.

The above ideas were taken from VeryWellFamily. See their full list of 50 Things to Do Outside With Kids as a Family, here.

What would you add to the list of ways to celebrate National Play Outside Day?

Motivational Monday - The Beauty of Fall

 

"Fall is about relesing the old to make way for the new."  - theburnedhand.com

Take the time to look around you and appreciate the beauty in your life.

"And all at once, summer collasped into fall."  - Oscar Wilde

May your days surround you with beauty.