Living In The Moment
Hello Lemon Dodgers! Living in the moment is the lesson today!
At least how I do it, you may have other ideas that work for you. It literally is a full stop setting at any given moment in the day. For me it begins with gratitude. Stopping what I am doing, breathing deep, letting my mind relax and take in the moment. My walks are an excellent place to do this. Grateful for the trail by the water, sunny skies, birds and chipmunks. It’s a slice of heaven for me. My mind calms and my body relaxes.
Full Stop For gratitude
Once while walking with a friend I stopped suddenly, put my arms out, looked up and closed my eyes. She says, “What the heck are you doing?” I replied not moving a muscle, “I’m having a moment, go ahead I’ll just be a minute.” Now she has “moments” too when we walk!
But it doesn’t have to be somewhere nature inspired. One time I had a mindful moment in the nasty dark laundry room in the basement of my old apartment building. I sat in the semi darkness on an old wooden chair by the one and only washer/dryer set, and even though I had given up so many nice things after my divorce, I was having a grateful mindful moment. I was grateful to be away and on my own!
My other go to for mindfulness is at night in bed. Before I go to sleep I say four or five things I am grateful for in my life. They don’t have to be big things on a grateful list. For me it’s all about making that lemon cocktail out of the sour lemons that come my way in life.
For example…As I sit here writing, I am outside on my small patio…big enough for two chairs and small table, grateful for and admiring my two potted plants of marigolds and geraniums. (I love yellow marigolds and my Grandma loved red geraniums). So although I used to have many beautiful perennial gardens I am grateful for these two pots now.
Other things that I’m grateful for include…
*My day to myself to do as I please.
*The two maple trees in the backyard. Giving me shade as I write and beautiful colour in the fall.
*The sound of an airplane in the distance. It calms my mind and helps me focus.
*That cocktail before dinner, enjoyed on my little patio with my guy.
And at the same time I’m always grateful for indoor plumbing, running water, sunny days and cupcakes!
Life Experience Wisdom
So when things get to be too much for you, take a moment to stop and be grateful for something…anything. I’ve learned it’s up to me to make my own lemon cocktail.
Cheers til next time.
Grace
My Motto
When life throws baseball size lemons at you, that smack you upside the head, stomp on those damn things and make yourself a cocktail!