We don’t always need the things we want

We’re all consumers. There’s no way around it nowadays. We’re bombarded by the media convincing us that what we really need is what they’re selling. The bigger house, the more efficient car, the faster computer, the less-clumping mascara – you’ll be smarter, more powerful, and much more gorgeous! It’s all just hype. We know that, but we still sit mesmerized by the 2am infomercials telling us how much better of a cook we’ll be with this latest high-tech invention, or how much cleaner our carpets will be using this state of the art vacuum. It’s absolutely amazing!

I’m not saying don’t buy things. We need many of these things. In the last couple years I’ve pared down my frivolous spending ten-fold. Consciously thinking about every purchase takes work. And sometimes it’s really, really annoying. “But I really want that! It’s so cool!” But do I need it? Not likely. I have everything I need to live. And, of course, if my vacuum breaks, I’ll research the best one for the best deal. Sometimes the latest, greatest model really is the best deal – but not always.

Personally, I’ve done this because, besides the money savings, I’ve wanted to get out of that “consumerist” attitude. I’d rather have money to spend on things like organic foods and fun life experiences. Oh, and wine. I don’t want “things”, I want to enjoy life. And to do that I need to take care of myself by eating as well as I can, and balancing work and life by getting out, having fun and doing things I enjoy.

To me, “the basics” not only include food, shelter and clothing. The basics of life should also embrace health, peace of mind, happiness, and love. Oftentimes, these necessities are overlooked as secondary goals. They’re not. Life is the experience we have while we exist in this consciousness. Every one of us deserves every one of these basics of life – no one is exempt. No one.

I’ve seen people short-change themselves for the happiness of another. This does not work. If you’re not happy then how can a loved one be happy with you? I’ve seen people cut down because of another person. How can that person truly be happy by crushing their loved ones self-worth? They can’t. You need to start with yourself. You are the only one you have control over. Take care to actually require all of the basics in life that you deserve. Keep in mind that you may already have many of these things – we tend to become too focused on what’s missing to see what is already there. And then, once you realize everything you do have, you’ll become empowered knowing that you really do deserve the love and happiness and peace in your heart. You’ll exude that self-worth and that, in turn, will radiate outwards and affect your loved ones in a positive way.

So, while we don't always need what we want, we do deserve the things we may think we're unworthy of. We truly are all worthy.

I wish you a wonderful holiday season!
Namaste!

Gratitude

Throughout my limited writing endeavor I’ve learned many things about life but the one thing that stands out the most is that happiness is a direct and proportional result of gratefulness. I find that I circle back to this fact in nearly every post. I find that I circle back to this fact in nearly every experience in my life. It is, for me, a hard and fast rule of life. Sadly, most people don’t embrace this rule until the time of year when we are bombarded by the media with giving thanks.

Give thanks for these couple months then, come January 1^st, feel free to go back to whining and bitching and complaining!

Ummm, no thanks. What that really translates into is – Be happy for these couple of months then, come January 1^st, feel free to go back to being miserable! A universal truth – the things you focus on will grow in your reality. So, if you focus on the positive then positive things will become abundant. If you focus on the negative, well, I think we’ve all been there at one point or another. It snowballs.

One good thing about the media at this time of year is that they do emphasize the need for compassion and empathy and support for those less fortunate. Help feed the homeless on the holidays. Donate a toy for an orphaned child. Send a care package to our overseas military. Volunteer your time to an ailing child or disabled vet. Yes, these are all important things but the most important concept to realize is how fortunate you yourself are. The majority of us have a home and a family and loved ones and reasonable health and gainful employment. The more we consciously focus on what we have in this realm, instead of focusing on what we don’t have in the material world, the happier and more content we’ll live - at any time of the year.

Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.

-  Denis Waitley

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, all!

Self worth

A new email comes in for support. I've never seen this program before. I don't have a clue what it does. Or why. None of that matters. Not only do I need to learn this program well enough to teach others how to use it, I also need to learn how to install it, and how the licensing and tech support work. My heart stops in my chest for a second. I feel overwhelmed. This needs to be done in the next week. Along with the myriad of other projects I'm working on. I'm having a small panic attack. But only for a moment. I stop. I breathe. This is what I do. This is what I live for. I know what I'm doing even if I don't actually know the specifics. I have a knack for this computer stuff. I'll figure it out. I always do. Exhale. Now focus and just do it.

 

We're going out. Date night. Is this really what I'm going to wear? Is it too "young"? Do I look too frumpy? Does he even like this color or this style? What will people think? Oh, wait, I forgot - I don't care what other people think. He tells me I look great. Am I comfortable? Do I like what I'm wearing? Yes, and yes. Alright then. Let's go have some fun!

 

Every day, it seems, I'm encountered by some small anxiety issue. Am I smart enough? Am I good enough? Am I pretty enough? Am I worthy of the happiness I have in my life? Knowing I'm worth it isn't the same as knowing I deserve it. I deserve what happens as a result of my actions or in-actions. Positive or negative. That's simply cause and effect. Being worthy of good things is every person's right.

 

I have several good things in my life. I strive to consciously put out positive vibes every day. And every day I do, they're returned. Yes, work is tough. But if I tackle an issue head-on, light-heartedly with a positive attitude, I will always prevail. And I'll be the better for it. Any fears I had, now gone.

 

As I get older, I find that my insight and gut feeling are much more accurate. Being conscious of that helps. The more I pay attention to what feels right, the more often I feel the right thing. The second-thoughts and initial fears are still there - maybe they always will be - but I'm learning that consciously working through them at that moment alleviates any additional stress and relieves any of those initial worries instantly.

 

Because of these things - the conscious work I do to try to improve my mental health - I know that I am doing and have done everything I can to be the best person I can. And that too, makes me worthy. I will not sabotage the wonderful relationship I have just because I think I'm not worth it. I will not jeopardize the great job I have because I think I'm not worth it. Because I am. Life hasn't always been easy. Nor is it now. But I know I'm worthy of every good thing that happens to me and I will not take that for granted. I know it takes an outpouring of  happiness and positivity to have happiness and positivity returned. I intend to keep up with that.

Namasté, friends! 

Run Like Hell 2014!

We've been training for 6 weeks and decided to do a race. Fun day! Our time was 41:26. Not bad considering I really haven't run in about a year and Jeff is just starting after a running hiatus that began at the end of his military career! Crazy! Love, love, love the refreshments afterwards!

More Colorado fun!



 

The Wild Animal Sanctuary

 

This was a great excursion. A mile-long ramp runs the length of the sanctuary about 35 feet above the animals. Being predators, they rarely look up or care what's up there so they're more relaxed. All of their animals are rescues - everything from people trying to raise them in their homes to people raising them for fur to zoos closing down. Some came from a circus that was abusing the animals.

 

Here are some pics of the animals - Lions and tigers and bears!

 

 

 

 

World Famous Rocky Mountain Oysters at Bruce's Tavern in Severance, Colorado

 

Yum! Combo plate of Beef and Buffalo.

 

 

The Loveland Indian - Loveland, Colorado

 



Colorado!

Having a great time in Colorado! Here are some of the pics so far...

 

State Capitol

 

 

 

Denver City & County Building

 

 

Mile High Stadium

 

 

 

Pepsi Center:

 

 

Coors Field

 

 

The Denver Riverfront - Highlands

 

 

 

 At the Dam Store on the road to Trail Ridge 

 

Trail Ridge Store & Café - next to the Visitor's Center - Elevation 11,796

Trail Ridge Summit (we hiked up to here) - Elevation 12,005

 

Pics from the top

 

The only constant is change

As much as most people try to avoid it, change is inevitable. As much as we dig our heels in and hang on with both hands, it happens. It has to. It is the only constant. We know this. Then why do we fight it so?

 

In a major life change for me, I had to let go of my baby boy, Forest, this last week. Looking back on my life with him is a happy journey. I feel so grateful for having had the chance to adopt him into my life. From the outset, I was determined to train him into the best puppy ever, and I did. However, it wasn’t all me. He began as a wonderful, beautiful soul and simply grew from there, accepting and adapting to whatever the world threw at him. Dogs are born with that and it stays ingrained.

 

He was a happy, goofy boy and it was my life’s work to give him every benefit and experience I could. I think back on our first walks together when he got scared of a leaf blowing in the wind. I caught the leaf and showed it to him and told him what it was. Soon, he was chasing the leaves and eventually they were just things that were outside. I did this with anything he reacted to. Every day we walked and when he was old enough we started running together. We ran nearly every day for about 8 years. Those were the true glory days for us. 5 miles. 6 miles. Our longest run was just over 8 miles. Forest always chose the route.  After the run, I’d stretch and he’d get a massage and then we’d share a toasted bagel with cream cheese. I’d go to work and he’d go back to bed. As he got older, he started slowing down, so we’d walk more. Even as fanatical a runner as I was, I didn’t think twice about slowing down with him. I haven’t really run in about 2 years and I’ve been fine with that. We still walked every day and he still chose the route. That was my happiness.

In the last week I've been working on coming to terms with losing Forest. He was my baby boy, my friend and even a confidant at times. Trust me, he understood - he knew English. He just couldn't speak in reply. However, his facial expressions were priceless and, in fact, worth a thousand words. My heart is heavy - only time will lighten it.

Also, in the last week I've seen a great change in Tiger. I realized I was correct in assuming that he was trying to protect Forest. Whenever there was anything that might be threatening, Tiger would get all worked up. I thought he was just being obnoxious - he is still a puppy, after all. But he knew Forest wasn't well. He would sniff and kiss his face where the swollen lymph node was and always checked on him. Actually, he'd been doing that since Forest had the tumor on his jowl that was removed in February. Now, Tiger is more relaxed. At first, he was looking everywhere for Forest - in the apartment and at each of the parks near Forest's favorite places to sniff around. But it's almost like he doesn't feel that responsibility anymore and he's less keyed up. I know he misses playing with Forest. We all do.

 

Momma loves you, baby Nutters. You are the best puppy ever! I wish you the bounciest, funnest, rompingest time in your next life adventure. I’ll think of you every day as I move on to my next adventure here.