cff June 2017 | Simple and Serene Living

Friday, June 16, 2017

CHOOSING LOVE

Just a short post this morning. 


I choose love. It isn't always easy, because we are constantly bombarded with evil. 

However, love is so much better than fear. It opens us up to so many possibilities. 

So I will practice, practice, and practice some more. 

Each time I begin to feel fearful I will consciously change that feeling to love. 

I am headed off to physical therapy for my knee. Went back to my surgeon and he showed me the x-rays of my knee. The implant is a tad crooked, but it has always been that way. 

I am going to try physical therapy to see if I can strengthen my knee so that I can avoid revision surgery.

I am just loving my knee. It is the best knee ever. 
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Monday, June 12, 2017

THE PATH WE CHOOSE

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
                                    Ralph Waldo Emerson


How often in life do we follow the path that is set out for us by other people? 

Where have those paths led us?

Did they make us happy?

Did they allow us to follow our own dreams.?


Late in life I have come to realize that we each must follow the path that will maybe not take us where we imagine we want to go, but that will take us in new and unexpected directions.  

This past year I have found myself taking on new and unexpected things, and although some of those things have not been easy, they have allowed me to meet interesting new people and to stretch myself in new ways.


I have also finally come to accept that it is not my job to please everyone and that no matter what I do there will always be people who don't like or agree with me. 

The most important thing in choosing a path is to like yourself and to be proud of what you are doing.

I am proud of the advocate and activist I have become. The path isn't always easy, and I often have to step out of my comfort zone, but it is a good path for me. 


We are never to old to start down new paths. New paths keep life fresh and interesting.

How about you? Have you started down any new paths recently?

Find more Inspiration on a Monday here.

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Monday, June 5, 2017

A "TIME IN" FOR WORRY

In recent weeks I have been doing a series of posts on ways to combat worry. You can catch up on them here and here.

We all know about time outs. They are when we give someone a period of time or take a take a period of time ourselves to stop a behavior. 



Today I want to talk about the idea of taking a "time in" to worry. At this point you may be asking yourself why I am promoting worry, which would be a fair question. 

What I am actually doing is promoting the idea of setting aside a specific time in your day to worry and making the rest of your day worry free time. 


First of all make it a brief period of time, say 15 to 20 minutes. Plan it at the same time each day, but DO NOT make the time right before you go to bed. 

Worrying thoughts are bound to crop up during the rest of your day, but make a note of them and then move on. 

When your worry time comes up, address what is worrying you then. You may find that some of the things you were worried about have already been resolved. If so put them aside and focus on anything else that needs your attention. 


When the worry time is over, move on with your day. 

I plan to come up with some actions I can take during that time, which may help to resolve the worry. Afterwards I plan to meditate for 20 minutes. You can read more about meditating for worry here.

It is almost impossible to completely stop worrying, but I am hoping that if you confine your worry to a brief time each day you will be able to break the habit of constant worrying. 



Saturday, June 3, 2017

JUNE TOMATOES

June is busting out all over. The weather is perfect, and my tomato plants are already starting to produce. 


This is what my tomato plants looked like less than a month ago. 


I never imagined they would grow so quickly. 


They seem to love where they are planted and I know I am going to love eating them.

Thanks to my friend Pat who has kept our little garden watered while my knee has been healing. 

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