8-30-2012 Power of Positive Thinking

Last Friday when I was stressing out about various things and was about to go to bed, I decided I would try and end the day with a positive thought.  I decided to be grateful for the fact that tomorrow was another day and things could be better.

And it worked, things did get better.

I ran in a fulfilling 5K race, was able to see some good friends, was able to accomplish a lot around the house, then had a very peaceful and relaxing run across some hilly roads the next morning with some old friends and new friends.

Coincidence?  Maybe
Can you positive think your way out of any bad situation?  Probably not
But in the grand scheme of things, a positive attitude can go a long way.  Try and stay positive.

And be grateful when you can enjoy the successes.  Maybe it will even spread to someone else.

8-24-2012 Tomorrow is a new Day

We should be living in the present ideally, but sometimes, when the day is done and you are about to go to bed and you want to try and put a positive thought in your head, there is always the idea that tomorrow is a new day, anything can happen, including good things.  It's not too far away, so it's almost like living in the present, it's just one night away :)

I'm grateful, that tomorrow is a new day, so when I wake up tomorrow it's time to start again.

8-22-12 Rice

Today, it was rice from a rice cooker.  I come home and have a short time to grab a snack before taking the boys to Tae Kwon Do.  Add water and rice to the rice cooker, set the timer, and when we come home there is a pot of perfectly cooked (just sticky enough to stick) rice.  We each had some tonight and there's a little left over.  There's a ten pound bag which is going to take a while to empty.

Enjoying those rice moments, grateful for the simple things.

8-21-12 A Big Pillow While Sitting on the Floor

Sometimes you don't have a seat available or you just feel like sitting on the floor.  So, when you have a big pillow to rest against, it sure feels nice.

At this moment, I'm grateful for the big pillow behind me - yes, sometimes just the simple things in life.

8-20-12 Traffic Lights

I was driving home yesterday, thinking about how I was falling behind in this blog again.  It hadn't been the best day ever (although it could have always been worth).   But it was one of those days where you really need to think what there is to be grateful for.

It didn't take long at all, as soon as I thought that thought, I looked up to see that the traffic light was green.  There was something right in front of me, something we depend on and take for granted.  Things like this are all around us.

I'm not only grateful for what traffic lights do for us but this time for what they reminded me of.

8-14-12 Shooting Stars

I saw a shooting star while running this morning as it was still dark out.  I've seen a pretty good number of shooting stars, especially while running, but they never cease to amaze me.  They may not be signs or maybe they are, however they are a good reminder to look up in the sky even when, and especially when it is dark out, because you never know what you might find or when you might see one.

It's amazing to think how there was some piece of small rock floating in space, and then at that exact moment while looking in that area, it suddenly hits the atmosphere, burns up and looks like a star falling from the sky.

Amazing.

I'm grateful for shooting stars.

8-12-12 Moments Where you Realize Life Is Beautiful

It can happen at any time, even if the day is not going so well.

It is hot out and very humid, but then the rain comes and goes and things feel fresh.   You are at the Home Depot, loading up your truck with some sod and an older lady jokes if I'm going to deliver it to her house.  On the drive home you see a huge rainbow, it is very thick and low in the sky, a little different from any other rainbow you have seen before.  You get home and carry the sod and some edging and plants to the back yard, getting all sweaty in the process.  A couple of new plants bring color where there was none before, you stop and crack open a beer and then a few minutes later you get a call from someone you haven't heard from in a while.

All of this stuff just happens, it's just a bunch of small things, but in one instant you realize that life is beautiful because without life none of it would have happened.

I'm grateful for this.

8-11-12 Weeds

When you feel like you should be doing something, especially outdoors, there are always more weeds to pull.  Pulling weeds can be quite satisfying, too.

There were several good things that happened today, but I still had that feeling I needed to be doing something.  So, I pulled weeds, which lead to throwing out some junk in the backyard and I have something else to work on in that spot where I pulled the weeds.  Maybe some planting or even painting a section of fence if ambitious!

Grateful for those weeds reminding me that something needed to be done!

8-10-12 Friendly Cashiers

After work I stopped at Michael's to pick up some things for the house.  I feel a little bit weird in there sometimes because I might sometimes be the only male in the store. 

Anyway, when I was checking out the cashier asked if I had a coupon.  I didn't, so she rang it up anyway as if I did have one.

It wasn't just the coupon thing, but was being just really nice all around.

I guess we should be grateful for anyone who is extra nice, but today I'll tip my hat to the extra friendly cashier and be grateful for that!

8-7-2012 Challenges that make You Stronger

Sometimes if you think back on the events in life that stand out, the ones that have shaped you, many of them are some of the most difficult challenges, the ones that make you ask "why me?  why is this happening to me?"

Or, maybe thinking about running, and how the hardest runs are the ones that most prepare you to run the best race of your life.  It might be a hard run because you are not feeling well, a hard run because it is farther than you thought you could run or faster than you thought possible.

The classes that challenged you the most in school are also like that.

For any challenge that seemed impossible at the time but I somehow managed to survive, I'm grateful.

I'm grateful when the challenges are over, too!!

8-5-2012 Brownies in a Mug

I found a recipe on the internet, it's really easy - 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, pinch of salt, 2 tbsp cocoa, 2 tbsp oil, 3 tbsp water, microwave for 1 minute 40 seconds , top with ice cream.  I've made it 3 times now.  Once just for me, and two times for me and one son.  The other one had a taste of it so maybe he will want one next time also.

I was grateful I came across this, tried it, enjoyed it, then shared and enjoyed.

8-4-2012 The crater

My son calls the hot tub next to the pool, the "crater".  So, it's not just sitting in a hot tub in the back - you are suddenly sitting in a crater on the moon.  These are the things that make the days at this point in life special, they will not be around forever, because life changes.

Another moment to be grateful for - these are the things I don't want to forget.

8-3-2012 Learning to Cook

I learned how to cook a long time ago - a few things at home, a cooking class in 8th grade, just enough to get by.  But you need to practice, and that is where I've been lacking.  Little by little I've been starting to practice.  Friday night was grilled salmon, rice, and steamed green beans, tonight was steak, grilled tomatoes, corn and mashed potatoes.  Nothing too complicated.  During the week I made pumpkin bread on Wednesday night, and I've been using my rice cooker a couple of times a week - have made white rice, brown rice, as well as soup.

I'm grateful for the little that I have learned so far and am looking forward to losing more.