Magnifying Moments

~ See the good...bedside tea refills without asking                                       
~ Feel the happy...a 1.5 kg, 10 week old Shih Tzu pup/new family member     
~ Brighten your mind...3 pups survived the Titanic sinking                    
~ Find the moment...a downward dog yoga pose in the sunshine

See the good (small things to be grateful for)

Feel the happy (small things to be happy about)

Brighten your mind (small things to be fascinated by)
Find the moment (small things to plan to see/do/feel)

Glimpse into Wellness Wednesday - Happy place - week 20

This Wellnes Wednesday, I want us all to choose what our happy place is. Where is it that makes you feel positive, relaxed and smile, despite how your body may feel?

Now, plan to go to that happy place this week.

Take a few minutes out of your day, or a few hours, or a few days of the week, and enjoy some "me" time in your happy place. It does not need to be alone, if there is someone else that you can't imagine being happy without in your happy place. It doesn't need to be far away. It can be in your favourite sunny spot in the garden, with a cup of tea.

Changing your scenery is invaluable. It makes you appreciate life. Since I have focused on having a happy place, it gives me somewhere  to think about in my mind when I am not there, somewhere to be motivated by to get back to, and somewhere to feel renewed by when I visit. For me, it is the beach, and I can feel it healing me the second I arrive.

Magnifying Moments

~ See the good...the generosity of family

~ Feel the happy...decaffeinated black tea that tastes like black tea

~ Brighten your mind...cacao nibs can prevent blood clots
~ Find the moment...burying cold toes into warm sand

See the good (small things to be grateful for)

Feel the happy (small things to be happy about)

Brighten your mind (small things to be fascinated by)
Find the moment (small things to plan to see/do/feel)

Glimpse into Motivation Monday - BREATHE - week 20

 

Allow yourself the frustration, the anger, the sadness, the fear, the loneliness.

Allow yourself the hope, the prayer, the optimism, the expectation, the aspiration.

Know that you are not alone in this fight, and if you keep strong, no matter how empty you feel, something good will come. There is no other option. Giving up will not bring happiness.

You are strong. You are loved.

You can make it.

Glimpse into my atricle contribution for Your Zen Life!....ME/CFS International Awareness Day - May 12th

I wrote an article for International Awareness Day for the Your Zen Life website, and it was published last week! If you are interested in reading it, it is on the website at http://www.yourzenlife.com/post/me-cfs-international-awareness-day-may-12th, or read below.

Magnifying Moments

Magnifying Moments

~ See the good...gluten free jelly snakes after a hard day. 

~ Feel the happy...seeing a message from a friend.

~ Brighten your mind...bees keep the whole world alive.
~ Find the moment...snuggling with a puppy. 

See the good (small things to be grateful for)

Feel the happy (small things to be happy about)

Brighten your mind (small things to be fascinated by)
Find the moment (small things to plan to see/do/feel)

 

A glimpse into changing our focus

Something which I have come to realise is that the small things in life, which we so often overlook, can actually be defining and motivating moments which can change our course, our perspective, our appreciation and our happiness. When the universe forces us to stop, due to something like a chronic illness, it is often then when we realise the beauty and wisdom in such small moments.

Today, I was fascinated by the stunning shape and texture and colours made by a tree's thick bark, slowly bending and shedding itself from the trunk. I would never have contemplated such a simple thing prior to my illness, but now that my body has slowed me down, I see things differently. 

This has made me think, why do we wait until something forces us to see the little things? 

I have decided to start a new blog series. I want to help people see the good in each day. 

If you are rushing about, too busy with life, this is pertinent for you. Start to look at the small things, and make the most of the opportunity to do so without being forced to stop. 

If you have already been slowed down, this is also for you. I have really noticed how ackowledging the small things helps me get through each day, when the big things can seem so overwhelming. Instead of focusing on what you can no longer do, or the financial worries you might have, or the people you don't see anymore, look at the amazing things that blossom within the tiny moments of each day.

As often as possible, I will put up on the blog a short post consisting of the following list:

~ See the good (small things to be grateful for)

~ Feel the happy (small things to be happy about)

~ Brighten your mind (small things to be fascinated by)
~ Find the moment (small things to plan to see/do/feel)

I am calling this series "Magnifying Moments".

I hope you join me on this journey of making time to put more focus on the little things, and gaining the understanding of the enormity of doing so. I would love to hear about what you see along your journey too, and how these thoughts and moments enhance you and your life.

Glimpse into chocolate walnut muffins - Foodie Friday week 19

On this Foodie Friday, I wanted to make a simple sweet for a friend's birthday. I am loving baking with cacao of late, so apologies, here is another chocolatey recipe!! Mmm mmm!

I love adding walnuts into baked treats. They add an amazing taste and texture, and have many healthy benefits. They have good quantities of omega 3 fats, protein and fibre, and melatonin (which helps regulate sleep). They contain antioxidants and vitamins for healthy hair and skin, and are good for heart and brain health, decreasing your risk of cancer, and can destroy harmful free radical chemicals. Pregnant women can reduce their baby's risk of allergies by eating the fatty acids, and men's fertility can even be boosted by the little walnut! All these sound to me like awesome reasons to throw a few walnuts into your baking!

Glimpse into a day in the life of a sufferer of Myalgic Encephalomyeltis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

As part of raising awareness of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) leading up to the International Awareness Day on May 12th, I decided that I would document an average day for me, a sufferer of ME/CFS.

 

Wednesday April 30th, 2014:

11am: I wake up just after 11am, feeling groggy and tired. I lie there for about half an hour, before picking up my phone and looking at messages and social media. I take my blood pressure and heart rate to check how they are due to starting a new medication two weeks ago. The usual spot to the left of my belly button is aching right through to the other side of my body; a sign my food intolerances have been aggravated.

12pm: I drag myself out of bed so that I can get some food to take with my morning medications (which I am late to take due to the unavoidable sleep in). I collect my tablets and food (my Mum makes up my breakfast at the moment, which is an amazing help), and climb back into bed. Feeling tired and dizzy, I eat my breakfast (lunch?!) and, although my bowl of quinoa and chia with raspberries and strawberries is delicious, I quickly move the pillows down again to a position close enough to lying down as possible while trying to allow a position of "I am letting my food go down." I turn my audiobook on (yep, you caught me - I have started our book club book, "Gone Girl" a day early :-P), and snuggle under the doona to get warm, feeling my eye lids fight the knowledge that it is the afternoon. My heart is thumping after the exertion of eating, and my legs are heavy and wobbly after standing when I put my breaky in a bowl, and got all of my medications together.

1pm: Mum subtlety asks me what time it is. Ten minutes later, she asks me whether I think I should really get up now and move about. My impending nap is clouded by motivational guilt, and I turn the audiobook off. By 1:30pm, I drag myself out of bed, pull on some comfy leggings, and migrate to the couch.