Grateful for 21 days...

I listened to a really great TED talk today.   
Shawn Achor The Happy Secret to Better Work

21 days of 3 new things that I am grateful for...

Day 1 - Feb 3rd

1. Jaxon's beautiful smile and run at me when I pick him up at school.
2. Feeling the sun on my face today.
3. Smelling the flowers on a walk today, thinking of Spring

Day 2-  Feb 4th
1. Having a nice warm apartment to live in.
2. Having plenty to eat.
3. That Jaxon comes in to say good morning everyday after he wakes up.

Day 3- Feb 5th
1. That there are people in the world that can bid outrageous amounts at my son's school auction to help raise money for the school.
2.  That Jaxon and I have a friend to watch the Superbowl with.
3.  For Thai food, especially Indochine which we will be having later today.


Day 4 - Feb 6th
1. Hot tea
2. That I became a Mom and that Jaxon is my son.
3. Jaxon brushing my hair.
4. That I noticed the misspelling in the title before everyone else did... ;) and that I can laugh at myself... :) It has been corrected.. but I am still Greatful too! 

Day 5 - Feb 7th
1.  That good friends stand up for each other.  Thank you Sean.
2.  That many wonderfully serendipitous events come into my world.  I am grateful for serendipity itself.
3.  That many people follow their dreams.


Day 6 - Feb 8th 
1.  Having good food to eat.  Yum Pancakes.
2.  To be getting ready for our trip with my Mom and Step Dad to South Dakota.  
3.  Seeing a beautiful sunrise.


Day 7 - Feb 9th
1.  Having time to be and meditate this morning.
2.  Playing cruncher with Jaxon.  Having all the memories of when he was tiny and I had to let him slip out... to now when I can hardly hold him for even a minute.  Playing this game, and remembering past games, both give me huge smiles.
3.  Being healthy!


Day 8 - Feb 10th
1. Grateful for a really fun walk home today with my boy.  It was all about being playful and enjoying the moment.  Today we traded roles.. he was Mom, I was Jaxon.
2. Having three really nice conversations with friends, one on the way to pick up Jaxon,  another on the field while Jaxon played and and the last one on the walk home from school.  It is nice to live in a small community.
3. Having a very comfy bed.

Day 9 - Feb 11th
1.  For having amazingly wonderful friends.  Insightful and caring...  Thanks to Gary and Carlos for a really great lunch... The conversation is what made it.  Thanks!
2. I bought I new pair of boots today.  It feels great to have something new that I like.
3. Music!  I love music.


Day 10 - Feb 12th
1. Birthdays everyone's personal holiday and going to help celebrate them.
2. Walking on Marsh Island with Jaxon and his friend Shane.  For feeling so peaceful and happy, while they were running and enjoying being carefree.
3. Having a washing machine to clean up after the clay extraction project was complete on foster Island.


Day 11 - Feb 13th
1. Having the chance to try a new French Bakery - Belle Epicurean - a very yummy Brioche.
2. Having a really nice chat with Jaxon right before he went to sleep.
3. Making Jaxon a Valentine's card and getting the book out for him that Michael and I bought and wrote in for his very first Valentine's Day.


Day 12 - Feb 14th 
1.  Seeing Jaxon's face as he read through the book that we got him for his 1st Valentine's Day.  He was all smiles.  And it continued when he read my card.  It was a really nice morning.
2. Warm Showers.  I am grateful to be able to take warm showers when ever I want.
3.  Having nice neighbors.  

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NOTE - I will be doing the updates on paper for a while and will update on here soon..

 *** 

Phew... okay a little break .. a trip to South Dakota .. returning home... and some lag time to finally complete my 21 days of appreciation...


Day 13 Feb 15th
1. The excitement of an adventure. We left on our trip to South Dakota.
2. Having a reliable car
3. Being a good driver.


Day 14 Feb 16th
1. Having the chance to see so many Elk at Naches, WA.
2. Playing with Jaxon in the pool.
3. Watching the snow fall while we were swimming.


Day 15 Feb 17th
1. Having the chance to see 50,000 Silver Dollars.
2. Enjoying some very yummy nachos.
3. The super warm pool in Bozeman.


Day 16 Feb 18th
1. Having a safe drive.
2. Getting really good food.
3. Finding a knife souvenir for Jaxon.

Day 17 Feb 19th
1. Getting to see so much wild life on our drive, especially all of the antelope in Wyoming.
2. Finding out about Jewel Caves and getting to see the info about them.
3. Arriving safely in Custer, SD and to StoneMeadow Ranch.  Staying at the WayBack Inn.


Day 18 Feb 20th
1. That Jaxon got to go hunting with Grandpa Ron.
2. That Mom and I got to see the buffalo on the range from the lodge.
3. That we will be able to enjoy the meat and have memories of our trip.


Day 19 Feb 21st
1. I am truly enjoying being in a beautiful, quiet place.
2. That I hit the target when I shot the 22 rifle.
3. That I am on this trip with Jaxon, Mom, and Ron.

Day 20 Feb 22nd
1. That I got to see Mt Rushmore
2. Seeing the joy in Jaxon as he ran all around Mt Rushmore
3. Learning about Crazy Horse.

Day 21 Feb 23rd
1. Driving safely thru the snow from Custer to Sheridan.  Thanks Ron!!
2. Driving thru the Big Horn Mountains.  It is really beautiful!
3. Having the surprise of our own room in Cody.

Day 22 Feb 24th
1. Enjoying time with Mom and Jaxon at the Yellowstone Natural History Museum.
2. Waking up with Jaxon.  Then he tells me, "Mommy I don't tell you this very often, but I love you as much as you love me." 
3. Seeing the joy in Jaxon as he was whittling.   


Day 23 Feb 25th
1. Enjoyed seeing Jaxon with Ron in the Fire Arm Museum.
2. Seeing the earth house and sweat lodges in the Plains Indians Museum.
3.  Really happy to see Jaxon expressing himself, letting me know he needs something from me.


Day 24 Feb 26th
1. Clean Clothes.
2. Having a Mom that is a very creative problem solver.
3. Have the chance to watch my amazing and beautiful son sleep.


Day 25 Feb 27th
1. Getting to see a bald eagle pair very close up on our sleigh ride.
2. Finding a nice thank you gift.
3. Jaxon's joy at finding his tiger hat.


Day 26 Feb 28th
1. That we had a safe drive from Jackson, WY to Pendleton, OR.
2. Grateful to have had the chance to spend this time with Mom, Ron, and Jaxon.
3. Getting to see the craters of The Moon national Monument.


Day 27 Feb 29th
1. That it is leap day.
2. That we got back to Seattle safe and sound.
3. That I got to sleep in my own bed.


Day 28 March 1st.
1.  Playing tennis with Jaxon.
2. Jaxon having the morning with Michael.
3. Enjoying my tea.




Interestingly I did not keep count of the day as I was traveling and ended up with 28 days of 3 things I liked about each day.  In entering them into this blog I am reliving the joy and happiness of each of those days... a very nice exercise that I highly recommend!!!

2012

Happy New Year!

Yesterday was a day that felt full of hope and possibilities.  I am not sure why the feeling of renewal is so strong as one year transitions to the new year, but it does.  So with this feeling of unlimited possibilities we enter the New Year. 


Remember that the possibility of renewal, the feeling of hope and sense of life being full of possibilities is truly with us in each moment in time. 


Here is to 2012!  May it be all you wish it to be and more!

In the Face of Sadness

What does one do in the face of sadness? For me, sadness usually comes as an extreme feeling of being lost and alone and so very sad. Earlier this week I had the thought that I needed to write a blog post about this, though I thought perhaps that would be too depressing to write. However, the intention of the thought is less about sadness than how one deals with those feelings.

I suppose the choices are pretty simple in some ways, one can wallow in the sadness or one can do something about it. Since I am a person that has seen the power of manifestation in action, I recognize that wallowing in the sadness really will not accomplish much, though I do see occasions that the release that comes from tears and sadness probably good, especially in cases of grief. Being kind to yourself when sad is of the utmost importance.

Rule 1: Be kind to yourself!

Okay, so if it is time to do something about how you are feeling, what can you do? Remember rule 1 and do what you can, little things sometimes will help. I remember telling a friend once that felt like she wasn't accomplishing anything to just make her bed each day, and then she would have accomplish one small thing everyday... It can be anything... Just do it...

The main thing that comes to mind when I think about my sadness is to remember to appreciate what I do have. To focus on what I like in my world and the events that give me a smile. Take some time each day to find something you liked about your day, better yet make it five things if you can...

Reach out to people. I will admit that since I have started working from home I find myself isolated and I think some of my sadness is rooted there. I like to be on my own much of the time, however I am a contradiction as I also like to have really good connections with people much of the time as well. When that is lacking I feel alone and a bit lost. So creating time for people that I like to be with would do wonders for my sense of joy in life, thus diminishing the opportunities for sadness to even arise.

I am realizing that perhaps another casualty of my working from home is a decided lack of exercise. It is well proven that regular exercise contributes to a sense of well being and a healthy outlook on life. So scheduling time for exercise is another idea for decreasing a sense of sadness.

Oh boy... Sleep... yes plenty of sleep. A big one. Of course sometimes when I feel so sad, I have a hard time sleeping.. Yikes... What is that about! And here I am writing this blog at 11:44 pm...

Expressing yourself. Getting your thoughts out. There are several avenues to achieve this, talking with friends, a therapist, or writing a blog post :)

Vitamins. Well this is one that works for me, specifically essential fatty acids. If you can take fish oil, this would be the category of vitamins I am referring to, for those of you like me, that can not stand to take fish oil, try using flax seed oil, it is great! When I do take it I notice a distinct difference in the level of peace and calm I feel in life.

Trust that where you are is a part of a process of learning and that you will find your way back to a feeling of balance and groundedness.

May any moments of sadness give you an opportunity to rest, treat yourself kindly, and breathe. My hope is that perhaps one or two of my ideas might help in a moment of sadness. Please remember that it is only a moment of time, and joy, peace and love is also all around you.

The Tale of Triple Speed - Car number 34

Pinewood Derby 2010

The evening began with the three of us arriving slightly early to the Meredith Mathews YMCA in Seattle. Jaxon car was weighed in and was still on the light side. I knew that Andy, Isaac’s Dad was going to bring more weights, so they kept Triple Speed out to see if they could add more weight.

We had just settled down at one of the tables to hang out when one of the organizers came over and asked me if I could help out at the registration desk. They needed another person to help weigh in cars. I gave Darrell my camera and went to help out. It was fun to see all the cars. It was also interesting how many of the people worked to get the car right up to 170 grams/6 ounces.

When the weigh in was finished, I saw that Jaxon and Darrell had staked out a great spot, mid-track to watch the races. I was actually asked to help with running the cars; I would sit at the end of the track and bring the cars back up to the starting point. I had a great view of the track. I was super excited to see Triple Speed in the starting blocks for the first time. It was a good race and Triple Speed came in first place! Jaxon was jubilant! It was so fun to see his face… He and Darrell shared a high five and he continued to beam.

Each car had 4 heats, and there were 100 cars in the field. It kept moving at a pretty good pace, but it also took awhile to get thru the first round. Triple Speed did great! It had two first place finishes and two second place finishes. At the end of the first round, the race manager announced the 16 cars that would be racing in the finals. Jaxon and Triple Speed made it into the finals!!!! Woohoo! He was so happy.

Of course at this point the competition is at its best! Triple Speed was lined up in the second heat of the finals round. It was going against the best of the best! Triple Speed crossed the line in fourth place. Jaxon thought this was the only race in the finals and was very disappointed that his car didn’t win. The races in the finals were all really close! Triple Speed fared better in subsequent races coming in the middle of the pack in two other races.

Isaac’s car also did well in the first round, and won at least one of the heats it was in. He had a cool design of a whale.

Jaxon watched the whole time. He was quite engrossed in the whole event. He really wanted his car to have done better in the finals, but he was able to understand that even though he didn’t win the finals, that his car did really well. Happily when asked if overall he enjoyed the pinewood derby event he said a resounding “Yes”!

*******************************

Interview between Race car owner Jaxon Gordon and Ace reporter MG.

MG: What was your favorite part of this year’s pinewood derby experience Mr Gordon?

JG: Getting into the finals, and winning the first race of my first pinewood derby!

MG: Mr Gordon what did you like best about your car this year?

JG: Watching it race! It was very fun. Everything was fun, especially the drilling and going to the races. Two Thumbs up!

MG: Thank you Mr Gordon for your thoughts!

We are all connected!

The above statement is one of my favorite tag lines I like to use in forums. I have found many people share inspirational thoughts in their day to day lives. Today I was the lucky recipient of some really great stuff!

"If you say you can... you're right! On the other hand, if you say you can't, you're right again! The good news is that your success is up to you. The bad news is that your success is up to you. The question: How are you going to act." by Ross

Now what I find interesting is that it was very good timing for me to read these words today, and the whole reason that Ross and I were talking in the first place was simply because I admired something he said on facebook and let him know. I shared my gratitude for his words and got even more. I made a new connection with a very inspiring person that I admire.

One never quite knows when something one says will be exactly what another needs to hear. I, for a brief moment, hesitated to contact Ross, but I knew it would be fine. It feels good to share gratitude... and to make positive connections. It helps us to remember that we are all connected!

Peace and joy.

Michelle

My Monkey Mind

Have you ever had one of those nights when your mind just keeps spinning... It can move from subject to subject, but simply won't rest? I had one of those nights last night. As it was, I went to sleep quite late and then could not sleep... What the heck? And now it is the next day and I am exhausted. I laid down for a nap, and guess what... same thing, can't sleep... lol...

Last night I had the idea of blogging instead of sleeping, so today I am taking action on that thought instead of lying there wondering why my monkey mind just won't stop today! I am accepting where I am for this moment and having fun typing these words instead of dreading my lack of sleep.

So you may be wondering what might be worthy enough to keep the monkey mind busy. I have to admit it is surprising to me how mundane some of it is.

One thought that comes is just how much I need/want to sleep... lol... and that keeps me up...

I am just rambling here a bit. I am not sure of the value of sharing this frustration that I am having, which is why I didn't blog last night. I had wanted this blog to be a place for positive reflection and sharing of ideas. Though now I realize that another aspect that I want to convey is authenticity... so here you go baby :) I am human and real... I have frustrations and times when I can't sleep... UGH! but maybe now a nap might be possible since I have shared this with you.

I am also seeing that the resolution to this, as in many things, is to take action. I realize that the reason I keep thinking about it is because my mind is figuring out what action it wants to take...

but for now... sleep

z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z ;)

Robert Frost Quote

"The best way out is always through."
Robert Frost

Today I was wondering what I might write about. I decided to do a quick search for inspirational quotes and see what I might find. Of course when I googled "inspirational quotes" I found a plethora of wonderful concepts, ideas and thoughts.

The trick then becomes "to feel" which quote resonates with where I am at today, in this moment. Robert Frost's quote did that for me today...

"The best way out is always through."

What does this say to me today? What does this say to you today?

If it doesn't resonate with you maybe you could do your own google search. Keep an idea in mind that you are wanting help with, or perhaps a question that has been on your mind, then do your search, or open a book, trust that you will find an answer, and see what comes up. I have used this method for many years, actually ever since I read Illusions by Richard Bach in high school. If you haven't read it I highly recommend this book. It is one of my all time favs!

As for me... I have been traveling a path for the last several years to create an income from home that can sustain me, my son and give us a life style that allows us the freedom I want for us. I have been on the verge of breaking through to that life many times. It seems that outside influences continually shift and then I have to make adjustments as well. We always manage, but I want to be beyond just managing if you know what I mean :) This quote reminds me that the best way out is to keep going... NOT to worry about where I am right now but to keep moving, knowing that I will get through this as long as I keep trying, trust it will happen and don't give up!

Wishing you peace, love and joy,

Michelle