Have the Winter Blues?

It's that time of year again where Christmas is over...the beauty of the January snow is fading...and we are all getting antsy to see grass again.  

If you are feeling a little down, here are a few ideas to spice up the last few weeks of Winter. 

1. Get those boots on & go for a hike/walk:
     
     When I found out that I was going to have the day off today AND the weather was going to be nice, I knew I wanted to spend the entire day with my 7 month old yellow lab/ golden retriever, named Louie. So this afternoon Lou and I hopped in the car and went to Levis mound (hiking trail near Neillsville, WI). I have NEVER seen anyone so happy & excited as Lou Ball when he jumped out of the car and was overwhelmed with sniffs to sniff! Seriously, if you are finding yourself with the winter blues.....I will let you borrow Louie for a day. The fresh/crisp air, sunshine, sounds of birds, and beautiful nature, instantly brought happiness to my heart, and then seeing how excited Louie was running around...now that was priceless. Here are a few pictures from our day. I had to add the one where I caught Louie licking the snow off his nose. :)

 

 

 2. Send a letter to a friend, grandparent, sibling, cousin, etc.
     
     Who doesn't like to get mail...& you never know where that may lead. 

3. Look up a new recipe & get in that kitchen

      If you want....invite people over to enjoy it with you....or if you're like me....invite people over to help laugh about how much more practice you need in the kitchen. I just bought a cute apron which makes being in the kitchen a little more fun!

4. Go to the nearest library 

     Even if you don't love to read....there are magazines, movies, tapes, etc. Think of something you want to learn more about!

5. Get a group together to have a snowball fight

     Let's be honest....we're all children at heart. 

6. Do a random act of kindness

    I don't know about you, but making someone else smile, makes me smile. Plus, it can be something as simple as leaving a positive note on a random car.

7. Buy bright nail polish and give yourself a manicure 
  
     Sorry boys...you can go buy something little that makes you happy.

8. Plan a trip!

    Big or small. Just the excitement of waiting for the trip to happen is fun!

9. Go to an antique store and find a treasure

    It gets you out of the house and you never know what you will find, or who you will meet.

10. Go for a drive, blast the music, and sing at the top of your lungs

    Enough said.

11. Make a list of everything you are thankful for
    
     Try not to waste time thinking of the things you DON'T have and focus on what you DO have. Like heat in your house, a winter coat to keep you warm, food on the table.


We all just need to take a minute to think of the little things that make us happy. Notice that you don't need a lot of money for these things (unless you plan a big trip) and you don't necessarily always need other people to do these things. You create your own happiness & while you're out there embracing the winter, be reassured that this snow will melt away before we know it & then we can enjoy jumping in the puddles!
    

Finding love through change

As I wrap up my time at my student teaching placement, I am struck by how much change there is after High School and into, as a good friend would call it, "your real life". 

A few weeks ago, I was talking to someone and he said "Ya, the older you get the more change there is in your life...might as well get used to it." At first, I didn't want to believe this statement. I wanted to ignore the fact that each day brings with it change.....but he was right.

 I think Fall is a good time to reflect on all of the changes happening around us. Isn't it funny how each day we often feel like we do the same thing over and over again? Yet, when we talk to a friend we haven't heard from in awhile and we get talking.....we realize just how much things HAVE changed. We are just a bunch of leaves changing colors...

No, not all change is bad. I like to believe that change is often in disguise, helping us get to where we're "supposed" to go. And there is no doubt that with change comes challenges; obstacles that we are to conquer. Change often feels scary and unbearable, but some of my best lessons in life have been when all of a sudden it hits me, like a whisper from my heart, why a certain change had to happen. It's waiting for that whisper that just about breaks us....

I hope that no one ever feels alone waiting for that little voice in their heart. There are so many ways love shows up in our life during change. It could be from a friend, a stranger, or a pet. The best thing we can do is keep our heart open to seeing that love...whether it is through a note, a hug, or a surprise treat. 

When I left my student teaching placement for the last time today, I came home with notes, bracelets, treats, purple rocks, homemade books, and paper airplanes. I've never felt so loved, honored, and special in my life. Each of those gifts made with 110% love. Those 7 year olds sure know how to make change even more bittersweet, but they also helped that whisper speak, reassuring me that I am right where I am supposed to be.

Keep in mind that, that is just one example. Your changes may be completely different, but try to be open to that love disguised as change & don't forget to be that love for someone else. 

Fogged up.

Have you ever just been in a bad mood for no reason? Well, that was me this morning. It's like I was mad at myself for being mad. Stupid, right? 

I was driving and thinking to myself  "Gosh this fog is really annoying".... silently cussing to myself about how my car windows were all foggy and I can never remember if I should blast the cold air or hot air to fix it. (My brain is a scary place sometimes....)

As I was being Negative Nancy....I turned the corner to see a van parked to the side and a guy taking a picture of the fog. It caught my attention right away. To him, this fog was a beautiful thing. So, beautiful that he wanted to capture it forever. Then there was me who couldn't get away from it fast enough. When I quickly looked to see where his camera was aimed, I noticed how the fog was slightly above this beautiful barn and how the sun was starting to peak through the mist. In an instant, my view of the fog changed. Maybe it helped that my windows were finally cleared off...(blast the hot air when it's cold out). 

This moment, of course, got me thinking....once again....life is all about what you make it. Often times "negative" things fog up our positive picture. 

Sometimes....all we need is a simple reminder. 

Thank you mister photographer.

There Is Something About a Library....

There is something about a Library. I'm not sure if it is the smell, the atmosphere, or the vibe I get from it. 

I can't remember exactly when I started to love to read. I'm guessing it was when I wasn't forced to anymore in school (I can be kind of stubborn like that). It amazes me how easy it is to get sucked into a whole other world just by flipping through pages. This past winter I read "The Fault in Our Stars" and was one of those people that wanted to see it the minute it came out (but waited for Stimulus Tuesday with a few friends.) Personally, I thought this movie did a nice job of representing the book & after leaving the theater I thought about how cool it is that while we read we are hypothetically....directing the movie in our heads. 

I recently went to the Library in Menomonie. As stated before, I love Libraries, but this one has big windows that over looks Lake Menomin......it might just be a little taste of Heaven for me. 

Anyways, while I was sitting there, I realized that our lives are like books. The best part is that we are the main character in our own book, and supporting characters in so many others! We may only be in a few chapters of someone's book, or maybe we will be in pages that haven't even been written yet in someone else's. 

Yet, our book is always changing....take the genre of our stories for example. At some point we might be in the Drama section and then pages are written which slowly leads us to the Adventure genre, but then a tragedy happens that deepens our thoughts and we switch to the Philosophy genre. You get the point....

As I sat in the Library I watched this guy who was using the card catalog. It seemed that he was really looking for something, but couldn't quite find it--he'd write something down and then walk away and return a few minutes later typing in something new. Then, a lady checking her books out caught my attention, she could barely hold all of the books she had found. 

What is it that all of us are searching for? Perhaps, we're all searching for something unique that pertains to our own individual story. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to type a question into a card catalog and get a book called "The Answers to Life"? Sometimes I think the answer to this question is yes...but then I remember the wonderful stories being written while the main characters are searching for the answers. Oh, and don't forget about those supporting actors...helping us along the way. 

We all have our own book, our own characters, our own plot. Some chapters may seem to drag on forever, while others are cut off too soon, but try to keep in mind that we all have a story to tell & we all have empty pages waiting to be read. 

You are whole.

I believe that there is more to life than what we see. I believe that all of us are constantly searching for that thing that "completes" us, and we all have a different perspective of what that "thing" might be. Yet, I also believe that everyone right now is whole...no person or place can be our "other half". The people, things, and places that make us happy aren't "completing" us, they are simply adding to our wholeness.

To make more sense of this, I'll give you an example. I'm assuming at one point in your life you've thought something like "If I could lose 20 pounds...THEN I'd be happy," but once those twenty pounds come off (I say it like it's just that easy), we find that we still aren't completely "happy" so, we instantly search for something new to "achieve". I'm not saying this is a bad thing, in fact, it's great that we are always setting new goals and giving ourselves new experiences, but what does "happy" really feel like? Is it that $100,000 or that new pair of shoes? The funny thing is, we're always going to have obstacles, and as humans we're always going to have struggles...even when we get that new pair of shoes.

I recently went to a church service and the speaker talked about how our hearts are hardwired for relationships, but our lives are hardwired for struggle. Which basically comes down to, we are all here on this Earth to help each other over come struggles and to learn from each other while creating relationships and coming closer together. It's always been a comforting thought to me that all of us (all 7 billion) are going through similar things, just in different forms. That's what makes life fun! Learning and teaching each other things. (But that's a whole other topic).

Many people think that what "completes" them is another person. For example, many girls mope around thinking that they won't be completely happy until they meet someone that "completes them". I'm sorry girls, but if this is your state of mind, you will never be completely happy.You are whole. Right now. And relationships aren't about "completing" each other. They are about two whole/happy people coming together to learn from each other and to create this union of even more happiness. Of course, there will be ups and downs, but that is when you learn the most and help each other learn how to be better people.

It's a hard lesson to learn to just be content and find joy in every situation. I recently read a quote that said, "Believe that everything is rigged in our favor; the Universe is for you".

So, even when your heart aches and situations are difficult, the universe is on your side. Wouldn't the world be a happier place if we all tried to keep that perspective on a daily basis?

With that said, I think this world has become so wrapped up in judging others and thinking that their way is the only right way to live correctly. I find this so sad. Who's to say my way is right? Who's to say their way is wrong? Do what makes you happy. I can't say that enough. Do what brings joy to you, but always do these things in love and with love.

As some of you know, I am an avid "Super Soul Sunday" fan, and if you haven't seen the show, I highly recommend it and will share the link below. In the latest episode a woman was on talking about this same topic and some of what I wrote about relates to the episode so, if you have some time take a peek! (Especially the ladies).

http://www.oprah.com/own-super-soul-sunday/Oprah-and-Tracy-McMillan-Soulmates-Love-and-Marriage

On a side note, I highly recommend trying to find time to do what you really and truly love at least once a week. For me, I love to be outdoors, in my Dad's boat, reading a book, while soaking up the beauty and noises around me.

                           

What's your happy place?

Thanks Dad!

When is the last time you "untagged" yourself in a photo because you didn't like the way you looked?

Well, this happened to me the other day...I saw the picture and my initial thought was "eww untag". I guess one of the main reasons I didn't like the photo was because....and it sounds funny...I didn't like how my nose looked.

Why is it that we can hate a picture of ourselves and then have some people comment and say how beautiful we are and have 20 likes?

Which got me thinking...

Everyone of us is unique. Everyone of us has things we don't particularly care for about ourselves, but guess what? It's what makes us.....us.

For instance, the picture I was talking about earlier....you "nose" which one I'm talking about? ;)

Instead of thinking "gross why does my nose look like that?" I should have been proud because I have my Dad's nose. Ever since I was little people have commented that I have my Dad's nose and my brother has my Mom's nose. If you stop and think about it, how cool is that? How special and unique is that? No, my nose may not look like Jennifer Aniston's and the camera may not always catch it's best side, but this nose is special. In a way, it tells a story.

Now you may be thinking....wow, she must be low on topics because she's writing a blog about a nose... :) But just think about it...what makes you special? What do you have that tells a story? Below I'm going to list a few more things that makes me....me, and I hope that it inspires you to never untag yourself because of something so silly. How boring would it be if everyone looked the same anyways? & to this day I am simply amazed at how EVERYONE in this world looks different in some way or another. Embrace your story!


1. Dad's nose
2. Mom's blue eyes
3. Grandma Seichter's soft hands

The present is a present

As many of you reading this know, I am a planner. I'm one of those annoying people that have to-do lists and gets excitement out of crossing each one off. So, with that said, I don't want to sound like a hypocrite saying this next statement...but...

It's important to live in the moment. Now, let me explain.

Lately I've noticed that I'm always looking forward to something or wishing I was somewhere else. Now, don't get me wrong having things to look forward to is great and exciting, but don't forget about the present moment.

For example, when Monday morning rolls around I usually find myself hitting the snooze button and thinking about how the weekend went way too fast. When really...I should be breathing in the morning air, noticing the sun peaking through the curtains, and embracing the moment I am given at that exact instant. It may sound cliche, but I am starting to realize that if more of us did this, we would be happier and more joyful people.

Another example, Winter. Yes, it has been a cold one and the snow that was once pretty, is beginning to over stay its welcome, but it is what it is, and if you embrace it, it becomes beautiful. If it wasn't for these cold days, some people may not have had extra time to stay inside and be with their family. If it wasn't for these snowy days, we wouldn't be able to catch snow flakes on our tongues and build snowmen with friends. If it wasn't for winter, we wouldn't appreciate the summer warmth, but let's not talk about summer yet because we're embracing this moment, right? :)

I'm not saying planning is bad, and for crazy people like me, it keeps us sane. I just notice that with plans, most of the time comes expectations & that's the part that catches most of us up.

I've recently been quite interested in the Buddhism philosophy and how they practice living in the moment and embracing what they have right now, not what they had in the past, or what they hope to have in the future. Here is a quote that kind of explains the concept well:

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”

Last week, while I was in church, I realized that I was thinking about all of the things I had to do the up coming week and found my heart raising and anxiety increasing. The funny thing was, once I caught myself, I realized I was obsessing over and completely creating outcomes of that week (mostly negative). Then, I remembered a few things I had been learning about focusing on the present moment and that was to concentrate on my breathing, concentrate on the present experiences (in this case, the song we were singing), or even the smell of the candles burning. 

The truth is, reality only exists right now. So, why dwell on the past, it's already behind you. (Right, Simba?) and why obsess about the future...Like that test you need to pass, that husband you wishfully hope for, and that job you are working towards. They will all happen, on their own time, in their own way. Worrying and planning for it is just going to give you wrinkles and unrealistic expectations.

Like many of you, I'm at that age where the future is quite unknown and the decisions I make will greatly impact what happens, but instead of constantly thinking about where I will find a job, what my house will look like, or what my children's names will be (sorry Pinterest)...I'm going to do my best to concentrate on these exciting days, the ones happening right now, the ones I will never get back-- the friendly feeling of living with 5 other girls, how light my purse is after paying tuition, and the "I'm an adult, but not completely on my own" moments. 

So, when most of you read this it will be Thursday. The day that is so close to the weekend, yet feels so far. Embrace the day! Try not to wish for the weekend, instead, focus on your breath while noticing the noises you hear, the laughter you share, and the little blessings each moment brings.

What are my plans for the weekend? I plan to live in the moment.