tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51828406693386966252024-02-19T00:38:41.369-08:00True HappinessNotes that uplift and promote joy and happiness. Smile and the world is a better place.Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-23016126845161662982013-09-24T01:58:00.003-07:002013-09-24T01:58:51.162-07:00A Cranky Magpie and the Bossy Birds<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuZXTVjcFh2IRYZ_VK4ALfJeO8qLMKQV65hILclVyhNLc7c6ozSkdODd-AFSCqcL1n_LWuRGKuRp7xQUkqF9UyMhmeicW0FMZlWBUSs7MpZ8REfwgxpjYcAWGYXnlgc72DrapH8NsHto/s1600/Magpie+Grouch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuZXTVjcFh2IRYZ_VK4ALfJeO8qLMKQV65hILclVyhNLc7c6ozSkdODd-AFSCqcL1n_LWuRGKuRp7xQUkqF9UyMhmeicW0FMZlWBUSs7MpZ8REfwgxpjYcAWGYXnlgc72DrapH8NsHto/s200/Magpie+Grouch.jpg" width="200" /></a>Does this guy look
cranky?</div>
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I see a sort of ill-tempered look of frustrated entitlement in
his eyes, but then it might just be me. He has been sitting outside my back
door, singing up a storm for two hours now; hoping that I will come out yet
again and proffer another morsel of mince for his impatient enjoyment. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Earlier this evening, a large group of cockatoos swooped
over the house, screeching and squawking and demanding my attention to the
empty seed tray.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Birds here in Brisbane can be raucous and demanding. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And it is all my fault.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It took me a year to entice the birds into my yard. <o:p></o:p></div>
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First I put out seed in a tray and it stayed ignored until the
rain swelled the seeds into a soggy mess. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When ducks wandered across the garden and closed in on the
house, I threw them some bread until they flew off in a startled huff. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I left honeyed milk for the lorikeets and it dried up in the
sun. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When spring came and the magpies brought their insistent young
to the house and accepted our proffered meat morsels, I was ecstatic. I fed
them every time they came around, excited to see them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Soon the magpies told their friends, and we had butcher
birds catching meat in mid-air, cockatoos congregating for noisy parties by the
seed tray on our lawn and galahs and lorikeets flying in for a quick bite. Even
the ducks brought their babies by for some bread. I looked forward to my
grandchildren visiting and feeding them too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-Jo5K8rxefXJl0Qn-i1AWQ95QEYS_-7kqf5Fe2MtfjfgdS9sf6gorQ2Q-Vu2dAfd7R0oa-g4JzqST4F-tiXyu4S_6pOSQk3d9RLvAfDfF4C8D6CVXk3f57u88Erg_oZatMFhZPLo8lU/s1600/Magpie+ducks+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-Jo5K8rxefXJl0Qn-i1AWQ95QEYS_-7kqf5Fe2MtfjfgdS9sf6gorQ2Q-Vu2dAfd7R0oa-g4JzqST4F-tiXyu4S_6pOSQk3d9RLvAfDfF4C8D6CVXk3f57u88Erg_oZatMFhZPLo8lU/s200/Magpie+ducks+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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I loved it but here is the problem.<o:p></o:p></div>
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While the birds are sitting outside my door waiting to be
fed, they are not learning to hunt and forage for their own food. I have set up
an expectation. What happens if I go away for a few weeks? Could any of them
die?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sometimes we have
relationships in our life like this. We want to help and maybe even should
help, but not for too long and not for things people can do themselves. We take
away their agency, their growth, and maybe even their dignity.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Children especially, need to learn to clean up their own
mess, fight most of their own battles, and be accountable for mistakes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It makes them stronger and more resilient. It makes them
happier people.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Is there any relationship in your life where you are helping
someone into dependence? Is anyone taking away your power by doing too much for
you? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWEPyG9FpA15nXmADBKQDzuCH6i81Z8WFLj0zyOZ9-DK0VTJVrh_6sbq60vZnhMq4cph_RHzEToRJZlFRNiUUCdp4C1I9Taidsoy8yTinNttxOaf44a5FpDxnZx8oYXTDWbFQXiPHLT0/s1600/Magpie+cockatoos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWEPyG9FpA15nXmADBKQDzuCH6i81Z8WFLj0zyOZ9-DK0VTJVrh_6sbq60vZnhMq4cph_RHzEToRJZlFRNiUUCdp4C1I9Taidsoy8yTinNttxOaf44a5FpDxnZx8oYXTDWbFQXiPHLT0/s200/Magpie+cockatoos.jpg" width="200" /></a>Maybe it is time to consider a small change. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I still love feeding the birds but I will cut it down to
once a day. Hopefully the magpie will stop sitting around looking cranky and drop
by just once a day with his biggest smile. Maybe the cockatoos will stop being as demanding and go back to being playful.<o:p></o:p></div>
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That would make me happy too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-53421885236565148502013-08-25T02:00:00.000-07:002013-08-25T02:00:43.597-07:00Don't "Think" too much.<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiioWTKVomXwQwqR_WhIWPek4_Bx3k_D4Yu8O-PlbffWEf3rz9C92Tk6Zex9yr-68g6Z6Vz34zb5L4OBsqfWWloZaXpWXgAEUuITOqGlqkL4HDbJ8cnXa-PNhNl4eCekOVNdWcOCLB7DiA/s1600/Think+too+much.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" qsa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiioWTKVomXwQwqR_WhIWPek4_Bx3k_D4Yu8O-PlbffWEf3rz9C92Tk6Zex9yr-68g6Z6Vz34zb5L4OBsqfWWloZaXpWXgAEUuITOqGlqkL4HDbJ8cnXa-PNhNl4eCekOVNdWcOCLB7DiA/s320/Think+too+much.jpg" width="320" /></a>Like many people, I have entire conversations in my head that no one else knows about. I examine past events in detail so see if I could have done better. I speculate on the possible reason for the grocery clerk to be short with me, and I justify my actions to no one in particular. </div>
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To some extent it is helpful. Sometimes I learn something, but more often it is just noise in my head. Sometimes I have such a rich internal life that sometimes I forget to notice what is around me.<br />
<br />
I drive on auto pilot, arriving at my destination without any memory of the trip. I put down my keys while thinking of something else and then can’t find them. I eat a whole block of chocolate without noticing because my mind was somewhere else.<br />
<br />
What a waste.<br />
<br />
Studies suggest that living in the moment is important for happiness. If you are always thinking of something else then it is hard to enjoy the here and now, to enjoy the smell of new washing, the detail in the clouds, or the smile of a friend. Minutes, days and years go by and we fail to make the most of them by being here in body and in spirit. <br />
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One time I was trying to explain one of my random musings to my long suffering husband. He listened patiently and then said simply “don’t think too much.”</div>
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With these wise words in my head, I stopped second guessing the situation and just let it be. My stress levels dropped instantly.</div>
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To you, my good friends who read this blog, be mindful..<br />
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Enjoy the moment, savour the simple pleasures, relish the opportunities, and be thankful for each minute. </div>
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It will make you happier.</div>
<br />Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-9044727828037932072013-04-13T02:09:00.001-07:002013-04-13T02:09:59.797-07:00Happiness is Dropping off a Cliff.Last weekend I dropped off a cliff.<br />
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I was attached to a yellow rope, a green rope, and a bright blue harness. It was as safe as these things can be but it was so scary I almost froze. Before I could go down, I had to back over the edge of the cliff and stand on a small ledge while I was fastened onto the ropes and then lean back into thin air and drop. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE28rMbGO2ck8YWFtcwe2Fzj4wnw06tLGeZfZX4nTr4NGhXb2Zx_2UCc6ke8U9f5_LuHhmuGq7NG0oDvuUD4wKQoAiMNh68q0xCk2UMUqQvtUUyys9vLF0i_tliCgZDCI6sH7RUaRii9A/s1600/Getting+Hooked+On.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bua="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE28rMbGO2ck8YWFtcwe2Fzj4wnw06tLGeZfZX4nTr4NGhXb2Zx_2UCc6ke8U9f5_LuHhmuGq7NG0oDvuUD4wKQoAiMNh68q0xCk2UMUqQvtUUyys9vLF0i_tliCgZDCI6sH7RUaRii9A/s320/Getting+Hooked+On.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
It was supposed to be abseiling, but in my case it was less like sailing and more like a crab scuttling over uneven ground in slow motion. I placed my feet carefully on each small outcrop, took jerky steps, and held on to the rope so hard my hands hurt.<br />
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I was so awkward that the instructor thought I was in trouble and stopped the descent. I was left hanging against the rocky cliff long enough to forget the danger and worry what my ample thighs looked like from below.<br />
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As I landed, my knee hit the ground before my feet and I landed in a heap, but I was exhilarated. I felt three feet taller.<br />
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Doing something tricky, scary, or challenging is a great way to improve happiness. <br />
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Is there something adventurous you can do this week?<br />
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Here are a few ideas.<br />
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Make adventure a priority. Even though I am as busy as most people, I left the house renovations and garden weeding for another day. I will remember this forever. I wish I had done more of this with my children when they were young. <br />
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Keep your eyes open for opportunities for adventure. I saw the brochure for this activity at the local shopping mall and booked it straight away.Abseiling was just part of the adventure. The activity took place on a mountain with panoramic views of other mountains. Double good.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNhC6Gym4EOtc334Ua9z_t7ScSZxjXqMY4mIZym8Pfg5xJf_6T9Azc8haLvkd6x9h3I1f3W_hETxIL3Zx7IKP18Ti5ZxB4F1ZW_kC1U_YGMWcNPupBuSLE1L9VJui6uUcVSCWYeRq4vU/s1600/At+the+top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bua="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNhC6Gym4EOtc334Ua9z_t7ScSZxjXqMY4mIZym8Pfg5xJf_6T9Azc8haLvkd6x9h3I1f3W_hETxIL3Zx7IKP18Ti5ZxB4F1ZW_kC1U_YGMWcNPupBuSLE1L9VJui6uUcVSCWYeRq4vU/s320/At+the+top.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Be willing to take the first, sometimes scary, step, and do it quickly. I had left my bag at the bottom and suddenly I needed to get down and find it fast. Without enough time to think too hard, I just stepped over the boulders and into position without much time to think. A few of the other ladies in my group waited too long and never made it to the edge.<br />
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Don’t give up. After my drop, I watched some of the men bounding down the rocks like sideways kangaroos. I want to turn my crab crawl into a bounce. I want to go abseiling again one day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtL_2Q7ymA8KC90iD7KU9cX9LozgIC-nSAkGxpYLzwuREHfQiB-neGebTdLRULPJmI52Wg4vYp23tfD9MoDhuRe3srkV8c38x_8aX1Ud2VHM6v7qQaWAMB6DtxcOyz5XGxYGzm8op7s0/s1600/Confident+Abseiling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bua="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtL_2Q7ymA8KC90iD7KU9cX9LozgIC-nSAkGxpYLzwuREHfQiB-neGebTdLRULPJmI52Wg4vYp23tfD9MoDhuRe3srkV8c38x_8aX1Ud2VHM6v7qQaWAMB6DtxcOyz5XGxYGzm8op7s0/s320/Confident+Abseiling.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I encourage you to find more adventures to be part of and maybe you too will have more bounce in your step. </div>
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Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-80218380735643602072012-11-30T16:15:00.001-08:002012-11-30T16:15:32.243-08:00The Art of Snake HandlingSince my move to Australia, my life has changed dramatically.<br />
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In New Zealand I never got bitten by paper wasps that made my skin swell into a hard red balloon shape and there were fewer mosquitos. I could sit on the grass without getting covered in ants and my legs never got covered in so many itchy red spots that I looked like a connect-the-dots puzzle. <br />
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In New Zealand there were also no snakes. Since moving to Australia, I have had close encounters with several large snake, and last week I had a python in my living room.</div>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYX28av78TLBBkumsAggFNQPSlLSbz_7zYdUokeWYjilzIF2qaJQkIpqrA-74lAYlD_eSatKTveaNAribNV9CEkJ78lPlTtfQwrj9iR99SqdFea5oITHIy6CeIY5fmB3RFj5obXJuZy8/s1600/Snake+in+my+house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYX28av78TLBBkumsAggFNQPSlLSbz_7zYdUokeWYjilzIF2qaJQkIpqrA-74lAYlD_eSatKTveaNAribNV9CEkJ78lPlTtfQwrj9iR99SqdFea5oITHIy6CeIY5fmB3RFj5obXJuZy8/s200/Snake+in+my+house.jpg" tea="true" width="200" /></a></div>
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It was six or seven feet long, grey brown with a diamond patterned top and white underbelly. I left the door open and it must have followed the sound of my TV, right into the room where I was sitting. It then slid into a quiet corner, curled up with its head inside its body, and went to sleep.</div>
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What to do?<br />
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I had three options. I could<br />
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1. Ignore it and hope it would go away by itself.<br />
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2. Learn to live with it. Find out what it eats, and what else it needs, and then make the most of having a pet snake. <br />
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3. Get some friends over to help me remove it<br />
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Of course I chose number three.<br />
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We are always going to have metaphorical “snakes” in our lives, so we have to choose how to handle them. <br />
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We can;<br />
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1. Ignore the problem as much as possible. Focus on other things so as to maintain our happiness.<br />
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2. Learn ways to lessen the impact. Find out how other people cope with similar issues. Take regular breaks from the problem. Learn more about the problem. Is it as bad as it seems? Perhaps there is another way to look at it? Just as many people enjoy snakes and even have them as pets, perhaps many people would be happy to have your problem. What are the positives?<br />
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3. If you have the option, remove the problem.<br />
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Just don’t spend time hating the problem. It is not productive. Do something to change it, move away from it, or just accept it.<br />
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Learning to cope with life’s problems will make you happier. <br />
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Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-33600636068553109622012-05-09T18:25:00.000-07:002012-05-09T18:28:29.266-07:00You're Not Normal!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiAoc4BeQHbGOVtc-8iQ9CtORiH9JWLwbBUs32J7orLGhj9uzfI-pIvL-A_DO39HWY3zQ_R-dRKtQ1XITFpGU2mgLwsYnkYTnu4E_X9zl9fE-dLq6KoloFZT4W_Qli9VNac0WW01z_4nc/s1600/Not+Normal+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" dba="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiAoc4BeQHbGOVtc-8iQ9CtORiH9JWLwbBUs32J7orLGhj9uzfI-pIvL-A_DO39HWY3zQ_R-dRKtQ1XITFpGU2mgLwsYnkYTnu4E_X9zl9fE-dLq6KoloFZT4W_Qli9VNac0WW01z_4nc/s200/Not+Normal+2.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
A friend of mine was working for a roadside rescue service when he got a call that someone had broken down out of town. It was late at night so he got out of bed and went to help.<br />
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When he got there he quickly found the problem with the car and began to tell the owner what was wrong. <br />
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The owner of the car disagreed. He began to argue that the diagnosis was wrong. My friend tried to explain but the customer just got more and more wound up. Finally he could not think of anything else to say, so he reverted to insults. <br />
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“There is something wrong with you mate,” he said. “You’re not normal. I am and I can prove it. Can you?<br />
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Then he pulled out a letter from a mental health institution saying he had been judged of sound mental health.<br />
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I know my friend and he is the salt of the earth; kind, generous, and caring. He also likes lots of time alone and would sooner die alone than burden others with his problems. Is that normal? <br />
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I have a IQ that puts me in the Mensa level but I do not have a job. Is that normal?<br />
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Bringing out a certificate to prove you are sane. Is that normal?<br />
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It is quite normal for people to differ in their approach to life. <br />
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Some people spend days dressed up as Superman, or studying frogs, or climbing life-threatening mountains. In an English court it is normal for lawyers to wear string wigs and black cloaks. In New Zealand it is normal to paint your face black and white when the All Blacks are playing rugby. <br />
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As long as we don’t hurt anyone else, our unique roles, hobbies, and passions, define us and enrich our lives.<br />
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Do you like music that no one else seems to like? Do you avoid parties even though “everyone else” is going? Normal is different for everyone and there is no point worrying if everyone else seems to be smarter, or taller, or bolder, or better looking, or likes different things than we do. We are who we are, and we should be happy in our own skin.<br />
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It is normal to be unique, different, and maybe a little quirky. It is what makes us different, and interesting, and is quite normal… even if we don’t have a certificate to prove it.<br />Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-15933019338695045672012-04-29T03:20:00.000-07:002012-04-29T03:20:00.217-07:00Zest, Zeal, and putting some Zing in your life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is going to be a short, sweet, last A-Z post. <br />
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How do you live longer and have more energy to enjoy it?<br />
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You know.<br />
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• Eat more vegetables and fish<br />
• Exercise often<br />
• Drink more water<br />
• Socialize with friends<br />
• Meditate or slow down for a portion of each day<br />
• Eat less sugar and processed foods<br />
Most of us know this list, and despite the fact that there are fads in healthy living, we know how ot be healthier.<br />
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So how come we are not?<br />
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Today is a good time to choose one thing to work on.<br />
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Take time each day for a walk. Cut out a mid-morning sugar snack and replace it with fruit. Seek out a nice salad recipe. There are a myriad of small actions that can make a difference in the energy we have each day.<br />
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Choose one that makes you smile and start living with more zest and zeal.<br />
<br />Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-23697419681550571662012-04-27T03:14:00.000-07:002012-04-27T03:14:00.916-07:00Y - Just Say Yes<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJQzHH3sFEWdjivHMK7iGbg9ML7bweOAxULe4Ej75ljGyjWYyzyzOMTxvpxSnFVOht9Bl2UwYNf8rFEwXOv6sdddOCl2mjuK-3tjn7-EcT_EpTrn25zNu8tDc57dPY1g6b8nbB9VWDjA/s1600/yes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJQzHH3sFEWdjivHMK7iGbg9ML7bweOAxULe4Ej75ljGyjWYyzyzOMTxvpxSnFVOht9Bl2UwYNf8rFEwXOv6sdddOCl2mjuK-3tjn7-EcT_EpTrn25zNu8tDc57dPY1g6b8nbB9VWDjA/s200/yes.jpg" width="200" /></a>My children were shy. Teachers used to tell me that they rarely put up their hands to answer a question, and they rarely volunteered for anything.</div>
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Often they didn’t get special opportunities like camp leader, or hall monitor, just because they held back, and there was no question of them playing the lead role in the school play.</div>
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As adults they have changed. One was in a stage show and played four parts. One is in the Philippines, living in a new culture and learning a new language. It took them time to realize that there were so many interesting things in the world that they could do.</div>
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For many of us life is busy and we can feel overwhelmed. It could be that we are not saying “no” often enough. We may have agreed to look after other people’s children, or taken on extra responsibilities at work.</div>
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The other way to look at it is to say “yes.”</div>
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“Yes, I will look after my friend’s children but in return I will have an afternoon off.” </div>
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“Yes, I will take on extra work that will increase my skills” or “I will concentrate on my core job and deflect work that will distract me.”</div>
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“Yes, I will help that friend who needs me, but I will do something fun on the way back.”</div>
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One way is negative and limits us from doing things. The other is positive and will increase the happiness in our lives instead of the stress.</div>
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What do you need to say “yes” to?</div>
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<br /></div>Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-78994167610095092802012-04-26T03:10:00.000-07:002012-04-26T03:10:00.074-07:00Hugs and XXXXX's<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
I have come to PDA (public displays of affection) late in life. My parents were English and we did not hug much. My ex-husband also was not affectionate.</div>
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I pitied those poor people who had to cuddle in public, as if they were trying to prove something to themselves. I thought they were all fake. </div>
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Then I met my fiancée.</div>
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Quite quickly I realized that I want to hug all the time and it doesn’t matter at all if there are people around. I just like to be as close to him as I can.<br />
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Research shows that I am likely to live longer now. Those regular hugs (and xxx’s) are good for my immune system. They foster endorphins, the feel good hormones. </div>
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I have really surprised myself and I began to wonder how many other people are denying their affectionate side.<br />
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Maybe you are.<br />
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Do you have someone to hug? Or something? <br />
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Some people have pets. Some people cuddle teddy bears. If you have children, you should be well hugged up.<br />
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A happy person needs someone to love (see my S post) and a hug is a great way to show love.<br />
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X is for XXXX’s. Lots of hugs and XXX’s.<br />
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<br />Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-37905782022985044832012-04-25T04:40:00.000-07:002012-04-25T04:40:00.288-07:00Work Will Win Where Wishing Won't<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL922QmcIZFDuwWdcOBXLAfZneIdm4AD_NOs3dCUNldaqpMIX3yGPytbf7oCjbZWKUOkpfTbDOnOg_ke5rSs6zuzKjqzz-X3aDkp9jrbdyHXadHEkSDPbPoKwoP0o7uixigpKK8CGFlKQ/s1600/WWWWWW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL922QmcIZFDuwWdcOBXLAfZneIdm4AD_NOs3dCUNldaqpMIX3yGPytbf7oCjbZWKUOkpfTbDOnOg_ke5rSs6zuzKjqzz-X3aDkp9jrbdyHXadHEkSDPbPoKwoP0o7uixigpKK8CGFlKQ/s200/WWWWWW.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I don’t know where I first heard the phrase above but it is a great saying as well as a wonderful way to use lots of w’s in one sentence. Work is important. As well as a means to an end it is an essential part of our life.<br />
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In my blog post called <a href="http://truehappinesstoday.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Using your Uniqueness to Unlock more Joy</a>, I wrote about how a happy person needs something to do. We need some kind of role that creates a purpose in our life. It is good for our body and soul, and, despite books like “The Secret” and “The Laws of Attraction,” there still has to be an element of “doing” to make anything happen. <br />
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Sometimes we just have to roll up our sleeves and work.<br />
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Today I visited the friend of a friend, who is in a rest home. She is nearly blind and has limited use of her limbs. She spends her days in a bed, propped up so she can hear the TV. I left feeling incredibly sad. <br />
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There are many people who wish they could do nothing all day. The reality is not so much fun. It gets boring and is also more tiring than a productive days work.<br />
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I used to think work was a nasty four letter word. Now I am older I am happy to have things to do. Work brings satisfaction, fulfillment, and joy.<br />
Mother Theresa captured the crux of the matter when she said “<br />
I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy<br />
I woke and I saw that life is all service.<br />
I served and I saw that service is joy.<br />
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May you find lots of happiness and joy in your work. <br />
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(This post is part of the A-Z challenge. To find out more click on the link at the top of the page)<br />
<br />Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-78216780290122471152012-04-24T03:52:00.000-07:002012-04-24T03:52:00.754-07:00Value in the Volumes of Verbosity<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMWLQ51rGM4ALkDPPGnsaXEm2WH3UVUxTc2paFZdpaf1qezGS9eZeYZZogDfAnVPz7Hg40Tsxfh_DJRt-E-4af4PlHkygYkfi3EwnRr0vBUjag1fNNXUGZdWuKRpleZC4TPcpGjTR3hFI/s1600/why-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMWLQ51rGM4ALkDPPGnsaXEm2WH3UVUxTc2paFZdpaf1qezGS9eZeYZZogDfAnVPz7Hg40Tsxfh_DJRt-E-4af4PlHkygYkfi3EwnRr0vBUjag1fNNXUGZdWuKRpleZC4TPcpGjTR3hFI/s200/why-blog.jpg" width="200" /></a>It has been a busy three weeks since I signed up for the A – Z blogging challenge. This is my 22nd post in 25 days. Wow. All the way up to V and now just four more posts to go. </div>
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As part of the challenge I have read many wonderful blogs by others who are taking part. My favourite is probably Tale-Spinner. He started with the story of an apartment building blowing up and then each day worked through stories of the people in the building. <br />
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I have also read the blogs of many others who didn’t do so well. <br />
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Some struggled through and the posts got less and less interesting. Sometimes there were gaps, or just a photo. Sometimes there was a link to someone else’s blog. A few just petered out.<br />
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Sometimes life gets in the way of the goals we set and sometimes we just have to shift our focus for a while.<br />
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If we want to be happy, we have to be flexible. No matter how well we plan, things can change. Something becomes more difficult or causes more problems than we expect. Sometimes things happen to make our original goal unworkable. <br />
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Much of life’s anxiety is caused by thinking we should be somewhere else, doing something else, or even doing things a different way.<br />
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Life is not about having, or doing, the most. To truly enjoy life, we just have to accept where we are and value each moment, even, or maybe especially, when things don’t go to plan.<br />
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As I write this I am happy. I am happy because I love to write and I love to create. I am happy because I have successfully avoided having to clean house for a bit longer.<br />
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I am also happy because I am working on a goal. They say you have to write a hundred thousand words before you can become a good writer. I am getting closer to that goal. <br />
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I am also happy because I have learned that I can accept a challenge and keep going, … all the way through the alphabet.<br />
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I hope you have found reading this valuable too.Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-13878759695503131552012-04-23T06:00:00.001-07:002012-04-23T17:00:42.513-07:00U - Using your Uniqueness to Unlock more Joy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A happy person has something to do, someone to love, and something to look forward to.<br />
<strong>Something to do</strong><br />
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Be glad you have things to do. Cut down if you need to, but don’t resent your work. Happiness comes from being productive and useful.<br />
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If you hate your job, it might be time for a change. That could be a change of job or a change of attitude towards your job. <br />
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Traditional advice has been to find something you love and to make that your life’s work. Timothy Ferris in his book “The Four Hour Work Week” says that for most of us that is not possible. We are not always able to make a living from our passion. <br />
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So then what do we do?<br />
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We decide to enjoy what we are doing now or find a job we can live with that allows us a lifestyle we do enjoy.<br />
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<strong>Someone to Love</strong><br />
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It is a wonderful feeling when someone loves us, but what is essential to our happiness is that we have someone to love. Allow yourself to really feel that love and don’t let the little annoyances of everyday life spoil it for you. <br />
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Hug your children each day. Tell your spouse you love them often. Call a good friend and get together. Hug your cat.<br />
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Pets are also a wonderful opportunity to give love. See here for a <a href="http://www.oprah.com/own-supersoulsunday/blogs/SoulPancake-Pet-Teachers" target="_blank">video about some people who love their pets</a>.<br />
<strong>Something to look forward to</strong><br />
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Being in the planning and preparing stage of a project can be exciting. Goals energize us and help us persevere when times are tough.<br />
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If you haven’t achieved all your dreams, you are lucky; having something to look forward to makes life worthwhile. <br />
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So, embrace your job, or apply for a new one. Hug your husband, or buy a puppy. Plan a shopping trip, or arrange to go on a yearlong retreat.<br />
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U - Use your uniqueness to unlock more joy in your life.<br />
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(This post is part of the A-Z blogging challenge. For more information see the icon above on the right)Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-67445471766477411632012-04-23T03:05:00.000-07:002012-04-23T03:05:16.713-07:00Thankful - There are Toads on the Road to the Toilet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I was first married, I lived in Samoa with my new husband. We stayed in a house with rickety walls, slide out slatted windows, and a concrete block bathroom without hot water. <br />
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Later we stayed with family that did not even have a bathroom. They showered under a cold water hose handing from a tree. It was visible from the house and at night it was all lit up so it was like showering under a spotlight. Even with a cloth wrapped around you for modesty it was uncomfortable. <br />
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The toilet was even further away. There were no septic systems there at that time so it was just a shed containing a wooden seat perched over a deep hole.<br />
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Sitting on the toilet was freaky. There were toads in the hole and you could hear them croaking from below. <br />
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There were also toads on the path to the toilet. Loud, noisy, and so many it seemed I was doomed to step on one at every step, especially at night.<br />
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The kitchen was a stone floor lean to on the back of the main building with a small gas stove.<br />
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It made me realize how lucky I have always been. I was born into a culture with indoor plumbing and hot water on tap. I have always had comfortable furniture, and convenient cooking options. I have numerous communication options, including phones, video calling, email, and even reliable snail mail.<br />
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In Samoa, I had neighbours whose home was a wooden floor with a coconut fiber roof and drop down mats for walls. I do not know what they did for a toilet but they often washed in a basin. <br />
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They were still happy.<br />
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Epictetus said “He is a man of sense who does not grieve for what he has not, but rejoices in what he has.<br />
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<br />Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-86304023084052685342012-04-21T22:13:00.001-07:002012-04-21T22:13:02.868-07:00Suds in the Sink<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I remember a wonderful American woman who invited me to dinner in her home one night. After dinner I helped in the kitchen and she told me that she loved washing dishes. I was a teenager and frankly I did not believe her. <br />
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I suspected she made it to encourage me to be optimistic about a chore that would be a big part of my life for the rest of my life. I thought she was making it up. <br />
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I was wrong.<br />
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Some years later, I read a story about a woman who had regained her sight after many years of blindness. She became mesmerized by the shiny rainbow bubbles in the dishwater and described it in a way that made me wonder what I had been missing.<br />
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I began to look more closely. I noticed the sparkling clearness of the water and how it churned a stripe of luminescent dishwashing liquid into iridescent bubbles. I began to take pride in a shiny glass and a spotless plate. I began to appreciate the ability to see, and to hear, and to enjoy all the little things that I often take for granted. And I became happier.<br />
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Is there anything that you do every day that you are seeing from the wrong angle? <br />
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Could you take more joy in cleaning your home? Many people don’t have a home to keep clean.<br />
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Can you appreciate your children, even when they keep you up at night? Many people would love to have children but can’t.<br />
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It pays to look at things from a different angle. <br />
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I will probably never grow to love doing dishes, and there are so many more things I would rather do than clean house, but I do make an attempt to look for the bubbles and not the dirt in each chore. <br />
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It really helps.<br />
<br />Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-78582876553069781572012-04-19T21:48:00.002-07:002012-04-19T21:48:45.478-07:00A Right Royal Roadblock<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioi-b_DRWW7mo3ikCAhqUxtuhc5myu_oWn9jhCrAoncMPeCGoaUT9Yp6jKZCeCD_bIdbV6xWAnre5zkvZWH1NVhDiRbbNO9iUmsrhbjq-UO2p_2cWdSe2ocZklceFMO_u42ojBPyZh-qc/s1600/Road-Block.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioi-b_DRWW7mo3ikCAhqUxtuhc5myu_oWn9jhCrAoncMPeCGoaUT9Yp6jKZCeCD_bIdbV6xWAnre5zkvZWH1NVhDiRbbNO9iUmsrhbjq-UO2p_2cWdSe2ocZklceFMO_u42ojBPyZh-qc/s200/Road-Block.jpg" width="153" /></a>There is a fable about a king who built a wonderful wide new road to his city and then promised a huge reward to the person who travelled the road the best. People came from miles around to travel the road. They came in all their finery and with the most lavish vehicles they could find. Some travelled with lots of attendants dressed in fine clothes. So many people tried to impress the king but he would not be impressed.</div>
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Towards the end of the day, a humble villager travelled the road alone and without any fanfare at all. As he travelled he came across a huge roadblock in the road. A large pile of rocks and stones had fallen on the road and blocked most of the road. Previous travelers had walked around it, but this man got to work to clear it all away. </div>
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As he cleared the last stones, he was surprised to find a bag of gold hidden at the bottom of the pile. When he reached the city, he went to visit the king and told him of his find. The king was overjoyed. He said the gold now belonged to the traveller. He said it was his reward. He told him "he who clears the way for others, travels the road the best."<br />
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Today is a simple reminder that there are many roadblocks on the road of life. Death, divorce, illness, job loss, financial troubles. We all go through problems but helping make the road a little easier for others brings great rewards. </div>
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• We stop focusing on our own troubles</div>
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• We sometimes learn new skills and</div>
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• We feel good about ourselves</div>
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Everyone has roadblocks. Helping clear the way for others will make us stronger, kinder, and happier.</div>
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Is there someone you know that could use a friendly phone call or a quick email message? Could someone in your family use a special meal or a night out? Is it time you considered something bigger, maybe sponsoring a child, or donating your time to a charity once a week.</div>
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The world is full of people who just might need you to make the difference they need.</div>
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</div>Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-86971264481237992752012-04-18T17:23:00.000-07:002012-04-18T17:31:56.502-07:00Three Crucial Reasons to Cultivate the Quiet<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOVm-pzdtAlVK05VS6G4r2CR1jh9PduHRRaPC31s6trY19RiAC8F31EK4YGtFhLwlGOMhgqQ8Nkpw_W1epXM2MHohK2RCJiiFtx2IaYEf2XWV0VTsvCb-x-oF57DXUMf35PETjNLVQnD4/s1600/Quiet2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOVm-pzdtAlVK05VS6G4r2CR1jh9PduHRRaPC31s6trY19RiAC8F31EK4YGtFhLwlGOMhgqQ8Nkpw_W1epXM2MHohK2RCJiiFtx2IaYEf2XWV0VTsvCb-x-oF57DXUMf35PETjNLVQnD4/s200/Quiet2.jpg" width="194" /></a>I have six sons and if there is one thing I would have changed about their upbringing it is that I would have had more quiet time to myself. If I had taken the time to recharge my batteries I would have been a happier and healthier mother.</div>
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But quiet time is important for more than just an opportunity to get some rest and recharge our batteries. </div>
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Here are three crucial ways that quiet can increase the quality of our lives.<br />
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1. Creativity thrives in quiet. <br />
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It is almost impossible to have a creative thought in chaos or when there is too much noise. We need quiet time even if it just created by ignoring everything around us and going within ourselves. <br />
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2. We make better decisions when we are quiet enough to hear our own thoughts<br />
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Prentice Mulford says “The more quiet is kept in our bodies, the more force is added to our spirit.” He adds “Our spirits have their own, their peculiar senses, distinct and apart from the sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch of the body.” We can only tune in to that special sense when we have enough quiet. <br />
3. Quiet times increase our life span<br />
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Spending some time on your own and in a quiet environment is good for the soul and for the body. Statistics suggest that people who spend part of each day quietly meditating live longer. Dan Ferber also suggests on the <a href="http://www.healthymagination.com/blog/can-a-quiet-ego-make-you-healthier/" target="_blank">Healthy Outlook Blog</a>, that people who have quiet egos live longer. <br />
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Q is for Quietly Increasing the Quality of Life<br />
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(This post is part of the A-Z post a day challenge. See the icon above right for more details)Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-60241202177399032982012-04-18T03:17:00.004-07:002012-04-18T03:17:55.863-07:00The Power of a Positive Perspective<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmq5bPWC4kmZ53brLrhahHBzNpHMRMU8CHiFjLU15eJ6XIGTqpF6Qn8otOXwtkEsMEZGU-1QI4AvpqZWjDxEL3bfKy36075ZTcNrg4c2OjMYRk-29SNSlilhghZY7trXm2bXuv66yP1c8/s1600/moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmq5bPWC4kmZ53brLrhahHBzNpHMRMU8CHiFjLU15eJ6XIGTqpF6Qn8otOXwtkEsMEZGU-1QI4AvpqZWjDxEL3bfKy36075ZTcNrg4c2OjMYRk-29SNSlilhghZY7trXm2bXuv66yP1c8/s200/moon.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
When I was young I remembered watching the moon from the car. As we drove by, everything else was left behind, trees, buildings, houses, even mountains, but the moon just kept on coming. It seemed to be following me. <br />
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I knew in my head that it was because it was so far away but in my heart I felt as if it was following because I was special. <br />
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So many times, things are not how they look. <br />
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Sometimes people seem angry with us, but they are not. Sometimes it is a fleeting thought or an unrelated idea, or even a sudden itch they can’t scratch. <br />
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People do things that hurt and we assume they did it on purpose. Arguments, fights, and even wars, are sometimes started with false assumptions. <br />
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If you find yourself hurt by someone, you can assume they meant it or assume it was just a thoughtless remark. The first way will make you feel worse, the second way will allow you to forgive and forget. <br />
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It can take a while to develop an attitude of thinking the best of others but it is sure worth it. <br />
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Assuming others mean to hurt, leads to stress, anger and thoughts of revenge. That can lead to a spiral of hurt on both sides. <br />
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Thinking the best of others leads to peace of mind and ultimately more happiness, especially for you.<br />
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P is for the Power of Positive Perspectives.<br />
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(This is a post in the A-Z blogging challenge. To learn more, click on the link to the right of this blog. Day 16, only 10 more to go....)Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-53597536805363460762012-04-17T05:40:00.001-07:002012-04-17T05:40:40.288-07:00It's Okay to be Ordinary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dOvEoABJwxBn_vxaSrz8csoxbIK_DPL0hfh6Acs99pB97mjoafKPmXPd22ZLfrMcSTWKvPbN5QMEmMXIAcXROFfGjA0LKy-ayTb1Fcipkk6VkoaY1EDDRer9jlvcfq9oD6oE0ODHEa4/s1600/Kids+play.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dOvEoABJwxBn_vxaSrz8csoxbIK_DPL0hfh6Acs99pB97mjoafKPmXPd22ZLfrMcSTWKvPbN5QMEmMXIAcXROFfGjA0LKy-ayTb1Fcipkk6VkoaY1EDDRer9jlvcfq9oD6oE0ODHEa4/s320/Kids+play.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
When I was young, there were times when my brothers and sister and I all had our own ideas of what we should be doing. I wanted to play “Cowboys and Indians”, my sister wanted to play “hide and seek” and my brother just wanted to be given a horsey ride. We argued, each one of us trying to get our own way and to be the boss of the others. My dad used to say there were too many chiefs and not enough Indians. <br />
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An important lesson in life is to learn to be happy when others seem to have the lead role. All of us have our own part to play and for most of us it will not include fame and glory. For most of us today is just another day at the office, another day being a mother, or caring for aging parents. For most of us each day seems ordinary, unexciting, and maybe even boring, and that is okay. <br />
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Sometimes you should be the person who takes the lead, but more often you won’t. <br />
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We remember Mother Theresa, but her work was amplified by those willing to help her in her cause. The world needs more ordinary, everyday people doing everyday roles, just as much as it needs talented leaders. <br />
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While you can sometimes change your role to make yourself happier, other times you just need to roll up your sleeves and to bloom where you are planted. <br />
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Have fun with the work you have to do, no matter how menial, or unexciting it may seem.<br />
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The world is full of ordinary people and that is perfectly okay.<br />
<br />Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-51157597001913569442012-04-16T06:34:00.001-07:002012-04-16T06:34:45.557-07:00Nice is the New NastyWhen I was a teenager, if we really liked something we called it “grouse” or “choice”.<br />
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Later, when my sons were teenagers and Michael Jackson was the world’s musical role model, it was a compliment to call someone "nasty". It meant clever, maybe a little sneaky, but overall, very, very good. It was also a compliment to call someone “phat”. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTunaVqBy3EAqVAetMywkmjFxUNGlLMT-VLERXzZ-TDIrsq3IaEc7hUEz_cwpHpvJGET-X1Fk9F9dYVOzCeQ1iQf_-_MWOwPqXfxUtaFgP3WR18k77IskSdl6wlGBgmtoAPNdUlcbXk9E/s1600/Nice_biscuit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTunaVqBy3EAqVAetMywkmjFxUNGlLMT-VLERXzZ-TDIrsq3IaEc7hUEz_cwpHpvJGET-X1Fk9F9dYVOzCeQ1iQf_-_MWOwPqXfxUtaFgP3WR18k77IskSdl6wlGBgmtoAPNdUlcbXk9E/s200/Nice_biscuit.jpg" width="200" /></a>Most of that time, “nice” was a bad word. It meant that you were quiet, unassuming, and perhaps a little simple. To call someone “nice” was to write them off as being boring and naïve.</div>
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In the movie “Grease”, Sandy was not attractive until she began to dress in skin tight pants and ground a cigarette butt under her high heels. It seemed like the bold and the brave, those who took what they wanted, had all the fun, while nice girls stayed home alone.</div>
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Recently I read a book called “The Power of Nice”. It has a wealth of examples of how nice people are happier, healthier, and often more fulfilled as people. </div>
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I love it. There is real power in being nice. It benefits the recipient of the nice acts but also the giver. Nice has always been a good quality to have.</div>
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Is there someone you need to be nicer to? What can you do to make the world a better place? Can you pay someone’s parking meter, smile at the bank clerk, or donate to a charity?</div>
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You owe it to yourself to enjoy the benefits of being nice to others.</div>
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N is for nice. </div>
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<br />Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-56311797669540581742012-04-14T00:32:00.000-07:002012-04-14T00:32:26.799-07:00My Mean Mother-in-Law and the Missing Mail<!--StartFragment-->
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91uxKV2u1-Kq-zpdQMiaUMo52fQzHS6NkDCM8ZFLns0__zGvS7IyLq6Z7BxRfbMLxFm_Tg795CUz1nMiP_AgEZ9Bfbh2a9Ck7sFUHeMFgRVsLGghdN49jFVfifjetJPbeKaUHfPkHNYA/s1600/mail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91uxKV2u1-Kq-zpdQMiaUMo52fQzHS6NkDCM8ZFLns0__zGvS7IyLq6Z7BxRfbMLxFm_Tg795CUz1nMiP_AgEZ9Bfbh2a9Ck7sFUHeMFgRVsLGghdN49jFVfifjetJPbeKaUHfPkHNYA/s200/mail.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">There is only one time when I held a grudge
for more than a few days, and I held it for years. More than ten years actually.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">When I was newly married we lived in Samoa
near my husband’s family and my mother-in-law did something I thought unthinkable.
Something I thought was so bad, so rude, and so absolutely wrong that I felt it
was my duty to hold it against her. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">At that time, Samoa had a fairly primitive
postal system. To be sure to get your mail, it was best to collect it from the
post office.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">My mother-in-law not only collected my
mail, but she opened it, read it, and kept it for herself. She kept letters
from my mother, letters from friends so that I lost contact with them, my New
Zealand citizenship certificate, and a cheque with my tax refund.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I never did get the tax refund but I was
particularly upset about the citizenship certificate. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one I have now says “replacement” in
big letters and is not at all fancy. </span>I was so mad, I thought it would be wrong
for me to let it go.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I came from a culture that wouldn’t dream
of opening someone’s mail, or touching someone elses “stuff”, or entering their
home uninvited. She came from a culture where you not only walked into a home
uninvited, but you took what you wanted. You could looked into cupboards and
even into the cooking pots and help yourself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Who do you think suffered most from my bad
feelings? </span>Me of course.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Once I forgave her I stopped having that
cramping, limiting, unhappy feeling when I saw her. I stopped feeling awkward
around her and started relaxing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">At first I was just acting extra friendly,
but eventually I really was friendly and happy to accept her for who she was
and is. </span>It was essential to my happiness for me to
do this.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Do you have anything that makes you mad? Is
it worth keeping it? </span>Can you let it go? Can you pretend to let
it go until it does go?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Why not give it a try? Your happiness
depends on it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">M is for minimize mad moods and make amends</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-58451084031204160932012-04-13T05:53:00.000-07:002012-04-13T05:53:19.574-07:00L is for Laughter, the sun that drives winter from the human face.<!--StartFragment-->
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<div class="MsoNormal">
You may have heard the quote</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">"Children laugh 300 times a day and adults
laugh only fifteen times a day."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">When I heard that I was shocked.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Not by the difference. I was not surprised
that children laugh more. Most children don’t have to earn a living, worry
about the mortgage, or work out how to get the in-laws together for Christmas.
Plus they think farts are funny. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">What really surprised me was that I
suddenly realized I did not laugh even once a day. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">It was a defining moment for me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I thought I was doing the best for my
family by putting up with something that was making me very unhappy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t. My family were not laughing
much either.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I had to make some changes in my life. I
moved away, changed jobs, (pushed into it by redundancy) and started to do
things I enjoyed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Now I laugh at least as much as most
adults. Some days I laugh as much as most children.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">That is, if the statistic is true. And
after some Internet research, I suspect it is not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Adults can, and should, laugh as much as
children.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We have more control over our environment
and can choose to make our lives more fun.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Have you had your laugh quota today? If
not, what needs to change?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">p.s. The image is from <a href="http://MoreJoy.org/">MoreJoy.org</a>. It might be worth a look if you want to read more about laughter in your life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-5739327076874548112012-04-10T13:40:00.000-07:002012-04-10T13:40:00.453-07:00Joy in the Journey<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I know people who go on holiday in a rush,
complete it in a hurry, and come back to their jobs to rest up. They spend many
stressful days packing, dislike the plane trip, obsess over the defects in
their accommodation, and resent the locals for being different. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2cBwU0vhqlj-9HBTkibCW3upDelsu85sWHGTL8mdYIpJ-ciIFLgUJjiQjDIE-poySTzbVFGypZsKE8KkSIc_6aGtpSzSxGa_WwvNRE-xBBd54tIq-04MBaEP7altL-ZavkbYGjBuVbVA/s1600/joy-on-stone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2cBwU0vhqlj-9HBTkibCW3upDelsu85sWHGTL8mdYIpJ-ciIFLgUJjiQjDIE-poySTzbVFGypZsKE8KkSIc_6aGtpSzSxGa_WwvNRE-xBBd54tIq-04MBaEP7altL-ZavkbYGjBuVbVA/s320/joy-on-stone.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
Does a holiday begin with the plane ride?
Does it begin when you settle into your hotel room? Or find your way around? Or
visit the first attraction? <br /><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Isn’t the holiday in every minute? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Happy people make the most of every minute.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">They enjoy the plane ride. If they hate
flying, they take a book, arrange some food, or talk to their neighbours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they don’t like the room they are
given, they accept it or ask to be transferred. They get to know people that
are different than them. They make every meal and every walk an attraction.
They make it fun.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Life can be likened to taking a holiday. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Some people are waiting to be happy until
they get to the main attraction. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">They think they will be happy when they get
married, or when they have children, or when the children are grown. </span>There are two problems with this.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">They overlook the experiences they are
having now. Someone waiting to get married might not value the experiences of
making new friends. They feel dating is a failure if it does not find them “the
one.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The other problem is that waiting to be
happy can put too much pressure on the event itself. What if you put your life
on hold until you get married and then it fails? It is too risky and it is
unnecessary.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Life should be fun now.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Every day can be special if you just do
something different and special.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Go a different way to work. Eat somewhere
new. Call someone you haven’t spoken to for a while. Do something different.
Even just brushing your teeth with the other hand. It wakes up your brain and
gets you out of a rut.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Have fun now. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">See the roses, not the thorns. Dance in the
rain. Laugh at chaos. Make your own fun. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">William H Sheldon says that “Happiness is
essentially a state of going somewhere, wholeheartedly, one directionally,
without regret or reservation..”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Enjoy the journey. </span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-50799183015471652292012-04-09T13:47:00.000-07:002012-04-09T13:47:00.378-07:00Introspection – Using your Imagination to Investigate your Interior<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidoIYVzEYUePSDZY0J-8Pt3IBF1aaIxFHCUJ4q25hZRHufbfNZM6oOw-vAehLCqJv5f1z02IutpkQAiBFDY4Yo_e5xvS4iZewXsL8W81XKBmSrD1lSBGJbNk3DJzcfWLZ01aeBbmFzAxs/s1600/water+drop+ripples.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidoIYVzEYUePSDZY0J-8Pt3IBF1aaIxFHCUJ4q25hZRHufbfNZM6oOw-vAehLCqJv5f1z02IutpkQAiBFDY4Yo_e5xvS4iZewXsL8W81XKBmSrD1lSBGJbNk3DJzcfWLZ01aeBbmFzAxs/s320/water+drop+ripples.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am lucky enough to have a profession
where I get lots of time alone. I have explored landmarks and forests and
bushwalks and beaches, and I often do it solo. I can be amongst a crowd of
families and couples and still enjoy myself, by myself. Not everyone is so
lucky.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Some people need others around all the time
to feel happy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">That is a mistake.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We have to be happy with ourselves before
we can be really happy with other people.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I once read of someone who had a life changing
experience with himself. When he could not find anyone to head out with him on
weekend activities he became anxious. Then he realized that was kind of silly, so he decided
to try something really different. He spent the weekend doing nothing at all.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">He said he lay on his bed and just thought
as little as possible.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">It was an experience that changed him. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I had a powerful moment once when I was on
holiday and stood in the middle of a field wondering which of the activities I
needed to do next. I suddenly realized I did not have to do anything. I was on
holiday. It had not occurred to me before because I was so busy running from
one activity to the next.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Many of us never take the time to stop,
relax, and do nothing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">If you have small children it can be hard to
get the opportunity, but I am convinced that I would have been a better mother
if I had taken the trouble to find some care for the boys so I could have some
time to do less.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">It can take time to get used to doing
things alone but it can reap great benefits. It doesn’t have to be a deep and
meaningful experience. Just turn off the TV and radio, eliminate as much noise
as possible, and relax. Regroup, relax, and maybe even meditate. Slow your heartbeat, recharge your body, and smile. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">You really are worth it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-90713756463378301302012-04-08T17:44:00.000-07:002012-04-08T17:44:58.220-07:00H is for Healthy Habits<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimf7Yz_9NrFbdTdoNObFKEUuxbEts1EQdy2nvkEyGZtZqG7lMQO5Ycm4CevwJYGuJWt_8cmuGVYXL_2dGvMOxzOcab3ssUJpdU2rObfaHLLuqlbEzymwOKS-4uqOqWr-VEwnKzxQkrUyg/s1600/no-sugar-sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimf7Yz_9NrFbdTdoNObFKEUuxbEts1EQdy2nvkEyGZtZqG7lMQO5Ycm4CevwJYGuJWt_8cmuGVYXL_2dGvMOxzOcab3ssUJpdU2rObfaHLLuqlbEzymwOKS-4uqOqWr-VEwnKzxQkrUyg/s200/no-sugar-sign.jpg" width="167" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">It’s hard to be happy when you are sick,
tired, or stressed. It is also tough to find joy if you are addicted to harmful
substances including common items like caffeine, nicotine, fat, or sugar. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Have you done an inventory of your eating
habits lately?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Are you eating healthy food that nourishes
and energises your body?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Are you avoiding items that disagree with
your internal system?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The healthiest way to eat is to eat foods
in their natural state and avoid processed foods. It should be easy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">But it’s not. There is more to know.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We need to know our own bodies.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I was the healthiest when I avoided sugar,
all wheat flour, and all milk products. My friend swears by the blood group
diet. Another was happiest when losing weight with shakes and protein powders.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Not everyone is the same. It can take a lot
of time and persistence to find out what is best for your body. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">But it is worth it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">You could see what happens when you give up
one unhealthy item, or you could go cold turkey on a whole group of items such
as anything that contains sugar. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">You could also add something to your diet
such as more fresh vegetables, or more water.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Health is so important for your happiness. It would be well worth finding out what suits you and your body and making the changes that suit. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">H is for healthy Habits.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">(This blog post is part of the A-Z challenge. For more information please follow the link above right)</span></div>Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-71477650482332934382012-04-06T21:23:00.000-07:002012-04-06T21:23:06.477-07:00G is for Gorgeous Girls in Gilded Garments<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Okay the title is a bit fanciful, even for
a daily A-Z blog. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I am referring to the magazine models. They
all look so skinny and so pretty, with flawless skin, and airbrushed to
perfection. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I saw a documentary once, and watched the
photographers work with some photos. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">They didn’t just clean up skin
imperfections, but sliced inches off the sides of thighs, enlarged the eyes,
and elongated the legs. They smoothed out laugh lines, plumped up lips, and
deepened check bones, all with computer software.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmmECdEwHAz8_HCEt-KEzsJWkqgnR1A4LruZDRi829qg-G0M-uhrM04ZgM1px1v1dCmkSySoeX31J_LQGwu4BTpStUrS6a4-y8e-X7AtZJtJYGyYhHGAvzzxUfryeGBwG7aARs2pDGkw/s1600/Photoshop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmmECdEwHAz8_HCEt-KEzsJWkqgnR1A4LruZDRi829qg-G0M-uhrM04ZgM1px1v1dCmkSySoeX31J_LQGwu4BTpStUrS6a4-y8e-X7AtZJtJYGyYhHGAvzzxUfryeGBwG7aARs2pDGkw/s200/Photoshop.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">But the rest of us don’t want to look like the
pictures in magazines do we?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We all know the pictures are often not real
at all.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">But without even realizing it we can take
it all in and it makes us feel less.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Are your thighs too big? For what? How big
should they be? Who says?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Are you too short? Too fat? Too thin?
Again, for who? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">It is time to celebrate who you are; real
woman (or man) with all your uniqueness and quirkiness.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Don’t compare. Don’t judge. Just notice the
wonder that is you; the marvel that is your fully functioning human body. The
way your eyes work. The way your lungs breathe without your conscious mind
noticing. The way you can hear, and taste, and smell. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Celebrate yourself. And smile.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">(This blog is part of the A-Z challenge. To find out more please follow the link on the right) </span></div>Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5182840669338696625.post-35658489077986677002012-04-06T06:00:00.000-07:002012-04-06T06:00:13.967-07:00F is for Fulfilling Friendships<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4eowR6coSYuRES0C7PbP4oif3GoRkAeoe9rNMhqBHlfPizP_j5gAHY8SPDttfU1nT3IAtm3MLrtHxthlHpfMfjmpVofR6Zee3eFkUG2t_XaukgzKXr5Mu2IagFnA-Cjrtr5XQyXAm_o8/s1600/friendship-quotes-comment-0161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4eowR6coSYuRES0C7PbP4oif3GoRkAeoe9rNMhqBHlfPizP_j5gAHY8SPDttfU1nT3IAtm3MLrtHxthlHpfMfjmpVofR6Zee3eFkUG2t_XaukgzKXr5Mu2IagFnA-Cjrtr5XQyXAm_o8/s200/friendship-quotes-comment-0161.jpg" width="139" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Recently I caught up with a friend I had
not seen in years. It was so much fun catching up. We found out how much we
still had in common, including divorce, wayward kids, and big plans for the
future.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">After talking for hours I left her house
energized, excited, and motivated to set and achieve new goals. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Why did it take me so long to call her?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Friends are the jam in the sandwich of
life. They allow us to vent, to boast, to laugh, and to learn. Friends share
evenings out, helpful advice, good times, and sometimes see us through bad
times.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Friends can be family we choose ourselves,
or acquaintances we meet once and never see again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We all need our friends.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">If you have been neglecting your friends,
consider planning some time together. Go bowling, have lunch together, or just
make a phone call.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Life can be so much happier when you share
it with friends. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Marianne Williamson says, “We are not held
back by the love we didn’t receive in the past, but by the love we are not
extending in the present.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Find a friend, and share the love.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><o:p>(This blog is part of the A-Z challenge. To know more follow the link on the right of the page) </o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Nikki Lentferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05337283496778537910noreply@blogger.com2