Category Archives: Gratitude

Motivational Monday: C’mon People…

Well I posted Friday’s post a little late but still…C’MON PEOPLE! 79 people saw last Friday’s post but only one courageous soul decided to reply. I know you all are listening because I’ve asked for your help before and you came out in the masses. So why is it that when I ask you to tell me what you think about ME, you’re all for it, but when it comes to other people, you’re silent.

So today, I will continue the exercise. Comment here, or on Friday’s post. All you have to do is compliment someone in your life. A genuine, heartfelt compliment that has nothing to do with their looks or outward appearance. Include their first name and last initial.

Some encouragement:

Helping others find happiness means you are that much closer to your own.

So do it, NOW. Comment here, verbalize something nice about a person you know and respect.

*Note to Ben, my brave reader, your quote will be published on Friday along with the others. Thanks for participating when no one else would 🙂

Bahahaha! This photographer (Seth Casteel: amazon, source) takes awesome pics of doggie underwater. HAPPY MONDAY (and almost Thanksgiving!)

Friends and Family Friday: Compliment Much?

1 Reply

My team meeting for work this week was AWESOME. Each of us four coworkers stood up front and received one compliment from the other three. It was interesting to hear nice things from people who I greatly respect but don’t really have a personal relationship with.

So we’re going to try it here, in my little corner of the blogosphere. If you do this, the outcome will be awesome.

And yes, I’M TALKING TO YOU.

3 simple steps:

1. In the comments section below, hit “reply.” If you’re reading this by email, also hit “reply” and I’ll get it as a comment (my Gran discovered that one).

2. Write a something nice about a person in your life that you’ve never complimented before. And I’m not talking, “Hey I like your sweater.” No. Something about they’re character, personality, and/or lifestyle. It can be ANYONE. Include their first name and last initial.

Example: “Ami G. I know some of the physical and emotional challenges you’ve encountered in your life and your positive attitude and love for life are inspiring.” <it doesn’t have to be that mushy but you get the idea.

3. Tell them in real life OR send them the link to this blog. I’m going to publish every single one of your compliments on Monday.

If you are hesitant to do this for a someone you aren’t too close with, imagine how good it would feel if they did it for you.

Take a minute to think and then write it out!

🙂

Motivational Monday: Are You a Realist?

9 Replies

Realist, cynic, sensible, unindealistic…are you one of those people who considers yourself rational and grounded? I’m flippin’ tired of people trying to make these qualities sound good! Of course, there are times when rationality can solve problems and levelheaded people are great in crisis situations. I pride myself in my ability to show these qualities when necessary. HOWEVER, too often people use those terms as a cover up for their pessimism.

Anger and pessimism are something that I have been trying to cut out of my life for some time now. I decided, around the time I graduated college, unchecked anger would fester inside of me; not only ruining my day but affecting my relationships with loved ones.

Getting the anger out was surprisingly easy. I am very self-aware and it was just a process of recognizing when anger was brewing and quickly repeating to myself, “it’s not worth the energy, it’s not worth the energy…” and taking deep breaths. It works! Anger is no longer a factor in my life and it’s wonderfully freeing. Of course I still get the random bought of uncontrollable fury but at that point I remove myself from the situation until I’ve calmed down.

The part I’ve really be struggling with is learning how to STOP COMPLAINING. Did you ever have a person in your life that complains, a lot. Not that they know it or would even be able to change it but boy is it a downer. I’ve had lots of people like that in my life and can’t help recognizing that I was one too. Yep. Me, a complainer. So this is my next step in personal growth. Learning how to cut out the “realism” and pessimism and just learn how to appreciate anything and everything.

My current personal growth activity: say or think a bad thing – say out loud 3-5 great things about the same subject.

example: Man this rainy weather sucks…but…it means I get to snuggle down with a cup of tea without remorse, and that my car is getting a rinse, and that the horrible drought this summer is finally ending!

See, it’s not so hard and it’s starting to make a world of difference. So try it, I dare you. It’s a real way to flip your brain to the happy side.

Motivational Monday: The Power of a Smile

2 Replies

Any of my regular readers know that I follow almost every post with a smile. I’d like to explain myself. I spent the weekend in Orlando, FL with a lot of very healthy, very motivated, very image conscious people. Basically, they were all gorgeous. Now I have no issue with confidence. I have it, a lot of it. But it took me a long time to get this way, and every once in a while, my resolve and internal buoy just plain fails.

Saying I felt like an outsider this weekend would be an understatement. It was my first work conference and I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of information and the level of dedication that the rest of the attendees had. Also, I have a different belief system than the company as a whole and it made things very uncomfortable at times.

With that as my base, I decided that I would use the three days to learn as much as possible to apply to my own life but also to connect with as many people as I could in a genuine way.

So I just started smiling and talking. I walked up to strangers, many of them and told them things that I truly believed. I smiled at one girl and told her that I absolutely loved everything she was wearing, because I did! I would have stolen the clothes right off her back if I could. I talked to the IT guy because he looked so fricken bored up there moving the spotlight. I asked him what he really thought of the conference: he had learned a lot but also thought some of it was crazy (it was) and it was SO nice to connect with the outside world for a just a few minutes.

Leaving Orlando, I realized that I had learned more than just the value of chiropractic and great nutrition, I learned what it takes to brighten people’s day even in an uncomfortable situation. You just have to smile! Not only does it make their day happier, but it starves those negative thoughts that might otherwise fester in your own brain.

So just smile! It works I swear 🙂

Amusing Monday: why did you get out of bed?

6 Replies

Merry Monday everyone!

Last night I had some horrible nightmares about death and screwing up at work. Haha. Not quite the same severity but they shook me all the same. You know when you half wake up after a nightmare and don’t want to go back to sleep because it will just start over again? Well that explained my last hour in bed. AND it’s still dark outside! I’m not talking sunrise gray, it is PITCH BLACK outside. AND I have to be at work an hour and half earlier than normal. Let’s just say it was very hard to roll out of bed this morning.

So what are the reasons I rolled out of bed?

1) to end the string of stupid nightmares

2) to go make some money so I can keep cutting up credit cards

3) to meet all the new patients that I signed up over the weekend, time to get some more people healthy!

4) to share this lovely joke with you folks:

Two brooms were hanging in a closet and, after a while, they got to know each other so well they decided to get married.

One broom was, of course, the bride broom, the other the groom broom.

The bride broom looked very beautiful in her white dress. The groom broom was handsome and suave in his tuxedo. The wedding was lovely.

After the wedding, at the wedding dinner, the bride-broom leaned over and said to the groom-broom, “I think I’m going to have a little whisk broom!”

“Impossible!” said the groom broom…

“We haven’t even swept together!”

Bahahaha! Thanks for that one Gran!

^ And if you do get tired, you can just follow this genius’ lead.

Also, the few of you that keep up with me daily may have noticed that I did not post over the weekend. I’ve decided to change the format of my wee blog. No more weekend posts. This is not only to preserve my sanity but to better the content of the posts. I can now plan them out a bit and make sure that I’m giving you the best reading possible! Anyway, feedback on this change over the next few weeks is welcomed!

So why did you roll out of bed this morning?

No matter the answer to that question, I guarantee smiling will make it an easier day. 🙂

Thankful Tuesday: My Material Things

6 Replies

All of us “righteous hippies” out there tend to shrug off our material blessings. We focus all our energy into ignoring our urges to buy silly things that don’t have any real value. But sometimes, just sometimes, isn’t it wonderful to sit amongst all your “stuff” and relish in the life you have made for yourself?

Everything you surround yourself with is there for a reason. Either by your own choice or the fact that someone else thought you might like/need it. Whatever the case, be thankful for what you have!

^ Just watch it, it’s only 1 minute long. Maybe it will change your day.

So today, 3 things I’m thankful for:

1) Our awesomely large 2 bedroom apartment. It has a bedroom just for our bikes and working out. And a deck! And a pool! It’s just large enough for all our things but small enough that it doesn’t take forever to clean.

2) My computer. I bring this thing everywhere with me. I toss it around and then bring it out and expect it to work like clockwork. And it does. I’m very thankful that I had the money to buy a Mac so that I don’t have to worry about viruses or what to do if it breaks.

3) Our double recliner couch. We got it at Habitat for Humanity for $50 but it’s one of my favorite pieces of furniture. It means that we can relax in front of our awesome TV and snuggle up together.

There is so much more but if I just pick 3 then I get to focus on them. Yay!

What are your three things this week?

And please, just don’t forget to smile. Who knows if you will smile at the right person, at the right time, and change their day.

Thankful Tuesday: Health

1 Reply

What are you thankful for? Yes, there may be a few negatives floating around in your head but the more you force the good stuff to the front, the happier you will be. I don’t do this as much as I should but today is a day to focus on the positives!

I am thankful for:

1. My innate understanding of health. My parents (especially my Mom) raised me in an incredibly healthy household. I have found that I can teach people about health mostly from what I already know. That’s pretty awesome.

2. My body’s ability to fight the flu! It took over a week but I am 99% back to normal health. Yay! < and that without ANY medication, not even ibuprofen.

3. The happiness and health of my loved ones. I have had so little illness or loss in my life. I am SO SO thankful for that.

Ashley Life Updates: Shout out to my Gran! She was feeling really sick too last week. Get better Gran, love you.

So seriously, what are you thankful for on this fine day?

Thankful Tuesday: My Family

5 Replies

It’s time for the three thanks I give for the day! However, today my three things may be more like 4 or 5 because my family is giant and all of them are awesome.

Today and everyday I am thankful for, in no particular order:

1) My stellar parents. They raised me to be a self-sufficient, confident, ambitious woman. They never let me doubt my abilities and were always there when I started to. We joke that I only call them when I’m crying so when we don’t talk, they know everything is fine. How wonderful is that? Parents that never need to hear from you unless it’s to pick you up and put you back on your feet. I love my parents for how amazing they are when I was growing up and for what great people they are now that I’m an adult and can recognize it. My parents are my friends above everything else and we have a great time together. I am SO thankful they’re mine 🙂

^This was one of the many times they came to visit me in Boston.

2. My Gran and Chuck. I’m first generation American which means that not much of my family lives in the US and even fewer of them were around growing up in San Diego. They used to have us over for weekends just so they could spoil us! We would walk the dogs and then Chuck would take me to Major Market for the best hot chocolate on the planet. Then we would come home to a beautiful warm house and more delicious food from Gran. Gran and Chuck are always around when I just need some comfort. When no one else is saying the right stuff, Gran is on the other end of the phone, waiting to listen. I am SO thankful to have them in my life.

^ Gran and I on graduation day!

^Chuck and I at one of my first triathlons.

3. My siblings. Oh what to say about this rowdy lot. It’s kind of weird to think that, not too long ago, we fought like crazy. We really did dislike each other. But, alas, we have all grown up a ton in the last several years and are starting to find that we’re all friends. There will always be a part of me that’s very sad I missed out on so much of their lives while I was away in Boston; but I guess the happy result is that we now all see each other as adults. They’re such amazing people, each with their own weird personalities, and we have a fantastic time together. I call each of them for different advice and they all perk up my mood in different ways. All three of them are wonderfully fun and crazy and I am so happy to be able to grow old with them. My ultimate goal is to live as near as possible to every one of them.

^ I know what you’re thinking, “Dang! That is a good-looking bunch.” 🙂

4. My extended family. Like I said, I’m first generation American so most of my extended family lives in Britain or Australia. Despite how little I get to see them, I love them all. Unfortunately, it’s been several years since I last laid eyes on some of my cousins but I know they are all doing great things with their lives (thank you facebook) and can’t wait until we can party together sometime soon (hopefully).

^ Some Scottish family mixed with some New York family. It’s so rare but so wonderful.

5. My ex-pat family. In the absence of my extended family, my immediate family formed a sort of bubble of ex-patriots in San Diego. For the last 10 years we all gather at every holiday to eat, drink, and laugh. All the parents have become like second sets of parents for me and all the kids, my friends. We are a close-knit bunch and, although we don’t talk that often, it’s a huge comfort knowing I’ll see them for the next holiday. They became my family when my British family couldn’t be around.

^Just a few of the friends I call family.

Of course, I’m in tears after writing all that. I am so thankful for all these people but so sad that I can’t just surround myself with them everyday. I miss them all, each and every one. A lot. But I’m putting the smile back on my face because you couldn’t find a luckier girl.

^ One last picture to send you on your day. This is our family at the Rugby Sevens in Vegas last February.

What are you thankful for? I promise it doesn’t have to be as long as mine 🙂

Motivational Monday: Why?

Thankful Tuesday: My Three Things

8 Replies

So I’ve mentioned her before but there is one blogger I follow regularly and she writes a couple of blogs. One of them is made up entirely of a daily post of three things she’s thankful for (check it out here). So, for us, this will be our Tuesdays! Gratitude journals are short, sweet, and helpful and everyone should have one in some capacity. So I’ll be yours. Yay!

1. Today I am thankful for the tiny town that made me appreciate tiny zoos. Thank you Peoria Zoo for getting me so close to giraffes, my favorite animal of all time.

2. I am thankful for old friends (Katie and Mike) and their willingness to accompany me to local farms to pick a pumpkin. Also, this farm has tons of wind turbines which makes it extra awesome.

3. I am thankful for the week of work I have ahead of me. Although getting out of bed can be hard, I love my job, my coworkers, and all the people I get to help everyday. Let me at it!

Alright. Let me have them. Seriously, what are your three things for today? It takes 2 minutes and makes you that much happier.

A Happy Lass

One woman's journey to her healthiest body and mind.