Mindful Month--Day 8

Today I read a post on Instagram that was going on and on about why "national whatever days" were annoying. And the person made a few good points. They were saying that we shouldn't just take one day out of the year to celebrate something. That we shouldn't just focus on appreciating something for one day and then forget about it for the rest of the year. And I get that. Especially when it comes to things like awareness days and things like that. We shouldn't just be aware one day of the year. We shouldn't just have hope for those things one day of the year. I absolutely, 100%, support that. But when it comes to the things I'm telling you this month, I think it's a little different. Because, let's be real, are you really going to think about ships-in-bottles the other 364 days this year? Probably not. But did it make you smile to think about them the other day? Probably. 

So, maybe that person is right. Maybe "national whatever days" are annoying. But, if you choose to be light-hearted about it, and if you choose to look at it in a way that will add to your moments instead of putting a burden or some kind of annoyance on you, then you are choosing to make the most of something that can be fun and positive if you let it. And you are the only one that can make that choice.

And, after having a hard time finding a day for us to celebrate today, I have found quite the list for tomorrow! So instead of giving you just one option, I'm going to give you the whole list. I'm giving you a choice, too. 

Tomorrow, October 8th, is National Fluffernutter Day. (as in the sandwich with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. If you haven't had it, you're missing out. Use tomorrow as your excuse to try it!) It's also National Pierogi Day. If neither of those are your style, it's also Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work Day. And, it's National Poetry Day. (Fun fact: I discovered my love for writing through poetry. So, thanks poetry! If it weren't for that, I wouldn't be writing this blog right now.) 

Tomorrow is a "choose your own adventure" kind of day here on our mindful month journey. Pick whichever one is going to help you live your moments to their fullest, and run with it. 

And if you take nothing else from this post--if you don't eat a Pierogi tomorrow or take your teddy bear to work--I want you to walk away (and by walk away I mean click off of the post) realizing the importance of making your own choices. And putting your own positivity into those choices. Just because someone else says that "national whatever days" are annoying doesn't mean you have to think they are. You celebrate ships-in-bottles for just one day as hard as your little heart desires. And put that same positivity into anything else that will fill your moments. 

Here's to Fluffernutter sandwiches and happy hearts full of mindful moments! 

Mindful Month--Day 7

Alright, we're back! I gave myself a second to breathe and I'm ready to go again. If you needed to do the same thing, I hope you're back, as well! And if you need to take a break at any time along these days, know that it's okay. 

Remember, being mindful isn't forcing yourself to be positive every single second. Being mindful is celebrating and being aware of every aspect of your life--all the feelings--both good and bad. I am not telling you these positive things every day because I think they are all you need in order to live this month mindfully. I am giving you these fun, positive things as jumping points for the positive thoughts in your days. Things to think about. Things to slow you down. Things to help you live your moments. What you do with them after you read them is up to you. And yes, I know that you most likely read them and forget about them. But, if you read them and smile while you're thinking about them, then that's a step in the right direction. 

So, on that note, let's move on to tomorrow! 

Yesterday it was hard to write my post because I wasn't feeling it. Today has proven to be a tough post for a different reason--I couldn't find anything listed anywhere for us to celebrate tomorrow! Don't you worry though, I found something...

Tomorrow, October 7th, is National Bathtub Day. (Not to be confused with Bathtub Party Day though--that's in December, or National Read in the Bathtub Day--that's in February.) So, take that how you will. I know a lot of people in my life who really appreciate their bathtub. And I know a few people in my life who are thoroughly grossed out by the idea of a bath. So, whichever category you fall into, tomorrow is for you. 

Thanks for taking this mindful month journey with me. Like I said a few days ago, I am not writing these posts for views, but as I see the numbers going up as we go along, it makes me feel good to know that at least some people are living their moments a little differently. Or maybe my mom is just clicking on the same post over and over again to make me feel good about myself? It could go either way. So, Mom, if it's you, don't stop--it's working. And if you aren't my mom and you're reading this, thank you--not only for reading, but for taking the time to do this for yourself. I really think it's worth it. And I know that you're worth it. 

 

Mindful Month--Day 6

When I thought about this mindful month idea, I thought it would be easy. I thought I would just find a fun day to write about everyday. I thought it would be easy to be positive about something fun that would help us slow down and really think our way through our days. I thought it would be no big deal. 

Wrong. 

I mean, I'm not saying National-Ships-in-Bottles-Day didn't make me happy. Because it did. I'm not saying that the thought of people doing good things on Do Something Good Day didn't make my heart happy. Because it did. But, today the thought of sitting here and telling you that tomorrow you should celebrate National Noodle Day (yep, that's a thing!) didn't seem like a thing that I could do without lying to you. 

Lyme is hard. Sometimes life is hard. And whatever you may be going through right now is hard too. And that's okay. Me sitting here telling you that you aren't fully living if you having a tough time, and if you aren't being positive, isn't right and it isn't true. You are allowed to have a bad day every now and then, and you can still live mindfully for the rest of your month, and your month isn't ruined. Your moments aren't lost. You haven't messed everything up. Everything will be okay if you need to pick back up on your mindful month journey another day. Part of being mindful is realizing when you need to step back and breathe in order to move forward again. 

That's what I'm doing. And that is okay. 

But, if you do want to celebrate National Noodle Day tomorrow, go for it! Eat some noodles. And eat some noodles for me, too. 

And we'll pick back up together for day 7! 

Mindful Month--Day 5

Well, does your life feel different? Was National-Ships-In-Bottles-Day everything you hoped for and more? Is your world a better place after a day set aside to honor the art of tiny ship building? If National-Ships-In-Bottles-Day didn't rock your world, that's okay--tomorrow is promising. 

Tomorrow, October 5th, is Do Something Good Day. (Our other option was National Bird Day, but confession: I hate birds.) And, honestly, I'm pretty sure we can all find something good to do. The cool thing about this one is that your good is specific to you. My good will be different than yours and yours will mean something special to the person that you do it to/towards/for. And, if you don't want to do something good for someone else, you can do it for yourself--that's okay too! Or you can do multiple good things! Don't limit yourself--don't limit your good--don't limit your happy! This day is the first one that you can make specific to you (I mean, I guess you could have specifically built yourself a tiny ship in a bottle, I'm not judgin') and with that, I hope you are able to live your moments tomorrow in an extra special way. 

I also hope that these days aren't getting too repetitive and boring...especially because we're only on day 5! I kind of feel, as I'm writing them, like I'm telling you the same thing over and over again. But, I hope that maybe you will find that some of the days stand out to you and you will be able to focus on those even if you can't/don't want to think about them all. If you even slow down enough to think about a couple more days this month, then you're making a difference in the way you're living your moments and ultimately the way you're living your life. 

And every extra moment you get to fully live is worth it, if you ask me. 

Mindful Month--Day 4

Oh boy, I'm not even going to talk about today first because I'm so excited to talk about what tomorrow is--it's that cute! 

Tomorrow, October 4th, is National-Ships-in-Bottles-Day. I know, I know, so cute! And the description I read of the day is even cuter. It said "a day to honor the under-appreciated hobby of building really really small boats." Umm what?! Quite possibly the cutest. I don't own a ship in a bottle. I know nothing about ships in bottles. I don't know anyone who builds ships in bottles, that I know of. But wow. I read that one on the list and I couldn't help but share it with you. Because even though you're probably sitting there thinking "Leigh, you're crazy, national-ships-in-bottles-day is ridiculous" (and even though you're correct), when you think back on your days this mindful month, I bet you're going to remember this one. Even if it's for no other reason that for the fact that it was 1. adorable or 2. ridiculous. Whatever it takes, you'll remember it, positively! And that's what we're going for, right? 

If you can live even a few more of your moments this month in a positive way, then we're doing it right! 

Mindful Month--Day 3

So, did you do it? Did you smile today? I hope so! And I hope that you can truly say that you've lived the first two days of the month, mindfully. 

After I posted my post yesterday I started feeling a little guilty, if we're going to be honest here. I wasn't getting any views on my post. (Not that I write for the views, but I do normally get a couple views pretty quickly, and that tells me that people are at least clicking on my post and seeing what I'm writing.) And I thought maybe my positivity was too much on a day when there were very negative things going on in our country. I felt like maybe I was out of line telling people to smile when there were people across the country who were hurting. And, who am I to be telling people who may be hurting on any given day that they should be happy? But, there's got to be someone staying positive, right? Not that my little blog is going to make any kind of substantial difference. But it's a little piece in a big picture. And, when I woke up this morning to two messages from friends telling me that my blog was a happy way to start their morning, I decided that I didn't need to feel guilty for being positive. So, I pushed aside the little part of me that was considering stopping these posts, and we're moving on to day 3! 

Tomorrow, October 3rd, is Frugal Fun Day. (It's also National Virus Appreciation Day (what?) and World Card Making Day.) I like the ideal of frugal fun day. Remember when I talked about jumping in a puddle?! That counts! Do whatever makes you happy, and don't spend a lot of money (or any money) doing so. And, most importantly--since we're focusing on being mindful and living your moments in a way that you will remember them--do something that you will look back on and say "on October 3rd, I did (insert fun frugal activity here.)" 

And, as you move on to day 3 and beyond, don't forget day 2. Keep smiling. It's a lot easier to be mindful when you remember why you're doing so. It's a lot easier to remember why you're doing so when your head is in the right place. And it's a lot easier to keep your head in the right place when you make a conscious effort to smile. As hard as it may be some days, it's always at least worth it to try. 

Just smile. I know you can do it. 

We're in this mindful month together. 

Mindful Month--Day 2

Welcome back! You've officially made it through one day of our mindful month! It wasn't too bad, was it? It didn't take too much time out of your day to stop and think, did it? Even if the only time you slowed down enough to think about it was while you were reading this blog post, I'll consider that a success! Solid work. I'm proud of you! 

I found out in the middle of the day today, though, that we missed celebrating a very important day today! Besides being National Vegetarian Day, today was also National Black Dog Day! For those of you that don't know, I have a black lab puppy. So, obviously I am going to celebrate him! And, obviously I'm going to include a picture of him for you right now in case you didn't have anything else to make you smile today! See what I mean about these random holidays?! Don't tell me that the opportunity to celebrate a puppy doesn't make you just a tiny bit happier.

Even though I could go on about my puppy probably indefinitely, I will move on to tomorrow's day. Tomorrow, October 2nd, is World Smile Day. This one is, without a doubt, my favorite. There were a couple options for tomorrow; World Smile Day narrowly beat out Name Your Car Day! So, tomorrow, take a few seconds to smile. Smile at someone you pass by on the street. Smile at someone in your class or the person behind you in the lunch line. Smile at someone you work with that you normally would just walk by. Smile at the lady in the window in the bank drive-through even though she didn't smile at you. Smile at yourself in the mirror. Just smile. It takes two seconds, and you never know the difference it can make, as cheesy as that sounds. I don't even mean that in the sense that you don't know the difference it can make in someone else's life. I mean, you don't know the difference it can make in your own. 

Slow down. Take a moment. Live that moment. And just smile.