Lessons From My Bathroom (A year end tale)

Today while inserting my contact lens, I noticed my bathroom, as it is.  The sun was shining and water from the pool was reflecting on the wall.  The bathroom has bright, new paint called Catch the Wave.  It also has old, ucky cabinets, gold trim (which I detest) and dirty light bulbs.  But it also has my pampering Pleasure perfume.  It has a picture frame with the word ABUNDANCE on it and a picture of Alexis and Kelly on Christmas morning when they were oh so young and not a bad-ass bone in sight for Lexy or the determined to go after my dream Kelly.  There is a beautiful heart shaped dish the reminds me of a wonderful friend who knows that hearts are my favorite shape.  The clay pot was a gift many years ago from another friend and even with the new paint color it still matches.  The comb in the pot belongs to Dennis and I was trying to get him to keep it in the cabinet but that hasn't worked so as our family and the Marine motto instructs-Improvise, Adapt, Overcome.  It is a reminder of a husband who is both wonderful, giving and frustrating.  The Scotch bottle is from my Dad, who died over 6 years ago and it was made into a magical soap dispenser by another talented and dear friend.  The sign not hung up yet is a cast off from Kelly's room and has great advice.  The three towels on the door are for Dennis and I, a compromise so there are no holes in the new paint, yet.  The lights above are old, outdated (gold) and dusty but they shine when needed (I could probably clean them and they would look better).  

The plaque hanging on the mirror is one of two things that starts and ends my day.  It says:

Every day we decide who we will be by the actions we take. 

I should have this as a tattoo for sure!  What a great reminder about the choices we have in life.  The newest addition is a flattened silver spoon with the word HAPPY engraved on it.  This was a gift from the heart friend who really gets me. (Stop giving me gifts, you know who you are!)

There were so many thoughts and lessons to be discovered from my bathroom today:

• Life is what we make it.
• It has some good stuff and bad stuff.  Depends on what you are looking for.
• Friends and family connections are the most important thing in bathrooms, I mean life.
• Water reflecting on a wall, so simple yet, these are the moments to stop and breathe in.
• I can change things to make them better.
• Life is a work in progress.
• We can't do everything right now.

And all this leads me to more thoughts and questions:

I surrender to needing things to be different than they are.  I embrace what is, until it changes.  I am devoted to dreaming about my ideal life but will live it as it comes.  We have the power to give blessings to all around us.  What could go right?  Why are you doing it?  Now what needs to be done?

My word for 2015 is WONDER.  

My motto is FIND the GOOD.

Happiness is not an end destination, 

but instead the ability to see the ordinary 

through the eyes of wonder.

-Tamara Star

I am living in wonder.  

All this from a bathroom moment.  

Life is ironic and keeps us on our toes. 

Whether this moment is happy or not depends on you.  

It's you that makes the moment happy.  

With mindfulness, concentration and insight, 

any moment can become a happy moment.  

Happiness is an art.  

-Thich Nhat Hanh

Declare it good.

Find the good.

Personal Growth

Who am I?

What do I want from my life?

 What is preventing me from achieving it?

What are my highest priorities?

We read books, attend seminars and workshops, start a health program, have a yoga practice, chant during meditation or seek stillness, hire a life coach or see a therapist.  All these things and more are done to live our best lives.  It's to reduce our limiting thoughts and beliefs.  It is so you believe in yourself as you are today.  Unconditional love for you.  But when is the quest for personal growth enough? 

Who am I?  

And I don't mean titles like wife, mother, sister, employee and others. 

I want you to investigate what lights you up. 

What do I want from my life?

And I don't mean a to-do list of shoulds.

I want you to imagine your best life.

What is preventing me from achieving it?

And I don't mean money or time.

I want you to knock down those barriers of what if.

What are my highest priorities?

And I don't mean family and work.

I want you to do some internal brainstorming.

It is never too late to be who you really are.  

To exchange fear of change for going in the direction that calls you. 

Have you had enough?

Grow.

Align.

Be. 

I do my best and enjoy being me.

-Louise Hay

Today Is The Day

What are you waiting for?

Who am I?

What do I want from my life, and what is preventing me from achieving it?

I recognize that I am the source of my happiness.

Today is the day.

Thongs

I have had these thongs for over 40 years.  

They have been water skiing.

They have been camping.

They have been to many pools.

They have gone on many vacations.

They have been in closets and out.

They have been packed for every move.

They have made every cut in decluttering.

They are not perfect.

There is a tear in the left one.

They are good enough.

In this picture they are buried in the sand but surrounded by beauty.

Kind of like life...surrounded by beauty but feeling a little buried.

My girls are horrified that I call them thongs.

They tell me they are flip flops.

I would be horrified if anyone thought I wore a thong.

So meet my new "old" flip flops.

They were with me this weekend to celebrate my birthday at the ocean!

How old is a treasure that you have hung onto?

Superpowers

What would you attempt 

to do 

if you knew 

you could not fail? 

The other night I asked my two daughters this question. We each had different answers, that ranged from strictly personal goals to ending world suffering and sickness.  It makes me think about lots of ideas that would be fun and could make the world better too.  

I think to really have this be possible we would need a few superpowers:

• Controlling Weather...drought here in California needs some help.
• Eat Anything...oh my...be still my heart...imagine!
• Flight...kind of boring.
• Mind Control....now we're talking.
• Spider Webs...ok for Halloween.
• Time Travel...could really mess up the past which then affects the future.
• X Ray Vision...would I still need to wear my contact lens?
• Super-Hearing, Speed, and Strength...all have been done before.

We are attracted to Superman, Captain America, Iron Man, BatMan, Green Lantern and others because of their superpowers.   My personal favorite is Wonder Woman. I mean, a Lasso of Truth?  Can it get any better? What I could do with a Lasso of Truth! 

Superhero superpowers are conducive to making the world a better place. 

But I think we can make the world better just using our own superpowers.

Kindness, empathy and love are a good place to start.

Throw in making a decision to be happy and taking action.

Add smiling which  has some superpower benefits and we can use it every day. 

We also have some evil superpowers like guilt and shame.  Those are not helping us or the world. We need to use that famous Lasso of Truth and banish them. Only positive Superpowers are used in my story. Creative license, you know.  

Happiness is a superpower.  

It blazes and inflicts positivity until we have a new reality.  

Be a super hero and choose happiness.

Make a difference.

Change the world.

What would you attempt to do if you knew 

you could not fail? 

AND

What superpowers would you use to accomplish it?

Optimist or Pessimist?

There is a song by Paramore called: For a Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic.  I really like the title and it has brought a few laughs to some in our family who have been accused of having a negativity bias.   

Lately I have been complaining, whining, being a little negative and definitely overthinking life.  I have made pro and con lists, to do lists, not-to-do lists and have been giving too much credit to the thoughts bouncing around in my head. It is difficult to be taken seriously when the thoughts are really just pouting and venting. 

If you think too much, you can create problems that were not there to begin with. You can have those skeptical thoughts become gloomy then angst sets in and before you know it you are in despair and your daughter could be saying, "For an optimist, you are pretty pessimistic."  

(Not that this is necessarily a true story, and if it was I would change the names to protect the innocent.)  

Sometimes we have a tendency to be caught in a mental loop of overthinking.  It can ruin the situation, twist things around, make you worry and it can make everything much worse than it actually is.  

Rumination-break the habit!

Being a happiness teacher does not guarantee that life is always perfect or even fun. Cheerfulness, hope and confidence are not given with that title.  

Those positive traits are earned and learned.  

They take practice and practice and even more practice.

There is no perfect.

Two facts from The Happiness Journey by Bob and Virginia Pothier:

• Our brains are not built to make us happy.
• Our brains are built to latch onto negativity and to treat it as overly important.

When rumination and over thinking take over, it can be linked to bouts of increased sadness, difficulty solving problems and decreased motivation, concentration and drive.  It is an unhealthy and dangerous mental habit.  It can be a slippery slope to navigate. 

I believe that what you think about becomes your life.   

So if you are on this path, snap out of it.

Use tools of positivity to keep going on your happiness journey.

Remember that happiness is not the absence of unhappiness.

It doesn't matter if the glass is half empty or half full because...

1. The glass has air in it so I believe it is always full!
2. Be glad you have a glass!

What I know for sure is that there are days I feel overwhelmed and a little over the top heading towards pessimism but most days are filled with positive thoughts and making progress towards being an optimist.  

What's in your glass? 

Try

I recently attended a Colbie Caillat concert.
She is an amazing singer/songwriter and her performance was sizzling.
She sparkled and tugged at our hearts.
Jason Mraz even sang a song with her, while on Skype or some other platform.

In the program bio there was a line about her song, Try, from the new Gypsy Heart album.  It explains that this song is "an anthem for women to accept who they are and be comfortable showing it and not hiding it from one another."  As she sang the song, with the video playing behind her, I felt an explosion of emotions.  The video showed women of different ages, all made up and also with natural faces and hair.  It was a powerful statement.  The emotions I felt were many.  I imagine each person is seeing and feeling differently while watching this video.

Watch the music video for Try


Here are the lyrics for Try by Colbie Caillat:

Oooh
Oooh

Put your make-up on
Get your nails done
Curl your hair
Run the extra mile
Keep it slim so they like you, do they like you?

Get your sexy on
Don't be shy, girl
Take it off
This is what you want, to belong, so they like you
Do you like you?

You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to, give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing

You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
Yooou don't have to try

Oooh
Oooh

Get your shopping on, at the mall, max your credit cards
You don't have to choose, buy it all, so they like you
Do they like you?

Wait a second,
Why, should you care, what they think of you
When you're all alone, by yourself, do you like you?
Do you like you?

You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to, give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing

You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to bend until you break
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing

You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try

You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
Yooou don't have to try

Oooh
Oooh

You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to, give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing

You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
You don't have to try

Take your make-up off
Let your hair down
Take a breath
Look into the mirror, at yourself
Don't you like you?
Cause I like you

As you read these words, listen to Colbie Caillat sing them or watch the music video,  

I wonder what is going through your mind and how your heart feels. 

Do you feel the hurt?  

Do you feel the sadness?  

Do you feel the love?  

Do you feel the power?

What do you feel?   

It is not about makeup and what we look like!

It is not about changing to fit into the mold of "everyone else".

It is not about caring what others think.

It is not about size, age or color.

  

It is about being you.  

It is about accepting who you are.

It is about knowing what is important, to you.

It is about liking yourself.

This song is important.

These lyrics are life changing.

The message is critical.

Listen.

Think.

Pass it on.

Don't you like you?

Cause I like you.

Thank you Colbie Caillat, 

for making a difference.  

            

And a big shout out to Alex & Sierra, who are totally awesome and the whole reason we went to the concert!  Check out this song by them.  

Scarecrow by Alex & Sierra  

Small Wonders

Maybe life doesn't get any better than this, 

or any worse, 

and what we get is just what we're willing to find: 

small wonders, 

where they grow.

-Barbara Kingsolver

What are you looking for?

Are you willing to find it?

Do you see the small wonders in your life?

I wonder........

Where Are You Going?

Contentment

Contentment is not the fulfillment 

of what you want, 

but the realization of 

how much you already have.

-Anonymous

What does contentment mean to you?  I believe that in our happiness journey,  being content has to do with satisfaction that reaches a level which is different for everyone.  My level of achievement and good fortune is not the same as your idea of a good life.  Not wishing for more is a fluid place for me.  

How much is enough? 

Enough happiness, health, money, love or anything.  

When do we not wish for more?  

I believe the answer to that is in the now.  

Now is enough. 

There is a line from the book, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green that says, "it occurred to me that the voracious ambition of humans is never sated by dreams coming true, because there is always the thought that everything might be done better and again."  Wow, that is deep and worth thinking about.  When one dream comes true we sometimes critique it and say it could have been better or if I had it to do over...and on and on. So where is the contentment or the acknowledgment of how much you already have or that has been done? We quickly move on to the next, best thing and leave behind the feeling of enough.  Augustus, one of that characters in the book, makes a remark about Hazel and how he sees her impact on the world because "real heroes are the people NOTICING things, paying attention."  We do not have to be dying to have this attitude or impact.  We can notice our life and pay attention to the now.  What follows is contentment.  Your kind of contentment.

Life is how you look at it...ugliness or beauty.

Life is how we hear it...complaining or uplifting.

Life is how we imagine it...nightmare or dream.

Life is how we feel it...fear or love.

Life is how we anticipate it...sad or happy.

Life is how we live it...wishing for more or contentment.

Choose to live life with contentment.

Life becomes how we live it.

Enough. 

Now.

Pool Time

Pleasure in the summer for me...is pool time.  
When I was growing up we had a community pool.
We could only go there with an adult.
They usually didn't want to stay very long.
For me, it was never long enough.

Now I am very lucky to have a pool in my backyard.
Some years we use it a lot.
Some years we barely do.
Crazy.
This year I am in the pool almost daily.
By myself.
No one else.
Sometimes Sadie is laying in the shade but often it is too hot for her to stay.
It is fun by myself. 
But I also miss the pool chats and games with my daughters and their friends. 

Yesterday I did a walking meditation in the pool.
Seriously.  
I turned on my iPhone to the Happier app and counted 100 steps.
It was amazing. 
I think it was a random act of fitness!
Sometimes I count my strokes as I swim, kiddie corner across the pool.  
Sometimes I sit on a noodle and paddle around.  
Sometimes I float on my back, looking at the clouds.
Sometimes I float, holding my breath and look at the bottom of the pool......

It is a constantly changing prism of light.  

It is beautiful.  

It is awesome. 

It is relaxing.  

It is better than meditating.    

It is such a simple thing.  Floating....I feel like my hotness, crankiness, problems and stress just float away.  I have been in the pool the last 4 days in a row and many before that but not in a row.   I stay in there a long time.  I get out when I want to get out. 

I am very thankful I have a pool.

Summer pleasure is pool time for me.

Did I mention how thankful I am to have a pool?

What is bringing you pleasure this summer?

Maybe next week I will write about ice cream.....

Meditation again!

I have written more than one blog post about meditation.
There are many benefits of meditation.
It is a practice that I keep coming back to try again and again.
I even have had a boot camp for meditation this year.

On Friday I participated in an online event for peace, led by Deepak Chopra.
It was over 100,000 people from all around the world.
We were all mediating at the same time, for peace in our world.
It included humor, music and yes...following the breath.

On Monday I started a new 21 day meditation experience with Oprah and Deepak Chopra called Expanding Your Happiness.  Here is a link to check it out -Expanding Your Happiness -free 21 day meditation experience.

When I have written about mediation in the past, it has generated many page views.  In fact, my all time high for a post is 66,058 for meditation which I wrote in April of 2013 and it still has people viewing it many times daily. There is an obvious interest in what meditation is and can do for us.

I have decided that there is no wrong way to meditate.  I am not thrilled with the word meditation.  It seems like something I need to have on my to-do list and mark it off.  For me, I think it is kind of a buzz word.

What I know for sure about meditation....(thank you for this phrase, Oprah):

• it can be relaxing
• thoughts are still in my head
• there are lots of ways to do it
• no right or wrong way to get it "done"
• some people call it prayer
• silence is good
• people don't always respect your "meditating" time
• it isn't necessarily religious or even spiritual
• patio pondering works
• ruminating does not work
• lost in thought counts
• not sure what is the difference from mindfulness
• some people do it over two hours a day (may be really napping?)
• never sat on a meditation pillow
• it is never quiet when I try to do it
• exercise counts for me

When I was off on my "pretend" retirement I was trying to come up with a morning practice that included meditation, drinking lemon juice, being outside for 15 minutes with feet touching grass, writing morning pages, exercise, smoothie, and other "good" things.  But it was taking me all day to do, if I even got it all done and for sure nothing else was being accomplished.  So I went back to work.  No more "pretend" retirement for me.  Just living life and meditating in my own way.

Yesterday I was in the pool.  No one else was with me.  As I floated and looked at the clouds, I thought, maybe this is a great way to meditate. 

And as I sat on my patio drying off and pondering life, I thought, maybe this is a great way to meditate. 

And later when I was reading a book, nothing on my brain but the book, I thought, maybe this is a great way to meditate. 

And when I was eating frozen yogurt with my daughters, laughing and being silly, I thought, maybe this is a great way to meditate.

And even later when I was texting a friend in crisis, I thought, maybe this is a great way to meditate. 

For awhile I was labeling meditation as stillness.  That wasn't working for me either.  I understand all the benefits; physical, mental and spiritual, that come from meditation.  I just can't seem to get it.  I keep trying.  It certainly isn't going to backfire to keep looking for ways to be still and empty my chattering mind.

But......floating in a pool, reading a book and sharing texts can be a practice for your  best life.  Those moments can be filled with appreciation and being thankful. So maybe meditation is really just contemplation, pondering, reflecting, being lost in the moment.

Wait....that's it!

Being in the moment.

It doesn't have to include a deep breath or silence.
It includes whatever you need to do or not to do, to be here now, in this moment.

I will participate in the next 21 days with Oprah and Deepak Chopra in the Expanding Your Happiness meditation experience.  I might even use stars to keep track.  And in that moment I will be happy with my meditation accomplishments.

And after that, who knows.
Maybe some patio pondering, music or yes.....even stillness.



   

Blog

What is a blog?

blog |bläg|nouna personal website or web page on which an individual records opinions, links toother sites, etc. on a regular basis.verb (blogs, blogging, blogged) [ no obj. ]add new material to or regularly update a blog: it's about a week since I last blogged.• [ with obj. ] write about (an event, situation, topic, etc.) in a blog: he blogged theDemocratic and Republican national conventions as an independent.DERIVATIVESblogger nounORIGIN 1990s: shortening of weblog.
Today I am finished with my month of "pretend" retirement.  I return to work at the library.  Maybe next week I will write about what I learned while off.  Today is also Lexy's birthday.  We celebrated all day yesterday.  It was fun. We played a game called Titanic.  Games played with Josh are always amusing.  I have a hippie attitude and it really bugs him. Lexy is amazing and changing the world.  I celebrate her!  I am feeling much better today than that day for sure!Today I am drinking lemon juice.  Wow!  What a way to wake up in the morning.  Today it is hot and muggy already.  I don't like to be hot.    Today I don't have much to write about.  I have no opinions.  I have no links to other sites.  I have only missed one week, (when Kelly was in an accident) but this week there is not much. Today is all we have.Today is now.Have a great day.  Thanks for reading my blog. 

Lessons from Peter Pan

Our family attended a local presentation of the play, Peter Pan.  It was performed by YES Company.  YES Company is a group of students who come together each summer, to learn, grow, entertain and have fun.  It is a life changing program.  I was delighted and amazed by the dedication and talent that I witnessed.  The students didn't just learn their lines, hit the right notes and master dance steps.  The program includes guest speakers who taught them fencing, the historical perspective of the story of Peter Pan, smart choices regarding exercise, proper nutrition and the proper care and wearing of  theatrical costumes.  And that is just the beginning.  Imagination was used, teamwork with shared duties, strength of character and compassion for others.  The courage for the flying stunts is certainly not taken for granted. I could write this entire blog on the positive aspects of YES Company.  I have such love and admiration for the people who keep YES Company going.  Thank you.

The story of Peter Pan has been a family favorite, especially for my daughter Kelly, who has the nickname of Tinkerkell and lived in a fairy room for many years.  We have been known to say, "I do believe in fairies, I do."  And not in a sarcastic voice either....The play started with an orchestra playing haunting music and right away charm, danger, and humor pulled us into the story of Peter Pan. We were thrilled to visit Neverland again.

In real life there are definitely days I want to sing, "I Won't Grow Up" over and over, at the top of my lungs.  Some days it might be fun to dance to Ugh-A-Wug and pretend to be Tiger Lily instead of my standard work out, though Coach Eric has enough WUG to make any "play out" fun. Maybe the next time you are being interviewed and feeling short on confidence you could burst into the song, "I've Gotta Crow."  The lesson from Captain Hook and the crocodile was especially important to me.  The sound tick-tock...tick-tock... immediately translated to live now...live now.

The responsibilities of adulthood are many.  Peter Pan shows us that there is a happy medium between the innocence of childhood and the inevitable transition to adulthood.  We could all use a little Peter Pan or Tinkerbell attitude in our daily lives. Just don't get too carried away. On those days when we are wishing for Neverland, think about what you can change to make your life better.  And then do it.

Tick-tock.

Tick-tock.

Live now.

Live now.

Hacking into Happiness

Being happy 
is not an unauthorized mystery 
that we have to figure out, discover or buy.  

Happiness is a choice.

Treat these ideas as a way of gaining more access to your happy world.

1.  Gratitude is counting your blessings.  Science says if it is written down and shared with others it will make a bigger impact on your level of happiness.  (And we wouldn't doubt science, would we?)

2.  Close ties with spouse, partner, family and friends are one of the most important ways to hack into happiness.  You are the average of your five closest friends. Choose wisely.  

3.  Movement (aka exercise) will get you feeling better almost immediately.  Do it now and do it often.  (Really...stand up, do a few jumping jacks or wiggle......are you smiling?)

4.  Meditate to gain clarity, increase awareness and it will make you happier.  You have no idea how good you're going to feel unless you do it.  I call it stillness and there is no right or wrong way to do it.  

5.  Ask yourself-How can I be happier?  Be aware, think practical strategies.  It will lead to a better life.  You are the only one who can come up with the "right" answers.

6.  Make a choice to be better.  Commit to a conscious decision to grow.  Make a difference, help someone, mentor a child, invent something.  Go outside your comfort zone and take responsibility to make your life what you dream about.

Happiness hacks can help figure out what you need to do.

Try one, some or even all. 

It starts with the you, your attitude and the choice.

you. happier. 

Journey

I am on a journey.  I am not necessarily going anywhere by plane, boat or car.  I don't need a map, gas or gps.  I just need to accept this journey.  I need to slow down.  I need stillness.  I need to do the bare minimums.  

I am on a journey from doing to being.  

Want to come along for the ride?
Start your own journey.
Accept that your bowl is empty.
Instead of what can I do, ask who can I be?

Sometimes we have more than we want but less than we need.  
Where do you start?
Nowhere.
Just be.

Tweak not twerk.

Life is a whirlwind.

We try to  live a "normal" life.

But what is a normal life?

I am off from the library for a month trying on a "pretend" retirement.   I am always busy and there is so much going on.  I felt like if I didn't work at the library then I would have a "normal" retirement and life.  I have been off for a week and my life is crazier and more busy than usual. 

When life is in a flux and there is continuous change, 

it sometimes makes me forget to be thankful. 

Even when I am getting an estimate to get my car fixed from an accident, 

I am thankful that no one was seriously injured.

Even when we are stuck in traffic for a long time, 

I am thankful we are all together, have air conditioning and snacks.

Even when I am spending the day taking care of bills and other paperwork, 

I am thankful I have enough money to pay those bills.  

Even when I am not able to sleep because my brain won't shut off, 

I am thankful that I have people in my life to worry about and love.

Even when I am feeling unsteady looking at houses to buy, 

I am thankful I have a lovely home to live in.

Even when the news is bad, 

I am thankful I try to look beyond and find the good.

I thought my "pretend" retirement would lead to a "normal" life.  I imagined days of waking up when I wanted, having time for meditation and pool time. Work outs were done in the cool of the day and with joy. I had a day dream of no chores and all my work being caught up. Actually reading all my library books with no fine. You know, the perfect life.

There are not enough hours in the day to do all we want to do, no matter if we are retired or not.  

Choosing how we spend our minutes, leads to days, weeks, months and yes, how we live our lives. 

I am thinking my "normal" life and retirement is really my real life.

Maybe it is time to tweak (not twerk) life a little bit:  

• Add in the pool time as non negotiable.

• Workouts are more fun when cool, but I can be hot for 30 minutes.

• Some days I can wake up when I want.

• Meditation is stillness and silence, not something on a to-do list.  

• Chores, if kept up, can be managed.

• Taking care of business, I was able to retire, keep on doing that.

• Read, pay the fines to support the library when I don't finish on time.

Does any of this help me figure out how to live during this month of "pretend" retirement?

No, but what I am realizing is that I get to choose how I feel about my life and I am thankful for all my life has in it.  I relish those "perfect" days of doing bare minimums and resting, just as I rise to the occasion when I need to be on task and move along.  

I have been an all or nothing perfectionist all my life.  I want to live in the gray area.  Not all, not nothing.  Just right.  A little rest, a little work, a little play, a little of whatever I need to live my best life. 

Maybe I am already living my best life 

and I just needed to notice that

and tweak as needed. 

I hope you are living your best life.

If so, be thankful.

If not, tweak it.