Lazer Focus on Each Day!

08/31/2011

Good morning Mintdom

Can you believe that today is the last day of August? Even though it is not the official date, I always consider August 31 the last day of summer and September 1, the first day of fall. Anyway, the summer sure has flown by quickly. My Mom used to tell me that the older I get, the faster that time passes. My dad always says that we have 24 hours in a day, how will we use our time.

Last week’s earthquake and hurricane and brought my focus back to how we could have a lot less time in this world then we think. We really need to make the most out of each day. This week a friend landed unexpectedly in the hospital. It shows me how we need to appreciate the people in our lives, and all that we have because we never know if today will be our last day or theirs. I do not mean to be morbid; I just feel this sense of urgency to make the most out of each day. I cannot tell you enough how grateful I am for you, my family and friends, and for my health. I hope that I never take any of you or anything that I have for granted. I am truly blessed.

I keep what I call a little celebration / prayer journal. On one side, I write down three things that made me smile the day before which, actually turns out to be three things that I am grateful. Sometimes, it is a big thing like settling on my new house, and sometimes it is a very small thing, like watching Minty playing with a toy. On the other side, I write my prayers although I always start with, thank you God… It sure is a GREAT way to start my day, to focus on the good in my life, and to remember those that are in need. It is interesting to look back at the things that I was thinking in past years. Yes – years – it has been years since I started this; it seems like yesterday.

What are some of the things that you do to keep you focused and appreciative all that you have in life? I think today, one of the things that I will do is to call my Mom and Dad to say I love you and I am grateful for every moment I have had with you – even when I was a teenager! LOL

AffirMINTion: I appreciate each day and all that it brings

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

A Mini Minty MoMINT

“Life is short, God’s way of encouraging a big of focus.” – Robert Brault

My mom tells and shows me every day that she loves me… AND I LIKE IT!

Life is Minty Fresh!
 

xoxo

 

I am grateful for my cousin, Brandy!
This photo was taken when we were just puppies – see how time flies?

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Minty Monday: No Worries

08/29/2011

A Mini Minty MoMINT

“I keep the telephone of my mind open to peace, harmony, health, love and abundance. Then, whenever doubt, anxiety or fears try to call me, they keep getting a busy signal – and soon they’ll forget my number.” ~Edith Armstrong

Even though there was, an earthquake and a hurricane where I live my mom said not to worry because it would only get a busy signal… AND I LIKED IT!

Life is Minty Fresh!
 

xoxo

        No Worries

Good morning, Mintdom

An earthquake and a hurricane in one week would probably rattle most people’s cages, but actually, Minty and I remained fairly calm throughout last week. I think part of it was that I have not been watching TV and so I missed a lot of the hype. I DO get national and local alerts on my phone so I am not totally out of the loop, and I DID peak at the news a couple of times over the weekend to see where the hurricane was and where it was going. It was easy to find as it was on all local and news channels non-stop. I did prepare for the worse (brought in light stuff from the patio, including the glass top to my table, got my flashlight and candles out and made extra ice for my refrigerator) and was hoping for the best.  That is probably why Irene passed over my county! LOL!  Anyway, I am happy that I did not spend my weekend worrying. I kept thinking of that verse in the bible that has always helped me in the past.

Matthew 6: 34 Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

You do not have to be a Christian to appreciate this verse.  I DO like Minty’s telephone visual. So if you call me and get a busy signal – you will know why!  How do you keep from worrying?

AffirMINTion: I keep my head and heart full of positive things.

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

PS Of course, I had to include this song today http://tinyurl.com/NoMintyWorries

Treasured MoMINTs

Good morning, Mintdom!
 
Leading a healthy lifestyle is not only the physical; it is also about being healthy in my spirit, mind and my heart. This weekend, I had my fill of all three! It was beautiful – not only did I get to spend it with my two sisters, but also the three of us drove to Richmond to visit GREAT friends and attend their church.  It was one of those times where I felt like I was really living my life. . 

This weekend filled me up in so many ways. On the way to Richmond, we ran into a torrential rainstorm. The rain came down in sheets! Not only did it slow us down; it showed me the power of Nature, and how little control we have over life.  Saturday night we met with our friends for a fabulous dinner.  It was great food and even better conversation.  Sunday, my sisters and I ‘bloomed’ with coffee and went down for a delicious breakfast.  Our friends picked us up for church. The message was on the book of Ruth in the Bible. After church, we our friends took us to their home for a fabulous lunch. Their home was so warm and inviting. I think almost everything in it had special meaning to them.  They are truly special themselves.  She is a philosopher and a writer. He is a musician and they both work together in real estate.

Laughter and deep conversation filled the car on the way home with my sisters. It was such a precious time for me, and one that I will treasure for years to come.  We are very fortunate to have each other. I think we all need be purposeful about taking time out of our busy lives for moMINTS like this. I know that when I am in the throes of work or keeping up with my life, I will have this time to draw on. Can you remember a special time that you have had – a time that you treasure? If not, my strong suggestion is that you take some time out and create your own treasure.

“God gave us memories that we might have roses in December.”  ~J.M. Barrie, Courage, 1922

AffirMINTion: I make time for precious moMINTS!

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

A Mini Minty MoMINT

My ‘uncle’ Bob and his friend Lauren took care of me while my mom was away and even though I missed my mom, I had a GREAT time. My mom says that it is nice to have treasured moMINTs to remember… AND I LIKE IT!

Life is Minty Fresh!
       

On my way home

        

Visiting is Fun AND Exhausting!

Entertaining with The Mint

12/1/09 – 5,793

Food Journal – No

Good morning Mintdom,

God sure does work in great ways in my life.  Yesterday afternoon, I made up my mind that I was not going to go to Weight Watchers (WW).  I just could not face that darn scale – UG!  I even tried making plans with my Tuesday dinner friend, but he was busy (God: 1). Then, the phone rang.  It was a woman that is in my Weight Watchers group and she was calling because she needed a ride.  Of course, I could not say no (God: 2). so I picked her up and off we went to WW. Now there is this little coupon in the back of the WW book that says that I can have one week without the scale.  I totally intended on using it.  I even brought it up to the scale opened to that page, but when I got up there, I tossed it to the instructor, and said, “Here, just tell me how much I gained.” (God: 3) How is that for positive thinking LOL?  (Even I slip into negativity on occasion).  I got up on the scale and I LOST 1.8 pounds! (God: Home Run!).  I happen to be a Christian, so I give credit to God (I blame Him too sometimes LOL) who worked through my friend Ben who was too busy for dinner.  He worked through my friend Karen who recommended me as a driver, through my new friend Linda, who needed the ride, and for the instructors at Weight Watchers who create a safe and fun environment that enabled me to get on that scale one more time.  For those of you who are not Christians, you do not have to be a Christian to know the power of positive thinking.

“There will always be times when you feel discouraged.  I too, have felt despair many times in my life, but – I do not keep a chair for it; I will not entertain it; and it is not allowed to eat from my plate.” –Claris Pinkola Estes

I need to remember this quote when the negative thoughts come into my mind.  What do you do to keep negative thoughts at bay?  I would love to hear your answers here or on Mintdom www.Mintdom.com. 

AffirMINTion: I ONLY entertain empowering thoughts and emotions at my table!

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

Life is good!

It Takes a Minty Orchestra…

11/03/09 – 8,125 Steps (whoo hoo)

Food Journal – Yes

Good morning Mintdom,

I knew yesterday was going to be a good step day because we went shopping for more office furniture and accessories.  The store was huge and of course, picking out accessories leads you down many paths.  There were three of us and one on the phone so the ideas were flowing.  We make a GREAT team, and it was actually a lot of fun!

“No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.” – H.E. Luccock

Speaking of teams, one of the benefits of writing a blog every day is that the people that read it become a team of sorts. Yesterday, I received a call a Mintdom team member who said that I needed to get the whip out of my hand – that I was too focused on what I was not doing.  My first reaction was to protest – I need to be transparent. She said that I needed to focus on loving myself as I am right now.  That hit me like a ton of bricks, and I could actually feel the tears well up inside.  Yikes!  She was right on the mark because I hate the way I look, and I am working hard and I am not losing weight.  I am frustrated most of the time.  I cannot tell you how much I appreciated that call.  Others can see us better then we can see ourselves at times.

My teammate did not leave me high and dry (or wet with tears lol) though; she gave me guidance, and I wanted to share it with you.  Here it is:

She suggested that I look at myself in a mirror, and say something like this, ten times, aloud, “You are beautiful and I love you just the way you are right now.”  She told me to focus on the process, to enjoy the journey and to remember that God loves me just as I am and so does she.

I can feel the tears welling up as I type this. I want to thank my teammate, my beautiful friend for being a part of my orchestra – together along with all of you – we are creating a beautiful symphony.

AffirMINTion:  I am beautiful and I love myself just the way I am right now (said 10x in front of mirror daily)

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

Life is good!

Sharing Mintdom

08/19/09 – 2,685

Good morning Mintdom!

Yesterday, I got a new pedoMINTer. Yikes!  I think that number is the kind of number that I started with on GretaWire.com.  It only takes a minute to lose momentum.  Never fear though – I was back at the gym a little bit after 5:00 this morning!  I have almost doubled that number today already.  I could have stayed a lot longer, but the coffee and Mintdom was calling me!  I can already feel the difference in my mind and my spirit.  So… now, I am back!  Did you all miss me?

I have to tell you that writing this blog every day is an amazing experience for me.  I KNOW without a doubt, that sharing my challenges and successes with you holds me accountable. Without you I, double I would have been at the gym this morning; it was dark and very hot. I really would have preferred to stay in my bed, and my air-conditioned home. You are one of the big reasons that I stay on track, even though I do not see any changes in the way I look.

Another thing that helps me stay on track is something Nancy said to me when I first began working with her.  She said, “I am responsible for everything in our lives.”  It came from the book, “The Success Principles” by Jack Canfield. I argued with her about it.  How can that be?  What about when a sudden illness, death, or an act of God happens?  I just could not get my arms around it.  That was over 4 years ago and I understand it now.  For the past couple of days, that statement keeps rolling around in my head. I now believe it also, and believing it, this principle is freeing because I know no matter what happens in my life, how I deal with it that makes a difference. I see it in big events like how my daughter and her husband are dealing with the sudden death of his son’s mother.  I see it in small events like the loss of a pedoMINTer and in all events and situations in between.  I might not be responsible for a tornado hitting my home; however, I AM responsible for how I deal with it.  Knowing that I am responsible moves me into action. Go to http://www.thesuccessprinciples.com/ to sign up for Jack Canfield’s FREE 21-day online mentorship course.

Are there things that you do in your life that help you stay motivated?  Do you agree with the statement, “I am responsible for everything in my life”?  Please share your thoughts here on www.Mintdom.com.  I think that the quote for today carries this theme even farther.  What do you think?

“If you haven’t the strength to impose your own terms upon life, you must accept the terms it offers you.” –T.S. Eliot

AffirMINTion:  I am responsible for my life.  I seize the day and all that it offers!

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

Life is good!

An Unexpected Death

08/13/09 – 5,109

08/14/09 – 7,568

08/15/09 – ?,??? (Left pedometer in Maryland)

Good morning Mintdom

It was a sudden, unexpected death – she was only 32 years old.  She was the mom of my daughter’s stepson.  How do you tell an 8-year-old boy that is mommy died; for my son-in-law, it was to surround him with people that love him (including his 8-year old twin-stepsister); get down on his knees, look him in the eye, and say, “Your mommy passed away last night” and then, hug him, and allow others to do the same.  When they got in the car, this precious little boy says, “You mean my mommy died?”

This is a very sad time for my family, but in every hard time, there is good if you look for it.  I cannot tell you how proud I am of the way my daughter and son-in-law have handled things. From the beginning, they have included the other side of the family even though there is a strong rift. They recognize the loss of their daughter, sister, grandparents, and are doing their best to keep that in mind when making decisions.  Their biggest priority is their son and getting him through this loss.

I am proud too of my other children, my family, and my friends who have made themselves available for anything from helping out with unexpected expenses, chores, errands, and most of all moral support.  The love that is enveloping this family is phenomenal; and although, you can find good in all of this, his life and theirs will never be the same.

As you can see, I struggled for a few days to write this. My heart is overwhelmed with a whole range of emotions. My mind is overwhelmed with so many thoughts, that I am unable to hold on to one for any length of time.  All I can say right now, is to hold tight to your loved ones.  Call someone you have been meaning to call; write to someone you have been thinking about; visit someone you haven’t seen in a while; and hug the ones that are close right now, because you never know when someone might be looking into your eyes and saying……..

The Weaver

My life is but a weaving

Between my Lord and me,

I cannot choose the colors

He worketh steadily.

Oftimes he weaveth sorry,

And I in foolish pride

Forget He sees the upper

And I, the underside.

Not til the loom is silent

And the shuttles cease to fly

Shall God unroll the canvas

And explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful

In the Weaver’s skillful hand

As the threads of gold and silver

In the pattern He has planned

~ Author Unknown ~