I worked outdoors this morning in a steady but light rain. For four hours and fifteen minutes, I raked leaves, I piled leaves on tarps, I dragged leaves and I blew leaves all over the place. The temperature was 48 degrees and the sun was nowhere to be found. By the time I stopped, I was hungry, exhausted and rather wet!
Do you know what else I was? I was happy. Yup, happy. I am not the type of person to go to the gym. The thought of running scares me and taking an exercise class is not my idea of fun. Working hard in the fresh air until my muscles burn is my idea of exercise. Getting paid to do it is like icing on the cake. Would I have preferred some sunshine and a bit of warmer weather? Of course – but I can’t control the weather so why complain about it?
When I got home, I took a long, hot shower, ate a delicious lunch and drank some hot tea. Then I laid on the floor to stretch as my body was beginning to hurt. When I stretch, I make a lot of noise. I cry out in pain, I groan and I yell at the dog to leave me alone. My honey doesn’t like it when I stretch! After stretching I applied a hot pack to my back 3x to relax my muscles and to warm up. Sometimes that makes me cry out in pain too. Don’t worry though because stretching and hot packs make me happy too.
I firmly believe that happiness is a choice. I could have moaned and groaned while raking. I could have quit early due to the weather. But I don’t melt and just like everyone else on this planet; I need exercise, I need money, I need fresh air. Today, I chose not to whine and complain because of circumstances out of my control Today I chose happiness. Yay me!
Number 9 and his wife are coming over for dinner tonight. I am cooking baked chicken, sweet potatoes, roasted onions and steamed broccoli. I love cooking for people and having friends and family over is a great excuse to pick up the house. For me, spending time with people I love doing activities I enjoy is a key ingredient to living a happy life.
I am learning to identify when I fail to choose happiness. When the going gets tough, I can be a bit of a whiner and I can’t even stand to hear myself because I am complaining or whining. Sometimes the angel is whispering in my ear while the devil is yelling loudly. At times like this, I get sucked into stinking thinking and end up traveling down a familiar rocky path. This path doesn’t lead anywhere that I want to be.
If this sounds familiar to you – might I suggest that you celebrate the small wins? Today, I chose not to whine and complain about my circumstances. Instead I chose happiness. Yah me! Recognize when you are helpful, encouraging, positive and persevering. Give yourself a fist bump, atta girl, or a high five. Don’t depend on others to recognize your little victories!
Many of us are hard on ourselves. We demand excellence, we expect perfection. And when we don’t measure up, we beat ourselves up.
Isn’t it time to lighten up? What have you been beating yourself up about lately? It is time to let it go. Choose a better way and celebrate a little victory today.
Go play in the rain and choose to enjoy every minute of it. Yay you!
Lake Girl
