It's been a while.

Today's quote....Love is the ability and willingness to allow those that you care for to be what they choose for themselves, without any insistence that they satisfy you.
                                                                                                                                          Wayne Dyer

It's been awhile. Hope everyone is doing well. I am a great Aunt again. I love it. Only draw back is none of these little ones live close enough to pop in and visit or look after them to give mom and dad a break. They are all in Toronto, Hamilton, Victoria. Looking forward to seeing the newest little arrival Carter who was born into my Nephew Nathan and his wife Sherri's family. He was born on the same day as his cousin who turned 4. Brings back memories of when my guys were born. Seems like not that long ago except they are 30 and 28 so was awhile ago!!! Hope you all have a great week end. We're doing some catching up with my step daughter who we don't see very often since she moved to Hamilton and Bruce's sister and husband who live in Ottawa but busy lives keep us apart. 

Where does your mind go when it wanders

Today's Quote.....If you want to know where your heart is, look where your mind goes when it wanders. 
                                                                                                                                             Unknown
My mind usually wanders to Bruce, our kids or my business. 

So we're nearing the end of October. The days will be shorter soon. According to my Oriental doctor Dr. Wen Shu Tang, we need to follow nature and as the days get shorter we should be resting more and doing less work. She never teaches any classes in the winter months and then she begins in the Spring and is busy until October. She feels this is a time to rest up and rejuvenate, to prepare for the spring and summer months. Some animals hibernate in the winter. Flowers stop growing and rest, trees loose their leaves and rest. We should try to follow this whenever possible. I plan to spend the winter preparing my business, making and testing out products and then start it up in the Spring. 
Happy Fall and Winter!!!!!

One of the keys to happiness

Today's Quote.......The key to happiness is letting each situation be what it is instead of what you think it should be.
                                                                                                                                        Mandy Hale

Well we're home from our vacation. It's nice to go away but it's always nice to come home again. We had a nice time and enjoyed a good visit with Bruce's sister and brother that were there with us. The weather was rainy and cloudy all week except for one day but we managed to golf 3 times and enjoyed the hot tub, pool, water park and one day had a rousing game of ping pong......unit Greg cut his head going for the ball.....don't ask!!!!! 
Now my focus is continuing to work on my business and decide exactly what I am going to do and slowly start to develop it. I am learning lots about the healing properties of herbs. While we were driving through Toronto we took a bit of a detour......for a reason......as I saw a school that was called Institute of Holistic Nutrition and when I went on their website I saw that they are opening a school in Ottawa in January 2015. Coincidence that we took that street that we have never taken before. I think not!!!!!! I will be contacting them ASAP. 
Hope you all have a great day. 

Getting ready to roll

Today's Quote....One thing they never tell you about child raising is that for the rest of your life at the drop of a hat, you are expected to know your child's name and how old he or she is!!!!
                                                                                                                                        Erma Bombeck

Easier said than done some days!!!!! I don't know how many times I have called my dogs by my boys names and vice versa. Calling out Nick, Ryan it's time to go out to go pee, usually got the response that they were o.k. thanks!!!! Now there ages can be an issue as well sometimes bad enough having to keep track of our own ages!!!!

Well this is the last day of communication for a bit. Bruce and I leave to drive to Guelph tomorrow morning where we will stay at his sister's place then Saturday morning all three of us head to Massanutten Virginia for a week. We will be meeting his brother there as well. It is our golf time share resort. There are 2 nice golf courses on the resort as well as lots of other activities. Unfortunately when I went back to the Dr. to have my broken foot evaluated when I asked about golf he told me that I was to take it easy!!!!! Every second hole I figure, 
Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving Weekend with friends and family.

A story about my great-nephew Ollie

Today's Quote....Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, and dreams are forever.
                                                                                                                                         Walt Disney

Sometimes we need a reminder of this. I love to laugh and make others laugh. I think we use our imagination more than we realize. Often it is tied up with our dreams. We imagine what life could be like and then that turns into a dream. I love being with kids and spurring on their imaginations. 
A cute story from this summer about my great-nephew Ollie.
We were at my brother's and Ollie asked me to push him on the swing. Of course I did and we decided that it wasn't really a swing but a rocket ship that could take us anywhere. It took us to different planets. Some had zoos, some jungles and some farms, and we would look at all the different animals. At one point we decided we would go to Mars. Ollie said Mars then looked at me with big eyes. (Everyone calls me Mar and when you're coming to see me 'We're going to Mar's, it is Mar's dog, car, etc. You get the picture!!!) I asked Ollie if we there was a jungle, zoo or farm on Mars. He looked at me and said "What is on the real Mars? I smiled to myself and said a farm, so we explored the farm. 
Later I was telling his mom, dad and grandparents about the conversation. I was thinking that with Ollie starting school I could just imagine him telling his teacher some day that his Aunt lives on Mars!!!!!!!
I love imagining with kids!!!!
Make sure you spend part of your day, a big part, laughing imagining or dreaming!!!!

The benefits of Chia

Today's Quote.....If you're alone, I'll be your shadow. If you want to cry, I'll be your shoulder. if you want a hug, I'll be your pillow. If you need to be happy, I'll be your smile. But anytime you need a friend, I'll just be me.
                                                                                                                                                   Unknown



Chia

3 1/2  oz of Chia has

• Highest know whole food source of omega-3s found in nature
• More calcium than 3 cups of milk
• Higher and more bioavailable protein content that soy and more vegetable protein content than 1 1/2 cups of kidney beans

• highest natural fibre content of any food- ore fibre that 1 1/4 of all-bran cereal
• The iron equivalent of 3 cups of raw spinach
• the potassium of 1 1/2 banana
• as much vitamin C as 7 oranges
• an antioxidant capacity 3 times the strength of blueberries with Myrecetin counts 270 times the strength of red wine.

Chia is safe for diabetics and those suffering from Celiac disease or gluten allergy

There is evidence that Chia was first used by the Aztecs as early as 3500 B.C. and served as a cash crop in central Mexico between 1500 and 900 B.C. The Aztecs ate the seeds of this semitropical plant to improve their endurance. They called it their 'running food'.

Chia can be added to cereal, salads, beverages and used in baking. Refrigerate Chia after grinding. 

(Excerpt from Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation by Andrea Moritz)

A word for parents

Today's Quote....It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves, that will make them successful human beings.
                                                                                                                                       Ann Landers

Always remember this. Sometimes in a young parents busy schedule it is quicker and easier to just do it yourself instead of teaching and allowing you child to do it themselves. Time goes by very quickly so use the time to teach them how to do things. If they make a mistake be there to work through it with them and problem solve it. Doing something yourself that you thought you may not be able to do always makes us feel good. Boosts our self esteem. Even as big folks!!!!
                                                                                                               

Don't let your past control your life

Today's Quote....Healing doesn't mean the damage never existed...It means the damage no longer controls our lives.
                                                                                                                                                 Unknown

Don't let the open wound of your past get infected and bring physical and emotional sickness into your life. Don't keep looking at the wound and doing nothing about it. If you constantly focus on your wound you miss out on seeing all the good things that are going on around you. Going around with open wounds is dangerous. If you leave it open for others to see they take advantage, see you as weaker and put dirt in to make it worse. Clean it up, and ask family, friends or professional to help you stitch it up if that is needed. Some wounds are deeper than others. Do what you need to do to heal and then move on. . Clean up those wounds. Let others see that you think enough of yourself to clean your wound and  not let it get you down. Others will want to be around you more and help you if they see you helping yourself.

A story about my boys as my youngest celebrates his 28th Birthday.

Today's Quote.....Your friends should motivate and inspire you. Your inner circle should be well rounded and supportive, keep it tight. Quality over quantity always.
                                                                                                                                      Kushandw zoom

So once again we're going with the theme surround yourself with positive people. I guess this is something important to remember. I really try to practice this. I don't even listen to the news as it will put me in a negative head space. If a negative song comes on the radio I switch channels. I try to pop myself out of negative thoughts. That I need to concentrate on a bit more. The other things took practice and are now habits so I know the negative thought thing will become a habit too.

I was busy on the week end so didn't do a challenge for this week so here it is.

This week whenever a negative thought comes into your head replace it with a positive thought.
Ex. Harry is always talking about himself...... It is good that Harry thinks so positively about himself. Sometimes, though, when people talk so highly about themselves it is actually because they are trying to convince themselves of these facts. I will try to compliment him when possible.
I am really clumsy.....I get around so well most of the time I just need to slow down so that I can have less accidents.

Today my youngest son Ryan turns 28 and 28 years ago today my oldest son Nick got stitches for the first time. Nick was being babysat by a friend while I was in hospital giving birth to Ryan. I will never forget the nurse coming into the recovery room and asking for Mr. Titley (My boys father) He had already left to go home so I said that I was Mrs Titley could I help. She said 'Well it  is about your son' I immediately went to thoughts about something being wrong with Ryan. I asked what the problem was. She said Nick had fallen and was on his way in to get stitches and then he would come up to my room to visit. I said 'oh he'll be fine. My friend that is looking after him is a nurse so she'll know what to do.' Val called my Dr. and when he heard I was in the hospital he said to take him to Emerg and he would meet her there so that he could stitch him up and then he could come right up to see me. It was such an awesome moment to see my 2 boys safe and sound and with me. They have both given me lots of pleasure, joy, laughs and proud moments since then. 

Being with the right person is such a blessing

Today's Quote......Sometimes the most ordinary things could be made extraordinary, simply by doing them with the right people.
                                                                                                                                Nicholas Sparks

This says it all, doesn't it?  Being with a person that brings out the best in you, that you enjoy being with, makes simple little things more enjoyable. Shopping with a friend is much more fun than shopping alone!!! Bruce and I work well together and even when we're cutting wood, working in the garden, cooking we have lots of fun and it doesn't seem as much like work. I have lots of fun memories from doing simple things with fun people.

The benefits of eating nuts

Today's quote...Accept no ones definition of your life, define yourself.
                                                                                                                 Unknown

There are a lot of situations when people can attempt to define your life. In relationships, friendships, religions, families. Always try to have the confidence you need to be yourself and not acting like someone others want you to be. I spent many many years being someone I thought I was supposed to be to make people around me happy. In the last decade I have discovered who I want to be and I am soooo much happier not having to act all the time. 

So today let's talk about nuts.
 All nuts have anti-cancer and heart-protective properties. Almonds and walnuts particularly help balance cholesterol levels. Almonds seem to be the most valuable of the two. Studies have shown that almonds have the ability to lower total and LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease by 10%. All it takes is one handful of almonds a day. It is best to remove the skin by putting almonds into boiled water a few minutes. Soaking the almonds overnight makes them more digestible. Walnuts are high in omega-3 type oil. 
Nuts particularly peanuts( actually legumes) are a prime cause of acute allergic reactions in susceptible people. Avoid nuts that are broken, for they become rancid easily. Nut butters are also notorious for causing adverse reactions in the digestive system. When ground and, thereby, exposed to oxygen, they easily oxidize, ie., become rancid. Rancid fats are very toxic and a major cause of illness. They can even cause irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease. Eat only fresh nuts, or if you prepare fresh nut butter, make sure to consume it in no less that 2 or 3 days. Avoid eating nuts that come mixed with dried fruits or in commercially produced breakfast cereals (the nuts are pre-rancid or rancid and the dried fruits contain fungi).
All nuts seeds and grains should  ideally be soaked overnight, after which they can be heat-dried in the oven for 6-12 hours and stored in a dry container. Soaking removes phytic-acid, which can combine with important minerals in the intestinal tract and block their absorption, and thereby cause serious mineral deficiencies. Soaking also neutralizes toxic enzyme inhibitors that prevent digestion of proteins. 

When you're out grocery shopping this week end why not buy some almonds and/or walnuts. Try making your own almond butter. I just made some almond butter. I put 1 cup of almonds in my small ninja and blended them until they were all stuck to the sides then use my spatula to get them of sides and into middle again. I kept doing this until the nuts were a paste consistency. I then transferred to a bowl and added about 2 tbsp REAL maple syrup to make it creamier. It is delicious. No yuck ingredients or oils!!!
Try it out. Have a great week end.

Practice being tolerant

Today's Quote....It requires less character to discover faults of others, than to tolerate them. 
                                                                                                                                        J. Petit Senn

So today and in the days to come, develop your character to tolerate instead of finding fault. It is very true that it is pretty easy to find faults in others and in the work environment it is also pretty easy to share, with co workers, that fault you have found. Every time you find yourself thinking of a fault in someone also think about 2 positive qualities. Also concentrate on not sharing the faults you have discovered!!!!

Use your time wisely

Today's Quote....Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it , but you can spend it. Once you've lost it, you can never get it back.
                                                                                                                                             Unknown

When I look at this quote and really think about it I realize that I don't want to waste a minute doing something that isn't positive, helpful or leading me toward my goal. The challenge I am giving myself over the next few days is to stop myself if I am thinking, talking or doing an activity that is not positive, or helpful to myself or others. I need to consciously think about what I am doing and saying. It is easy to get caught up in negative talk or thoughts. I have been more conscious of this lately but not stopping myself soon enough so that is my challenge. If I follow this it will soon become a habit and I won't have to consciously think about it as much.
I challenge you to do the same. Have a great day.

Make each day important

Today's Quote.....What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. 
                                                                                                                                                   Unknown

Well it's been a bit of time folks. We've been leading up to Bruce's daughter Carrie's wedding. She got married in Westport on Saturday to a great man Brandon. It was a beautiful day and everything was perfect.
It was an emotional time for Bruce walking his first daughter down the isle to, may I add, the song This Girl is on Fire!!!! He then gave a speech about his girl that was awesome, sharing a few memories. The whole day was great. The main things was everyone had a lot of fun, there was lots of dancing and laughing and none of that was planned for it just happened because of who was there and what they wanted.
It was important to us that everyone have fun and that Carrie and Brandon were happy and will start building some really special memories. We exchanged a day of our life on Saturday for watching our girl get married, visiting family and friends and having a blast with the folks there.  It was well worth it.

Laugh with someone today

Today's quote....I believe laughter is like a needle and thread. Deftly used, it can patch up just about everything.
                                                                                                                                Barbara Johnson

Laughter is so important in our everyday lives. Making someone laugh when they are feeling down is a great accomplishment. Seeing the lighter side of things, the non-serious side, makes life a little sweeter. There is nothing better than hearing a little child's belly laugh. Then what happens??? We grow up and think we can't laugh out loud and be happy. Even putting a smile on your face help  boost your endorphins and makes you feel happier. Try it some time. If you are in a tense situation, like in a traffic jam, smile and see how you feel just a bit better, even better think of something funny and burst out laughing. If you are laughing really hard look around you, chances are if someone in another car sees you they will be laughing as well. Laughter is contagious. If you are at home sick, throw on a comedy movie or TV show and see how you start to feel a better.
So on this Friday preparing for the week end make sure you find lots of opportunities to laugh. Just make sure your laughter is never mean spirited. Laugh with people not at people.

Spend time with people who are positive in your life.

Today's quote....Spend time with those you love. One of these day you will say either 
                          "I wish I had" or I'm glad I did"
                                                                                                                 Unknown

Spending time with those we love is so important. Sometimes we don't realize how important until too much time has past or it is too late.
My Aunt Mildred was a very important part of my life. A lot of what I do today, my profession, my empathy for the disabled population, my love for people who don't always fit "the norm" is due to my relationship with my Aunt Milly. She was born with Cerebral Palsy and was never able to develop the ability to communicate through words. Not to say she couldn't communicate!!! just not through words. It always bothered me when we would be out in public and people would stare at her or even worse when people would look at her deformed body and see that she couldn't talk and assume that she also had a mental disability. I swore when I was little that I would always treat everyone as if the were 'normal' (hate that word). I mean if they were physically handicapped treat them as if the weren't, mentally handicapped same thing. So when I work with that population I always treat them as I would anyone else. I accommodate what I am saying or doing but I treat them the same as everyone else.
Anyway that long ramble to say.....that when I had just finished college Air Canada was having a seat sale to fly to Vancouver, where Milly was living at the time. I talked about it with my mom saying how much I wish I could go to visit her but just didn't feel I could afford it with my school debt. I remember mom saying if it was something I really wanted to do and thought it was important I should go as 10 years from now I would never miss that money I spent. I didn't listen. I thought at the time it was more important to stay home and work and pay off debt that go to visit. I'm telling you I still regret that decision. I never got out to visit her and see her apartment out there. I have moved on and learnt from it. If something seems important, like visiting someone you care a lot about do it!!!! If it is a priority you will have time to do it. Don't let you life get so busy with the non-important stuff that you miss out on the important stuff. When talking to people about decisions I often refer back to that situation and the words of my mom.
Developing who you are and relationships with others is never a waste of time.

It's Sunday so get ready for your weekly challenge

Today's quote.....A good life is when you smile often, dream big, laugh a lot and realize how blessed you are for what you have.

The above are all pretty easy things to do. Make sure you are not just smiling at people you know. Smile at strangers as well. Don't just smile when you think something is funny. Smile if you are feeling blah, it will help lift your mood. We should always have dreams and goals. Laughing a lot is easy too. Just look around you there is always something funny to catch your eye. If not watch a funny video on or movie. As far as realizing how blessed we are just think of people in other parts of the world who are suffering through war, drought , floods, earthquakes, fires, etc  and you will always feel blessed.

So, now for your weekly challenge....
This week set a short term goal...It may be financial, health related, family, renovations, work, friends.
When you decide on a goal write it down, if you can attach a picture of what you envision. Get a mental picture of what you want your goal to look like. Tell at least one person that you have set this goal. Put a time line on it. Practice whatever you need to do to accomplish that goal for 21 days and it will become a habit. Now enjoy the ride and be passionate about accomplishing it.
Example. If I decide I want to be more flexible and better balanced physically I will
write this goal down and beside it put a picture of stretches I want to do.
I will get a mental picture of me being able to get out of bed in the morning without feeling any pain in my joints.
I will tell Bruce what my goal is and tell him that I am going to do some stretches every morning as soon as I get up before starting my day.
I will set a time line of one month.
I will stretch every morning for 21 days in order to form the habit.
I will be passionate about wanting to feel less stiffness in my joints and muscles as I get older.

So start thinking a a short term goal and get going. Once you can do this with short term goals it is easier to do it with long term goals.
I got this idea from reading The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

It's Saturday...Let's learn about the benefits of Kale

Today's Quote.....The world is wide and the world is grand, and there's little or nothing new, but it's sweetest thing is the grip of the hand of the friend who's tried and true.

                                                                                                                                                Unknown

We need to cherish those friends who have been with us through thick and thin. Make sure to tell them how much you appreciate them being there for you.

Soooo let's talk about...

KALE
Kale is a rich source of various anti-cancer compounds. It is a member of the cruciferous family. It is endowed with anti-cancer indoles that help regulate estrogen and fight off colon cancer. It contains more beta carotene than spinach and twice as much lutein. It is also high in the antioxidant Vitamin C.

If you buy kale that is bigger leaves make sure you take the leaf off the stem part as it can be bitter. Baby kale is the best. You can steam it with other greens such as beet greens, Swiss chard or spinach. It can be shredded up and put into a salad raw. It can be added to smoothies. Experiment with it and Enjoy.

Do something for someone somewhere!!!!

Today's Quote.....Work for a cause, not for applause. Live life to express, not impress. Don't strive to make your presence known just make you absence felt. 
                                                                                                                                               Unknown

This week's vegetable.
Artichoke
The artichoke, has been known for centuries, to be beneficial for digestion. The most noted effect is increased bile production. Because the body uses cholesterol to make bile acids, increasing bile acid production may balance blood cholesterol. Increasing bile acid secretions also aids digestion.

This week's challenge.

Take a homemade or store bought treat to someone with a note attached. Depending on the situation....thank you for.... I appreciate......Congratulations......Welcome.

Have a great week.

Dream new dreams, set new goals

Today's quote.....You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.
                                                                                                                 C.S.Lewis

So my goals and dreams always involve helping people. Thus the reason I am in the social services field and am developing a business to promote healthy, happy lifestyle. I keep coming up with things I want to incorporate into my business. I have to share with you what has been eating at me for awhile. There is an old farm house that sits empty at the end of my road. It has been empty for at least 4 years. I can honestly say that I never drive by it that I don't think 'one day I want to own that house and do something with it that will help people in some way. I have thought of a respite home for children or adults with disabilities as I know there is a huge need for that service. Have also thought that I could use some of the rooms for my reflexology, reiki and cupping. Could use the kitchen for teaching healthy cooking. It could also be used a drop in/support for people that suffer from mental health and need a get away and support from others with similar diagnosis and professionals. I just keep getting plagued with a need to do something with it. There is property with it that could be used for gardening and sheds that could be used for storage. Now I just need to find someone who can help be develop these ideas.
If anyone has any ideas I am welcome to suggestions.
I think we always need to have goals and dreams to keep us moving forward.

Choices,chances,changes

Today's quote.....The 3 C's of life            
                                   Choices
                                        Chances
                                             Changes
                               You must make a choice to take a chance or your life will                                     never change.
                                                                                                                Unknown

So I guess what this is saying is it is a choice we make whether we want our life to change or not right???? So if we are sitting thinking we aren't happy with the way things are going it is up to us to change it.
That goes against what we think and feel sometimes. Often people want to blame someone else for the way things are going. It my boss, my parents, my spouse, my financial status etc but we need to get another mind set and realize we have the choice to make things better. Not saying this will happen overnight but we need to take the first step to making those changes. We need to figure out what it is that is making us unhappy, stressed, angry, etc. and decide what needs to change in our lives. Decide what we can do about it and take that first step.
I have made a lot of major choices for change in my life. I did take chances, and step into the unknown. Was it worth it OH YA!!!!  The last decade of my life has seen me as a much different person. I am much happier with who I am and where I am. My latest change has been to live a healthier lifestyle and I can't believe how much I am growing in areas I never would have thought of because of that change.
I made the choice to change for me but I think others around me are benefiting from it as well.
So today decide if you are where you want to be and if you are not make some choices for change and take a chance!!!!

Enjoy life!!!! It's not a dress rehearsal.

Today's quote.....Enjoy life now.This is not a dress rehearsal.
                                                                                                       Unknown

So what more can I say than think about this quote and start living it.
Yesterday was my son's 30th birthday and all day I kept thinking was where did those 30 years go???? July 30th 1984 was a very special day for me. I fell in love at first sight on that day. There have been a lot of ups and downs in those 30 years. I would say my life right now is very good. I am enjoying life and want to continue that way. When I was in High School I was in a lot of plays and musicals. Loved it. The dress rehearsal was exciting  but it was the day of the performance that was the most special and gave you the biggest rush. I loved to be on stage in front of an audience. Once you were on stage there was no stopping or going back. If you forgot a line, or someone missed their cue, you filled in as best you could and kept on going!!!! You can't go back in life either you have to keep moving forward. Sometimes you have to ad lib when it isn't going the way you planned it and that's OK. Sometimes ad lib turns out better than the original line!!!
We're heading into a long weekend. I and Bruce are heading up to cottage land to visit with family, friends and new friends!!! Really looking forward to making memories because that's what it's all about.
I will be out of commission for the next week. I'll be interacting with humans not technology.
See you again on August 09.

It's been a great but busy few days

Today's Quote.....Ask yourself this question.....Will this matter a year from now????
                                                                                                               Unknown

This quote helps us keep things in perspective. Sometimes we get so caught up in the little details that we forget that a year from now this will not matter. What will matter a year from now is the time we spent with friends and family, the kind things we did for others, the new things we have learnt.
I have done a few things this week that will matter a year from now. We had my brother and sister in-law sleep over for 2 nights and we had good visit time, we had 3 of the kids over for meals, we played in a golf tournament and had a lot of fun, we had supper with friends last night and today I took a nutrition course. So time was spent making memories and educating myself. What a great week!!!!

This week's challenge....
Leave an, I love you and why, note on the pillow of your significant other, child, or parent.

Another Great Weekend

Today's Quote......There isn't a person on earth who isn't beautiful while her or she is smiling and experiencing unadulterated joy.
                                                                                                   Kristine Carlson

I hope all of you had a great week end experiencing unadulterated joy.

I had a great weekend taking by Reiki Course at Oriental Medical Care. I was a wonderful experience to be in that atmosphere for 2 days. I am looking forward to practicing Reiki treatments on myself and others and participating in the Reiki lifestyle.
So here is your Saturday Vegetable benefit
Brussels Sprouts
By age 70 one in every 2 women will likely suffer a painful fracture due to weak bones. By eating a 3 oz serving of Brussels sprouts several times a week, women can slash the risk by 30%. Brussels sprouts have phytochemicals that enhance the activity of the body's natural defence systems to protect against disease, including cancer. Scientists have also found that sulforaphane, a potent phytonutrient found in Brussels sprouts boosts the body's detoxification enzymes. They are a good source of fibre and folate and an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and beta-carotene which are important for defending the body against infection and promoting supple glowing skin.
Enjoy your Brussels sprouts. They are good cut in half tossed in a bit of olive oil and roasted in the oven or steamed.
(taken from Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation by Andres Moritz)

Your weekly challenge is....
This week find time in each day to spend at least 10 minutes meditating/ thinking about where you would like to see yourself in the next year, either personally, career  or making a home for yourself.

It's FRIDAY!!!

Today's Quote.....Some people think only intellect counts; knowing how to solve problems, knowing how to get by, knowing how to identify an advantage and seize it.But the functions of intellect are insufficient without courage, love, friendship, compassion and empathy.
                                                                                                     Dean Koontz  

Today and everyday, as you go through your day remember the important things....being kind caring positive....If you are thinking negative about someone catch yourself and think of at least one positive quality about that person. Be conscious of thinking before you speak and make sure what is coming out of your mouth is not negative or critical of anyone, including yourself. Don't but your self down!!! If a situation seems negative think about what is positive about it and don't get caught up in talking negative about the situation.
Have a great Friday.

We all need a sense of humour

Today's Quote.... A person without a sense of humour is like a wagon without springs-jolted by every pebble in the road.
                                                                                           Henry Ward Beecher

So many things we do in life are more pleasant due to a sense of humour. At work we often say we couldn't do our job without a sense of humour and I am sure it is this way in a lot of work places. Often when I have been through a stressful situation with others I will bring up something funny that was observed, I can usually find something, and this relieves some of the tension. In dealing with my mother who dealt with depression and anxiety I would often make her laugh in situations and her response was usually "Oh Marlene" When dealing with her dementia near the end of her life my family members and I would often have to laugh at some of the situations, as, if you only saw the sadness of the situation it was much harder to deal with.
Having a sense of humour is so important. Look for things in your day that you can have a private giggle about or if there are people around share it with them so the happiness can get spread around.

Every person comes into your life for a reason

Today's Quote.....Don't regret knowing the people that came into your life! 

• Good people give you happiness
• Bad ones give you experience
• The worst ones give you lessons
• And the best one give you memories

 I know I haven't always thought of this. I haven't looked at the experience or lessons that negative people have taught me but I will start to try to do this. I have had many people in my life. I strongly believe people are put in your life for a reason. Sometimes it is because you are who they need at the time and sometimes they are who you need. Some people remain friends for long periods of time while others are just for a short time. I have had a few very good friends who I have lost contact with for various reasons but there are still times when I think about these people. Most thoughts bring a smile to my face, some thoughts are when are am in a situation that I may have been in with them in the past. Live every day so that if you lose contact with a person they will have positive thoughts when they remember you.

Take chances

Today's Quote.....Taking no chances means wasting your dreams.
                                                                                                           Unknown

This quote is soooo true. We all have dreams but often we get in the way of these dreams. We start to doubt ourselves thinking that we don't have what it takes to achieve these dreams or we will attempt our dream later and that later never comes. We are afraid to take the first step. One thing we need to remember is to always think positive. If a negative thought pops in, recognize it for what it is and flip to positive. Ex... Negative....I'll never have the money to do________Positive....I will put this much money towards it right now to get a start. Negative......I would never be able to do________ Positive......I am good at doing this part of what I need and I can continue to learn other things I need.
We also always need to be aware of who is being brought into our lives, where we are in our lives, what situations we are being put in and then we can see the how these all fit together to advance us. If a new person or situation comes in to your life ask 'I wonder why this person or situation is available to me right now?' Everything is life happens for a reason. When we start to question with a positive outlook we can see possibilities opening up.
So start writing down your dreams, whether it be a dream vacation, career, meeting someone and then start looking around you at what or who has been brought into your life to help you achieve that dream.
Have a great day.

Catch up after busy weekend.

Today's Quote.......Be curious always!!! For knowledge will not acquire you, you must acquire it.
                                                                                                            Sudie Back

We need to be more childlike and not afraid to be curious and ask questions. We are always capable of acquiring  knowledge.

So had a great week end doing yard work visiting friends looking after my health but didn't get to my blog so here it is...
Info on benefits of
Green Beans
An excellent source of Vitamin K essential in maintaining strong bones. GB are also packed with vitamin C, riboflavin, potassium, iron, manganese, folate, magnesium, folate, thiamin, phosphorous, calcium, niacin, vitamin B6, copper, protein and zinc. They also contain lots of useful fiber. GB contain lots of helpful nutrients for arteriosclerosis, diabetic heart disease, and stroke. The potassium and magnesium work together to help decrease blood pressure. The iron content in green beans is twice as high as in spinach. Iron is integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism. To properly utilise iron the body requires copper, which is also ample in GB. GB help maintain your memory with thiamin. GB can help prevent Alzheimer's , colon cancer, asthma, arthritis, acne, ear infections and even colds and flu.

So next time you're grocery shopping grab some green beans or better yet this summer buy them locally from a fruit and veggie stand!!!

Also today I need to give you your weekly challenge!!!

• You choose…. cut alcohol, coffee or pop consumption in half this week.
• replace with
• water with lemon juice or any frozen fruit cubes
• hot water with ginger and honey
• green tea

Have a safe, happy and healthy week.

Gotta love friends!!!!!!

Today's Quote......Of all the means to insure happiness throughout the whole life, by far the most important is the acquisition of friends
                                                                                                                   Epicurus

Just getting ready to entertain some long time friends. They are teachers that Bruce taught with for years and I worked with for a number of years as well. We don't see each other very often but when we get together we just start where we left off. It is so nice to have friends like that. Friends are people you have things in common with, who you feel comfortable with and, most important for me, you can have fun with. A friend doesn't have to be someone you spend time with all the time or feel you need to be contacting all the time. A real friend doesn't get offended if you don't see them often enough or have them over often enough. You need to feel really comfortable with them no matter where or what you are doing. Of course we all have those friends who we do see more of but long time friends are so important as well. Love sharing memories with old time friends.
Looking forward to a good time together tonight.

Don't let life get too serious

Today's Quote.....When life starts feeling a bit too serious find someone you can giggle with.

                                                                                                                Unknown

We have just returned from our golf Nine and Dine. We had a really good time and did lots of laughing. This is a much needed activity. There are a core group of people that attend every week and we have become friends. We have a lot of fun together. If you don't have enough people in your life that you can have fun with....find some. This is a very necessary activity to keep you healthy. 

When I am old I will.................

Today's thought..............When I get old I'm not going to be sitting around knitting. I'm going to be clicking my Life Alert button to see how many hot fire fighters show up!!!!!
                                                                                                             Unknown

Have you ever thought about what you want to be like when you getting older. People around me think they know what I'll be like. Years ago a friend of mine decided that she'd like to be in the same seniors residence as me. She mentioned this to her husband who promptly said, we'll have to attach a bungee cord to her rocking chair so when she's talking too much or too crazy we can put her out the window for a bit. Another time I mentioned to a co worker that I wasn't sure when I would stop dyeing my hair and let myself go grey. She said I would never do this but I would have bright colours in my hair until I die because that is just who I am.
All I know is I want to keep having as much fun as I am now. I don't want to sit and feel sorry for myself. I want to be a fun grandma...getting down on the floor and playing could be an issue but by crackey I want to be remember for having fun  and laughing with them. Maybe I'll change my signature from laughingorangelady to laughinggrandma!!!!
Start preparing now.....Make sure you are keeping yourself in good health by eating well and exercising and stretching so that you can do the things you want to do. Decide you are going to just keep getting more kind, funny, loving, helpful etc. You need to have a purpose. I'm making my purpose, as it is now, to make sure I make someone laugh everyday. I want people to miss me because I was so darn fun to be with!!!!!
Don't wait though. As we know we never know how long we have so don't wait to start having a good time....start today and never stop!!!!!

Sunday's Challenge

Today's Quote.....Live without pretending

                               Love without depending

                               Listen without defending

                               Speak without offending

                                                                                                 Unknown

So this week's challenge is to start a journal with stories from your past. Stories about you parents, grandparents, you as a child, your children when younger, special people in your life etc.

This gives you something to talk to your children and grandchildren friends and family about.

It is amazing once you start to think about one event how it recalls another event and so on. I would love to have something like that to read, now, about my parents or grandparents. Try to include pictures of some of the people you are referring to when possible.

Have fun with your memories!!!!

The benefits of Blueberries and Cranberries...they protect your kidneys, heart, eyes and skin

Today's Quote.......Even if there is nothing to laugh about, laugh on credit!!!!
                                                                                                                  Unknown

In other words always find something that you can laugh about. We have to lighten up these days, we need to let go of little things that irritate us and find the lighter side. Having a bad day at work???? Look around and there is probably something you can have a giggle about. It may be something placed in an odd spot, listen carefully at what others are saying they may say something that will lighten you up, if you hear someone else laughing it will bring a smile to your face, think of a silly thing that has happened to you in the past and have a giggle about it. This is ease the tension in your body.

Here is some fruits that you may want to throw in your shopping baskets this week
Blueberries and Cranberries
They are beneficial in fighting UTIs by blocking and prohibiting the growth of bacteria.Cranberry juice can clear up a bladder infection or UTI take 2 or 3 ounces of cranberry juice three to four times a day about 1/2 hour before meals and just before going to bed.
Blueberries can also stimulate anti-cancer activity, reduce heart disease risk, strengthen collagen, regulate blood sugar, improve night vision,
Easting cranberries during the winter can ward of colds and flu. They also reduce the occurrence of kidney stones. They help dilate the bronchial tubes during an asthma attack. They are beneficial to acne sufferers. They prevent acne causing bacteria from entering the skin, so breakouts are less frequent and less severe.

Gottas run. I'm off to my Reflexology course. Have a great day!!!

Things really are good!!!!!

Today's Quote.....Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.
                                                                                            Marianne Williamson


Sometimes we have trouble recognizing how good things really are. If we are going through financial, health, relationship, work issues we feel that nothing is good. Stop and think about it folks we have it pretty good here. If one or two things aren't going good think about all the things that are going good.
This is another reason why it is a good idea to keep a gratitude journal and write down 1 thing every day that you are grateful for.
Things are going good for me in that I am taking another course tomorrow to continue with my education to enhance my business. I am grateful to have met Dr. Wen Shu Teng when I did as I am learning so much from her. Her counsel in Health is one of the reason I have started my business.

Love yourself first

Today's Quote....Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.
                                                                                                          Lucille Ball

We often hear this..... you have to love yourself before you can love anyone else but what  does this mean. Isn't it egotistical to love yourself. We've all met those people who tell you how wonderful they are. I always think don't tell me let me figure that out for myself. Personally I've always thought that people who build themselves up so much are trying to convince themselves not others.
So loving yourself isn't thinking how wonderful you are I think of it more as accepting who you are and being happy with yourself. Being able to be alone with yourself without needing others around all the time.
For myself I love being with others but I also like time that I can just curl away with a book and be with me. In past years I have always needed to be with others. I wasn't happy when alone. Looking back I realize that I wasn't happy with who I was or with my situation. Then I had years that I was on my own, as far as relationships were concerned, and I did a lot of growing. I started to know who I really was and not who I thought I was supposed to be.
As I got to know myself I began to accept who I was, yes I have made some changes over the years both physically and emotionally but that is because I wanted to. When I looked in the mirror and didn't like exactly what I saw I made some changes in lifestyle. Now I am in a relationship where I feel very loved and feel that my love for them is recognized and appreciated. I love when all our kids are around,  I love when siblings are around,I love having friends around but I also love alone time and time with just Bruce and I.
I have a much different life now than I did in my past. I love my life now. I think it is due to loving who I am and having fun, in turn, this allows me to love and have fun with whoever I am with.
When you think about yourself if there are things about yourself that you don't like and can change them then do it. If it is something that you can't change on your own then decide how you are going to live with it. If you are still having issues you may want to seek professional help to get through the rough spots so you can move on.
Love yourself!!!!!

Things don't always go as planned!!!!

Today's quote......Focus on the rainbow....not the storm that made the rainbow possible.
                                                                                                                 Unknown

Well Bruce and I experienced a little 'storm' yesterday.
We set out around 8:30 yesterday morning to head to the cottage to visit family. All was well...Dogs happy in back seat, Bruce happy in passenger seat and Mar happy in drivers seat, with cruise control set!!!!! We stopped in Arnprior at the Antrim Truck stop for a nice breakfast. Decided we would hit Hyw 60 via Cobden instead of the usual Renfrew. (little did we know we would be seeing Cobden up close and personal about 2 hours later!!!!!) We just got through Eaganville when the car started to act up not taking the gas so I pulled over and after a bit of probing discovered that the transmission oil was leaving its mark on the road. We phoned CAA which sent a tow truck, that was driven by an amazing man who was very kind. He drove us to his garage in Cobden where we left the car for further towing on Monday. We called numerous friends and family and finally got in touch with our son in-law who very kindly came and picked us up and drove us home.
Sooo here is the rainbow we focused on.....

• Seconds before the car started to act up I started to make a move to pass the car in front, then inexplicably changed my mind...... wouldn't have been able to complete the pass as car stopped taking the gas!!!! A car was a safe distance away for a normal pass but not for a pass when you are suddenly losing power!!!!
• I didn't realize my Hyundai roadside assistance had expired but was able to call CAA and sign up so a tow truck could be sent. When driver arrived after checking our status realized that we would have to pay for the full tow to Rockland because the premium plan doesn't kick in for 48 hours. We only had 5 km. free tow. He suggested we leave our car at his garage and get someone to pick us up and he would arrange to get it towed for free after the 48 hours. He could have made himself over $400.00 if he had of towed us yesterday. 
• There was a nice park right on the water, that he pointed out to us, where we could relax in the shade, and let the dogs stay cool in the water while waiting for Mike to arrive. 
• Mike and Adrienne live in Hamilton but just happened to be home this weekend.
• We were able to visit with Mike and Adrienne as they came for supper and stayed overnight. If we had of gone to cottage we wouldn't have seen them
• We weren't hurt and got home safe and sound

Yes we didn't get to visit family but that can happen on the long weekend in August. Instead of focusing on what we couldn't do.... the storm
We are focusing on the positives......the rainbow.

Make your own fun over the next few days and be thankful for living in such a great country

Today's Quote.... God grant me a vacation to make bearable what I can't change. A friend to make it funny and the wisdom to never get my knickers in a knot because it solves nothing and makes me walk funny.
                                                                                                               Unknown

We are just getting ready to head to the cottage for 4 days. We go to my husbands family cottages in Baysville Ontario. Lots of his family will be there and it is always a good time. I also am able to visit with my brother and his wife as they are in Huntsville which is just 1/2 hour away.
I am looking forward to lots of activity, laughing, and sharing. My husband's niece is a hairstylist so she is going to be dyeing and cutting my hair while we're there so that will be fun.
I hope you all have a great week end as well.

Since I will be out of commission until Wed. I will give you your challenge for next week.

 Tuesday is our day to Celebrate being Canadian. We are very privileged to live in a country that is war free and we have an abundance of soooo much. Let's take the time to be thankful for what we have each day but also write down things that we can do on a personal level to make our surroundings an even better place to live.
It may include:

•  making your workplace a happier place to be by being positive, fun and upbeat while you are there.
• making your home more inviting for family and friends
• helping out someone in your neighbourhood 
• helping out at a local shelter
• cleaning out your cupboards and donating some of your clothes to a local thrift shop
• dropping off food to a shelter 
• sending a note to cheer someone up

Hope you all have a great week end.

Softness overcomes hardness

Today's Quote.....Water is the softest thing, yet it can penetrate mountains and earth. This shows clearly the principle of softness overcoming hardness.

                                                                                                                 LaoTzu

Today and always, keep this quote in your mind. Being hard on a person...aggressive, judgemental, unkind in any way will get you no where. Whereas if you are softer with someone... kind, understanding, caring it will go a long way in making them feel better and in the end making you feel better about yourself. We notice when people are hard on others and we don't have a very high opinion of that person. Often people are hard on others due to something in their own life not being balanced. They have perhaps been mistreated at some point and don't have a very good self esteem and want to bring others down with them. If you are a person who seems to be hard on people look inside yourself and try to see what may be allowing you to react to people the way you do. If you can see what it is try to deal with it and if you can't do it on your own seek help. You will lead a much better life if you are good to people and are positive.

Be grateful on Wednesdays.

Today's Quote....If you understand what makes a person laugh, you are closer to understanding and appreciating them.
Joseph Bruchac

Have a sense of fun today and the remainder of your life. Find the funny things in situations and be grateful. Take the time to get to know others well enough that you are able to make them laugh. Watching and hearing someone laugh is contagious so if you can make one person laugh chances are, if you look around, you have made others laugh as well.

Today I am grateful for technology. It is my great nieces birthday and thanks to technology I can talk to her with ease.

Be with someone who lets you be you

Today's Quote....As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen.
Winnie the Pooh.

Well last night Bruce and I got a very nice surprise. My son Ryan and his girlfriend Steph. came over for supper and after a gentle nod from Steph, Ry very quickly said "so we're engaged." Bruce and I are both very happy. From the first time we met Steph we liked her and I as a Mom was very happy to see how comfortable they were together. It was like they had been together for a long time as opposed to a few weeks.
Believe you me comfortable is what you need to have in a relationship. No wondering if you are doing or saying the right thing, no pretending to be someone you are not, no walking on eggshells. Yes to having fun together, working together and enjoying it,whether it is cooking, outside work, renos etc, yes to together and independent times.
Having a 'yes to' relationship with Bruce it is nice to see my son able to have a similar relationship.
Here's to COMFORTABLE RELATIONSHIPS, not perfect but comfortable.

Sunday's weekly challenge

Today's Quote.....All the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less that a single lovely action.
James Russell Lowell

This week's challenge is to, at some point this week, send a note to a co worker telling them something you appreciate about them.

I have done this several times and the reaction I get from people is so worth the very small effort it took to do this. People need to be appreciated. They say things like that was so nice of you to do and so often I hear no one has ever done something like this before. That comment always makes me a little sad, to think that people don't appreciate people. It is different to have someone say good job than to getting in writing what people think about you. Also if it is in writing it is something you can go back and look.

So make someone happy this week by letting them know you appreciate them.

Rest relax and find out about Avacados

Today's Quote....Happiness comes from the capacity to feel deeply, enjoy simply,to think freely, to risk life, to be needed.
                                                                                                       Storm Jameson

So when you are grocery shopping this week throw in a few avocados.
Avocados are packed with nutrients. They are rich in vitamin A and B especially niacin, folic acid, iron, 9 essential amino acids and lots of potassium.
BENEFITS... circulation, lowers cholesterol and dilates blood vessels. Avocados are high in fat but it is monounsaturated oleic acid which acts as an antioxidant to block LDL cholesterol. They are also rich in beta-sitosterol which has been shown to reduce cholesterol.
Mashing an avocado and rubbing it into your hair for five minutes after washing will add luster to your hair; rinse afterwards. In South Africa, an avocado mask made of mashed avocados, honey and lime juice is applied to the face as a moisturizing treatment to counteract the drying effects of the hot sun.

This information is taken from Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation by Andreas Moritz.

Forgiveness Fridays

Today's Quote.....Do something today that your future self with thank you for.
                                                                                                              Unknown

So today do something that will affect your future. It may be forgiving someone and getting a lost relationship back. It may be forgiving yourself so that you can move on. It may just be making a decision on the future that will be positive. Whatever it is do it. Write down what you are doing so that when it changes your future you can come back and thank yourself for doing it.

Happy Friday. Tomorrow we will talk about the benefits of a new vegetable.

Concentrate on kindness on Thursday

Today's Quote......When people hurt you over and over think of them as sandpaper. They scratch and hurt you, but in the end you are polished and they are used up.

When we think of kind we usually think of being kind to other people. It is also important to be kind to ourselves as well. As we know you have to know how to love yourself before you know how to love others. Be kind in concentrating on feeding your body well, avoiding putting chemical in and on your body, exercise and stretch your body so it works as well as it should. Be kind to your mind by thinking positive spots and exercising it as well by also learning new things and doing activities that keep your mind active. Sitting and watching tv for hours would not be being kind to your mind or body!!!!!
I am just getting ready to take my husband out to a new restaurant we have never tried, in Rockland. Bruce turned 65 today and we're going to celebrate. Speaking of kind Bruce displays this quality towards many people. He is a kind and caring husband, father, uncle, cousin, brother, friend and in the past he was a kind, and caring teacher. I am very proud of him and can learn a lot about caring and patience from him.

Be grateful on Wednesdays. I am grateful for friends

Today's Quote.....A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil, but it needs just a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small silly presents every so often- just to save it from drying out completely. 
Pam Brown

Just returned from the OCDSB retirement reception. A friend and I went to support a friend who taught at CHEO. While I was there I ran into several teachers I had worked with over the years and it was soooo nice to see people I hadn't seen for years and to recall memories with them. Even though I don't see them on a regular basis it is good to connect. I must say though lately I have been more diligent in connecting with friends and having them over for a visit. In the month of July we have 3 different sets of friends coming for supper and a visit. Some groups we haven't seen for a long time and we look forward to catching up. It is important to stay connected. It is something you have to consciously think about. A day turns into a week, turns into a month, turns into a year and before long you realize it has been forever since you have connected. We never know when it will be too late to connect so when someone comes into your thoughts take that as a sign you should be contacting them.
Glad for all the connections I made tonight and the ones I will continue to make over the next while.

Be aware of who you are hanging out with!!!

Today's Quote.....Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground.

We are all highly influenced by those people whom we 'hang out' with. Negativity breeds negativity and positive breeds positive. Observe over the next few days....If there are people in the room who have a negative complaining spirit soon everyone seems to have something they can complain about. Whereas if you get someone in there who is speaking positively, laughing and having fun everyone adopts that behaviour. Decide what kind of person you want to be and then surround yourself with that type of person. I have gone as far as gradually dissociating with people who bring me down. I try to keep a room happy if I can although there are times when I can get caught up in the negativity as well. I'll tell you though it is not a good feeling afterwards and I do regret stooping to negative.

Also since I had a busy weekend and didn't get to post on Sunday I will give you this week's challenge today.

This week practice being the positive influence. If the room has a negative feel try to turn it around. If you are not able to turn in around then leave the area so that you don't get caught up in the negativity. If someone asks you why you are leaving be honest and tell them you are trying to avoid negativity.

Have a positive, happy remainder of you week. 

Forgive on Firday

Today's  quote.....Butterflies don't know the colour of their wings, but human eyes know how beautiful they are. Likewise you may not know how good you are, but others can see that  you're special.

So as we head into the weekend think positively about yourself. Take time to realize how many positives you have. Think about positive things that others say about you and realize that is how people think of you. Even if you don't see positive, dwell on what others say.
Also make sure that you let your friends and family know what their positive qualities are. Somedays people need to be told how special they are as they may not being feeling it.

Have a great weekend.

Thursdays are for Kindness

Today's Quote......I will waste not even a precious second today in anger or hate or jealousy or selfishness. I know that the seeds I sow I will harvest, because every action good or bad is always followed by an equal reaction. I will plant only good seeds today.

Think about this quote today and every day. Think about the seeds you are planting. When you are no longer around don't you want people to be harvesting the good thought seeds that you planted. Being kind, fun, caring, appreciative etc. Also remember that people will remember how you made them feel for a lot longer that they will remember what you said.

Chocolate Weekend Next week's challenge

Today's quote.....Life is like photography. You use the negatives to develop.

                                                                                                                 Unknown


This week's challenge is...... Everyday this week at the end of your day write down one thing you are grateful for and then 3 things that went well that day.
Doesn't have to be earth shattering!!!! Could be that you are grateful for a home to live in. Things that went well, was able to get some yard work done, spent time with Bruce, almost finished the book I'm reading.

 As I shared earlier a friend of mine passed away very suddenly and it really knocked the stuffing out of me.  Her wake was Friday and her funeral yesterday. I am still having trouble wrapping my head around the fact that I won't see her again. I have been putting a lot of thought into how precious life is and how we don't know how long we will be here and how long we will have others. Over the next week really concentrate on being grateful for everything you have whether great or small. Think positive not negative, thus the part about writing down 3 things that went well. That forces us to think of the positive.

Have a great week. 

Be kind on Thursdays

Today's quote/question......If you were paid $2. for every kind word you've spoken, and $1. for every unkind word, would you be rich or poor???
Taken from Good Hearted Living by Steve Wilson

Think about this today and every day. Words can be very harmful so think before you speak!!!!

Be Grateful for relationships on Wednesdays

Today's quote....There are persons so radiant, so genial, so kind, so pleasure-bearing, that you instinctively feel in their presence that they do you good, whose coming into the room is like the bringing of a lamp. 
                                                                                             Henry Word Beecher

Be grateful for relationships today.... Whether it is a friend, family member, co- worker, neighbour, be grateful for the time short or long you get to spend with them. If you don't spend face to face time make sure you are phoning writing (yes I said writing!!!) texting or emailing them. Time is precious and we don't know how much time we have with anyone. Take the time to be grateful for the relationships you have and let the people around you know that you are grateful.