Tag Archives: positive

health

Positive habits reborn

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I’ve recently gotten on a big health kick. And by recent I mean, this week. But in just a week, I’ve picked up some positive habits I had “back in the day” that I let slide over time.

They are:

  • Getting at least a half an hour of exercise every day. Even if its nothing more than making sure I am on my feet doing SOMETHING for that length of time. Too often I find myself chained to the desk sitting for hours on end. That’s not good for my posture or anything else. My goal is to work up a good sweat every day, but if not… at least know I’ve made a conscious effort to get up and get moving.
  • Reading a book. I like to read, but I’m making an effort to read a little bit out of a BOOK every day. Don’t give me those e-readers and whatnot. Its too much like being on a computer. I want a book that I can touch and smell. That I have to have a bookmark to hold my place at the end of every day.
  • Classical music. I forgot what a HUGE collection of classical music I have. I dug the CDs out and threw them in the CD player. What a wonderfully relaxing thing to do… lets me meditate and just pulls this wonderful blanket of relaxation over me.
  • Healthy eating. I know I can’t live on salads alone, but I’m doing something pretty darn close these days! Give me fresh fruits and vegetables, please! Love ’em.
  • Vitamins. I’ve never really been a “take your vitamins” girl. Until I started reading the wonderful health benefits of Vitamin C. Now I’m a vitamin poppin’ lady, and I am feeling FANTASTIC for it.
  • Sunshine. I know the dangers of too much sun and skin cancer. But I also know the health benefits. Not only Vitamin D, but just the emotional benefits! This past week has been SO dreary, but the last two days… sunshine! I have made sure to get outside for awhile and soak up some rays. I’m not a lay-out-in-it kind of gal, so I try to match it up with my exercise. Double win!
  • Get enough sleep. I am still a night owl to the -nth degree… however, I’m remembering that that arbitrary get-up-by-this-time isn’t so steadfast. I work from home on my own hours. If I didn’t get enough sleep, by golly I’m going to roll over and take some more time! If I DO have to get up for any reason, you can bet I’m going to sneak a nap in somewhere. Sleep does the body GOOD.
  • Water. I have my trusty water bottle, and I make sure I have to refill it at LEAST once a day… preferably twice.

I hope I can keep with this program. Its only been a week, but already I am noticing differences in my mood, mindset and body. Such simple little changes can make a really huge difference.

news-commentary, optimism

The ripple effect

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My second favorite shot of the dayWhen you throw a rock into a body of water, waves ripple out from that point. That one disturbance can have an effect on something far away, something seemingly unrelated.

I haven’t written anything about the Arizona shooting last week, primarily because I was “off line” and “out of touch” through it. I followed a little but about it via Twitter on my phone, but on a whole… I was pretty clueless until the last few days.

My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones that day — even the shooter’s parents, who, essentially, lost their son, too. The ripple of grief goes far and wide to family and friends of those victims.

Those injured, some still lying in hospital beds, will have long lasting scars from the events, and their friends and family too are worried, saddened, but also filled with hope for recovery.

We as Americans are left to wonder how this will effect our government. How will it effect our interactions with others? Will we make positive changes to help others with similar violent tendencies or mental issues?  Or will we keep the status quo and believe we see no evil, hear no evil… until it is too late.

Some of my favorite stories to come out of this tragedy are the ones of positive changes being made by our youth. This news article out of Chicago details out some of those changes and events, all with a nod to the youngest victim of the shooting, nine-year-old Christina Green.

“Students in Tucson have already started Christina’s Challenge, during which they promised to recognize random acts of kindness,” the report says.

There is a ripple of positive going out from this tragedy, and its by our youth. As adults start pointing fingers, blaming politics, guns, and even violent video games, its our youth that show us that perhaps its not by pointing fingers that change is brought. It is instead by finding a positive ray of light to follow. It’s by making positive changes in life that true change is made. Not by pointing fingers and writing new laws. But by holding out a hand to a stranger.

As you may see on the right of the screen, I am a member of the BlogHer network. I received an email today that one of our members was one of those injured in the shooting. You can read the post about the shooting here. BlogHer has also set up a survey asking your thoughts on the shooting and how it will impact you and our democracy (yes, it does address the political angle as well) . Anyone can join in the survey, and you’re invited to do so here. The survey is completely anonymous.