summer is almost gone. What have I done with it??

  School buses are out. The mornings feel crisper. There are pumpkins and hardy mums at the grocery store. Summer is almost over and what did I do with it?
                  Nothing really
  
   I never left town, didn't go see my mom, never traveled to some lovely place or go hiking in the mountains. I didn't see a beach once. I never even got to the pool. No time at the lake. Sigh. I was feeling a mixture of things about it on my walk to work this morning. On the one hand I got a new position at work as a fitness instructor and so spent a lot of time this summer teaching and I had clients to train so I was busy and I love my job and love teaching so that has been very nice.
   I also moved mid-summer to a new house which has been an adjustment for me. Primarily a good one but even positive stress is still stress.
   And, Of course, I have been running a lot. I started in June/July training for my first 50K which is exciting. I ran a marathon as a training run for it early this month and that was GREAT!!  Training is going well and I feel good about that however it takes a LOT of time. I am running 3X a week during the week and have been running back to back long runs on the weekends. So pretty much this summer has been:

1.    running
2. work
3. sleeping
4. eating
5. some time with friends
6. more running.............and more running..........

  I am trying not to be too bummed that I didn't get a vacation away this summer. I didn't get to run in any new places or discover anything novel but I did have some fun times here at home amidst all the work, chores and general life-living stuff.

     Fall schedule for the gym starts next week and I will be teaching a circuit strength class in addition to three trekking classes a week plus I have two new clients and some continuing ones. So I can't complain. It has been nice to live vicariously through my friends' many adventures.

Tips and tricks for positive thinking--turning a bad day around

When I am having a bad day (and I know some people will argue that phrase with me but oh well) I have some ways of making it better. Here are some of my tips and tricks that work well to get me out of a negative headspace and make it a better time for me and everyone around me.

• Think of something else. The skill of distraction is a basic emotional survival skill. When something is upsetting me the worst thing to do is gnaw on it like a dog with a bone. The problem just gets bigger and bigger until a small well has become a huge sinkhole. Some of my go-to distractions are music, stand up comedy on YouTube, a walk or run, a bike ride where I go really fast and lose myself in it, art/decoupage, playing with my cats, reading, cleaning.
• Do something for someone else.Call somewhere and set up a volunteer shift. The best way to improve your day is by improving someone else's. Give someone a little something. Pick some flowers for a friend and surprise them with them. Bake a cake and share it with some friends. Visit a nursing home and play cards with the residents. There are so many things you can do. Get out of yourself and your problems will shrink.
• Don't be afraid of comfort foods! I say this because people sometimes want a certain food because it gives them comfort in troubled times. It might be chocolate chip cookies, macaroni and cheese, ice cream, something your mother or grandmother used to make. But people eat these and then spend time feeling guilty about eating them. DON'T DO THIS! They are called comfort foods for a reason: because they help us cope. If you want some of these eat them. Just don't eat the whole plate of cookies or the whole pint of ice cream. BUT...don't eat them if you are going to follow it with guilt and shame thoughts. That will only make you feel worse and the "comfort" in the food is lost.
• Tune into the world around you and put the I-pod/I-pad/Kindle/I-phone away. I have started making myself un-hook from technology at least once or twice a day. I read in Scientific American Mind recently that loneliness can lead you to an early grave however they find that even engaging in some small talk every day (with the bus driver, store clerk, table busser) can help ease that loneliness and make you healthier. Plus then I give myself opportunities for interesting connections with others and that feels good.
• I take a nap. Yep. I am a big napper. If I have time during the day I take a nap. I have been one of those people who sometimes plan a day around a nap. Sleep helps everything feel better and gives you more ability to handle things. On that note: 8 hours sleep. Put the computer down an hour before bedtime, dim the lights, wear a sleep mask if you are around blinking blue lights (it has been said that blue light can disrupt our circadian rhythms) and don't eat any big meals before bed. Turn off the TV too and perhaps read a bit or do some meditation.

Well there are my big tips. Hope it might help you...they sure help me!

little things

 
     I woke up this morning and decided I wanted to write. Nothing specific. Sometimes I just feel like letting some stuff out. Living alone is alright except when you feel like processing something with another person. Then I must find an outlet and blogging is that outlet.
     Since the training run (marathon) on Saturday I have only run once. Yesterday I put in my 4 miles from my training schedule  but today I am supposed to do 6. I kind of wish I had someone to run with. Thursday I am to do 8miles so I will go to running group and hope to find someone who wants to run with me.
    Today I don't have anything going on until I teach this evening so I am using the time to get my paperwork organized, work on my trekking playlists, do laundry and clean. I am also going to make a pot of broccoli soup. The recipe is really simple:  two cans of cream of chicken soup, 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, big head of broccoli that you separate into smaller pieces. Then add milk, salt and pepper and let it sit and simmer for about an hour. The broccoli mushes up into the soup and just spreads that flavor around and it is really yummy! That will be my dinner along with some leftover ham I got to take home from the race (Thanks Melanie!)

    My thought for the day: Do not compare yourself to others. There will always be those who are more accomplished, more popular and have more material wealth than you do. Remember that all those things are surface things and that the most important thing is to be honest with yourself and those around you and try to raise up each moment with what you choose to do.

first month in the new home

      I have now been in my new home for a month. It is a very different way of life from what I am used to. But I like it. Daily chores are a bit more time consuming but I think that is a good way to live. I have started to develop a pattern which is quite nice.
   I get up early and go outside and wake up the chickens. Actually I just open their coop door and they come out. I like the chickens. We have 12 of them and that means free range fresh eggs!  Throughout the day I save up my food scraps for them. I also save leftover lettuce and carrots for the bunnies. We have three of them. They like it when I give them food. I like to watch them eat the food I give them. I don't have water here so I fetch water from the main house and keep it in my little fridge. I also take my dishes into the main house to wash them...collecting them in a big basket throughout the day.
   It is easy to keep the house clean as there isn't much room for it to be messy. I do have to keep it very organized, however, as the least bit of mess shows up really clearly. But I have always liked to have things orderly anyway. I like having a kitchen table next to the window where the cats can look out and watch the bird feeder. They love that! I also have my little home gym set up here. Got my punching bag/gloves, medicine ball, mat, foam roller, TRX, bands and weights. I have a pullup bar but haven't found  a good place to put it up yet.
   It is very nice also to have a garden. I can go out my door and gather fresh tomatoes. There is broccoli growing, beans, pumpkins and squash. I have fresh lemon balm and peppermint. I have a friend told me to put peppermint in my water would make it taste better and colder. I think that is true because when I chew my spearmint gum and then drink water with it still in my mouth the water is almost too cold to drink!!
   I am excited for when it gets cold enough I can try out my little woodstove! I have always wanted a fireplace. I love the feel of a warm fire (one of my favorite things about camping) , I love the way they smell. I am looking forward to a nice, crisp fall night when I can snuggle down in front of the fire and read a book. It's great to have my artwork displayed where friends can see it. I am now starting to work on a new collage! I finally got some mod podge and a new board. I also got a new sketch pad and some pencils. I have many pencils but I wanted these particular kind that are wash pencils so you can draw something and then put a wet brush against it and it will wash it like a watercolor. OH and the main house has a piano!! I am thinking of taking piano lessons.
   I get along great with all my housemates and feel pretty at home here. So yep! Now to fill it with friends. :-)   maybe a game night...or something.