It’s not new, and it isn’t really magical — but it sure feels like the effects are magical. It’s common knowledge, really. So why devote a whole post to it? Because it’s worth repeating until it becomes second nature. What is this (almost) magical thing? It’s simple: Listen. Just listen. Listen properly. I don’t mean listen the way I listen […]
It’s been almost five months since I started this blog, and every time I write a post I learn something. I’ve learned that what I think I’m going to write often isn’t what I need to write — that is to say, I may think I’ve gotten to the bottom of something, but a different truth […]
Gardening is my favourite way to get filthy. I picture someone wearing spotless white clothes and a big straw hat. A tall drink with ice cubes clinking softly waits nearby. My reality is pretty much the opposite: sunscreen, sweat and filthy clothes. Usually I remember to bring a water bottle out with me. The more I need […]
Start small. Seven months ago, I made a couple of small changes to my daily habits: I stopped using my snooze button and I started writing almost every day. When I think about those changes, though they may seem inconsequential, I feel a pleasant glow of pride and happiness. I also feel optimistic about making […]
Why even bother trying to stop grumbling? Why not say hello to Grumblings the dragon and live in harmony instead of constantly fighting to banish him? My personal quick answer is because grumbling isn’t good for me. There’s nothing harmonious about my grumbling under the influence of that sneaky dragon, nor does my grumbling lead to harmony […]
This week, in my quest to find the good, I’m looking at gratitude as a tool to defend against Grumblings. I keep a gratitude journal, off and on. When I use it, I do so right before I take my glasses off for sleep. I find it helps me go to sleep in a positive […]
This past week, Husband and I took the week off work and focused on the basement. The plan was to get rid of as much as we could by recycling stuff, donating stuff or throwing stuff out. We agreed on goals and approach. We had an energetic mix of music of our choosing. We had […]
Is volunteering its own reward? It’s National Volunteer Week here in Canada, a time to celebrate volunteers, who give almost 2 billion hours a year in Canada, an amount of time that’s equal to about 1 million full-time jobs. Volunteering is about giving time, effort and energy. Some 12.7 million people in Canada volunteer, and […]
I went for hike along the Ottawa River with the Scouts this week, and the gorgeous sunset made it easy for me to decide that my next post would be about nature. Nature is an obvious good. I don’t know of anyone who would say that getting out in the fresh air isn’t healthy. Why […]
On the surface of it, these two beliefs seem harmless. People should show appreciation for work done to benefit them or the household. People should do their share of the household work in a timely fashion if they are able to. Obvious, right? Who could argue with those? And yet, I’ve come to the conclusion […]