TEN THINGS THAT I LOVE

Braxton and I participated in an exercise a couple of months ago that went like this.....Think of all the things that you do on a regular basis that you love.  Again, things you do regularly or even daily, not things you  do occasionally  or would like to do someday.  Now, narrow  your list to ten, and try to incorporate as many of them into your daily routine as possible.  Every single day.

Seriously, we found this to be really helpful.  It reminds us to be grateful that we get to do so many things every day (or almost every day) that we truly love!

Here's my list...

NATURE:  We love to hike the mountain trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway...and we go as often as we can.  When we can't hike we go for walks in our neighborhood or spend time in our backyard.  Over the years we've made our yard into a place we really love spending time in.  We have a circular holly hedge in the center of our backyard which we refer to as the "mystic circle", where we raise positive energy.

COOKING:  Being in the kitchen after a long day relaxes me.  I always start  by washing any stray dishes and clearing away any clutter...this helps me think.  I love t0 play music while I cook and drink a cup of green tea.  By the time I've  chopped, stirred and generally fussed around, I am happy and completely relaxed.

BLOGGING:  I can't believe I get to do this five days a week.  I truly love blogging and I've learned so much, both from my research and from our wonderful readers.

READING:  I try to read everyday, usually in the last afternoon when I'm tired and need to change directions...again, relaxing.  I'm currently reading a biography of Zelda Fitzgerald whom I didn't know was a writer herself, as well as a painter (her work is rather disturbing) and a dancer.  I have determined to read lots of bio's this year...so if you have any suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  What's your all time favorite book?

MEDITATION:  So I don't exactly sit in the lotus position with my palms up, but I do  make time for quiet reflection everyday.  This quiet time is vital to me, it helps clear my mind and gets my creative juices flowing again.  Even if all I do is decide what to make for dinner, I love and crave my peaceful moments.

CLEANING:  Yeah, I said it...I love to clean.  I love my house and I finally have it decorated the way I want it and it drives me crazy when things are out of place.   I actually enjoy sweeping, ironing, and doing dishes...yep, I'm weird that way.

MOVIES:  I think I've mentioned before that Braxton and I don't watch television...but we do love our movies!  Not every night, but several times a week, we lay in bed and play a  DVD.  Some of our favorites are....Shakespeare in Love, Don Juan (Johnny Depp), Love Actually, Amelie, the Harry Potter series, anything by Pixar, and lots of oldies!  What are your favorite movies?  Will you be watching a movie on Valentine's night?  Something romantic?

EXERCISE:  Exercise has been a part of my daily life since I was a teenager, and I love it.  If  I don't exercise I can't sleep, I gain weight, and am generally cranky.  It's something I do for myself and for Braxton.  I've never joined a gym, I prefer to play one of my workout dvd's from "the firm".  I rotate aerobics, weight training, yoga, and walking.  Exercise makes me a better person.

THRIFTING:  This is not something we are able to do everyday, but most weekends Braxton and I make time for at least one trip to an "antique" or consignment store.  We have seriously decorated our entire house with mostly thrifted items...we are completely hooked!

ROMANCE:  Nuff said.

Do you think this exercise would be helpful to you?  I would love to know what ten things you love to do everyday!  Or five....or three...or even one.  Share, won't you?
Have a day filled with love.
yancey