Monday Morning Motivation(On A Sunday)

Two years ago at this time, to say life was at the same time both exceedingly exciting, yet notably crazy would have been a major and gross understatement by any stretch of the imagination. But, here we are two years later and we managed with great determination and I’m positive a bit of luck to navigate rather successfully through all of it to land in Nova Scotia.

Over the past few days and more specifically last night when the conversation came up during a bonfire at our place, I’ve thought more regarding getting out of our comfort zone(s) or as an absolute bare minimum, expanding the metaphorical fences that define the comfort zone where we thoroughly and comfortably enjoy residing.

Why?

Simply to live life!

Unfortunately, it would appear from the small circle of influence and friends around Lynn and I, that the more things and time change or march on, the more they more or less stay the same.

From June of 2022 …………

Well, here on a very early Monday morning, there are still a few things to finish up in terms of getting the “odds and sods” packed and ready for our trek to Nova Scotia. I do have a Doctor’s appointment later this morning, but that as far as I know is the only scheduled “thing” for today.

Alas, I’m not typing away at 5:27am to update folks on our expedition to the east coast.

This Monday(June 27) would be absolutely the best day to push the boundaries of your comfort zone.

A spectacular day to move them outwards even if the result is only a tiny wee smidge.

Throughout our day-to-day grind of living life – we find, develop and nourish what we come to define and live within as our “comfort zone.” “Comfort” within the context of its variety of definitions suggests “life is comfortable.”

But, often we can work as hard as we ever have to maintain that “comfort” – whatever that “comfort” looks like.

Why?

Because it’s easy; it’s safe; it’s predictable. It’s comfortable.

And like the graphic says, your “comfort zone” may be a beautiful place……but nothing and I repeat nothing grows there.

You can never grow as a person physically, emotionally, mentally, and intellectually if you’re constantly dwelling within those confined boundaries of your “comfort zone.”

So, do something this Monday(today) to expand your comfort zone. Do something that makes you uncomfortable. Even if it only makes you slightly uncomfortable.

Do something….life is far too short.

–as always with love–

— get outdoors; find inspiration; discover yourself —

Monday Morning Motivation(On A Tuesday)

A year ago at this time, to say life was at the same time both exceedingly exciting, yet notably crazy would have been a major and gross understatement by any stretch of the imagination. But, here we are a year later and managed with great determination and I’m positive a bit of luck to navigate rather successfully through all of it to land in Nova Scotia.

Over the past few days, I’ve posted a few bits on getting out of your comfort zone or as an absolute bare minimum, expanding the metaphorical fences that define the comfort zone where we thoroughly and comfortably enjoy residing.

Why?

Simply to live life!

It would appear that the more things and time change or march on, the more they more or less stay the same.

From a year ago……..

Well, here on a very early Monday morning, there are still a few things to finish up in terms of getting the “odds and sods” packed and ready for our trek to Nova Scotia. I do have a Doctor’s appointment later this morning, but that as far as I know is the only scheduled “thing” for today.

Alas, I’m not typing away at 5:27am to update folks on our expedition to the east coast.

This Monday(June 27) would be absolutely the best day to push the boundaries of your comfort zone.

A spectacular day to move them outwards even if the result is only a tiny wee smidge.

Throughout our day-to-day grind of living life – we find, develop and nourish what we come to define and live within as our “comfort zone.” “Comfort” within the context of its variety of definitions suggests “life is comfortable.”

But, often we can work as hard as we ever have to maintain that “comfort” – whatever that “comfort” looks like.

Why?

Because it’s easy; it’s safe; it’s predictable. It’s comfortable.

And like the graphic says, your “comfort zone” may be a beautiful place……but nothing and I repeat nothing grows there. You can never grow as a person physically, emotionally, mentally, and intellectually if you’re constantly dwelling within those confined boundaries of your “comfort zone.”

So, do something this Monday(today) to expand your comfort zone. Do something that makes you uncomfortable. Even if it only makes you slightly uncomfortable.

Do something….life is far too short.

–as always with love–

— get outdoors; find inspiration; discover yourself —

Monday Morning Motivation

Well, here on a very early Monday morning, there are still a few things to finish up in terms of getting the “odds and sods” packed and ready for our trek to Nova Scotia. I do have a Doctor’s appointment later this morning, but that as far as I know is the only scheduled “thing” for today.

Alas, I’m not typing away at 5:27am to update folks on our expedition to the east coast.

This Monday(June 27) would be absolutely the best day to push the boundaries of your comfort zone.

A spectacular day to move them outwards even if the result is only a tiny wee smidge.

Throughout our day-to-day grind of living life – we find, develop and nourish what we come to define and live within as our “comfort zone.” “Comfort” within the context of its variety of definitions suggests “life is comfortable.”

But, often we can work as hard as we ever have to maintain that “comfort” – whatever that “comfort” looks like.

Why?

Because it’s easy; it’s safe; it’s predictable. It’s comfortable.

And like the graphic says, your “comfort zone” may be a beautiful place……but nothing and I repeat nothing grows there. You can never grow as a person physically, emotionally, mentally, and intellectually if you’re constantly dwelling within those confined boundaries of your “comfort zone.”

So, do something this Monday(today) to expand your comfort zone. Do something that makes you uncomfortable. Even if it only makes you slightly uncomfortable.

Do something….life is far too short.

–as always with love–

— get outdoors; find inspiration; discover yourself —

Short and Sweet – A Dog’s Life

This came across my Instagram feed during the week.

Given sort of where we are at this point in the midst of everything going on in the world(and not necessarily COVID_19 related), these are all great suggestions we should as a collective – take to heart.

Source: Google Images

 

 

—  get outdoors; find inspiration; discover yourself  —

Thoughts From The Wilderness – Peace Over Panic – 2

Last week I did a post entitled, “Peace Over Panic” which examined three easy things we can do during the COVID_19 crisis to help reduce our panic by creating more peace within our lives.

Over the past weeks, I’ve seen on Instagram, FB and Twitter scores of posts that have uplifting quotes, suggestions or stories to help with the whole “peace over panic” process. It can certainly be hard to facilitate “peace over panic” when for most of us, each waking moment can be dealing either with the virus or some circumstance surrounding the virus.

Notwithstanding that, every little bit of positivity does help. Whether it is a series of puppy or kitty pictures, inspirational quotes or specific suggestions or ideas to move us to “peace over panic,” it all adds up.

Here are three things to help with that “Peace Over Panic – 2″

Peace Over Panic – 2

Remember – It’s Social Distancing Not Social Isolation

We’ve all been asked or directed to commit to social distancing or physical distancing as one measure to slow the spread of the virus. Six feet is six feet(2 metres for our metric friends).

One important point is that it means social distancing, not social isolation. Just because you may be stuck inside more than you might want or like, it is more important not to isolate yourself from others. The coronavirus cannot be transmitted over the internet or phone lines.

Make sure to connect virtually with friends(something I need to work on much harder), using social media like FaceTime on FaceBook; send texts back and forth or even try a historic, yet still viable phone call.

Not only will you get a whack of benefit for it, so will everyone else.

Be a blessing and an encourager – it’s social distancing, not social isolation.

Take Action – Create Memories

So, we’ve all been for the most part cooped up inside since the start of this. Although some of us are still working and out of the house for a good part of the day, when we get home – we’re home.

Lynn and I don’t have children in school and thus no children at home to entertain at all. In Ontario this week, e-learning has started, so we’ll all see how that goes. I feel for those families that are trying to juggle everything, including e-learning and “homeschooling.”

One way to look at all of this, is we’ve all been allowed to create some bonus memory-making with our families. I read one suggestion is to look through Pinterest for some ideas to create positive memories to think back on “what you made of it during this time” and not by how much you worried about it during these days and weeks.

Worry doesn’t change anything, so why bother.

Think of some ways to create positive memories of these times for you and your family.

Remember – Creating Positive is as Viral as the Virus

There is power in positivity – your positivity.

Each one of us can choose positive over negative during these times.

Our positivity can shine through and be a light by helping others and showing love when most needed. Use the power of technology and find ways to help, love, encourage and connect with others from a distance(six feet or the length of one hockey stick will do).

Peace over panic just doesn’t fall out of the sky and make our lives so much more bearable during this crisis. Or at least I don’t think it does.

“Peace over panic” requires action on our part.

We need to make the choice today whether it will be peace or panic?

Choose “peace over panic.”

 

— in order to be together, we need to be apart  —

Thoughts From The Wilderness – It’s Just Water – Get Over It.

Water, the building block of life. Two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Complex yet simple all in the same breath.

Something so simple; so clear and colourless can cause such a distortion of viewing the world around us when it lands as tiny raindrops on our glasses. Or if you’re taking a picture through the windshield of your car on a recent rainy late winter day-trip to Algonquin Park. A little distorted; a bit out of focus, but you still know where you are.

On our recent day-trip to Algonquin Park, I spent a considerable amount of time outside trekking along hiking trails with a somewhat distorted view of the landscape around me. Not due to some unresolved emotional issues, but entirely due to raindrops on my glasses.

Being clear and colourless, the raindrop covered glasses really didn’t stop me or cause me to not know where I was, it just simply distorted the imagines I was seeing. Just enough not to see clearly.

Barring the use of some crazy eyeglass wiping system, the simple solution was to stop every once in a while and dry the moisture off the glasses. Pretty obvious, at least to me that if you wear glasses and plan to spend any time outside and it’s raining or snowing, your glasses are going to get wet.

So, why get exceedingly bent out of shape over it? It’s just water! Deal with it. Stop for a minute; collect yourself; pull out something to dry your glasses off and keep moving on. A simple solution to a simple problem. Not a complex problem requiring a Ph.D. level solution.

Isn’t it ironic that life can be at times like wearing glasses that have raindrops on the lenses. We can still see where we are or what the situation is, but it’s not a clear as it should be. Our view of life can be distorted by something so simple, that many times we may not recognize it as simple.

So, what do we do? Or what “should” we do?

There might be three trails that we could head down.

The first one would be to search for a complex solution to a very simple problem. “I know the problem is insignificant and not a big deal, but I’ll spend four days worth of time, focus and energy to get to a solution.”

The second one is to assume the issue is complex and serious(it isn’t) and spend days or weeks dealing with it. This is while all those around you watch in amazement thinking, “why not just dry your glasses off?”

The third trail to hike down might be the best one. Stop for a moment; pull out a tissue and simply dry your glasses off in order to see better. That being, stop and simply assess the situation. See the situation or issue for what it is.

I’ve been around for a fair amount of time or have made “a few laps around the track” might be another analogy. But, after all those laps I’ve found out this. Much of life, living and how we cope with it at times involves simply “stopping, wiping the raindrops from our glasses” to see just a bit better.

Of course, there will be those big issues that come up. The ones we never want to deal with. But, most will be the ones the “dry off your glasses type.” Nothing to get bent out of shape over. Just dry them off and move on.

If you’re going to spend any significant amount time in nature, it’s going to rain at some point. Perhaps just for a few brief moments, or maybe for a couple of days in a row. In fact, some of the best times and most memorable adventures Lynn and I have had involved rain and stormy weather. Real stormy weather. Now, we could have hidden in our tent until the rain stopped; not gone out at all. But, what fun is that? Just put on some rain gear; dry off your glasses and keep moving on.

Geez, it’s just water!

Life is the same way. If you’re going to live life, it’s going to rain on you somewhere and at some point. Don’t let a little drizzle get you all freaked out. Life is far too short to get freaked out about, especially if it is just a little drizzle.

Simply wipe off your glasses; have a look around and move on.

Geez, it’s only water!

Save the big freak-out for that big rain storm; the torrential downpour. That’s the time when that complex problem is going to require that complex solution.

Just a thought.