Mindful Living - And other things I've never thought of!

Healthy Living Class

I started a 15-week healthy living class on January 8th.  Perfect timing for New Year's Resolutions.  Today the teacher mentioned that we should live mindfully in everything we do.  So, when we do anything we should focus on that things.  The first week's assignment was to be mindful about our eating.  Think about how the food tastes instead of eating them in a hurry or with distractions.    I am always multi-tasking.  I grade papers, have facebook open, and the TV on.  My teacher suggested I do one thing at a time and do it mindfully focusing on the task at hand.  Novel thought! 

In Italy, 2 years ago, I had no problem focusing on the taste!

Healthy and Delicious!!!!!

Meal Planning for One Doesn't Take Long.

We were also supposed to plan our meals and snacks a week in advance.  The problem with this is that I am single and although my brother lives with me, he is a vegetarian.  So, it's only me eating the food. I made Chicken Tortilla Soup, froze half of it, and still it lasted me for a week.  I didn't even get to the second meal I planned for.  Lol.  So, I have a bunch of veggies waiting to become stir-fry.

Moving More

When I started this class, I decided I was going to dive head-first and follow all the directions.  I started to exercise for at least 30 minutes every day.  My first day, I walked around Lake Johnson - a 3 mile walk with hills as a bonus.  (The next day I bought better tennis shoes.)  I have been doing various exercises depending on the weather.  I've been doing the Just Dance on the Wii, Wii Fit, Yoga, other other exercises.  Thanks to Barbara, Kathy, and Helen for going on walks with me!

 This video is my nieces and nephew doing the Just Dance during Christmas Break last year.  There is no way I'm going to show you me dancing!  I really wanted to show my brother Kenneth dancing, but I'll save that blackmail for another day!

Winter Time Blues and Healthy Goals

I just finished talking with my health coach - it's pretty cool actually, it's free and she calls me and asks me how I'm doing and we set goals and then she asks me about my goals.   It's a part of my state health plan.

I told her that I was a complete bum last weekend and didn't do anything or go anywhere even though fun things were happening.  I work and come home and work again and then I don't want to do anything.  I even turned down free dinner and game night!  My coach reminded me that it is getting darker sooner and maybe it's just the winter time blues because I'm not getting enough sun.

My goal for this month:  Do something social every other weekend and exercise 3 times a week.

Ideas

1. Dinner at Hibernian Grill - in the library with the fireplace.  (A winter tradition.)



2.  Movies with friends - when is Les Miserables coming out?



3.  The Apex Nativity display and the Messiah sing along - on my birthday - Dec. 8th.



4.  I want to see a musical - I'm not sure what is playing or where it is playing, but surely something good must be playing during the Christmas season.




5. Travel - I have a 3 day weekend - where should I go?

Miracles Do Come True, Either That or I Found a Pot of Gold at the End of the Irish Rainbow

Miracle # 1 - Rainbows

When I walked out of my B&B, I was excited because I had booked a tour to see the Cliffs of Moher - A wonder of the world. I was waiting in the rain and suddenly I saw the beginning of a rainbow and it grew and grew until it was a full rainbow.  I saw 6 rainbows today.  The last one was with Spencer at the hospital and it was the biggest, brightest and if you look closely, you can see it was a double rainbow.

The last rainbow of the day at the hospital.

An earlier rainbow.

Miracle #2 - Rain and No Rain

We started off going to a family farm and the rain had not come to the farm, so we climbed the mountain, had great views, and dry ground.  It was pretty steep, so thank goodness it was dry!

Farm Stop - Sunny and Bright

The farm was on the side of a mountain so we went on a hike and saw some of the beautiful sights - that is the Atlantic Ocean in the far background of the first picture.

A typical stone wall.

A literal grass roof.

At this family farm they offered
cakes, pies, tea, and coffee.  Read the sign carefully!

Notice Rain while we are the bus. :) 

The Cliffs of Moher

The observation deck to see
the Cliffs of Moher

Please notice that it is
bright and sunny after
raining hard while we
were on the bus.

 

 

So sunny I need shades!

This is a shop built into the mountainside.

Another Sunny Stop

Miracle # 3 - Friends

I am a person who needs people around me.  On the first tour - to Kylemore Abby, I found 2 single girls around my age who I got to know pretty well.  On this tour, on the first bus, I met a Mom and daughter from England and they were so nice!  At the farm I found a Brazilian girl who was also traveling alone, so we became immediate friends.  Then, when we stopped for lunch we found a guy from Poland who was also on his own and we included him.  (3 friends from 3 different continents.)  Although this was nice to have friends, it was not a miracle.  The miracle came after the tour was done and I was finished visiting Spencer in the hospital.  I was tired and it was dark, so I decided to take a cab home.  The cab stopped in front of my B&B and literally when I got out I saw the Mom and daughter walking on the sidewalk.  They invited me to dinner, but I had already eaten, so they told me that they were going on a walking tour of Galway at 12:30 tomorrow and invited me to go with them!  They said that they had decided to take a shortcut and their shortcut took them in front of my B&B at the exact moment my cab pulled up.  The daughter, Charlotte, had just said, "I wonder if we'll see Tiffany in town."  And there I was in front of them!  It was surreal!

Thank you Heavenly Father for looking after me and loving me so much!!!!