Five Simple Things (July 10)

 Hello.

This week we celebrated Fourth of July. We were wondering whether we would be able to buy fireworks, but we ended up buying a large and small package of them at the grocery store when we went to get a few things for the week. Also, the night of fireworks the moon was huge! It was almost like it was glowing bright to let us all know that better things are on the way. This year so far, has been really hard on us. With my surgery recovering being rough, Jeff's hours being cut at work, the pandemic, wondering how we're going to get through the next week, lack of sleep, and additional city and state stressors, 2020 is not the best year for us. I just hope the next three months are a bit smoother for us. Here are five things this week.

1. This View.

This view is in the direction of Brownsville, Oregon. This time of year it's always a pretty view. The yellow in the distance is butterweed. And, sometimes there's sheep in the field, but this week it looked almost "Sound of Music-like."

2. This View, Too.

This home is supposedly owned by Sam Elliott, the actor. We aren't exactly sure, but supposedly he owns a home near Harrisburg, Oregon. This isn't in Harrisburg, Oregon, but it's close. Either way, it's a beautiful home and the surrounding land and the view is amazing.

3. These Miles.

I've added more miles to my total over the past week. It's slow-going, but I'm feeling a bit better that I've been keeping myself moving. On the movie World War Z, Brad Pitt's character says, "movement is life." It's true.

4. This Art.

The summer months open the door to more and more sidewalk chalk art. We've been creating our own, as well as enjoying other people's art throughout the city here, and around other areas we've been to. Chalk art really isn't given enough credit. Same with sand castle art and graffiti. Embracing the beauty in these things makes it a lot easier to enjoy the little things. And, honestly, it's the little things in life that need to be appreciated more.

5. These Shadows.

I've been enjoying reading the Lunch Lady Magazine lately. I have purchased the digital versions, because they're Australian, so I can't get the print editions. They have some of the best educational articles, recipes, amazing diys, and I am just loving them. You can get the digital issues here. 

Positive affirmations this week: "How do you manage stress when it gets to be too overwhelming?"

I started creating a stress inventory. Something I read in a magazine article stated that the best way to control our hormone imbalance is stress management. Stress contributes to a lot of issues, even basic issues. Headaches, stomach aches, premature aging, sleep, even our memory can be affected. The stress inventory helps identify the stressors that we can actually change. I write them down, and write down ways they can be changes and when they can be changed. It falls along the lines of goals, but also gives you some relief knowing that you can indeed change them. Other stressors, like ones caused by other people, those are ones that we literally have no control over, so just let them go. Those are not your stressors those are other people's and we have enough to worry about before taking on other people's issues. Letting go of things we can't control really does break away a lot of stress. It just takes practice to be able to identify which ones are ones we can control and which ones we can't. Writing them down helps us differentiate from the two. 

Have a nice weekend.