Happy New Year, my fellow earthlings. Think I was kind of waiting to see if we actually made it. So far, so good. Bumpy, but we’re coping.
My goals this year are kindness, play, writing, and decluttering.
While I have been doing the last two, I need serious retraining for play, plus I’m working on kindness by trying to do a good deed each day. If I make you smile, this post counts for today’s good deed.
One article I read a long time ago said if you changed three things in your morning routine, it would turn your world upside down. Can’t even imagine what a multiple-year worldwide tri-demic does, but we’re beginning to find out. Think we are upside down, turned inside out, and floating in space.
While the entire planet is in various stages of flux and upheaval, we can recognize we are all in recovery. And that will take as long as it takes and is individual for each person and animal. Basically, this event screwed everybody, mammals, insects, all organisms.
Kindness to ourselves and others is a powerful way to move forward.
On Dec. 8, 2013, I was standing in the customer service line at Kohl’s to pay my almost overdue credit card bill. My dad had died early that morning, and my family were on our way home from saying goodbye to him at the foster home.
Sleep-deprived, grieving, in shock, and pretty exhausted, I felt like an empty vessel. Standing in line was taking way too much energy. After I paid my bill, the clerk gave me a business card. On it said #SHOWKINDNESS. I held onto that little card as if it was a surprise daisy in winter. I still have it.
You never know how you will touch someone’s life in a positive way. And sweet sea biscuits, we need as much kindness and love as we can produce right now.
Take positive baby steps. Whatever you can handle.
Elizabeth Lyon, a favorite writing instructor, talked about one percent improvement a week at a long-ago writing conference. She said we have to “chop wood and carry water” every day to be better writers.
That goes for kindness and love too.
In that vein, I’m adding some of my new favorite videos to enjoy. I need more play and nature in my life, and given our winter weather, these videos help a lot.
The Movie Squirrels are from Norway and their humans are working to save the forest for the animals. Let’s do this!
(It’s eight hours, so pace yourselves. I watch it on my TV. You have to see The Nut Bar!)
And let’s finish up with some positive news from the Oregon Zoo!
Gear up people.
Let’s get kindness trending!
You definitely got my smile. Just say the word squirrel and I’m there.