Do One Thing Differently Today

     We humans are such creatures of habit. This came home to me ever more powerfully, having just completed 13 weeks of tax work, wherein I set for myself a rigid schedule to keep it all together during 50-hour, 6-day work-weeks. I swam on certain days, and had other assorted tasks that I specifically scheduled so as not to fall behind.
     I realized that I was becoming more and more of an automaton based on the day of the week. So I started making an effort to do something differently each day, an exercise that encouraged me to pay more attention to my life. One tiny example is, when using a spray bottle, to use your non-dominant hand to squeeze the trigger. Another example is driving a different route. Go to a new place for lunch. Smile and say hello to a stranger. Stop and smell the iris. Make a new habit of doing something different each day. It's a fun way to pay attention to this awesome life we are given.
     LOVING the rain here in Wichita,
          Leta Renee

Doing Nothing

     Spanish proverb: How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterward.
     I am such a dedicated napper that I must have been of Hispanic ethnicity in a previous life. I love my siestas, and I consider napping a hobby.
     When I ran across this proverb, I thought, "That's me!" Yet as I ponder this saying further, I realize that I'm not so clear about doing nothing, just the rest afterward part.
     What is "doing nothing" anyway? Is it meditating? Is it reading? Is it laying around watching baseball (one of my favorite activities)? Is it sitting and watching the world go by? Is it watching paint dry or grass grow? Is it chatting with someone you love over a beer or a cup of coffee? Is napping "doing nothing"? How about leisurely blogging?
     I'm thinking as I write this that "doing nothing" is a very personal thing.
     Time to rest!
        Leta

Contentment

     My yoga classes have just finished a deep look at santosa, or contentment, one of the principles that the 8-limb system of yoga encourages us to live by.
     What does contentment mean to you? It's a worthwhile question to consider. As we piece together minutes, hours and days of contentment, we create a happy life. There's a key point in what I just wrote... contentment is a present-moment practice. We choose it, it doesn't drop on us from the sky, it's something we bring forth from within. Alas, it cannot be bought or acquired through others, though many try.
     How do I feel content?  By spending time at places I love and with people I love. Taking care of myself, for instance by massage, rest time, chiropractic, creating, exercising, traveling. Practicing yoga, of course. Noticing the beauty of our magnificent planet. Laughter. Faith. Tears. Fun.
     Contentment does not mean I'm always happy or in a good mood, but it's the calm undercurrent when I am experiencing some drama. It means I am satisfied that I am enough, I have enough, I do enough. It is comfortable being in my own skin, in my own life. It truly is a gift to practice contentment.
     Contentedly,
        Leta

The REAL Reason Men Get Married...

... is so there is someone who will clean the science projects out of the refrigerator for them.
                  LOL,
                     Leta

Continuing with the Mother Earth theme

     I'm reading a very interesting book about taking responsibility for one's own health. There are a lot of questions in it. The question that fits this blog post theme is, "Do you take walks, garden, or have other regular contact with Nature?"
     At the moment, Sunday is my only day off. I want to be lazy and watch non-stop basketball. However, I made myself go out and do more garden clean-up. I really do love gardening, it's just getting myself motivated to go outside. And guess what? I feel better. Fresh air, green grass, bright sunshine on my skin, loads of weeds in the trash, a feeling of accomplishment, an appreciation for the wide variety of growing things in our little spot of Mother Earth.
     Let's remember how good it feels to be in the sunshine, breathe fresh air, and move about in Nature. Our health and happiness depend on it!
         Breathe!
             Leta

Mother Earth

     I am blessed on my workdays that about 15 minutes of my drive to and from work take me through the glorious fertile farmlands of the midwest. In the past few weeks, it has gone from brown soil with the seeds preparing to burst to the rich emerald green of sprouted wheat. But this isn't the only beauty. These wheat fields stretch on for miles of relatively flat ground, leaving huge expanses of sky for the most awesome sunrises and sunsets one might imagine. Mother Earth truly is the finest artist!
     I am blessed to notice these things and appreciate them. It makes for a great start to a workday and comforting drive home. Can you find something of beauty on your way to and from work? Can you find something big and awe-inspiring to be curious about? Can you simply enjoy a full breath of truly fresh air? Mother Earth is full of treasures for us!
     Loving nature,
          Leta

What do you love about where you live?

     My husband and I have been talking lately about the things we love about living in Wichita. With all the political unrest in our state, it's a nice change of focus.
     Just off the top of my head, I love that it's easy to get around (if you don't think so, go drive around say, Houston, for a few days). We have great art and theater, lots of variety. Downtown along the river has transformed into a thing of beauty. We have a lot of great locally-owned restaurants. Folks smile a lot here. Botanica is amazing, as is our Sedgwick County Zoo. It's comfortable to live here.
     This is a fun exercise. Wherever you live, it surely has lots going for it, if only you'll notice. If not, maybe it's time to move, but remember, if you do that, you're taking you with you.
      Enjoying where I live,
              Leta