Inspiration

I was spending a little time alone with Greenville Kleiser last night while my husband was otherwise occupied. Fortunately for all involved, Mr. Kleiser is one of my favorite authors and the time we spend is in the confines of his wonderful books. We met last night in “Inspiration and Ideals” from 1917, and yes…that does make him an older man.

Greenville Kleiser wrote many motivational and inspirational books and self help articles (I’ll be adding these to my Self Help Daily Article’s Section, starting today.) - but one of the best things he ever penned was the following poem, “The Bridge You’ll Never Cross.” I think you’ll love it as much as I do.

It’s a great reminder to deal with things as they happen and not to invite worry or fear into your life. Most things we fret over never even happen!

THE BRIDGE YOU’LL NEVER CROSS

It’s what you think that makes the world
Seem dull or bright to you;
Your mind may color all things gray
Or make them radiant hue.
Be glad today, be true and wise,
Seek gold amid the dross;
Waste neither time nor thought about
The bridge you’ll never cross.

There’s useful work for you to do
With hand and brain and heart;
There’s urgent human service, too,
In which to take your part.
Make every opportunity
A gain and not a loss;
The best is yours, so do not fear
The bridge you’ll never cross.

If life seems drab and difficult
Just face it with a will;
You do not have to work alone
Since God is with you still.
Press on with courage toward the goal,
With Truth your shield emboss;
Be strong, look up, and just ignore
The bridge you’ll never cross.
- Greenville Kleiser

Many people are expecting happiness the way we expect a package in the mail. It’ll come…maybe tomorrow, maybe the next day…

They think, IF this happens, WHEN that happens, AFTER this is over; that’s not happiness, it’s happen-ness.

As F.D. Van Amburgh wrote, “Happiness is a condition of the mind.” It’s not a matter of everything being perfectly lined-up, shiny, and flawless. If we wait for perfection to be happy…you guessed it, we’ll be unhappy forever. Prospects don’t come any darker than that, do they?

People who work hard, love freely, give of their time and money to others, and embrace life for what it is are the happiest people in the world. They don’t have time to worry about what they don’t have, they’re too busy enjoying and taking care of what they do have!

If a person isn’t happy today, they probably aren’t going to be happy tomorrow - not even when “this” happens or “that” goes away. A person who puts a CONDITION on happiness will put a CONDITION on happiness tomorrow.

Said another way, they’d just find something else to nag or whine about.

The only way for an individual to snap themself out of such a miserable state of mind is for them to realize that they’re there in the first place. They have to take complete responsibility for the way they’ve been thinking; that means no finger pointing. They can’t make excuses for themselves, no matter how much validity the excuses may have. After all, none of us make it through life unscratched or unharmed. We all feel its claws from time to time!

Sometimes, a person simply has to realize that it’s time to change, time to move on, and time to (most importantly) allow themself to be happy. Because, regardless of what you may have heard… as beautiful as the hills of Kentucky look, as much fun as a Florida beach is, and as cool as Texans are…. Happiness is easily the greatest state to live in.

Make each moment count double,
~Joi

I know I’ve said it before, but I absolutely love books. Everything about them - the looks, the smells, the rush of buying a new one, the joy of discovering an old one, and more than anything, I love getting lost in the words.

One of my favorite authors is Grenville Kleiser. If you haven’t heard of the brilliant author, you are more than forgiven. His books were published in the early 1900s. They do, however, still have a place in our modern world - or at least they should have. His writings and teachings are so beautiful and basic, I’m convinced we’d all be happier, wealthier, and wiser if we read a little Kleiser each day.

The following passage is from a Grenville Kleiser book published in 1917 called, “Inspiration and Ideals.” Enjoy!

CHOOSE YOUR LIFE IDEALS

Dwell more and more upon thoughts of what you really want in your life. Close and hermetically seal the door of your mind against thoughts of what you do not want in your life. You desire health, vitality, wisdom, peace, confidence, hope, friendship, harmony, independence, serenity, cheerfulness, happiness, success, culture, and righteousness. Give your thought to these and kindred subjects, since dwelling upon them often and intently tends to make them concrete in your life. Waste no thought upon things you do not need. The power is yours to choose the ideals that shall daily possess and govern your mental life. When your mind is right your life will be right.

Basically, what you just read in the paragraph above, is the equivalent of a pricey Self Help book. All summed up beautifully in a compact little package with a bow on it. The tag reads, “To you: The secret of a better life! From: Grenville Kleiser”

Make each moment count double,
~ Joi

Free Rice.com is a pretty cool site, so I thought you might like to know about it - after all, you’re too cool for school, too!

The web site presents you with a word, such as stationary - you’re given 4 different words to choose from, you choose the one that best describes or defines your word. When you’re right, Free Rice actually donates rice to the United Nations World Food Program. The more you play…and the better you play…the more rice is donated. There’s even a place on the web site to see rice being distributed.

I can’t wait to read Montel Williams’ new book, Living Well: 21 Days to Transform Your Life, Supercharge Your Health, Andfeel Spectacular. I just finished reading an interview Montel Williams did to publicize the book and it sound like some pretty powerful stuff.

Montel Williams was diagnosed with multiple scelrosis in 1999, so he’s more than a little bit familiar with life’s downs. Two years ago, he gave himself a deadline, 21 days, to totally change the way he lived, ate, and drank. Although he never even liked vegetables before, he found a way to fall in love with them. One of the benefits of changing his eating and lifestyle habits was the ability to totally come off of his antideppressants. He hasn’t felt the need for them since he began the program! Now, if eating right and exercising can make someone who’s on antideppressants feel that much better, those of us who don’t suffer from depression will probably have feelings of euphoria similar to winning the lottery or buying a venti mocha latte.

Yes, as a matter of fact, I do think that highly of venti mocha lattes.

Here’s the link - Montel Williams Changes his Ways in 21 Days

Make each moment count double,
~ Joi

Quiet the Mind Art Print
DeWitt, Debbie
Buy at AllPosters.com

Around this time of year, you can find endless charts and articles comparing colds and flu. Is it a cold or is it the Flu? The symptoms of each are then compared, with the hope that the reader will pinpoint what’s making them sick, then be able to brag to their family that they either have the “worst cold ever” or the “most severe flu known to man.”

When it comes to determining mild depression, severe depression, or (as is more often the case) a simple case of the blues - things are quite a bit harder to read.

Let’s get the obvious taken care of first:

If you EVER feel so down that thoughts of suicide or a feeling of “I honestly don’t care if I live or die” enter your mind, see a doctor immediately. Thinking that you, all by yourself, can treat depression this severe is equivalent to thinking you, by yourself, could cure cancer with an olive. You deserve a happier life, and you know it as well as I do!

If you’re feelings of sadness are interfering with your life - to the point that you don’t want to do activities you once enjoyed, and if this has been going on for more than two weeks, re-read the paragraph above, paying close attention to the last sentence!

Then, there’s the obvious group of people who are dealing with sadness and unhappiness for a legitimate reason: The loss of a loved one, divorce, loss of a job, financial trouble, illness, a bad relationship, etc. These are all temporary dark valleys and we all go through at least one of them in our lifetime. Fortunately the sun comes out again eventually.

But what about the feelings of unhappiness that have no apparent cause?

If you’re like most people, the thought of suicide is as far removed from you as obesity is from the Olsen twins. What’s more, you probably still take an active role in your favorite activities. For the most part, if you’re busy and others are around, no one would even guess that your world has turned mostly blue.

It’s my sincerest belief that many times what we feel isn’t a feeling of unhappiness as much as it’s simply the absence of happiness. In the same way that an 18 year old will moan, “I’m so bored…” - we often say, “I feel so down…” When, truth be told, what both are experiencing is an absence of stimulation - not the presence of another plague.

Think about it. We’ve all gotten to the point where we feel like we have to be busy or entertained during our every waking hour. Whether it’s the tv, the internet, the radio or a portable movie player, have we, or have we not, forgotten how to simply enjoy quiet time? Our society has even made phones more entertaining and exciting.

When the buzz and bedlam quite down and we find ourselves alone with our thoughts - if we aren’t careful we can mistakenly identify the situation. Instead of embracing the quiet and still, and welcoming the clarity and peacefulness it can bring, some people often think, “Uh oh. Something’s wrong.” Then they rush right in to claim their boredom or depression.

Next time you feel out of sorts, hold yourself accountable. Ask if there’s actually a reason for the feelings or if you’re simply reacting to the increasingly oddity known as quiet.

I think we’d all benefit from reacquainting ourselves with quiet time! There’s a lot to be said for literally finding your quiet place and taking advantage of the clarity of mind it brings. As the art print at the top of the post says, The quieter you become, the more you hear.

~Make each quiet moment count double,
Joi

See the handsome little man in this post? His name’s Theoneste and I love that little face now as much as I did when I first saw it on January 2nd. Isn’t he a doll? Look at his little shoulders?

One of my New Year’s Resolutions was to do more for those who can’t do more for themselves. My heart has a particular heaviness for children who are in need, so I spent New Year’s Day researching children’s charities and organizations. After doing my homework, I decided that World Vision was perfect. My family is sponsoring the little angel above (Theoneste). We got our “welcome kit” yesterday with pictures, a magnet, a cd, and lots of fascinating information. There’s no doubt in my mind that we’ll be sponsoring more children or even a family.

Please don’t think I’m bragging - I have no reason to brag, whatsoever. It was foolish of me not to have done this years ago. If I had started sponsoring children, say 10 years ago - how much good could have already been done? I can’t even think about that - it makes me uncomfortable in my skin. I also don’t want to mentally calculate the money I spend on exotic coffees and teas, only to realize the impact that same amount of money could have on someone else’s life.

As we sit in our comfortable homes, with our computers in front of us, a stocked refrigerator at our disposal, clean water when we need it, and more clothes than we’ll ever need - there are people in the world who must think we live like kings and queens. Yet we complain if our sofa isn’t new or we have to get a new microwave.

Having Theoneste’s precious face looking down at me from the bulletin board in the kitchen does more than just keep my thoughts in perspective. It reminds me that we’re all under God’s loving eye and that we should look after one another. Children are a gift from God, whether they’re the children in the next room (currently playing her music way too loud!), or the children in a village in Rwanda. As adults, shouldn’t we do everything in our power to improve the lives of these little ones?

I would urge you to visit World Vision.org or a similar organization, but I have a feeling you’re already headed in that direction. If that’s the case, you’re about to begin an adventure that’ll touch your life as deeply as it does the child on the other end.

Jesus said, “…whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.” - Matthew 18:5 (NIV)

What exactly is Positive psychology?

Positive Psychology is a fairly new field that has all ready gained recognized from the American Psychological Association. Many stress-control experts are having great success with its principles. In an upturned nutshell, Positive Psychology focuses on finding and promoting the conditions and factors that make people’s lives better. Instead of focusing their energies on things that cause unhappiness, researchers in the Positive Psychology field center their research around the ingredients of a good life. Sound good? Personally, I think it sounds great!

I’ve always been the sort of person who tries to focus on the positive. When my husband and I were first married, we moved from a very large apartment to a much, much smaller one. When writing letters home, or talking about the move, I always referred to the move as being one, “to a cozier apartment.” I came to love that cozy apartment. In fact, it and its 4 rooms are one of my favorite homes ever. The outlook, I’m sure, had a lot to do with moving from an apartment to one that could fit into it’s living room….and thinking that it was a great thing.

I also called upon my inner Mary Poppins a few years back when we moved from a large beach house on Pensacola Beach to a small house in Earlington, Kentucky. (Granted I had to call loudly for her, she had locked herself in a closet.) After a few days of what we might as well call shell-shock, I started looking forward to Kentucky’s gorgeous autumns and springs. I even started looking forward to the Kentucky winters that I’d grown up with. I had, honestly, missed beautiful snow and (as it turned out) ran outside to greet it on the first day it snowed. In my pink housecoat, white houseshoes, and morning coffee I’m sure I looked like a complete idiot. But I was a happy idiot!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m nowhere near perfect - but we all have good traits. One of mine just happens to be a knack for finding silver linings. One of the things that we Silver Lining People have to battle, however, is a complete intolerance for people who never even try to find the silver lining. We’re probably just as annoying. Happier, though!

Have you ever stopped to think about how your outlook affects your health - mental and physical? First, honestly this question: Do I tend to be an optimist or a pessimist . Then keep reading to see how you’re either (A) Sitting Pretty or (B) In need of finding a new seat!

Optimistic people tend to cope better with stressful situations. An optimist is more apt to look at stressful situations as opportunities and/or challenges. They’ll often put a “spin” on an unpleasant happening. Often it’s a coping mechanism that kicks in and allows them to get through the bad time(s). When my mom suddenly died in 2006, she joined my dad who had passed away 11 years earlier. One of the things that got me through the worst time in my life was the fact that I’d never have to lose either of my parents again. I’d been through the worst and would never have to return.

Many studies also indicate that optimists fare better physically as well as emotionally and mentally. A long-term study of more than 830 Mayo Clinic patients published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings in 2000 found that those classified as pessimists had a 19% higher risk of mortality over the course of 30 years than those who were optimists. A 10-year study of 1,300 men based on data drawn from the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study was reported in Psychosomatic Medicine in 2001. It suggested that a sense of optimism may protect older men against developing heart disease.

If you aren’t an optimist, don’t let this information make you even more pessimistic! Simply let the facts sink in. Instead of CHASING OPTIMISM, I want you to simply RUN FROM PESSIMISM. With practice and determination, you can most definitely alter your outlook. Don’t think of it as trying to make yourself something you’re not, think of it as taking yourself away from something you don’t want to be.

It All Starts in Your Head

Start thinking of thoughts as building blocks. If you’re able to catch your negative, pessimistic thoughts in the building block stage, you can rearrange them before they “build” words or actions. If, for example, you’re thinking that someone is irritating you or not living up to your expectations - look around for more positive blocks! Find something you like about them and the situation. Let’s say you’re spending an evening with your 15 year old son and his 3 buddies. You’re all watching television together and the amount of Cokes and chips these 4 are going through is beginning to weigh on your mind. Instead of focusing on those negative thoughts, focus on the fact that you’re spending an evening with your 15 year old son and his 3 buddies! He thinks you’re “cool” enough to bring his friends around and they think you’re cool enough to grace with their presence. Personally, I’d fix them sandwiches to go with those chips and coke. (Actually, last time one of my daughters had a friend over, I ran for McDonald’s - always a hit.)

[ Let me say, however, that being optimistic doesn't mean being an moron. If anyone... it doesn't matter if they're 15 or 95....is doing somehting out of reason, not saying something doesn't make you an optimist, it makes you an ostrich. And I'll be the first to say that I believe most ostriches are optimists. They're optimists with t-shirts that say, "Live and Let Live" and hats that say, "Free Bird." If it sounds like I know what I'm talking about a little too well, it's because I know what I'm talking about a little too well! Remember earlier when I said I was far from perfect? With sand in my hair, I pretty much meant that. I've been known to take headers into sand - and, like most people, I'm still working on finding that perfect balance. Being an optimist doesn't mean you'll ever be an ostrich, anymore than being a pessimist doesn't mean you'll ever be a curmudgeon. It just so happens that most ostriches are optimists and most curmudgeons are pessimists. However, I'll always stand by the belief that an optimist will have a happier, healthier life than a pessimist. ]

Two techniques used in positive psychology are humor and journal writing. It’s believed that keeping a journal can be very beneficial - if you write more about the things you’re happy about and things that are going well for you. I think this philosophy takes a page or two out of the “Count your blessings” book. It’s an amazing approach, if you think about it!

Be certain that you never, ever underestimate the benefits of laughter. Researchers have found that laughter actually boosts the immune system and lowers the amount of circulating stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. Can you imagine how grateful your heart would be if you found more opportunities to laugh?! No wonder we always feel so good after an episode of The Andy Griffith Show or a movie that makes us double over.

I guess we could sum it all up by saying: Start looking for more reasons to smile and more reasons to laugh. They’re there and have been the whole time!

Make each moment count double,
~Joi

A new study has found that Alzheimer’s disease may progress faster in patients with high blood pressure or a type of irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation.

The study’s author Dr. Michelle Mielke, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine sums up the findings this way:

“The main point of these findings is that vascular factors do affect the rate of progression in Alzheimer’s, so treatment of these factors could reduce the rate of decline.”

“There are some dementia medications out there that are effective for some people [with Alzheimer's] but, for some people, they aren’t effective or can’t be tolerated. Perhaps this is another way of reducing [their] decline. Even if you can give people a few more months with a better quality of life and keep them more cognizant than in the past, I think that then it is worth it.”

The study, which is is published in the Nov. 6 issue of Neurology, involved Mielke and her colleagues studying a group of 135 women and men 65 and older from Cache County, Utah. These participants had developed dementia that was characterized as “possible or probable Alzheimer’s Disease” without concurrent vascular dementia.

Those patients at the time of diagnosis who had systolic blood pressure greater than 160 or atrial fibrillation deteriorated more rapidly, based on standard tests of functioning and mental status, than those who didn’t have the conditions, the study found.

Age also played a role in the progression of Alzheimer’s for patients who had certain vascular conditions, the study said. The disease progressed more rapidly in older participants with high blood pressure, angina or a history of a heart attack.

But the researchers also found some unexpected results — a history of diabetes or heart bypass at the time of diagnosis was associated with slower progression of Alzheimer’s. They aren’t sure exactly what the association between diabetes and slower Alzheimer’s progression means. They speculate that patients who’d undergone heart bypass surgery may have benefited from their heart’s increased ability to pump oxygen-rich blood to the brain. Other factors that may have helped bypass patients include better overall health, better diets, and closer monitoring by physicians.

The study did not specifically look at the impact of treating vascular conditions such as high blood pressure on Alzheimer’s patients. But the results did show that patients who had been treated with high blood pressure drugs prior to their Alzheimer’s diagnosis did decline more slowly.

Earlier this year, French researchers reported that Alzheimer’s patients with vascular disease who received standard medications — such as statins, anti-clotting agents, insulin and anti-hypertensive drugs — did better cognitively over a 36-month period than those who didn’t receive such treatment.

Dr. Lon Schneider, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, said the work of Mielke and her colleagues is “confirming and affirming that vascular factors have a significant role to play in Alzheimer’s disease in moderating the onset and the course of the illness. It suggests a large portion of treatment and preventive treatment should be focused on cardiovascular disease.”

Dr. William Thies, vice president for medical and scientific relations for the Alzheimer’s Association, said both the French study and the work of Mielke’s team “certainly do support the idea that aggressive therapy for vascular disease throughout your whole life span is probably a good idea, and that doesn’t change once you have Alzheimer’s disease either.”

The statistics are alarming: An estimated 4.5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, but that number is expected to increase dramatically as the population grows older. Experts believe that about half of people 85 and older may have the disease.

These studies - as well as countless others prove what we should have already realized: To obtain the best overall health (as in physical, mental, and emotional), we should focus on being healthy in every area of our life, in every inch of our bodies! That means eating the things we know we should be eating, exercising as often as we know we should be exercising, and working our minds as often as…well, as often as possible.

1. Make a point to start fresh today - begin experimenting with healthy fruits and vegetables. Replace unhealthy snacks that do you absolutely no good at all with those that do you a world of good. Yesterday, at Subway, I had a bag of apple slices with my sandwich instead of chips and they were actually much better. Crunchy, delicious, and oh so healthy!

2. Start moving more and sitting less. Park further from the store’s doors than usual to “sneak” in a little extra exercise. Once inside the store, take the lonnnnngggg route to what you’re after. If you have the time, lap the store three times before actaully grabbing what you came for. Once it’s in your cart, go for three more. If we play our carts right, we can get our daily exercise while we do our daily shopping.

3. Read more! Grab the newspaper and tackle a story you never would have even glanced twice at before. Learn new things, new names, and new places. In other words, stretch your mind by stretching your boundaries. Work a crossword puzzle every day. It doesn’t matter if you get all the way through, just atttempting it gives your mind an awesome workout. Another great mind stretcher is to memorize scripture or poetry. So grab the Bible or Emily Dickinson and memorize verses at a time. Test yourself at the end of the day to see how well you remembered the verses. Each day, try for longer passages. Remember, it doesn’t matter if you remember it all perfectly - you’re flexing your mental muscles and that’s all that counts.

Basically, start doing everything you know you should be doing already. This also includes a check up with the doctor if you haven’t had one in a while. I can hear you groaning - almost as loudly as I am - but check ups are more than just important to your health. They could very well save your life.

Mental Health, Physical Helath, and Emotional Health - they all hold hands. By making one strong, you strengthen the others. That’s the good news. But the bad news is - if one grows weak, it’ll affect the others. Make a point to start working on strengthening them all, daily.

Make each moment count double,
~ Joi

Have you ever stewed over something so long that you got on your own nerves?

Oh. Yeah, me neither.

How about this, then? Have we (as in you and I who know much better than to stew) ever KNOWN anyone who stewed so long that THEY got on our nerves.

Ah, yes! Of course we have. Annoying, right? Stew pots.

I guess, to a certain extent, it’s ony natural to stew in your own juices from time to time. If you have anything at all cooking in your mind, body, and soul, you will from time to time boil in it. Okay, yes…even you and I.

Something will go so completely opposite from the way we’d tried to steer it that we’ll just have a hard time moving past it. I especially hate it when I some people chase things down to stew over them. You know, things that have been waaay back there on the horizon for years. We’ll They’ll put their life in Reverse just to go back and brood about it a little more. When you think about it in those terms it’d make you want to kick yourself, wouldn’t it? IF you ever did it, that is.

But what about the things that go one direction while our hopes and dreams lie in the other in the present? Don’t we have Squatter’s Rights to stew on those??? I’ll take it upon myself to say, “Yes, in fact, we do have Squatter’s Rights to stew on things that happen in the present.” But I’d also take it upon myself to ask, “Why?!?!”

Stewing in our own juices doesn’t move us forward in any way whatsoever. It just makes us all pink, wrinkly, puckery, and well, ugly. A goal of yours? Mine either.

So how does one avoid the pot altogether or climb out of it if they’re already in it - amongst the bubbles? There are a few suggestions and/or thoughts about the situation below. Read over them and see which might apply to your “friend” the stew pot. My buddy likes the first two.

• Throw your sense of humor into the mix. Life is, actually, a lot funnier than we even realize. The main reason, of course, is that people are a lot funnier than we even realize. Even the ones that actually turn the boiler on beneath our pot(s) are characters worth at least a couple of laughs. The next time you feel a bubble or two bubbling beneath your surface, look for the humor in the situation. Imagine that what’s going on around you is playing out on a screen (large…small, your choice). What will amaze you is that 8 times out of 10, you’ll quickly realize that you’re smack dab in the middle of a comedy, not a drama…and certainly not a tragedy. Try it - I swear on my Starbucks Card AND my good standing at Kohl’s, you’ll soon be living by this one. And when I say living, I mean Living with a capital L.
• Memorize and Utilize the Serenity Prayer:
  God grant me the serenity
  to accept the things I cannot change;
  courage to change the things I can;
  and wisdom to know the difference.

  Living one day at a time;
  Enjoying one moment at a time;
  Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
  Taking, as He did, this sinful world
  as it is, not as I would have it;
  Trusting that He will make all things right
  if I surrender to His Will;
  That I may be reasonably happy in this life
  and supremely happy with Him
  Forever in the next.
  Amen.

  –Reinhold Niebuhr
  

  Let’s face it, sometimes we actually ARE in more of a drama than a comedy. We’d very much like to call for a Rewrite of the script, but we’re stuck with it AS IS. That’s when we have to let those last four words sink in: We’re. Stuck. With. It. Your son marries a girl you KNOW isn’t “good enough” (are they ever?)…you’ve made the whole parental speech, but Romeo is set on marrying Juliet. When we argue at that point, aren’t we kind of like a Baseball Coach arguing AFTER the call. Even if it’s a bad one, it’s been made! The guy behind the plate isn’t going to say, “Man, I’m sorry Mr. LaRussa. You’re right, I wouldn’t know a strike from my… Let me change that call real fast. STRIKE!” Nor is Romeo apt to say, “You’re ever so right, father/mother. Juliet does wear too much eyeliner. What was I thinking? Please…please…please find the perfect girl for me.” Four more words: When. Hell. Freezeth. Over.

• Can’t laugh about it, can’t move past it? Then you’re just going to have to stew. Seem like a mad crazy option? It is. Think it’s weird of me to list it with the others? It’s totally weird. But, what’s weirder still is the fact that it’s the option most will return to again and again. You’ll be able to recognize the people who do - it’s not at all hard. They’ll be the ones walking about all pink and wrinkly without an ounce of Peace of Mind. What’s even sadder is they’re the ones who don’t let those around them have any Peace of Mind either. The women in the office who stew over the tone of voice a co-worker used, the husband who stews because his wife got a speeding ticket (I said I was sorry!), the wife who boils because her husband tracked leaves in, the teenager who acts like his life is over because he was asked to make Fall Out Boy fall out a little more quietly.

The post has already been longer than I intended - I know it’s a pain to get caught in the middle of a post or article you think just might never end. You get the idea.

To stew or not to stew is alot like to live or not to live. Sometimes we just have to MANUALLY pull ourselves up out of the pot - the view it provides isn’t that amazing anyway. Then we have to kick the pot over (We’re all about the drama, right?), turn our back on it and…..

….and….

…and live, that’s what!

Make each pot kick count double,
Joi