1. Don't wait for moments that are special to live the moment. 
2. Don't over-savor. Put the camera down and just take memories. Don't freak out about the possibility that you'll forget something important. The best stuff always sticks.
3. Happiness is cumulative. Doing something that makes you happy every day makes you a better human.
4. Some days will make you smile so big that you laugh out loud. Some days will break your heart. The days in the middle, the seemingly boring ones, are the currency of life. We spend them in our routines. They go by unnoticed. They are the place and the time we are living. They are Mondays and Thursdays and laundry days and grocery days. The repetition of them keeps us comfortable. Spend them all well because they matter more than special occasions. 
5. Sometimes the wishes that go un-granted and the prayers that are not answered are the greatest of blessings.
6. You can't go wrong with Grandma's butterscotch brownie recipe.
7. I need to hold space in my mind for the possibility that even things that seem absurd now might make perfect sense with some added wisdom.
8. I am and always have been a dreamer. I easily get overwhelmed by myself. Running helps.
9. Cozy is a big deal for me. Homemade things, soft things, warmth and comfort. All big loves.
10. Creative release, like writing and hands-on creating, is as necessary as food and water.
11. When we grow up, we have mortgages to pay and tax documents to file. Our blood pressure is high, our stomachs hurt. We own big decisions and cars that need maintenance. Life and its living take away a lot of our magic. I believe that magic, like happiness (see #3), is cumulative. We store it up and, when we have a lot, it bubbles up and sheds its sparkly light on everything that we do. When you're looking for magic, you can find it anywhere.
12. Good, connected conversation with friends and loved ones is deeply nourishing.
13. Exploration, adventures, and novel experiences are like air to me. Without them I get stuck in a suffocating rut. It doesn't take much to shake that loose. 
14. People who are unkind are acting on something inside of themselves. It isn't about me. People also get addicted to finding bad news. Stay on the high road.
15. Spending time camping or otherwise removed from creature comforts makes the simple things in life, like being dry and clean and sitting on a soft couch, seem like incredible luxuries. Get out of your comfortable places (physical and emotional) often to stay focussed on gratitude.  

xoxo

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Thank you, friends!
xoxo

The last time someone asked you how you were or what you have been up to, what did you say? Did your answer contain the words "crazy busy"? How about your emails and Facebook statuses? Busy there too?

I've seen posts all over the internet lately containing the words, "stop the glorification of busy." The first time I read that sentence it stopped me in my tracks. The truth is that how we are spending our time is how we are spending our lives. I value things that are joyful and magical and connected and warm. Not one of those is a synonym for "busy".

Why do we insist on being or appearing so occupied? Because busy seems important and valuable. Busy implies you're accomplishing things and gaining ground and moving quickly while doing ten things at once.

I am a mono-tasker. In fact, it makes me mad to have to do more than one thing at a time. I want to focus and finish before starting anything new. It is one of the ways that I have learned to care for myself and honor my boundaries. I do still fall into the busy trap, however. I am forever beating myself over the head with the things left undone each day. Many days are very full.

Stop the glorification of busy.

Let's try to support each other in making room for joyful things. Let's do more that make us happy and honor that value in others. Let's choose joy over check marks. Let's find and share our happy.

The next time someone asks you how you are, avoid using the word "busy". Tell them about what you are loving lately. Tell them about something that made you laugh. Give them the good stuff!

I've posted this quote before, but it bears repeating:

“Peace, it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, no trouble, or no hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.”    ~Unknown

xoxo