Little things can make a BIG difference

With the shorter days, I find it a lot easier to fit in my meditation practice. One of my meditation teachers gently tells us to, “Stop wanting things to be different. Be content with things just the way they are.” We all want something in our lives to be different; if only I had more money; if only I could lose ten pounds; if only I had a better job.  And the list goes on and on. I am trying very hard to be present in the moment and to appreciate things in the here and now. Easier said than done.

I have found that small changes can make a BIG difference to my happiness. As most of you probably know, I just love my “pod” walks. This is where I do brisk walking using Coach Sean’s guided cardio workouts. I love how energized I feel afterwards. Except my feet were hurting me. I have good shoes, so I know it’s not that. Ack, just another “fun” thing about getting older. I could spend my time and energy being mad that my feet hurt. But, I recently discovered Dr. Scholl’s Running Inserts. They are like wearing little pillows on my feet. Heaven. And presto, my feet don’t hurt anymore!

I live in New England. It gets pretty cold and dark in the winter. Even so, I make a very concerted effort to get outside and walk every day. It sure is tough on those cold winter days. I also try to do it first thing in the morning to set the tone for my day. It can still be dark. I could bemoan the fact that it is so dark and cold. Instead, I found a cool windbreaker at LLBean that is fluorescent green. It is very bright, but it is just the thing for a dark winter morning. It is called an “elite runner jacket.” I feel like a real athlete when I wear it.

Something about the cold makes you want to eat more. And it usually is not fruits or vegetables. I could just use this an excuse to put on weight in the winter. Instead, every year, Mr. Ken and I treat ourselves to some Hale Groves ruby red grapefruit. The grapefruits are so yummy and sweet! I don’t need to eat cookies anymore.

So what about you, what little things do you do to brighten your day?