Do Not Disturb

It's Time for Bed

A Soothing Evening Affirmation

I have not posted an evening affirmation for quite a while. However, after a few tumultuous days, I am finding the need for a soothing affirmation in order to prepare myself for bed this evening. Today started off pretty well, I made it to my class and was able to complete a decent amount of work, but I soon found myself overwhelmed by unpleasant feelings and dark thoughts. The darkness of the night sky is seeming to only serve as a means of intensifying the gloom that overtook me earlier in the day. I am longing for something to alleviate these mental and emotional disturbances. I wish that telling my mind that it's time for bed was as simple as placing a do not disturb sign on the door knob of a hotel room; unfortunately, this is not the case. We need to work a little harder in order to notify our minds and bodies that it's time for bed.

I am hoping that the following soothing evening affirmation will serve the same purpose as the handy do not disturb signs that are provided to guests at hotels.

I soothe my nerves, welcoming peace into my being, by releasing all mental tensions.

"...welcoming peace into my being..."

This evening affirmation is the perfect fit for me this evening as my mind continues to twist and turn. If I am successful in embodying this affirmation than I have the ability to find peace and quiet by releasing the disturbing and painful thoughts and emotions that have been haunting me recently. I pray for the strength to let go of any tension that may disturb my ability to find peace, soothe myself, and prepare for bed. 

We all experience thoughts, situations, and feelings that can interfere with our ability to release mental tension. These things do not obey a do not disturb sign that we may hang on our hotel door. It is up to us to create a message to our mind that tells it that it's time for bed and that it is no longer permitted to disturb us with painful memories, upsetting thoughts, or negative emotions. Let us use this soothing affirmation in order to give notice to our minds and bodies that it's time for bed and we no longer entertain thoughts and emotions that prevent us from achieving a sense of peace. 

Let us repeat this affirmation like a mantra until we can fully absorb it. As I say these words aloud I envision my nerves slowly releasing any tension that has built up over the course of the day. I watch disturbing mental images and thoughts float away into the infinite beyond. 

"I look at peace, imaging it taking shape in the form of a white tulip..."

I look at peace, imagining it taking shape in the form of a white tulip, and it sits by my side, watching over me as I slowly enter the blissful dream land that sleep affords us. The white, purity of peace enters my mind and soul, and I manage to put aside the anger, frustration, and tension that has grown within me over the course of the last few days. I will continue to repeat this affirmation until I feel the full effects of its soothing powers. I encourage you to do the same. If we manage to absorb these words, and alert our minds that they are not to disturb us as we strive to achieve a peaceful sleep, than we will be able to awake tomorrow feeling truly rested and refreshed. 

It's time for bed, so goodnight friends, sleep well-

xo

No Complaints Here

Taking Life As It Comes

Moving Forward Day-by-Day

Recently my life has been shockingly uneventful. It seems that I am always being confronted with some sort of challenge, crisis, or bad news. Every once in a while I'll be surprised with something exciting, fun, or fabulous. But, at the moment, neither seem to be the case and I must admit that there are no complaints here about it. I am appreciating the ability to effortlessly move forward day-by-day without being interrupted by anything out of the ordinary. While at times my life seems monotonous or a tad boring I am learning that I can appreciate my life for what it is at this moment. I'd prefer a boring and typical day to a chaotic and painful day at all times. It's hard for me to accept that my life can truly be ok. I feel as if I usually have the need to resolve a problem, cope with a tragedy, or overcome an obstacle. I have always tried to take life as it comes; but usually life seems to come to me in atypical or unfortunate ways. As my life starts to settle down and bear a sense of normalcy, I am forced to learn how to take life as it comes when my life is, for all intensive purposes, ordinary and simple. I have no complaints about learning how to accept and embrace an uneventful life. I am thankful to go to my classes everyday, see friends walking on campus, finish school work, and return home to snuggle with Milly and go to sleep. When I rest my head on my pillow I am comforted by the fact that I had a mellow and standard day; I look forward to having a similar day when I awake in the morning. The calmness and commonness of my life is a welcome relief. I am pleased to continue moving forward day-by-day without cause for concern or startling interruptions. 

"Life is really simple but we insist on making it complicated."

- Confucius

Is Confucius's statement really true? Is my life actually simple and its just me and mind that make it seem complex? Are my thoughts and actions making my life more difficult than it needs to be? Recently my life has felt rather simple or at least less complicated than it has been previously. This statement and the current normalcy of my life makes me wonder if it is truly my life that has changed or if it is me. Perhaps unfortunate things continue to go on around me but I am simply processing and responding to them in a new way? Maybe I am seeing challenges or bad news in a different light? The answer could be that I am no longer taking on others issues and mistaking them for my own; this is an issue that I tend to deal with a lot. 

I hear that a friend is going back into treatment and I turn it into a personal crisis. When I have had friends pass away I somehow manage to make myself feel guilty for still being alive or I begin to question my own life and purpose. When I realize that my weight or behavior is bothering (or triggering) to a friend I allow myself to feel shameful and at fault. But in my immediate past I haven't been absorbing the issues and troubles of others. Yes, I have plenty of friends who are struggling but I have been able to separate their problems from my own. When it comes to my own struggles and eating disorder lapses I haven't been going into panic mode as I usually do. I have been able to put the issues into perspective and realize that just because I am struggling a bit does not mean that I am going to end up very sick and back in treatment again.

Moving Forward Day-by-Day

I don't have a definitive answer regarding what has changed; it could be my or it could very well be my life. But I am not going to spend any more time questioning it. Over thinking it, which would be my typical behavior, would just be playing out the above quote. I don't need to complicate the matter by analyzing it and attempting to figure out the cause. It's a very simple fact that my life seems to going smoothly and I don't intend to turn this pleasure into a complex issue that will turn my brain into an obstacle course of thoughts. I am just going to appreciate that I have no complaints or hardships at the moment and continue to move forward day-by-day, taking life as it comes. 
Today was a nice, easy, and productive day. I went to my classes, met with a classmate for a group project, hung out with my friend who is staying with me, and took a relaxing bath. I have fun plans for tonight- dinner than drinks with my friend- and I intend to enjoy each moment, embracing the simplicity and pleasantness of the experience. I am not going to worry about what might happen tomorrow. I am not going to think about issues or stressors that are not currently relevant. I will not let my brain fly off into another dimension- dwelling over the past, fearing the future, counting calories, worrying about my weight, thinking about tasks that need to be done. I am simply going to take in the now because that's all any of us can really do. We can't change the past and we can't predict the future. We shouldn't allow our minds to take control and detract from our abilities to take life as it comes and enjoy what's going on in the present. Lets take Confucius's words to heart and think about life as a simple matter. Perhaps if we allow ourselves to move forward day-by-day and take life as it comes, rather than attempting to juggle and think about a million different things at once, then we can avoid making life more complicated than it is.

Keep it simple and enjoy,
xo

Raise Your Spirits

Today is a Good Day

Resolving to Be Happy

"Why does [happiness] seem to be so allusive?"

Recently I have been in quite a funk. I don't find myself wanting to do anything, even things that I ordinarily enjoy doing. Everything- blogging, classes, journaling, organizing, homework, socializing- feels like a daunting task. Life itself feels like a daunting task. Everything feels like work. Nothing entices or excites me. It is tiring and I am frustrated with myself. I preach happiness. I do everything in my power to focus on it and attain it. Why does it seem to be so allusive? I woke up this morning dragging. I had an early morning class and the stress from the night before was still lingering. I did not want to leave my warm bed and enter into the brisk outdoors; but I had to. I went to French class and felt simply lost. My teacher insists on speaking in only French (which in theory sounds appropriate and beneficial for an intermediate language course) but it is not helping me and my already fuzzy mind. I can hardly comprehend English at this point. I am certainly not ready to receive instructions and respond in French. I left class feeling lost, not knowing what to do or where to go. 

I lit a cigarette to calm my nerves and from afar I hear someone calling my name. It is my friend Ben who was in my French class last semester. He bummed a cigarette and we began to chat about the course, school, and life at Penn. Suddenly another friend from last semester approached. It turned into an impromptu reunion! For that brief period of time I forgot my woes, forgot my dissatisfaction, and my frustration waned. I was engaged in conversation with two friends; I felt connected, significant, and happy. A brief conversation with friends was able to raise my spirits. As we departed I made the decision that today is a good day. I am going to resolve to be happy.

I have a strong mind and an unrelenting will. I can choose to let go of anguish, sadness, and feelings of discontent. I can embrace passion, joy, interest, enthusiasm, and happiness. My emotions do not have to take control and dictate the direction of my day. I can use my mind to raise my spirits and make today a good day by focusing on the small delights, simple pleasures, and positives that fill my life. I am sick and tired of feeling as if I am in the gutter. I will no longer allow my emotions to drive me downward. Instead I am resolving to be happy and nothing can get in my way.

"As soon as you recognize that you are able to control your thoughts, happiness will come within your reach."

- David Baird

It almost seems that this quote was made for my entry today. It perfectly corresponds with exactly what I am saying. We all have emotions and thoughts that we need to process. But there are couple questions that must be raised in regard to both. What kind of emotions and thoughts are you have- positive or negative? How much weight are you giving your emotions? How much weight are you giving your thoughts? What level of significance have you ascribed to the positive and the negative respectively? 

Our brains are amazingly powerful entities. They enable us to think about a million different things at once. However, some of these things interfere with our ability to be happy. Some of these thoughts are negative- self-depreciating, mean, pessimistic. Likewise our souls allows us to feel an array of emotions. Some of these emotions raise our spirits- joy, excitement, love, happiness- while others such as jealousy, anger, and sadness drag us down. Because our minds are so powerful we have the ability to allocate significance to the positive thoughts and emotions rather than focusing on the negative. Our minds give us the control to make today and everyday a good day. 

We have the mental strength to disregard or give less significance to unhappy or upsetting events that disable us from achieving happiness. I can choose to concentrate on the classes that I was able to register for and leave the frustration of not getting into certain courses behind. I will be able to get into those other required courses another semester. I can allow the death of my friend start to fade into my memory instead of allowing it to take residence in the forefront of my mind. I can't forget her or her tragic death but I can choose to put my focus elsewhere. I can opt to remind myself of the friends that I remain in contact with instead of mourning the fact that I have lost touch with a great deal of people. I, as well as you, can decide to think these positive thoughts and consequently I will be filled with pleasant emotions. 

In case you can't find thoughts of your own-

These positive emotions will help me to raise my spirits and contribute to creating good and happy days. Lets not focus on all the things in our lives that have gone wrong or that we wish we could change. Giving attention to these thoughts will only lead to unhappiness and dissatisfaction. We need to recognize the power of our minds and subsequently our thoughts. Both play major roles in our emotions and the way we feel. We can choose to concentrate on thoughts that bring us joy and pleasure- our families, our pets, our favorite movies, our funny fetishes (for me its stickers, stationary, and Hello Kitty), our interests, good times with friends. Thinking these thoughts give us the ability to resolve to be happy; and when we are happy it is certain that we can assert that today (and everyday) is a good day!

Think positively and happiness is sure to follow,
xo

You Raise Me Up, Josh Groban

I have to believe that happiness is out there for the taking !

Thank You Santa Claus

A Merry Christmas Morning

No Place Like Home for the Holidays

Christmas Day, December 24, 2012

"At Christmas, all roads lead home."

- Marjorie Holmes

It is Christmas Day !

It has finally arrived- Christmas Day is here! My Christmas has been everything I could have imagined and more! I am sitting comfy cozy at my Aunt's house. The unwrapping is finished. We are all satiated after a breakfast of homemade cinnamon buns, bacon, eggs, sausage, and Champagne. Milly is wandering about in her new festive collar. I received everything on my list. (I guess I was a good little girl this year.) But, in reality I received the best gift of all days ago. I am home for Christmas and we are all overjoyed. Nothing is more rewarding than being with my family for Christmas. No gift can outshine the smiling faces of my parents, my aunt and uncle, and my brother because I am here with all of them this year. There truly is no place like home for the holidays. This was a very merry Christmas morning; probably the best one in years. It most definitely topped my Christmas morning in treatment last year. (Although I suppose that wouldn't be that difficult to do.) I am overwhelmed with pleasant emotions. 

Christmas Morning with Milly !

This Christmas has lived up to all my expectations and I cannot believe that there is still more celebrating to come. It is only 1 o'clock. We haven't even had Christmas dinner yet. I can't imagine that it could get any better than this! How could I feel any happier or more thankful than I feel right now? I don't think it is possible. I can't stop grinning. I feel as if I am radiating positive energy. It's as if I am floating on air. Days like this remind me what life is all about. Family, friends, holidays, happy moments, new memories- life is a gift and these extra special days are our little rewards for making it through the rough times. This last year has not been easy. This Fall semester was brutal. I faced challenges that I thought I could not overcome. In order to get through all the shit I had to keep this reward in mind. I am here and it is solid evidence that I have made it! I keep thinking I am dreaming.I am truly in disbelief. How did I do it? How did I manage to get through the crap and make it to this point? Am I really here with my family on Christmas day? Yes I am! None of the hardships from the past even matter to me right now. It is all behind me. I made it through the tough moments, the difficult times, the obstacles; I overcame all of it for this day and it was worth it. I must pay homage to the child in me and say thank you Santa Claus. Thanks for my new wool coat, my pretty necklace, my cat toys, my holiday dress. And then I have to thank G-d because I know I could not have found the strength within me over the course of the past year without his guidance and support. And then I must thank myself. I have been helped by many people- family, friends, doctors, teachers- along the way. But, I couldn't be here today if it weren't for myself, my own hard work, my determination, my commitment to life and happiness. I have had a very merry Christmas morning, I phenomenal holiday season overall; and I am looking forward to many more joyful blessings in my future. 

"G-d bless us, everyone!"

"But I am sure that I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come around...as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely."

- Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Merry Christmas to you all!

xo

Don't Forget to Smile

Happiness is Always Important

Remembering All of Your Priorities

As you can tell from all of my recent posts I have been completely bogged down by the stress and intensity of finals. When I walk around campus everyone appears miserable and I realized that I too have been forgetting to smile. While focusing on my workload and experiencing the associated pressure I neglected one of my highest priorities: Happiness. I feel ashamed that I failed to remember that happiness is always important. And I feel as if I let you, my readers, down by allowing finals period to take over my life. As I handed my second to last assignment today I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel and I had a revelation; there is always something to be happy about and a reason to smile if I just permit myself to see it. Finals gave me tunnel vision. All I saw was my work, approaching due dates, and grades. Looking at the world in this way exhausted me and brought me so much misery. I am thankful that I have finally escaped from that zone and am able to see everything else that exists in the world around me. Yes, school and finals and grades are important. But nothing is more important than your own happiness. Stress and obligations are not excuses to ignore this priority or forget to smile. I'd like to entertain two affirmations today-

I choose to be cheerful regardless of any other circumstances that arise.

Cute kittens make me smile !

Sometimes remembering that happiness is always important and actually being cheerful or happy takes conscious effort. It is not always our default emotion. Others feelings tend to override our ability to be happy when we are in stressful, frustrating, or overwhelming situations. I know that this has been true for me over the last week or so. But today, right now in fact, I am putting my foot down (metaphorically of course.) I will not allow stress and tension to rule my life any longer. Am I going to finish this finals period with happiness in the forefront of my mind. I refuse to walk around campus like all the other students I see- stressed, unhappy, and tired. I am going to put a smile on every day and enjoy the wonderful gifts that this season brings. It is, as I have said a number of time before, my favorite time of year and finals will not ruin it for me. I can be a dedicated student, make progress on my work, and finish the semester strong while also remember my other priority: happiness! If I can maintain my own sense of happiness and not forget to smile than perhaps I have the ability to inspire others to do the same.

Spread happiness to everyone you meet-

I am spreading happiness everywhere I go.

Hopefully, as I walk around campus with my smile and cheerful glow, others will realise that they too can be happy, despite the stress that finals period brings. I am going to make it my goal over the course of the next week to only be happy but also pass it along as I go about my day. Life is filled with difficult times and situations. As a student finals period proves to be an overwhelming and stressful period that can create misery. But we all face hardships in other areas of our lives that make it easy to forget that happiness is always important and even more difficult to find happiness. Life seems to have an endless supply of challenges and stressors- we become seriously ill, we get fired from a job, we take a pay cut, a loved one dies, our boss hates us- and we neglect the fact that life also has an abundance of joyous moments. Life offers so many gifts- the birth of a child, falling in love, fulfilling our dreams, achieving a goal, discovering our natural talents, friendship- and if we can remember this during the hard times than we will always be able to find a reason to smile. 

Happy mind and/or brain-

"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."

- Abraham Lincoln

It's time that we all metaphorically put our feet down and make up our minds. Even if it takes a little extra lets choose to find happiness every single day. Don't let anything get in your way. If happiness is truly one of our priorities than we owe it the same amount of attention that we give to our other priorities. Finishing the semester is one of my other main priorities at the moment. I have spent so much energy and dedicated a great deal of time to this priority. I have not forgotten it. So, why was it ok for me to forget that happiness is always important? It wasn't. If I am going to claim that finding happiness is my main goal in life, if I am going to dedicate an entire blog to it, if I expect to ultimately be truly happy, than I can't afford to forget it. No matter what is going on in my life- finals, personal loss, familial tension- I must remember all of my priorities, happiness included. 

Remember All of Your Priorities-

Take a step back from any anxiety provoking situations in your life. Give yourself some time, even just a brief moment, to look around or peer into the depths of your mind and find something that brings a smile to your face. Life is short, it is filled with sadness and pressure, it is filled with joy and blessings, and it is filled with many moments. How are you going to choose to experience these moments that make up your life? I am making the conscious decision to be happy no matter what attempts to block my way and I encourage you to do the same!

Don't forget to smile; you'll discover they're contagious,

xo

Fun with friends makes me smile !

14 Days Til Christmas, 4th Night of Hannukah

And of course we already know that Christmas makes me happiest of all! I am ready to start truly enjoying this holiday season!

Holly Jolly Christmas, Burl Ives

Go Easy on Yourself

Thoughts for Tonight

No Need to be Hard on Yourself

I had a very specific plan for today. I wanted to start studying for my French exam that I have later this week. I had plans to meet with two different teachers to go over upcoming final assignments. I needed to do work on one of the aforementioned assignments. However, none of these things happened. I inexplicably crashed today and didn't wake up until 2 pm. I guess my body needed the sleep but I was very frustrated with myself. How could I sleep through the majority of the day, stand up two teachers, and not complete any work? Finals are approaching. This is not the time to relax or take it easy. But, beating myself up over my lost day isn't going to change it. Being hard on myself will on serve to stress me out even more. It won't undo what has already been done. So what's my point? Go easy on yourself. We all make mistakes, miss appointments unintentionally, and don't end up being as productive as we would like to be some days. There is no need to be hard yourself for accidental errors that can't be undone. Beating yourself up will only result in further anxiety and pressure. You cannot change what has happened but you can decide how you are going to respond to it.

“I have learned, that the person I have to ask for forgiveness from the most is: myself. You must love yourself. You have to forgive yourself, everyday, whenever you remember a shortcoming, a flaw, you have to tell yourself "That's just fine". You have to forgive yourself so much, until you don't even see those things anymore. Because that's what love is like.”

- C. JoyBell C.

So what's my plan now? I am going to forgive myself for oversleeping and missing the important things that I needed to today. I am going to make a new plan for the upcoming days to make up for the lost day in order to complete all the work I need to do. And, I am going to go easy on myself and try my best to relax. Today is a lost day but it is now over and there is nothing I can do to change the past. Instead I am making a plan for the future that will help me feel better about today. No matter what the error- missing an appointment, making a mistake on an exam, forgetting an assignment- don't be hard on yourself. Forgive yourself for the the accident and realize that we all make mistakes. Yes, earlier today I was very irritated with myself but I have come to recognize that being hard on myself was simply a waste of time and energy. So, don't beat yourself up over things that you cannot change. Remember that none of us are perfect and we all make mistakes. Relax and create a plan for the future to remedy an error that occurred in the past. Forgiveness is important in all areas of our life but the most important person we need to learn to forgive is ourselves.

Go easy on yourself- relax and breathe,

xo

22 Days Til Christmas

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Judy Garland

Sunshine Day

Springtime in December

A Much Needed Dose of Warmth

A touch of Springtime in December-

This morning I woke up to discover that the weather forecast I had been relying on was accurate. Today is a beautiful sunshine day with a temperature in the mid-60s. After days of cold, darkness, and gloom I am happy to receive this much needed dose of warmth. My mood has been reflective of the recent winter weather. I have been overwhelmed by sadness, fear, and anger. But today I feel light as a feather. My mind is less cluttered than it has been previous. My energy shines like the warm sun that is blessing this winter day. And I am optimistic that this burst of springtime in December will help alleviate some of the negative emotions that I have been feeling. In fact this sunshine day has already worked wonders for me and the weather forecast is predicting another spring like day for tomorrow. I hope that the positive impact this weather has on my mood and demeanor will have a lasting influence, carrying me through the cold winter days that are sure to come later on in the season. But for now my mind is not thinking about future winter weather. I am staying in the present and enjoying this sunshine day that allows me to leave my heavy coat and heavy emotions behind. This morning I would like to start with an affirmation that expresses gratitude for this day that we have been given-

Embrace this Sunshine Day !

I am grateful to be able to welcome this day into my life.

While I am thankful nearly every morning I wake up (thankful for a goodnight rest, thankful for the comforts I have been blessed with, thankful to be alive) today I am exceptionally grateful. I can fully embrace this affirmation because I am genuinely pleased to be experiencing this sunshine day and can say without hesitation that I am thankful for this reprieve from the winter gloom. I needed a dose of warmth and a bit of springtime to help pull me out of the painful depression that has been haunting me recently. Today the sun is a casting a radiant light that is enabling me to see that life is not so bad. No, my life is not perfect and it is not what I had idealized in my past but it is decent. I go to a wonderful school and I am a good student. I have some truly great friends both near and far. I have a supportive family who loves me infinitely. I have a beautiful kitten who brings love and happiness into my life. And G-d has gifted me with natural talents- an ability to write, a melodious singing voice, the capability to relate to other people- that I enjoy taking advantage of almost every day of my life. While I have my own struggles I also have a great deal to be happy about. Sometimes I allow the negative and the struggles to take over and I fall into a devastating darkness. I am unable to see the bright positives that fill my life. This sunshine day has pulled me out of the darkness and cast a light on the positive in my life, allowing me to see and recognize them for the first time in a while. 

"When pain brings you down, don't be silly, don't close your eyes and cry, you just might be in the best position to see the sun shine."

- Alanis Morissette

Leave it all behind !

No matter what has been going on in your life- tragedy, stress, fear- don't allow it to ruin this day for you. As Morisette suggests don't keep your eyes closed. Open them and see the sun shine that fills this day. Allow this burst of springtime in December to work its magic on you the same way it has for me. When you walk out into the world today don't just leave your coat and gloves behind. Leave behind your worries, your fears, your sadness, your doubts. Let the sun's light help you see the beauty that fills your world and your life- your children, your personal achievements, your pets, your natural talents. The darkness of winter has a way of pulling us down into the depths of our own depression, misery, or negativity. In the middle of winter sometimes we need a dose of warmth, an unexpected sunshine day, to guide us out of the darkness and to illuminate the happiness and beauty that exists within our lives. Take advantage of this sunshine day and lets try to carry its effects with us even when the typical winter weather returns.

Take advantage of all that this sunshine day has to offer,

xo

Lets celebrate this Sunshine Day ! Yay !

Here Comes the Sun, The Beatles

23 Days Til Christmas

Will we be having a sunshine Christmas ?

White Christmas, Bing Crosby

Life's Gifts

Special Things to Look Forward To

How We Get Through the Ordinary Days

Life is full of gifts-

Out of the 365 days in a year most days are relatively ordinary- we wake up, we go to school or work, we complete work/school oriented tasks, we go home, have dinner, and go to sleep. This is how we live our lives the majority of the time and it can become exceptionally monotonous. But every once in a while we are blessed with life's gifts, special things or extraordinary days to look forward to, and these special days can help us push through the seemingly endless number of ordinary days. Life has a way of providing us with these special things exactly when we need them. For example right before Thanksgiving I was completely burnt out. I needed a break from school and my daily routine. Right when I felt as if I couldn't keep going any longer life stepped in with a gift- Thanksgiving! After the holiday I felt more refreshed, happy to have seen my family, and ready to face the long expanse of ordinary days that awaited me when I returned to school. Of course, I am feeling tired again and ready for the semester to be over. How am I getting through these ordinary days that are filled with class, final assignments, and a painful monotony? I am keeping in mind that I have something special to look forward to in the near future. Another one of life's gifts is quickly approaching and helping me get through the end of the semester. Winter break is only 2 weeks away and Christmas is quickly approaching. Life is once again giving me a gift exactly when I need it most. I have been busting my butt all semester and I am physically and mentally exhausted. I am ready for a reprieve and I am able to get through these ordinary days because I know the break I long for is right around the corner.

"Vacation used to be a luxury, but in today's world it has become a necessity."

- Author Unknown

Technology prevents us from being unreachable-

I find this quote to be exceptionally true. Our world moves at such a quick pace. We are expected to be able to do multiple things at once. It is assumed that we will always be reachable by phone or email. The inventions of smart phones, laptops, and tablets has made it that we never get a moment of peace and solitude. In this new world that we live in we rarely get the time to just be, to just do nothing, to escape. The pressure of all of it becomes too much. We need to get away- disregard expectations, forget responsibilities, take time to breathe- and life's gifts allow us to do this. As the quote says these gifts are not a luxury but in fact a necessity. They drive us to push through the ordinary days and keep us sane by providing us with a break from our demanding lives. 


"A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in."

- Robert Orben

Orben's definition of vacation is exactly the kind of break I am looking forward to at the moment. We need balance in our lives. After this difficult semester and the finals period that is approaching I am going to do need this time to do absolutely nothing for hours at a time. I can get through the demands and obligations that I face at the moment only because I know that a vacation of bliss and relaxation awaits me in the near future. The specific vacation and special thing that I am referring to right now is of course Winter Break and Christmas. To me Christmas is life's most special and exciting gift. 

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold everything is softer and more beautiful."

- Norman Vincent Peale

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world..."

Christmas brings me happiness. This season reminds me of my childhood, blissful ignorance, family fun, and times when life felt so much easier. During this time of year I get to experience all the pleasures of my happy childhood. I am reminded of how blessed I have been in my life. I can smile at the simple things- Christmas carols, holiday lights, Starbuck's seasonal coffee cups. I can get through my ordinary days, complete my work, and fight my eating disorder because I am looking forward to Christmas. It is one of those special things that pushes me through my work, encourages me to keep fighting, and entices me. Christmas is my reward for all the work I have done over the course of this semester. 
Life often becomes overwhelming and too difficult to bear. We need special things to look forward to in order to help us get through the ordinary days. Luckily the special things come naturally in the form of life's gifts. These gifts aren't necessarily holidays, they can be anything that breaks from your typical routine- birthdays, a visit from a friend, vacation, a celebratory dinner, a financial splurge. These little things can help break up the monotony of our typical day. We can get through the ordinary days because we await these gifts with happy anticipation. And we return to our routine we feel a little better, more at ease, and refreshed. Day-to-day living can be difficult and tiring but by keeping these special things in mind we can make it through. We can push through these ordinary and exhausting days because G-d blesses us with breaks, gifts, and special occasions to keep us going!

Keep in mind that life's gifts are abundant,
xo

Can't wait for break so I can sit back and relax !

24 Days Til Christmas

 

Sleigh Ride, The Carpenters