Lessons from Bookmarks: Breathe Deeply of Sunshine

Just think about exactly what that means . . . On that first really warm, sunny day coming out of long and dreary winter (like today!), it is SO rejuvenating to just step outside, close your eyes with your face to the sun, and breeeeeeathe in. Try it. You'll like it.

Lessons From Bookmarks: Take Time to Unwind

Continuing with my bookmark series ... The message behind the bookmark I designed here is simple enough. It's important to balance out the craziness of our lives with "down time". We are only human after all and can only go so long or push ourselves so far before we must unplug and give our minds and bodies a rest from the responsibilities of life. If we don't, we risk serious emotional and health problems. Coffee and energy bars can help us get through the workdays, but they are not permanent solutions.

"Unwinding" is probably different for everyone, and is not the same thing as sleep. In fact, if you try to go to sleep before you've had sufficient time to relax, it will probably take you much longer to actually fall asleep, and the sleep you do get might not be the most restful. But don't think of unwinding as merely a tool to help you get better sleep, either. Think of it more as the sugar in a cake recipe. If you bake a cake without it, it will most likely come out looking fine, but it sure won't taste as good. Remember, you work hard and you deserve a little time to yourself, a little sweetner. It will make everything else in your life seem worthwhile, if you actually give yourself a break once in a while.

For me, the perfect way to unwind after a long day (and since I work evenings, this means the time right before I go to bed) is by curling up on the couch with a hot cup of chai tea and my latest book under soft, diffused light. I read for about an hour or so and by that time, my entire body - inlcuding my mind - feels relaxed. I like to wait until I get to the point where I'm having trouble concentrating on the words on the page or on anything I have to do the next day - REALLY tired. I have learned the hard way that trying to force myself to go to bed when I'm not tired, results in me laying awake for hours and being uncomfortable. So this is not only something that is one of life's simple pleasures for me, it also helps me sleep better.

There are other ways to unwind, that don't result in sleepiness. For instance, I consider taking a long walk through my neighborhood at a brisk pace a good way to unwind as it releases stress and leaves me feeling refreshed and healthy (notice I said walk, not run). However, I never get on my computer to unwind as I associate my computer and being in my office with work. But working in my garden or sitting down with an embroidery project are good "time outs" for me. I cannot say, however that watching TV is a good way to unwind, unless it's for a limited period of time, because the constant flashing lights and colors coming at you tend to keep your brain alert and leave you with eye strain if you stare at the TV for too long. This is not the case with a book, which is simple black text on a neutral background.

Some other ways to unwind, even if they are work, but not what you do for a living could be:

• Cooking
• Sewing
• Painting
• Writing in a journal
• Playing an instrument
• Singing
• Bubble baths
• Going on a picnic
• Taking a bike ride
• Going out for coffee and conversation
• Visiting your local library

I'm sure there are many others, that I cannot think of at this point, but however you unwind, make sure that you are getting what you need out of it and enjoy yourself.

Lessons From Bookmarks: Perspective is Everything

I recently designed a line of bookmarks with little inspirational messages that I made up and I thought it would be interesting to explore the meaning behind each of them. If you are like me, you get a little thrill up your spine when you see a piece of art or good graphic design paired with the perfect written message. I love to collect samples like that and leave them all over my house to remind me of what's truly important in life. That is what I was aiming to do with these bookmarks - to share universal wisdom through art. I may have penned the words, themselves, but the truths behind them are timeless:

Perspective is Everything. The concept is just like reading the sentence. At first glance, it doesn't look like much, but if you chew over it for a little bit and look a little further in, you will start to understand the full meaning behind those 3 powerful words.

I'll give an example to make it easier to understand: a friend of mine recently called me to share the bad news she and her husband owed a lot of taxes this year and it was going to take some serious planning and reorganizing of priorities in order to get themselves in a position to pay it back. They had also experienced some medical hardships in the past couple of years and so had been more distracted than usual and had not payed close enough attention to their finances to avoid this situation in the first place. My friend called me, knowing that I would listen and be sympathetic, but that I might also have a different perspective on the matter. She was so overwhelmed by the enormity of the circumstances, just recently discovered, that she couldn't see past the problem.

When she asked me what I thought they should do, I first told her that I was very sorry for their situation and I realized that it was going to be a challenge to get through it, yet not impossible. I then grabbed my calculator and punched in a few numbers. Then I asked her, "Well, you've been thinking about getting a part time job, right?" (she has been a stay-home mom all her life, but currently only has 2 teenage boys left at home). She said, yes. Then I told her that based on my calculations, if she got a part time job, working only 10 hours a week, and put all her earnings toward paying off the tax debt, it would be gone in about 2 years. There were a few moments of stunned silence on her end of the phone, followed by a timid but hopeful "Really?"

We also discussed that it would probably be best for them to consult some professional advice for this matter as well. But it felt SO wonderful to be able to take some of the heaviness off her burden, just by having a different perspective. One of the last things I said to my friend, before we hung up was "Really, when you look at it, getting rid of this debt is only a matter of a few extra hours a week spent outside of the home and some numbers being pushed around on paper." And that is the truth. It doesn't have to become any bigger of an issue in her life than that; and she once she has a plan in place to deal with the problem, she will be free to enjoy her life and look forward to many other good things.

I don't claim to be a financial expert, or even a deep well of worldly wisdom, but I do know that sometimes all you really need is to see things from someone else's perspective. So don't be afraid to ask.

Enjoy Your Trip!

(Photo courtsey of freefoto.com)
"Life is a journey", they always say. So why do we only see how far away our next "destination" is? I'm as guilty of this as anyone, so I thought I'd come up with a list of little ways to recognize what makes up the "journey"; since probably 90% of our lives are spent on the trail to the next big thing and only 10% of them actually enjoying our accomplishments.

The Journey of Life is . . .

• being snuggled in on all sides, between my husband and my dogs
• the scent of creamy coffe mixed with honey and cinnamon wafting upwards as I stir
• warm sun on my face during an early spring walk
• the first green spikes of hardy perrenials poking up from the barren earth
• laughter among friends in between outakes of a song practice session
• the newest issue of a favorite magazine in the mail
• seeing a promising new sketch on paper at the end of a brainstorming session
• coming home to a hot, delicious crock pot dish
• driving around town with the windows open and the radio blaring
• wearing flip-flops instead of socks
• getting lost in the 75% off clearance section at a favorite store
• being generous with my time - putting a smile on someone's face
• staying up til 5am with a book I can't put down
• finding a fabulous new blog that promises waves of future inspiration
• a new pair of shoes or earrings
• song birds in the morning
• cooking with my husband (I chop, he cooks)
• wearing my favorite color - pink
• looking at old pictures and tearing up or laughing, again and again
• playing the piano or singing as loud as I can when I'm alone in my home
• seeing the pride my art students have in their work, after they apply what I've taught them
• when the seed packet displays return in the stores
• the feel of a freshly mopped, smooth wood floor beneath my bare feet

I could go on and on, but it's getting late. The important thing is that each of us take time to pay attention to the many moments that make up our days, because those days stretch into lives. A life well-lived is a life that is lived in full. Enjoy your life!