This song. I have been listening to it a lot this week. You should listen to the whole set if you ask me!
Thank you Courtney Patton & Jason Eady.
Walk your path, dear readers, and shine your own spirit.
I am so glad that tomorrow is Friday! Off to the farm for me! Needing my horse time.
That is you I am talking to.
Your AHAmoment today inspired by Dr. Brene Brown.
Walk in love, dear readers.
Yesterday we talked about being gracious to combat negativity. Spreading love like honey, so to speak. What does gracious mean to you?
Gracious literally (by literally I mean a quick google search and not flipping through Webster’s) means, “courteous, kind, and pleasant; showing divine grace.” What does that make you think of?
I was thinking about that question yesterday when I posted it. Of what thoughts, feelings, images it conjured. Gratitude was one of the words that came up: “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” AHAmoment.
That is an interesting thought to me. Another full circle concept. Chicken or the egg. Whichever you like. The two almost seem to meld together where you do not know where one starts and the other begins. The same thing is thought of great riders when working with a horse, but that is another story for anther day.
Stir that around in your pot of thoughts. Funny thing is, this showed up on my radar today…
(Thanks to UMNCSH on YouTube for the vid)
Coincidence? I think not! The main source of joy.
Walk in love, dear readers!
Trail riding with friends on Saturday!
P.S. Here is some more because I can not get enough…and because she is one of my all time favorites.
(Thanks to OWN on YouTube for the vid)
You know how sometimes your everyday work life (or just regular life) can get somewhat monotonous? Where it feels like you are doing the same thing over and over and it kinda drags you down? You have a hard time getting out of that groove when you try to switch gears?
I would not say that my work lately has felt like that, per se, but today it definitely has. Or could have felt that way. Here is the good part, it has been a great day and I will leave work feeling great. I did not even notice the monotony! Let me tell you why.
OK, so last week I was listening to the sons of Haggard. Merle Haggard. That would be Ben, Noel, and Marty Haggard. You should check them out if you have any interest in great music in general, great country music specifically, or their father. It is also really fun to hear Merle in them. Genetics are so cool that way. Anyway, that is what was pushing me through my work week last week and it carried on into yesterday.
Naturally, today I started just listening to Merle. I am by no means new to his music, but listening to him makes my soul smile every time. I can not quite tell you what it is. It is some combination of his life story and the story behind his songs, the talent, the subject matter, the tonality of his voice, his expression when he sings (hey, thanks YouTube), and some unknown factor. He was also seriously funny. Impersonations of other artists was a regular thing at his shows. He mixed up the arrangements with different instruments. Golly, can I just gush over his voice. I also have to confess that the young Merle Haggard was quite the handsome one. Just me? Oh well.
The point of this story is that I found myself smiling and laughing all day today while working. I did not even notice I was doing it until I laughed so hard that I worried I was disturbing people. I am laughing at myself right now just thinking about it. Music often helps me focus while at work and also makes me happy. Duh. (I listen with headphones on as to not get distracted by people walking by, and so I can listen as loud as I want without disturbing others.)
This is my favorite time frame from Merle I think (at least today):
Let us have a quick appreciation for 70’s fashion.
I have bible study this evening. If only I could ride today in this weather, my day would just be that much better!
What do y’all like to do to keep your smile and joy through the monotony?
Walk in love, dear readers. Have a great Tuesday!
Yesterday evening I found myself thinking a lot about my Uncle.
It started while watching a TV show and he just came to me. I will admit, it was not a happy thought.
Recently, his memory will come and it will go. That statement makes it sound fleeting, but it is far from that. I mean comes and goes throughout the day. There is rarely a day that goes by where I do not spend time thinking about it. Sometimes short moments far a part. Sometimes longer ones closer together. The past couple of weeks have been pretty good for me as the thoughts and memories have generally been happy ones instead of haunting ones.
Like last weekend when I made this chocolate cake with a raspberry cream cheese icing for my Grandmother’s (on the other side of the family) birthday. I 
always think of him when I bake. I love to bake, as I am sure you have noticed by now. Typically I will bring a baked something to all our family gatherings. Uncle B would always tell me how he looked forward to whatever dessert I chose to bring and was my main source for honest feedback on my desserts. Really, honest feedback and advice on way more than just cake. I really miss that. I can just see his face now.
Anyway, I digress. Last night while watching TV, in reaction to something I saw or heard I guess, I quickly got sad and began to replay in my mind everything that had happened. It is crazy how that feeling can envelope you in an instant. I stopped myself from going too far down that road (yay me for controlling my focus!), but I could not quite shake the feeling.
After texting with my Cousin before bed later that night about other things, she brought it up. I decided to send my Aunt a quick text to remind her that I love her.
I think it is time for us all to come back together.
Walk in love, dear readers.
I am trying something new today. Go me! Getting out of my comfort zone. They say that is a good thing to do. I am going to share with you what first came to my mind when I saw The Daily Post‘s prompt and photo challenge. Really, I just could not resist when I saw what the words were and I was struggling with content for today. Eh, the way it goes sometimes. Thank you Anne for the inspiration to give it a try!
Mother Nature.
The ultimate in aesthetics and ambiance. Just my opinion, for whatever it is worth. The great creator’s paintings, captured with a mere click, but nothing like actually experiencing it with your own eyes. Feeling the air on your skin and through your hair. hearing the wind in the trees. Going through the emotions.
The same view is very rarely the same from the same place. I will restrain myself with the metaphors I just opened up with that one! Unlike anything we can create, Mother Nature always has the right lighting, vibrant colors, fresh air, and even comes with it’s own music if you listen.
It is a beautiful life. AHAmoment. Thank you for being a part of it. I hope you like my quick pics from my cell phone that I have gathered.
Where is your favorite place for the best in aesthetics and ambiance and why?
Walk in love, dear readers.
I have to be honest with you here really quick. Yesterday was a slight struggle. Hence the lack of post. Sorry about that.
Work has actually been going quite well which I am very happy about. We are busy, I have work to do, and my boss seems positive about the future. I am talking more personally.
For whatever reason, yesterday ended with me in a sour mood. Now that I think of it, I can not remember why. I suppose that is not really the point because it was not any one specific thing or event. The point is that I allowed myself to stay that way. Does anyone else ever feel that way?
I got home from work and did nothing but watch TV. I did not go for a walk or do any kind of exercise. I did not read. I was a big pile of negative. At least I made my bed that morning. Yay. Celebrate the little things! Anyway, I beat myself up about it. I settled to do some personal things on the computer, but the ___ it was not working.
I then eventually decided to stop wallowing and started watching the USEF George H. Morris Horsemastership Training Session on the smart TV. That is the best thing about smart TVs! (I watch a lot of videos and read a lot of books/articles on all things horsemanship from all kinds of people in all different disciplines.)
I heard Anne Kursinski (5 time Olympian) say that you must focus as much or more on what you are doing right/well as you are on what you are doing ‘wrong.’ What and why made it work? We are our own worst critics and can have a tendency to beat ourselves down because we know that it is never the horses’ fault. I have also heard sports psychologist, Dr. Jenny R. Susser say the same thing (at least I think it was her) in a video of a Pat Parelli clinic.
Naturally, this applies to more than just success in riding horses. I know that I am my own worst critic in all things and I hold myself to a very high standard. It can really get in my way at times. We can only have ‘control’ over ourselves. We also have control over what our focus is. AHAmoments. To build upon and repeat success, set yourself up for success and focus on what is going right, the positive, more than what is not. Otherwise, you will continue to repeat the negative because that is all you see. Reward yourself. In theory, train yourself. The positive success will come second nature if you allow it.
Today is a new day and I am grateful for it! I will not let yesterday mess up my today.
Walk in love, dear readers.
