Grappling with The Gift of Pleasure

Today I am grappling with the whole concept of "The Gift of Pleasure." You know those days, when nothing seems to go right? It's not that everything went wrong, really, it's more a matter of just feeling tired of everything. Obligations, responsibilities, work, people, etc. I organized a pre-Valentines Day dinner for a bunch of gal pals last night at a hibachi restaurant and saved my steak portion for lunch today. And then someone took my lunch! I know it's just a passing phase, but I am feeling a terrific lack of motivation right now. I felt like cooking something earlier, but in reviewing recipes, nothing seems to appeal to me. I got home from work, ate something quickly for dinner, ran out to return an item, pick up my dry cleaning, pay a bill that's due tomorrow and returned home to take a shower and prepare for tomorrow. I'm just feeling like "Is this all there is?" right now. Not even Nova is engaging me. All right, I'm going in search of something interesting right now, even if it means working out or meditating.

Appreciate The People In Your Life

Whether it's family or friends, think of what your life might be without them in it. Chances are everyone who is in your life by your choice is someone who brings something good to it. (this is not referring to the people you have to have in your life.) Perhaps you share similar interests, or you met a long time ago through friends or work and have managed to stay in touch, or think of someone you're related to that you enjoy being with. Whatever the case may be, as I get older I recognize that as cliched as it sounds, 1) Everyone has their issues, 2) Life goes by quickly 3) Most people are just trying to do the best they can.  Tomorrow is my birthday and it only occurred to me yesterday that I'll never hear my Dad sing "Happy Birthday" to me again. He passed away in June and he always sang to me on my birthday (at least twice), usually once when I was at work, as off-key as possible and then a seond time when we would actually get together and celebrate. (Yes at 47, my parents still sing and get together to celebrate.)

Tomorrow is my birthday and I am trying to come up with a pleasurable treat for myself. Yes, I usually try to do something lovely for myself on my birthday. I am already having dinner with a friend and going to see my orthopedic surgeon. (Whoo-hoo what a celebration.) Where should I indulge myself? Food? Book? Museum? Entertainment? Clothes? Seeing as clothes don't seem to be cutting it for me anymore, that's an easy elimination. Books? I don't seem to buy books anymore as part of my thriftiness--and I love the fact that I'm not adding to my book collection. I actually still have a $25 Barnes & Noble gift certificate from Christmas that I've yet to use. On second thought, maybe I'll use that tomorrow and indulge myself without spending a dime. I like that idea.

Reconnnect With Nature

Whether it's a walk through a beautiful park, a seaside stroll on a sunny day or the graceful swaying of tall grasses in the breeze, there is something soothing about the peacefulness and tranquility of our natural surroundings.  Go out for a walk and focus on one thing-one bird, one tree, one squirrel, whatever. Listen to that bird's calls, watch it flit from tree to tree, observe its coloring and allow yourself to be transfixed by just this bird. Engage your senses and allow your mind to wander--for this short time, forget about family, work,  and other distractors.   Close your eyes and breathe deeply--smell the earth, hear your surroundings.  Upon opening your eyes, notice the colors around you, (or lack thereof) the variations of browns and greens and greys.  What I find, is the more time I spend enjoying natural surroundings, the more time I want to spend doing more of the same.  By allowing yourself to reconnect with nature, you acknowledge your place in the universe and the gradiosity of it.  

Remember what made you happy as a child

Many years ago I heard this, and thought back to what made me happy when I was younger. I always enjoyed playing tennis--everything about it. Just being out on a court made me smile and I would gladly play for several hours a day. I stopped playing when I went to college and didn't play again for over two decades.  When I did resume playing, I found I was thrilled to be back on the court, although my game reflected my lack of play. I started to think of all the benefits to me of playing tennis--it was a social game, provided me with exercise, gave me confidence in my abilities and I loved to wear tennis skirts! And it wasn't only tennis that made me happy when I was younger. I thought back and found other activities that provided me with enjoyment as a child--riding my bike, playing board games, playing in the snow.  Think about what you enjoyed as a child--there's more than a good chance that it will provide you with the same sense of happiness as it did when you were much younger.