A Sunday Morning Ritual with CBS

For many years my Sunday morning ritual has included viewing CBS Sunday Morning. This morning was no different. Over the years I have enjoyed the stories of music, movies and real life in America. The hosts from Charles Kuralt, Charles Osgood to Jane Pauley have brought the news, the heartbreak and the love of America to the television. Since the inception in January of 1979 I have watched, I have learned, I have been enraged and I have cried. It has been a family thing for us. My sister Char records it every Sunday to be sure she doesn’t miss it. Our Dad loved the program. As a matter of fact 11 years ago on Sunday Morning in March we watched the program, my mom, sisters and brother with my Dad laying in his hospital bed. The final trumpet played, we shut the TV off and turned on the radio for some music. Within an hour our father slipped away.

It is now a goal for me to watch the program along with the last scenes that are recorded

somewhere in the nature of the U.S. I take moment to remember my day and focus on the

day ahead. It’s one of those touchstones in life I enjoy.

Relax to Recover?

For the second time this winter I am being slowed by a cold/sickness. I don’t like it.
I am typically pretty active, just sitting around waiting for this cold to go away is not

easy. As a matter of fact, I don’t know that I have been sitting around yet. I keep

announcing, I am going to then off I go to the next thing. What is it that trips in some

our brains that won’t let us relax? Why do we think it’s not ok, to recover mentally or

physically?

As I sit here pecking this out on my computer I am thinking about all of the things I

need to get done. I find myself drifting off to websites remembering I was going to

look something up. I think about the kitchen that needs some attention and wondering

if I should go for an easy workout today, swimming or just a walk on the treadmill. It is

not easy to be sick, does anyone have this same problem? Do you worry about that list

of things to do, the unanswered emails, the stack of clutter sitting in the other room?

The unfolded clothes?

Perhaps writing this blog post is the start of it, maybe staying in the moment is part of it,

realizing it is good for you to rejuvenate and recover. Whatever it takes, today I will work

on sitting. This is outside of my comfort zone, I have a few things I need to take of first,

sitting just won’t work if the kitchen is messy.

Books Beside the Bed

When I go to my room and see books on the bedside table I know I am in  a good place.

There is something about having the book, or stack of books that comforts me. The idea

that I can wind down from a stressful day and get lost in someone else's words releases

the tension. I feel empowered by the words of others. It doesn’t seem to matter if it is the

next book club selection for one of the two books clubs I am a part of, or if it is the latest

best seller for business. Having a good book is like knowing your best friend will be beside

you know matter the circumstance. Having a good book sitting waiting is the perfect cap

on the end of the day.

I go back and forth between my kindle and paperback, hardcover books and audio books.

I rely heavily on the library for downloads and the hard to find books. Side note: every library

could use some extra funds it’s a great gift.

SKOL VIkings...Just a game

Today is a big day in Minneapolis, we will wear purple and marching down the streets and through the skyways all

converging on US Bank Stadium for the Vikings play-off game.

The Minnesota Vikings will play New Orleans for an opportunity to go to Philadelphia to play the Eagles next Sunday. We will cheer, yell and dance when the Vikings score. It seems like a lot of

nonsense for people who don’t care about football. But for those that do, it’s a great

diversion from real life. We eat, we drink and we yell SKOL all in unison in the name

of fun and sport and the game. We don’t worry about the unanswered emails awaiting

us on Monday morning. We don’t think about the load of laundry that needs doing or

the bill that might need paying. We just cheer, we smile, we groan when the referee

makes what we perceive as the wrong call. Some forget this is just a game, for those

playing and working it is more than a game it is a job, but for most of us...it's just a game.

Along the sidelines and in the living rooms of all Vikings fans accept the diversion as fun. We will try to be good winners and good losers, we will try to make this game just a game. At the end of the

day for most of us, it is just a game and it’s good fun. Let’s remember that.

SKOL Vikings!

After a While

Today is a good day to share a poem. Though there is controversy
about the author, I do love this piece.

After a While

After a while you learn
The subtle difference between
Holding a hand and chaining a soul
And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning
And company doesn't always mean security.

And you begin to learn
That kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't promises
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes ahead
With the grace of a woman
Not the grief of a child

And you learn
To build all your roads on today
Because tomorrow's ground is
Too uncertain for plans
And futures have a way
Of falling down in mid flight

After a while you learn
That even sunshine burns if you get too much
So you plant your own garden
And decorate your own soul
Instead of waiting
For someone to bring you flowers

And you learn
That you really can endure
That you are really strong
And you really do have worth
And you learn and you learn
With every good bye you learn.

The Yearly Exam

Today I will get my mammogram. Should be simple, should be the usual. No worries,

all is good. Come back in 2 years or whatever the current tend is. I go into these things

with the best of thoughts, sure all will be well. But one does pause to think about the

women who have all of these same feelings as I and then find out the devastating news

that there is something that is not right. They need to return for another mammo or an

ultrasound. For those women that have a family history of breast cancer, this has to be

terrifying.

So as I prepare for my every other year mammo, I prep with a shower and no deodorant,

I am grateful for a test that will give me peace of mind. It is not a pleasant test, but I am

grateful for technicians and docs that do this work. And I will have a sigh of relief when

it is all over including the results saying, all is fine, proceed with life as you wish!

After Work, the Struggle is Real

Where were you last night? Is that where you want to be?

I am not talking about physically, but maybe that is what instantly hit your brain. If you were in a place
that you physically don’t want to be that is another blog post. If it is not a safe place, contact me, it’s
time to get out.

Let’s talk about where you were mentally last night. After a full day of work, and a Monday at that,
you come home without a meal plan for the night. You pick the first thing that jumps out at you, a
handful of M&M’s that are in the candy dish, it goes downhill from there. The snacking doesn’t stop
until you decide you need something with some protein or at least something that feels like a meal.
The mindless eating continues and the wine turns into three glasses, the stress of the day lingering
like a dark cloud in your home. Tomorrow you get to do it all over again.

What if you had a meal plan and an exercise plan for after work, one that kept you from grabbing the
handful of unhealthy and plopping on the couch to catch up with the Facebook and Instagram photos
you feel compelled to sift through. What if you went for a 10 minute walk, turned on some music or a
podcast if that is what you like and began the process of putting together a meal that contains protein
and vegetables. Maybe snack on a healthy veggie as you do your prep work with a glass of sparkling
water. How would your night feel tonight? I suggest better. Today I will be mindful of unhealthy choices.
Today I will make a change for the better and for me that is by starting my evening off in a better place
than on the couch!

Tools For Safety

Yesterday one of my daughters, a friend of hers and I attend Stay Away Women’s
Self Defense at Minneapolis Krav Maga. This is something you hope you never
have to use. I took some classes for half a year a few years ago, at my husbands
urging. We learned techniques to stay safe in a sometimes scary world. It was a
good reminder to be cautious and use your voice, also if you gut tells you something
is probably not right, go with your gut. We were also reminded it is not ever your fault.
No matter what the circumstance, there is no reason whatsoever that you should
ever be assaulted, harassed or taking advantage of. Period.

Today, I remind you to be aware, be careful and take a class. You can thank me
later, living in fear can be crippling. Get the tools you need to go through life with
confidence, self defense is one of those tools.

Changing a loved habit!

Coffee is my thing. I like it, I look forward to the morning so I can sit and sip as

I surf the web. I experiment with all sorts of coffee brands, usually coming back

to my favorite Caribou Coffee. Coffee is also my problem. As I move through my

day I often think I should have a cup of coffee, it will give me the pick me up I need,

making a pot at work gives me a break from what feels like a daunting task. If I am

at home it gives me the opportunity to leave the computer, an opportunity to walk

away from something, my diversion. It is not always a good thing, some would

call this ADD kicking in, I would call it a brain shut down. I just don’t want to

push through any further. The biggest problem with these afternoon coffee breaks

is not that I am stepping away from work, but that I am putting too much caffeine

into my body. Where this really becomes a problem is when I lay in bed for an hour

or more trying to get my mind to shut down.

Time to make a change! This change means more water, more tea and less caffeine

in the afternoons. Who’s with me on this one?

Change is hard, change is good.

Be Brave and Be Grateful in 2018

After one day of work,  you are solidly into the new year. How are you feeling? Like you have one foot
in 2017? Or you are anticipating the changes you might be facing this year?

Shortly after lunch yesterday I was walking the steps to the second floor to get a few extra steps in
during the day when I found myself smiling. I had just finished working on a particularly daunting project.
A quick check on the weather outside as I round the corner from the 1st floor, the clouds have rolled in,
it looks cold and damp, but I found a smile on my face. As I marched up each step I thought to myself,
I am lucky. I am lucky I have a good job and working on projects I enjoy. I have great coworkers and
freedom to do my job without constant worry of losing the job or of someone questioning my work.
I am inside, I am warm and really on January 2nd, I am in a good place. Today I am grateful.

As I had those thoughts, I also thought, I need to recall this very moment next time I am feeling
overwhelmed. Often as my email box is filling up in mid afternoon, I am stressed, wanting to eat
something or better yet run away, I have a good job. I am in a good place most of the time. Relax,
push through the tougher times and be grateful.

Does that mean I stop trying to better myself? I have a tendency to always be looking for a new even
if I am content in my job, no matter the company I work for. I want to think that is because I always think
there might be something better and I might want to pursue it. I don’t want to change that. It does not
mean that I am not content. As a matter of fact I don’t want to think it means anything other than I am
aware.

With a mantra of Be Brave in 2018, I will be brave enough to keep looking while I am grateful for the
current position I have. Some days I might just sit back and Be Brave enough to relax right where I am at.

Changing the Calendar, Changing life?

Today we go back to work, the holidays are over and today is day two of the New Year’s resolutions.
The Christmas that covered your house may be neatly wrapped up until another year, the holiday
now in the memory column. Now you can dream about the new year and how it is going to lay out
for you. What would you change over last year if you could? What wouldn’t you do in the new year
if you didn’t have to?


I want you to think about this a bit, if there is something you wouldn’t do, is it important enough that
you need to make a change in that area of your life? If you say, I wouldn’t do the job I am doing if I
didn’t have to? Can you change your job? Can you change the position within your company? Work
through those steps and what they might look like.

Maybe you would spend more time with family. How are you going to accomplish that?
Can you schedule a once a month family time? What changes to do you need to make when
you come home from work so you can play with your kids? Do you need to do meal planning
so you aren’t running to the grocery store every other day, how much free time do you need
and what are the time wasters that are sucking that away.

Sometimes change feels hard, usually it’s not as hard as we make it. What can you do today to make
the changes you need to make 2018 your best year yet?