Thursday, March 4, 2010

Make Your Own Sunshine!

Yesterday, a feeling of utter discouragement gripped my heart for a few split seconds.

After jumping out of bed, I rolled the window shades up to the middle of each window and peered out. White snowflakes came dancing down from the sky.

"Oh NOOOOOOO," I wailed. "No more freaking snow." Unfortunately, the snowflakes didn't pay the least bit attention to my lament and just kept falling down from the heavens.

"Gratitude," I heard myself say. "Concentrate on gratitude." That's my anecdote to negative thoughts. When one comes into my brain, I counteract it with something to be grateful for. Most of the time it's an extremely effective method of preventing the blues from sticking around.

So, becoming cognizant of the importance of gratitude, I started thinking of things such as my delicious strong morning coffee. Mmmmmm, it always tasted just great, accompanied by two slices of stone ground wheat toast with extra crunchy peanut butter and a tablespoon of honey. Teddie peanut butter is the only brand I use because it has no sugar or other additives in it and is quite delicious. It's made from only peanuts and salt. (Just found out it's manufactured in Georgia!) Certainly, I had a lot to be grateful for.

Then, used some money from a recent anniversary gift to go out and have my hair done and eyebrows waxed. Both of these are rather decadent pleasures for me which brought a heap of gratitude.
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On to Michael's Craft Store where I found wide weather-resistant ribbons, beige and pink, which would match the huge, fat cabbage roses on the spring wreath I made for the front door. Luckily, came across some cobalt blue vases in three different shapes. At $1.99 each, they were a "ganga" so I bought one of each. Also picked up a stem of silk daffodils. Unless you grab and smell them, you cannot tell they are fake and since the real "daffodillies" are still under the frozen ground, these would have to do.

Then, on to one of my dear sisters' houses. She is a true crafty critter and made a gorgeous bow with long streamers from the ribbons. I was very grateful for that and couldn't wait to go home to put them on the wreath. Once I did, my heart pretty much filled with gratitude.

I washed the new vases to get the stickers off the bottoms. My husband clipped the daffodils apart for me with the wire cutters and I placed them in the new vases. Onto one kitchen window sill they went. They look adorable!

So, being grateful quickly dispelled the day's initial doom and gloom. By the time evening came, my heart brimmed over with all the gifts of the day. It felt so good to be alive, in good health, and to have so many things to be grateful for.

Sometimes, we just have to make our own sunshine! It's easy to make when you add a huge helping of gratitude for the things and experiences you already have!

HOW DO YOU DISPEL THE WINTER BLUES?

10 comments:

Linda @ A La Carte said...

I like your attitude. When I get down I also try to think with gratitude! Love the blue and yellow and I bet it did brighten things up. Sweet wreath also. I've never heard of Teddie PB but I will look for it! Happy Smiles to you my friend.

diane stetson said...

I dispel the winter blues by living in a place that doesn't have winter..ha ha ha. Very pretty wreath and daffodils Susan. I'm very grateful for the PLACE I live and the health that I have too! xo

Susan said...

Hi Linda! Thanks for the visit and comment. Oh boy, the yellow in the kitchen makes a world of difference. It WAS dark green wallpaper with pink flowers....very pretty for a bedroom. I wanted to do it over from the day we bought the house. The renovated kitchen is bright, cheerful, and sunny! Take care, Linda, and I hope you have a happy day! Sincerely, Susan

Susan said...

Hello Di....Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Well, even if you don't have winter, there are days, I'm sure, when the blues come to visit. How do you dispel them when they do? Take care and have a good day! Always, Susan

Karen Lange said...

I love your attitude about making your own sunshine. Great idea! Thankfully the sun is shining here today, but will remember this for later!
Blessings,
Karen

Susan said...

Hi Karen! Thanks for your visit and comment. Always nice to have you stop by! Sincerely, Susan

Adrienne said...

"No more freaking snow."

Now there's something I never pictured you saying. heh

Decided to make one last stop before heading out to brighten up my day since you have such a calming influence on me.

First stop - Ross (looooove Ross)
On to Costco - (loooooove Costco, too)
And a quick stop at our local grocery store for a few sale items (do not loooooove our local grocer anymore. Prices too high)

Gratitude? How about having the $$$ to purchase the few things we need. Between vet bills, funeral expenses, and the new car we needed, we have spent an extra 18K dollars in the past 3 months. You read that right - eighteen thousand dollars. But guess what? Our savings account is looking a bit bleak but the good Lord sent mega extra business to hubby and things will be just fine.

I get to go out and get in my new (to me) Hyundai, buy a few "fun" things at Ross and lovely food at Costco. How great is that??

Hair done and eyebrows waxed? Fabulous! Now you need a massage.

And those vases are lovely. I had to ban silks from our house, though. It is just way too dusty here and I was spending all my time washing the dang things.

Susan said...

Hi Adrienne! I was so happy to read I have a "calming influence" on you. That's great! When I lived in the southwest, I loved Ross, too. There are none here in the east. boo hoo We do have Costco. Wow, you have had some heavy expenses lately but,like you said, the Lord is sending extra business. He's good at evening the score. Congratulations on the new Hyundai! Guess what? Have a massage scheduled at a community college where students are taking massage therapy! ha! Next week. And yeah, at this point in the winter, I consider snow "freaking." It's falling right now, too. Brother. Thanks for your visit and nice, long comment, Adrienne. Loved having you stop by. Come again soon! Sincerely, Susan

Chatty Crone said...

Susan, when you make (at first) yourself feel graditude and when you continue to do it daily - you become a winner!

Sounds like you did a great job today doing things and then feeling and looking for graditude.

So on Linda's blog today is was G day.

GRATITUDE.

How do I get rid of the winter blues?

I visit blogs and comment. And I meet Girlfriends for lunch. And if you ever get down this way or me up there - we'll get together for lunch and shopping. That would be awesome.

sandie

Susan said...

Hi Sandie...Oh, wouldn't it be so sweet to go out to lunch and shopping in thrifies? Yes, that would, indeed, be awesome. But since I can't come with you, go with Linda and think of me! HA! Keep up the good work on your blog! Sincerely, Susan

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