Archive for the ‘Quotes’ Category
A friend posted this article entitled “37 Life Lessons in 37 Years” that I really think has some great guidelines on how to be happy.
A couple of my favorites:
1. Happiness comes from within. We spend way too much of our lives looking for outside validation and approval that eludes us. Turns out, it’s been an inside job all along. Go inward.
8. Never take things personally. What others do is a reflection of what’s going on in their own life and probably has little or nothing to do with you.
12. Perfectionism is an illusion. A painful one at that. Ease up. Strive for excellence, sure, but allow yourself room to make mistakes and permission to be happy regardless of outcome.
27. Fear is often a very good indicator of what we really want and need in our life. Let it be your compass and enjoy the exciting adventure it leads you on.
30. Let those that you love know it often and enthusiastically. You can never say it or show it too much. Your time, total presence, love, and genuine concern for their wellness is the greatest gift of all.
But they are all work reading!
7 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be the Happiest Person on Earth, an article on Lifehack, explains exactly why I write my Thankful Monday blog posts every week. The first item on their list, “Practice gratitude once a week.” says that “Expressing gratitude, or counting your blessings, does not just make you happy—it also improves your health.” I wholeheartedly agree and have noticed a big difference in my health and happiness since I started practicing my gratitude weekly.
I also agree with every other item on their list, particularly number 2 “Make friends and invest in your relationships.” and number 4 “Take care of your body.” I used to exercise because I wanted to look thin and feel good physically, but these days, my motivation to exercise is driven more by my desire to feel happy and mentally healthy. I also used to be extremely introverted and didn’t have too much desire to put the work into relationships, but now I realize how wonderful they are despite the hard work that goes into maintaining them.
I’d definitely read the article…its a quick read but its full of wonderful advice!
I found this article on lifehack.org and wanted to save it here for my own future reference and others’ enjoyment as well:
1. Move Your Body
Exercise is one of the fastest ways to joy. When you move your body you change your state. You go from down and lethargic to feeling more energetic, masterful, and fulfilled. The reason is both physiological and psychological. Not only does exercise burn off cortisol (the stress hormone), and studies have shown that exercise can release endorphins (feel-good chemicals, the commonly referred to “runners’ high”), but when you exercise you also feel a sense of accomplishment, known as self efficacy. There’s a psycho-social hypotheses called the mastery hypothesis that tells us that our mood improves when engaging in difficult and significant work. Thus, on both a psychological and physiological level, exercise will lift your mood, and as a bonus side effect you’ll be healthier too!
2. Fake it!
Seriously, the next time you’re down, put down the self-help book and simply smile. Make ridiculous faces, and even say the words “Ha Ha”. Did you know there is a form of yoga called laughter yoga, that uplifts the spirit? The class is centered around saying things like “Ha Ha, Ho Ho, Hee Hee”, and before you know it the whole room is howling. You can take this strategy and employ it in your own living room. Try it right now, and see how your state changes. Happiness is often thought of as an emotion, yet our physiological state is inextricably linked with our emotional state. The moment we change what our physical body is doing, our emotions follow. There’s been plenty of research to back up these claims, but better than science is your own scientific experiment! Try it now, and see how you feel. Put on a smile that includes your eyes smiling, and see if it influences your feelings.
3. Go Play
Life can be serious. From horrific television news stories, to deadlines, family responsibilities, and more, it’s so vital to remember to play. Kids do it all the time, and often with big smiles on their faces. So whether your form of play is taking a hike, reading a magazine, playing a sport, or literally heading over to some swings in a park and playing like a kid, play is on of the fastest ways to get in touch with our inner happy. Taking the time to go have fun, and bring some joy in your life should be part of your weekly regime. Even little doses of fun make all the difference. If it’s been awhile since you went out to play and have some fun, set up a play date now. Think of an activity you have been longing to partake in, and pencil it into your calendar.
4. Watch Something Funny
Alright, so I am all for practicing presence and meditation, but sometimes, if you’re feeling totally bummed out, meditation may not be the trick you seek. Did you know that consciously choosing to distract yourself can be a healthy coping mechanism? Now, if you are constantly living in busyness and distraction, this is not a healthy way to cope. But, consciously choosing to engage in something to get your mind off something troubling can be a healthy way to shift your attention. You can easily find thousands of hilarious comedic routines on YouTube, or the Comedy Network. Sometimes taking a time out, such as watching something that gives you a good laugh, is a healthy way to let go of the sadness and stress. And often it gives us perspective so that we can deal with what ails us in a clearer way.
5. Forget Your Schedule… For an Hour!
If you’re feeling stressed and caged in by your heavy duty never ending to-do list, it’s time to engage in what I call the “Forget Your Schedule” practice.
The truth is, if you don’t get everything done on your list, life will go on. Things won’t fall apart. It will be OK. Besides, feeling stressed and overwhelmed can seriously slow us down. By taking an hour to forget your chores and to-do-list, you often gain perspective that half of those things you thought you had to do are either unnecessary or you find a better way to get them done (which sometimes includes delegating tasks to others). By taking some time to let yourself be free, you get to finally live in the moment. When you are living in the moment, away from the giant to-do list and never ending stress (which leads to unhappiness), you tap into freedom which leads to space, possibility and happiness.
I saw this post titled “14 Ways to Be Fearless” on Lifehack and wanted to share it for others to enjoy as well as for myself to have a place where I can easily return to it and review it again. Being fearless, or as fearless as possible, is one of my goals and I think these tips hit the nail right on the head!
Here’s how you can start overcoming fear:
1. Be aware of fear in your life. Before you can begin overcoming fear, you have to admit that you have it. Perhaps fear is your “normal” state of being, and that is quite a bit to overcome all at once. Write down some aspects of your life where have fear; getting them down on paper is important, because trying to simply think them through never works.2. Stare at fearless people. Fill your brain with images of what you want your “future self” to look like. Connect with as many role models as you can, whether in person, through a book, or online. Use these examples as an energy source to combat your fear.
3. Be objective. Take an interest in investigating your fears. Ask yourself about what thoughts generate your fear, where you feel the fear, and how you react to it. Try to be an objective observer of your own life.
4. Be willing to look stupid. Remember: Wayne Gretzky fell on his tail a ton, and Itzhak Perlman has had horrible performances. Once you are willing to risk the emotional pain of making mistakes, you will shed more fear than you ever imagined. Know that making mistakes will help you obtain information you use to create the correct behaviors, and that everyone who has ever done something great has failed more than once.
5. Adopt a mindset of gratitude. Whenever you feel fear, try to feel grateful instead. I have been performing a lot of solos recently, and it is scary! Instead of freaking out, I have decided to be grateful for the opportunity to communicate musically with so many people, and I know that they are there to genuinely listen to me play and root me on.
6. Seek out teachers. It’s never too late to have a teacher; we are never done learning. Seek out someone who scares you a little—not a polite person who always makes you feel warm and fuzzy. Seek out someone who watches you closely, is brutally honest, and gives clear directions on how you can get better at whatever scares you.
7. Share. How often do we hold the negative in because we are afraid of how others might react? Sharing helps, because you will realize that many people feel the same way as you do, and have stories to share as well. Do you have a fear of success, or a fear of failure? Sharing with someone can help you examine what you truly want from life, and where your fears come from.
8. Embrace struggle. Most of us instinctively avoid struggle, because it feels like failure, and that scares us, but the term “no pain, no gain” holds true. To develop our skills, it is a necessity that we struggle, so we must embrace it. Once we struggle, fear slowly disintegrates.
9. Read. My personal favorite. Reading a good book related to your specific fear can open new doors on how you can get rid of it. I constantly fill my world with motivational and inspirational books on, and related to, the topic I’m dealing with.
10. Use visualization. Imagine yourself in a scary situation without fear. Watch people do things fearlessly that would normally freak you out. Visualize yourself as that person. Create a very clear picture of fearlessness in your mind.
11. Put things in perspective. Putting your negative thoughts in perspective is a huge way to overcome fear. In the grand scheme of life, why are you afraid? While you are freaking out about something, life is moving on without you. Sometimes it’s helpful to remember this.
12. Release control. Of course we want to be in control, but when we relinquish it we tend to free ourselves up. Allow yourself to make mistakes—after all, that’s where learning and growth really happens. We learn from our failures, but to fail we need to release control.
13. Think about the worst case scenario. What’s the worst that could happen? I have crumbled on stage in front of hundreds of people. My wife still loved me; I lived. Life goes on.
14. Look within. What is the root of your fear? Meditate on it. Look inside and ask yourself when the fear started: How far back does your fear go? Did you have an early failure that has stuck with you? Explore it. That’s what life is all about.
I found this story on facebook and have seen it before. I’m not sure of the original source or author of the story, but I wanted to post it here so that I could always return to it and be reminded of its great message:
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles roll
ed into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.. The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes.’
The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.The students laughed..
‘Now,’ said the professor as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things—-your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions—-and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.. The sand is everything else—-the small stuff.
‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.
Take care of the golf balls first—-the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented. The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’ The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of Beers with a friend.
I found this quote today and really liked it.
“More often than not, a hero’s most epic battle is the one you never see; it’s the battle that goes on within him or herself.” – Kevin Smith
The things that go on in my head have the ability to do so much damage to my spirit and outlook but they also have the ability to do so much good. It really is a constant battle.
Bloody Mary from Beer Run
Doesn’t this look like a work of art? One of my favorite drinks to enjoy on a Sunday or with any breakfast, brunch, or lunch meal is the delicious Bloody Mary! I personally like mine with worcestershire sauce, olive juice, horseradish, lime juice, and LOTS of hot sauce! Sunday, Ben and I had no breakfast food in the house so I thought it was a great excuse to go to Beer Run, one of my favorite local places for food and beer for brunch.
We both had the El Guapo Breakfast Burrito:
El Guapo Breakfast Burrito
Scrambled local eggs, organic black beans, pepper jack cheese, sauteed red bell peppers wrapped in a flour tortilla. Served with spicy house-made Pico de Gallo and Texas Frites. 9.95
They were served with a slice of watermelon and honey dew. Brunch was delicious, the company was great, and we snagged the last outdoor table so we could enjoy the first beautiful fall-like day of the season with our meal! It was the perfect start to our Sunday!
On Saturday morning, I ran the Charlottesville Women’s Four Miler for the 5th year in a row. The race takes place every year on Labor Day weekend, and the money raised goes to support the University of Virginia Cancer Center Breast Care Program which helps to fund breast cancer research and support local women fighting the disease.
I was really excited about my performance this year. Despite it raining during the entire race, I beat my record for the course and crossed the finish line in just under 45 minutes. In addition, I ran the first mile at 9 minutes and 19 seconds which is a HUGE record for me (I usually run between an 11 and 12 minute mile)! Below are my results from the past 5 years and they definitely show what an improvement I’ve made!
2012 Results
2011 Results
2010 Results
2009 Results
2008 Results
To get ready for the race, the past couple of years, my friends Sarah and Wendy and I have made shirts to wear on race day. This year, mine said:
T-shirt…$4
Race Registration…$45
E Racing Cancer…Priceless
Sarah and Wendy’s shirts quoted lyrics from the Young MC song “Bust A Move” (get it…bust as in boobies…haha!).
Me, Sarah, and Wendy before the race sporting our creative T’s!
Ben even came out to support us and I want to say a special thank you to him for holding all of our bags and waiting for us in the rain.
Ben and I before the race
Sarah and I waiting for Wendy to arrive with our race bibs.
Ben and I…check out all the pink in the background!
One of the best things about this race is all of the support it gets from the local community. People come out rain or shine to volunteer and cheer on the runners and everyone gets all decked out in pink. We even saw a man with three kids who all had their hair dyed pink (including the father’s beard) and were wearing pink shirts in support of their wife/mom running the race! It’s the number 1 most popular race in Charlottesville and race registration has closed out in under 12 hours the past couple of years. I was really lucky to get a spot this year since race registration was on my wedding day. Lucky for me, my pal Wendy signed me up! I love this race and I plan on running it every year as long as I’m able. And one day, if I have daughters, I hope to have them run it with me!
I promised a recap of my Memorial Day weekend and my cousin’s wedding so here it is:
The weekend can be summed up in one word: SPECTACULAR!
Almost the entire family was able to make it to the wedding. People came from Washington State, Oklahoma, Texas, South Carolina, Virginia, and New Mexico. I’d say we did our best at taking over Sherman, Texas for the weekend!
Besides having a ton of fun, doing alot of reminiscing, and making new memories that will last a lifetime, I think the most important thing that came out of the trip was the realization that I have the best family in the world and I absolutely love them. As children, we were all very close, but I often worry that after all of the years of college, and jobs, and everyone moving farther apart to pursue different careers or life choices, we would slowly drift apart and lose that closeness that we all had.
This trip definitely stifled those worries because even as adults, we all still enjoy each other’s company and realize how important it is to maintain that closeness that many other families are not lucky enough to have.
And in no specific order, here are my favorite moments from the trip:
- Marc calling me to tell me that they were running late to pick Ben and I up from the airport and they would be there soon if they didn’t die first from the roach crawling around Megan’s car
- Eating REAL Tex-Mex food and drinking margaritas with Megan and Ben on a Thursday afternoon
- Watching the Hangover with the fam and repeating quotes like, “Tigers love pepper; they hate cinnamon” and “Toodaloo Motha Fuckas”
- Running on the treadmill with my sister in the hotel gym on Friday morning and keeping each other motivated for our half marathon in October
- Eating continental breakfast with the whole family in the hotel lobby every morning
- Watching the surprise slide show made by Bryan’s (the groom) dad 3 times and loving it more each time
- Getting to know some of my cousins as adults since the last time I saw them they were still kids
- Dancing with Ben for the first time in our almost-4-year-long relationship
- Visiting with friends and family at the rehearsal dinner and the wedding reception
- Introducing Ben to the whole fam damily and to Sherman, Texas!
- DANCING with the fam (particularly to Footloose – will always remember the suspender tricks)
- Giving a speech at the reception to honor my cousin and one of my best friends
- Catching the bouquet (even if my mom DID volley it to me)
- Meeting many of the little ones who have joined our family but I hadn’t had the opportunity to meet yet and watching them dance and play on the dance floor
- Saying “Shelby Drink Your Juice” in a country accent every time Megan started to tear up at the thought of no longer being a Mitchusson to keep her from messing up her make-up
- The sigh of relief I had when mom fixed the zipper on my bridesmaid dress and once again confirmed that she is my ultimate hero
- Walking down the stairs at the reception with the best man as we were introduced to the guests to the tune of the Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling”
- Partying at Cellarmans until midnight after the rehearsal dinner and then moving the party to the Holiday Inn Express gazebo until 2 AM the night before the wedding
- Getting my hair done with my mom, aunt, the bride, and the bridesmaids
- Getting pedicures and manicures with my mom, aunt, sister, and cousin
- Laughing the day after the wedding at the stories of dance moves involving the shocker
- Seeing Matt’s bee hives
- Dancing to “Girl’s Just Want To Have Fun” after “catching” the bouquet
- Watching my cousin get married in the same church my parents were married in almost 40 years ago
There are so many more great memories, but if I keep writing, you’d all get bored and stop reading!
And now, courtesy of Marc Mitchusson, a photo of the Scott Family great-grandaughters who attended the wedding and also some of my best friends in the whole world!
I love this sign!
It’s almost as good as “We don’t swim in your toilet, so don’t pee in our pool!”
- Thankful Tuesday July 30, 2024
- Thankful Thursday June 6, 2024
- Thankful Thursday May 23, 2024
- Thankful Wednesday January 10, 2024
