Happy Monday

Good morning all my beautiful blog followers :) I am pleased to report that after a weekend involving waaaaay to much alcohol, very little sleep and a good handful of palming off my parental responsibilities, I am back in the game. Happiness and I have reunited and although I am sure our fling will have its ups and downs, today we are insanely in love. There are several things in this world that make me happy, far too many to mention, but they all seem to centre around being in the present moment: I love being immersed in a game with the kids where we are all laughing and smiling and it feels like nothing else in the world matters. I love getting lost in reading a good book or even better, attempting to write one! I love being outside feeling the grass under my toes, the warm sun on my skin and breathing in fresh, crisp lungfuls of morning air. Yep, being present can really make the smallest of things turn into full sensory, heart warming experiences. .

A few posts ago, I typed the words "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice". I got this saying out of our Church magazine and below it is a list of things we can all do to be present and get the most out of each and every day. 

• Go to bed on time.
• Get up on time so you can start the day un-rushed.
• Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
• Delegate tasks to capable others.
• Simplify and un-clutter your life.
• Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many).
• Allow extra time to do things and get to places. 
• Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together. 
• Take one day at a time. 
• Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it. 
• Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
• Have backups; have an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps etc.
• K.M.S (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
• Do something for "the kid in you" every day.
• Carry a book with you to read while waiting in line. 
• Get enough rest. 
• Eat right.
• Get organised so everything has its place. 
• Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
• Write down thoughts and inspirations. 
• Every day, find time to be alone. 
• Having problems? Talk to someone. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it is time to go to bed.
• Make friends. 
• Laugh. 
• Laugh some more!
• Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all. 
• Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
• Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
• Sit on your ego.
• Talk less; listen more.
• Slow down.
• Remind yourself that you are not the General Manager of the Universe.  
• Every night before bed, think of one thing that you are grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. It may have a way of turning things around for you.

I hope a few things on this list struck a chord with you and have motivated your Monday!

Kate xox