“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” — William Arthur Ward
I'm thinking it has been quite a while since I've made a lasagne! I've been working on other things. Still - lasagne is definitely something to be grateful for, so I'd better make sure we've got one on the menu this week. I found an excellent looking recipe a little while back, that I haven't tried yet:
http://www.closetcooking.com/2011/01/chicken-roasted-red-pepper-and-goat.html
I think it definitely sounds worth a go, and Mum is visiting this week, so we'll have an extra set of hands and also a call for some really nice celebratory meals at home.
Today I've been thinking about gratitude. That's largely because one of my friends encouraged me to take up a project based on the 365 Grateful project. Her version of it (I'm not really that that familiar with the original project) is to post 7 things for which you are grateful, on Facebook every Sunday. They can be photos, or just words. I've done my seven for the week. The point of doing all 7 together on Sunday, apparently - is to contemplate all week what you are grateful for, before posting them all together on one day.
Here is a link to the 'original' project:
http://365grateful.com/original-365-project
I guess at some stage, I might explore that a bit more myself. Right now there seems to be a whole lot of stuff to explore! I guess that's a huge movement from feeling so depressed and confused and dark that I could hardly move. Maybe the supplements are working? Definitely not going to work is working!! I know my partner is trying really, really hard to be incredibly supportive and understanding. That helps an enormous amount. It's a combination of everything I guess. There's so many aspects to the "get well" formula. If I had to pick my top five hints for today, to remind myself, I might choose these:
I'm thinking it has been quite a while since I've made a lasagne! I've been working on other things. Still - lasagne is definitely something to be grateful for, so I'd better make sure we've got one on the menu this week. I found an excellent looking recipe a little while back, that I haven't tried yet:
http://www.closetcooking.com/2011/01/chicken-roasted-red-pepper-and-goat.html
I think it definitely sounds worth a go, and Mum is visiting this week, so we'll have an extra set of hands and also a call for some really nice celebratory meals at home.
Today I've been thinking about gratitude. That's largely because one of my friends encouraged me to take up a project based on the 365 Grateful project. Her version of it (I'm not really that that familiar with the original project) is to post 7 things for which you are grateful, on Facebook every Sunday. They can be photos, or just words. I've done my seven for the week. The point of doing all 7 together on Sunday, apparently - is to contemplate all week what you are grateful for, before posting them all together on one day.
Here is a link to the 'original' project:
http://365grateful.com/original-365-project
I guess at some stage, I might explore that a bit more myself. Right now there seems to be a whole lot of stuff to explore! I guess that's a huge movement from feeling so depressed and confused and dark that I could hardly move. Maybe the supplements are working? Definitely not going to work is working!! I know my partner is trying really, really hard to be incredibly supportive and understanding. That helps an enormous amount. It's a combination of everything I guess. There's so many aspects to the "get well" formula. If I had to pick my top five hints for today, to remind myself, I might choose these:
- Don't spend TOO much time on the computer
- Take your supplements
- Shower, and dress from head to toe, to get your day started
- Don't drink more a glass and a half of wine (if any at all) and only with dinner
- Shine the sink again, it is an "inspiration point"
It's funny, the little things that can really get you going. Or get me going, in any case. Discovering that FlyLady website has been really helpful. I get so excited to see my shiny shiny sink. I want to keep it up for as long as possible. Two nights is nowhere near enough. She says it should be a lifetime habit. I wonder how long I can keep it up for. It's great because seeing the sink that shiny inspires me to clean other things - like one of my targets for today is to get in and clean underneath it, because relative to how great the sink looks, the cupboard underneath is disgusting. And I KNOW that looking at a bright, neat, sparkly cupboard under the sink will make me feel good too!
So - am I going to become some kind of domestic goddess, in my battle to conquer depression? Probably not. It's just not deep seated enough in my nature. BUT - if I get a cleaner house, and a halfway decent routine, and some shiny spots and good meals thrown into the mix, it can only be a good thing, and it does help, enormously.
I have to go now, because I snuck in another sleep in this morning, and my son is on the x-box right now, but we have a deal, and he has to switch off soon, and help me with some chores. In the past, it has often been me who allows his time on the game console to run over, so that I can blob out and do my thing (which is often some kind of avoidance). In the end it makes him irritable and rude, so it doesn't pay anyone decent dividends. So, I guess I have to step up and be a better mum, along with all the other things on my list.
Breathe, breathe .... I am grateful for my home, I am grateful for my family, I am grateful for the love we share and the meals we lay on the table together.
My daughter came over for dinner last night. It was wonderful. She even stayed and helped wash up, and I got to show her my shiny sink trick.
These are the things that feather the nest of my soul.
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