Yesterday I woke up to a winter wonderland, as I said in my facebook page, "who moved my house?"  I had gone to bed with the rain pounding down and woke up to approximately 6 inches of snow, beautiful, however it changed how I spent my day.   Life tends to do that to us, and often it isn't as beautiful as the scene before me yesterday morning.  However, as you've probably heard before it's not what happens, it's how we react to what happens that matters. We cannot control a lot of stuff like the weather, whether our company is downsizing, whether our peers and others are rude/disrespectful to us, but we can change how we react to each of these actions.  Yesterday, I had planned to continue painting my office, but as I watched the sun come out and how it twinkled on the snow, a visual delight, I felt my resentment at this unexpected change, melt away (couldn't resist the pun!).  My car, of course being at the bottom of the driveway meant I had to clear the driveway, and it would depend on the roads around me as to whether I could get out to shop. My plans to paint, and then spent some of the  day shopping and people watching as I walked, slowly disappeared.  
But instead of grumbling I got up cooked myself a yummy breakfast which I ate sitting at the window with this amazing postcard perfect vision in front of me, and then did the filling and painting that I had planned for the day.  Then, with the sun still shining, I donned a cap, my hiking boots and tackled the snow.  It was easy, well not easy but because I went at it without resentment and took in the beauty, it was a lot easier than if I had gone at it with feelings of being hard done by.  I was even able to fill in a little walk afterward, and shopping, except for the cat, who cared, I had enough food in my cupboards, just had to be a bit more creative! 
If we look at what is happening around us, and keep asking why is it me that bad things always happen to, we are going to embrace thoughts of being treated unfairly, or mistreated, and we miss the beauty of what is around us, or those individuals who support us , we're so caught up in the 'poor me', syndrome we miss out on other 'brighter' things. The kindness of a co-worker, the smile of a homeless person, the fact someone left cookies in the the kitchen! Sometimes this 'poor me' is because we've set ourselves up, we expect certain things to happen, or people to support us and they don't?  Did they know our expectations?  Life happens in it's own mysterious way, and although we may not like it, we can start to look at the opportunities that change brings us.
Sometimes the best way to bust resentment is to look inside ourselves, and ask what did I do to set myself up and what can I do to get out of this funk?   I don't mean if life hits you unexpectedly that you should grin insanely and pretend everything is right, more take a few minutes, alone, and think about why you're feeling the way you do, what was it that you thought might/would happen, and how can you turn it around - for you, or at least take away the bitterness that you may be feeling... 
​Unexpected change happens to us all, taking the time to be aware of your feelings, how they appear and why, can make us more adaptable and happier with life.

It's funny writing these blog posts, I can see the statistics and know there are people reading, or at least looking, at the blog, but I'm not sure how many of you enjoy it.  It's a very strange relationship - sort of having a diary that everyone reads but no one talks about!  Do leave a comment or note on your thoughts of my posts, or even like me on Facebook, which will allow me to access all sorts of information.  Thank you!

Today is the last few days of April and I'm trying not to look at any of my electronic devices when I get up in the morning.  A challenge I've broken because my meditations are on my computer.  So I've compromised and only grab the computer for meditation purposes - I've set it up so that I go straight to the icon, and let me say - it's tough.  The computer is there, maybe I can just check up on Facebook and see what's happening with family and friends or maybe I should just check my phone to ensure my kids are okay!!  The excuses are great however I'm not succumbing and have now also decided that about an hour before bed, I'm turning them off.  This is to try and allow me to have a better sleep which has for most nights worked!

I'm really pleased with this challenge and it has made me much more aware of what was happening to my sleep patterns, having a computer/iPad, a cell phone and any other electronic item on or beside the bed.  Now except for the iPad they are all out of the room.  I use it as both an alarm and as access to my meditations.  Again I'm going to keep this challenge going - it's healthy for me.  How do you manage your devices?  Have you thought about what you have in your bedroom at night, having never been one for a TV in my room, it is not a problem for me, but slowly the other items crept into my room without me even being aware - could you change this one habit?  Try it, and let me know how you do!

I'm off to Eastern Canada to Ottawa, (a city I don't know at all), this week, for the last few days of my challenge, and still thinking about what May's should be.  I'm continuing with my Yoga and Pilates, however I would like to incorporate some outdoor time into my routine now that Spring is here and the days are longer and brighter.  So I think I'll add at least 5 days of outdoor walking/biking a week during May!  This does allow for a couple of lazy days, but because writing here makes me accountable I'm much more likely to keep the resolution.  Too after Ottawa, I'm off to BOSTON -  a city I do like and which is so great to walk around.  I'm going to my eldest's son's graduation!!!! So proud of my young man - it will be awesome, a friend is coming with me to celebrate, always fun to have a pal, we'll enjoy lots of exploring, good food and great music!  So expect a few posts during the next few weeks of our Excellent Adventures!

I'm confined to my home, a new knee in place and the journey back to wellness - I believe the health is there, the wellness is getting the new knee to straighten and bend.  So what is my goal - by next March 2014 I want to sit cross legged again!  And to achieve this I must work at the exercises that I have been given by my healthcare team - it's going to be challenging and there will be good days and bad days, but I have a clear goal in front of me - now to break it down into smaller steps.  I'm treating this like many other goals, small steps that move me forward.

One amazing discovery I have made since I arrived at home is that I am so lucky, I live on my own for the most part, I have no family close by, there are no nurses coming to visit, just the incredible generosity of friends who have put their lives aside to ensure that my journey to wellness is as easy as it can be.  I am overwhelmed and inspired by the number of people, who when I put my pride aside and asked for help, have been so giving.  Checking in with me each day, popping in with ice, food and company.  Ensuring that I can get to the appointments that have been made for me by my healthcare team.  It appears so simple, ask for help and friends willingly show up, however that first step is amazingly difficult to take, for me anyway.  What was it that made it so difficult - pride? the unwillingness to 'burden' others; the difficultly of showing others, good friends though they might be, the me underneath the paint and make up?  It interests me that it was such a big step for me, me who values my privacy, me who could do anything - I had to.  How much of my life journey may have been different if I had asked for help during those years on my own with my boys?  What is it that holds us back.  I spoke to one women some time ago about a difficult period in her life and why she hadn't done things in a different way - her response was that she didn't want anyone to know her business.  I asked why not - she wouldn't/couldn't answer.  She is stuck and unwilling to become unstuck - I can show her how, but she must make the decision.  

I'm interested in my reaction, what was it in my life that stopped me opening to others?  Was there a time when I was more open, what happened that changed things - sure I can blame it on my childhood, but it was my choice. Why did I make that choice, and how am I going to change my way of being when another challenge comes?  What about you, can you think back to a moment in time when you made a choice, and another when you changed that choice?  For now I'm thankful that I made that decision to ask for help, what a wonderful gift I allowed myself, my thanks to others is in allowing them to see me - who I am, warts and all!

So during the last few months, and particularly in recent weeks, I'm learning new things about myself.  I've always thought that I was fairly easy going, moving along life's path riding the waves and with a few exceptions coming out the other side intact.  

Over the years I have spent time learning more about me, doing some self examination and have a better understanding of who I am.  I've become much more self aware.  So it comes as some surprise to me now, when I find myself fretting.  I'm about to have surgery, a knee replacement, not a small thing I know, however what I have learned so far about myself is that despite the easy going exterior I show to the world, I really like to control the environment I live in and how I show up!  With this surgery I have to let go, I have no control around what is going to happen to me, other than say no, and believe me at this time it is not an option if I want to have a better quality of life as I age.  I have done everything I have been told, shown up at the pre-rehab information session, worked on the exercises given and more, re-organized in my mind not only that session but also the whole pre-admit process in BC hospitals!  Sent out a spreadsheet to friends to organize my life after surgery, reorganized my bedroom and home to accommodate me during that time of learning to walk again.  Ensured that friends and family are contacted after surgery letting loved ones especially know that I'm out and fine.  And yet.... I still fret!

And so it's a time of learning, I'm amazed at the generosity of friends, of others who have gone through this operation and are willing to share their learnings.  I'm also interested to listen to others who rather than encourage and applaud the decision to move forward with this operation, are negative.  Quite frankly if another person tells me it is going to hurt like hell I think I'll scream - those that do for the most part haven't had the operation themselves, but they know.  They continue about how difficult recovery will be, and how I'll not be able to do certain things!   I find myself curious, why are they so negative?  What is driving them to make such comments?   It has made me conscious that I should be more mindful of comments I make when speaking with someone who is facing a hard decision, or who has made one about moving forward - what assumptions am I making about their decision, is it my life I'm basing those assumptions on, or theirs?  Why be so negative when someone has obviously thought things through?  

It's just over a week before I go into hospital and I find myself working to still my mind of worries, fears about the what ifs?  What if something goes wrong?  What if I don't make it?  Have I got my papers in order (of course not!).  What if ?  Minds are funny things, we can't control what passes through but we can control our reaction to them.  So what if something goes wrong - I can't control that, but I have trust in my surgeon, I know that the team working on me are on my side, that they will do everything in their power to make sure nothing goes wrong, the admit process that I am so critical of is just one of the check points to ensure that I am ready and able to undergo this surgery - I need to accept this and not stress out about what I can't control, rather focus on what I can - ensuring I eat well and am as prepared as I can be both before and after surgery - I follow instructions rather than knowing better than the experts.  Again it makes me think about how much energy we put into focusing on our fears, usually fears of the unknown.  So now I'm focusing on 'So I'm out of surgery, all is well, how can I ensure my recovery is the best it can be?'  What do I look like three months from now, six months?  What am I doing?  Walking with friends, hiking maybe in a year I'll be snow shoeing up that same mountain that was the location of the accident that was the start of this three year journey - life will be good, because I will make it so - I'll be back in the driving seat, in control!

ps.  A friend sent this link to a TED talk about how our body language shapes who you are!  Enjoy

http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html

If one has to get up at ungodly hours, then these are the sunrises one cannot miss.  This morning for me was an early one, however on coming down the hill I couldn't but stop and watch this beautiful sunrise.  My meeting could wait, sometimes it pays to get up early!

I continued onto my meeting after taking a few photographs, my good feeling continuing not only throughout the meeting but throughout the day.  Usually on these early morning days I leave early, stumble home and fall upon the sofa.  But I have made a commitment to myself that I would leave my office early and go to the gym.  No one was there to check on me, I hadn't stated my commitment out loud, so I could have easily just gone home quietly and relaxed, no one else the wiser.  But like committing to family, a friend or a job, I am learning that committing to myself is equally important.  

What is com‧mit‧ment? 

Wikipedia states that 'Commitment is the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.. It is also known as a pledge or an undertaking.'  

I often find that while I stick to any commitment made to work, family or friends, sticking to a commitment made to me is so much more difficult to achieve.   I find too that I am not alone.  Clients who are trying to change or move forward, often find that while they will almost bend over backwards to ensure they meet any commitment to others, their commitment to themselves is easy to ignore.  So how can we make sure when we commit something to ourselves we treat that commitment in the same manner as we would to anyone else.  Speaking that commitment out loud, booking them into our calendars, making them as important, or more so, than all other commitments we make.  Take something that you try to do on a weekly, or monthly basis - an hour at the gym, an early night - anything that you want to do for yourself, make a commitment to keep that commitment once a week for a month, same day, same time.  See how you do.  Let me know how you do - I'm curious.

Oh, and by the way, the ending to my story.  I keep my bike on a rack on my car, I left early, took my bike off  and took it out.  The bike ride was brilliant, 18 K in the sunshine!