When I stop and look around, I notice my current situation. Today I see a comfortable home — not too messy, nor too tidy. I see lots of possible uplifting projects. I look forward to the fun of cooking and making a video or two of my own.

But for now, I want to closely check my environment and the perception of my circumstances, my well-being.

I like the environment I live in. But I notice action-theme is one of concern over the future. I may not want to admit it; I miss dependency on financial employment. I notice energy is lower than usual. If I am brutally honest, I am attaching my writing book projects into this dependency. I am imagining that I am in need. And, that is stopping the flow of satisfaction. In other words I continue to resist the fact that I am free and retired! When I try to force myself back into some fantasy of employment, I am unhappy and unsuccessful. This is a great realization. It’s all in front of me, if I just take notice of my circumstances!

I am reminded when I was about 4 or 5, I sat by the side of our house along a walkway. There were bushes with beautiful pink flowers and big luscious leaves. I made little flower arrangements out of the leaves and flowers and decided I would sell them. Right there! On the side of the house! Twenty feet from the front yard, invisible from people who might walk by! I was saddened I could not draw them to me. As a child, I had the good fortune to move onto the next best idea. I took the flowers to my mother as a present! My sadness immediately evaporated.

Book selling now has a similar attachment of sadness. I look at reports every day and try to remain positive. I feel foolish to have such lofty dreams. And, here is where the idea of looking at circumstances comes into play. The more I show concerned, the worse the circumstance looks to me! I can change this circumstance by changing my thoughts, by changing my concern. I can take the essential motivation for writing, love, and transform it into something beautiful.

It is time to live the words I write.

Cooking is always a good idea for me, and fun too! In a moment

When we have defective lives, (lack of health, lack of money, lack of friends and family, etc.), the negative situations create feelings of helplessness, guilt, fear and regret, and, oh yes, a lack of what we think makes us happy. What if we were to interpret the feelings of defective lives as stop signals telling us to change the way we are thinking. Just as changing a light bulb, we could change our negative attitudes toward living. What if we changed the defective thought and connected with the ever-present happiness?
Dean Aliaga, Barbara. Getting To Happy: Learning To Read Emotional Messages (Kindle Locations 282-286). Kindle Edition.

I am cooking up a magnificent potato salad today. And, those ginger cookies can’t come to life without me! I am turning on amazing classical music! I have an idea for a humorous, piano video for my brothers and sister. It’s going to be a fine day, filled with love, joy and happy music!

I feel so much better now. I am indeed on the current in the river of life. I am one among all. I breathe with ease now. Thank you for letting me share my thoughts with you. I hope they help you also. Together we can build a happier world!

Best to you,

Barbara