Round

Well, my new food journal & pleasure log combo is still working for me & thought I’d update you with some of the pleasures of the last few days.

Food wise there is not much exciting to report - you know your diet is going really well when the worst thing you can report is that you ate half an apple after dinner because you were kind of bored & it was there but you realized you weren’t really hungry (which is why it was only half an apple).

Pleasures this week :

• Podcasts, especially New Yorker Out Loud & The Moth
• Finishing a novel!  I’m back to reading - doing the A-Z author challenge
• Bringing my own good-quality teas with me & enjoying them instead of the cheap hotel teas (although I always taste the hotel ones first)
• Nice dinner in a proper restaurant for once, instead of all the room-service or quick-food compromises
• Not having to get up before 7 one day this week
• Time for a nice breakfast that became brunch
• Due to a schedule mix-up having time to go to the gym (and having packed so that I had gym stuff with me!)
• Getting my work inbox under control again finally
• The club lounge at the hotel that has free drinks (even if I’m just grabbing the sparkling water with lime)
• Getting caught up on blogs
• Free hotel shampoo called “Happy”
• My lovely verbena hand cream.  I’ll be sad when it’s gone.
• Teakettles in the hotel room & my stash of Celestial Seasonings restaurant pack bags for relaxing evening rituals
• Taking a nice hot bath & soaking while reading a novel

Beautiful Blogger Award

Another nice treat this week was Tish giving me a blogging award! That was so sweet to discover this weekend, but I wanted to find the time to reply properly (or semi-properly at least)

Long overdue, it’s time for another installment of my 100+ Things That Make Me Happy list

31. Buying a gift for a new baby

There are so many very cute things for new babies, and someone having a new baby is such a hopeful statement to the world.  I love buying gifts for new babies – I usually hit babyGap if it’s a French baby, and Petit Bateau for American babies.  Gymboree is my backup for French babies, because sometimes Gap has nothing nice.

32. The circus

I actually don’t know if this would still make me happy – I haven’t been to a circus in 20 years, but I loved it as a kid & would like to go again to see if I still like it.  The majesty, the multiple rings, the clowns, the trapeze artists!

33. Hugging a friend

In France, people give those little cheek kisses, but hugging is reserved for intimacy.  I love hugging my husband and he knows I miss hugs in general, so he indulges me in extra hugs when I need it, but there is somehow no real way to make up for hugs from friends.

34. A big pile of magazines

Oprah, ReadyMade, Real Simple, Self, the New Yorker, plus an art magazine or two.  And sometimes trashy celebrity magazines like US, People & InStyle.  I’ve given up on fashion magazines and women’s magazines – they just make me feel rotten about myself or pitch buying stuff that I don’t need.  Any magazine that makes it seem “normal” to have plastic surgery or to spend a month’s salary on shoes is a deforming influence on society…

35. My list of favorite quotes

I have a list of favorite quotes that goes back about 15 years.  I add to it only when I find something really meaningful to me, and reading back through the whole document is always emotional, because the types of quotes that speak to me vary with other things going on in my life, so I relive ups and downs in my life as I re-read the quotes.

36. Taking a nap in the afternoon

There are lots of nice ways to pass a few hours in the afternoon, but sometimes the best thing is nothing. Not nothing exactly, but a wonderful dip into sleep, be it the short 20 minute power nap variety, or a longer snooze.

37. Writing with a nice pen

Even though I now do most of my writing on computers or gadgets, I still love the feel of a nice pen in my hand. I’m pretty picky - ink must be blue, but not blue-black. The pen should have heft, but not be too thick. Here’s and example of a pen my husband gave me that I really enjoy

38. I hate to admit it, but eating sunflower seeds

It’s gross to see someone sucking on, cracking open & spitting out sunflower seeds so this is strictly a solo activity. But I love salt and I love crunch and I love sunflower seeds. They can keep my mouth and hands happy for quite a while. When I first moved to France I struggled to find them and ended up bringing big bags of David’s with me, but two years ago I found a local brand which is the best I’ve ever tasted - nutty, almost burnt, less salty then American brands.

39. That feeling when you take off your bra after wearing it for many hours

Needs no explanation, does it?

40. My iPhone

All the educational, mind-enriching, connected content. All the fun games and gadgets. Having several worlds of audio and video on demand, with me everywhere.

What makes you happy?

If you start the 100+ Things List I’ll link to your post (or page) if you let me know

———————–

Spring Focus Update

I’ll post the weekly group results tomorrow so any of you that haven’t yet submitted your results via the email I sent out yesterday morning can still get in on the group reporting

I seriously think I may have hit on something with this way of tracking my food alongside my daily pleasures.  It makes me look forward to pulling out the little notebook throughout the day.  I don’t feel like I’m policing myself or living with the drudgery of a food journal (although I am, on both counts) - I feel like I’m enjoying my life more.

Some of my pleasures for the past two days :

• Berries at breakfast
• Efficient German airports where you just speed through each step
• The sound of water in a fountain
• Reading on the airplane during takeoff & landing
• A short nap on the plane (needed that!)
• A beautiful sunny day and a little spare time to actually be out & enjoy it
• Having lunch at an outdoor café on the side of the lake
• Swans!
• Squeezing in time for an exercise walk during a busy day
• This American Life on podcast
• Taking a bath
• Dinner with a friend
• Having a nice mug of good green tea

On the diet front, not many off-track moments.  Yesterday & today I had 2 squares of 85% cocoa chocolate that I brought from home, which is hardly a deviation since I plan some chocolate into my diet.  Lunch yesterday was a bit of a challenge as it was one of those terrible appetizer-type things with lots of choices of little nibbles none of which were very healthy & almost all of which were not very diet-friendly. The chicken skewers were the best choice by far - and what I filled up on, but I still needed to leave some for others.

All in all, feeling really pleased about the week from both a diet & stress-management perspective!

Now into the home stretch of this big project - by Friday evening it’s history.

Well, yesterday I tracked my food - and my Pleasures.

Diet tracking was easier than I’d expected and the idea I came up with to put it face to face with tracking my pleasures/relaxation made it more fun and less tedious.

Pleasures for the day :

• The Moth podcast
• Reading a book on the plane
• New Yorker Out Loud podcast
• Free wifi at the airport
• Having my own good-quality green tea instead of garbage cheap stuff at the meeting
• Looking at my jewelery that reminds me of what it signified (anniversary, birthday, wedding, etc)
• Colored pens
• Talking to a friend on the phone
• Skipping a group dinner to have room service
• 30 minutes catching up w blogs
• A candle I brought with me
• Herbal tea
• Reading for 10 minutes before sleep

We were away for the weekend, and it was really nice.  I think I can find 10 things for my 100+ Things That Make Me Happy list from this weekend which we spent in Estes Park, Colorado

21) The Mountains

Preferably the Rockies, and preferably in Colorado, but I always love mountains anywhere.   Of course, this weekend we were in the Colorado Rockies so it was great!

22) Going out for a decadent brunch :

This is much easier to do in the US than in France, and we’ve indulged in it quite a bit this trip.  This morning both my husband & I ordered eggs, and we also ordered a berry-topped waffle to share.  Going back to dieting will be a shock to my (overindulged) system.

23) A big chunk of time to read a mystery or thriller :

Mystery & thrillers are not my normal reading materials, but we started the Steig Larsson trilogy last year & took book number 2 with us on this trip — and since books are heavy I hate bringing them & not reading them.  Since our trip ended up with bad weather, it was good for reading…  I finished The Girl Who Played with Fire in under 24 hours.

24) Hot tubs :

I rarely go in hot tubs, but every time I do I wonder why I don’t do it more often.  Our cabin had a hot tub and we used it each day, sitting & reading, enjoying the landscape, pretending the other cabins weren’t too close & enjoying the contrast of hot water & cool air around us.

25) Independent coffee shops :

Where you can buy a nice hot drink & sit back and relax for an hour or more.  I settle for Starbucks when I must, but if I have the choice I prefer independent shops.

26) Mexican food :

I like Mexican food, and I miss it a lot when I’m in France.  We’ve had quite a bit of it since we’ve been in Denver (very big Latino population in this city).  My favorite is still the kind that is dripping with chili sauce & cheese.   Tonight I had chile rellenos - yum!  The really good salsas are a real treat too - especially because in France, to get good salsa I have to make it, whereas here it’s easier to find.

27) Spending time with my husband with nothing on the agenda :

This trip has been a special treat because we’ve had so much couple time.  Work is on computers & phones & is very early in the mornings, but in the evenings in Denver Europe is sleeping so we’ve had lots of time alone.  We’re both caught up with work & overall pretty relaxed and so it’s been really nice to be together. Since in our usual lives one or both of us is stressed with work & traveling, and weekends are often full of lots of social obligations, it’s been a really nice time.

28) Seeing wild animals in their natural environment :

I have always liked going to the zoo because I love to see the different animals, but it’s always sad too, because no creature was made to live in a prison like that.  I love it when I get to see wild animals in their natural environment - we saw tons of chipmunks, squirrels, and birds, but also a Rocky Mountain Big Horn sheep closer than I’ve ever seen one (about 10 feet!) and a bunch of elk, including 3 young bucks with half-grown fuzzy antlers hanging out in the middle of the road for 5 minutes.  Very cool!

29) Makeup counter Bonus Time :

It’s ridiculous how much I enjoy something so dumb, but the truth is, I get a thrill when it’s Bonus Time.  Since in France they don’t do the Bonuses with the same generosity, all my purchases of Lancome & Clinique are done stateside.  Often it’s my mom or sister who pick them up for me, and this trip I got lucky & hit two separate ones.  Both made me smile (even though I rarely even use the free gifts).

30) Cinnamon flavored stuff :

I like cinnamon a lot, and I think I like it even more now that I live in Europe, because it’s a fundamentally American flavor, and one that is no where near as common in France.  Cinnamon gum, cinnamon toothpicks, cinnamon bagel chips, cinnamon ice cream, cinnamon body wash…  But mostly the cinnamon gum.  I have several packs in my suitcase ready to travel back with me.

I’m continuing my recent series on creating a list of 100+ Things That Make Me Happy and why I found that to be a really helpful partner in managing my weight the low-stress way last year.

11. A hot bath with a cool glass of water :

This is a cheap and easy thing, but one that I don’t do nearly enough. Best with a nice bath oil or foam, I generally prefer the floral scents that are a bit exotic, like jasmine or orange blossom. But I’m not very picky, even a hotel-issue shower gel or shampoo can be used in a pinch, and sometimes nothing but pure clean water fits my mood better. One thing I do insist on is HOT. Sometimes nice with a candle lit or music playing

12. Pretty feet after a pedicure :

I have always disliked feet. I just think they are strange and kind of gross looking, but I find that cute polished toes make them a little better. My husband, however, hates toenail polish, so most of the time I go polish-free. But a few times a year I break out the polish (usually a neutral shade, but once in a while deep red) for my own pleasure. I particularly love a good professional pedicure – when someone scrubs the yucky stuff off your heels and cleans up the cuticles and all the other little crud.

13. Wearing a pretty dress :

I’m not a fashion junkie and never have been, and my biggest criteria for clothes is comfort, followed by practicality of care & travel. A good friend of mine has lots of jersey dresses that she wears for work and travel and that opened up a new world for me, and now I like wearing a pretty dress from time to time just for the flow and femininity it brings. My husband always appreciates it when I wear a pretty dress (although we don’t always agree on what is “pretty”!)

14. Getting a massage or spa treatment :

I don’t do this often, but I really do enjoy it. I’ve always been pretty self-conscious about my body, but I somehow manage to get over that when I have a massage or spa treatment. I generally prefer the massage to most other treatments, but sometimes I experiment either as part of a “package” or because I’m always hopeful to find something else wonderful. Last year I had a “modelage sous l’eau” which was kind of a warmed sea-water massage and it was the most sensual experience of my life (excepting a few intimate experiences). My husband enjoys massages too, so with a little prodding I can usually get him to agree to this (we know a good masseur who comes to our house). I think I need to suggest this again.

15. Reading a good book :

I have always enjoyed reading and passing time with a good book has been a consistent source of pleasure for me through the years. Over the past decade or so I’ve become much more selective in my reading, and I generally read award-winning literary fiction, although I also read a good amount of stuff for work. I love to collect recommendations of books that other people have found really special, and I add those to lists (and eventually to my bookshelves). Currently in early 2010 I’m a little out of the reading habit (because I’m spending my free time on some other things) but last year reading got me through some really tough times – and I devoured over 50 books.

16. Watching a movie at home :

We live TV-free, and we’re really happy with that decision. When I was younger (and single) I had a TV and at times I would have the thing on for hours and spend my time and brain cells on the dumbest stuff. I would almost always turn off the TV disgusted with myself for spending time that way. Nowdays we have no TV, although we do have a great setup for watching DVDs. We have a projector and screen and my husband has amassed a massive DVD collection – we have over 800 movies and probably 35 TV series. We usually watch about 2 movies a week and maybe an episode of a TV series (on a night when we have a little time but not enough for a movie). Because we have such a nice setup we end up watching really good films (most of the time) in a really comfortable environment and can stop for tea & nature breaks when we need to.

17. Really good really dark chocolate :

Living in Paris I have easy access to some of the best chocolatiers in the world, some French, some Belgian, and it’s fun to try different ones. Some of the strong points of the various chocolate superstars are lost on me, since I like my chocolate SIMPLE (just a plain dark bar is best for me), so the filled chocolates & truffles & holiday concoctions that make these people famous are usually not a big hit for me (there are, of course, exceptions!). And when I say Dark, I mean it : 70% is lightweight for me, my usual choices are 85% or even 99% (although 99% cocoa eating chocolate is hard to come by, even in Paris). Having the really good, really dark chocolate around really helps my dieting. The taste is powerful and lasting, so a little goes a long way, the calorie counts are manageable and the antioxidant & happy-feeling chemical stuff are dynamite. I can pass up a lot of so-so temptations knowing that I have really good really dark chocolate available – so I try to keep some with me at all times when I travel & of course I keep it at home.

18. Going on a hike

I don’t hike as much as I’d like, we’ve lost the habit and living in a city it means it needs a real effort and planning, but I love hiking.  I like the clean natural air, the hard-beating heart, the effort, the views, the chance to appreciate nature.  When I envision myself living a “healthy active life” going on hikes regularly is a big part of that vision, so I hope to do more of this in the coming months — and years!

19. Listening to the sound of the ocean :

I grew up in Colorado, a state that is completely land-locked, but I’ve always loved the sound of the ocean. One of my favorite things is being in a place where I can open a window and hear the waves and wind and birds at the sea. I don’t listen to environmental soundtracks very often, but every so often I do turn on the “ocean” sound on my iPhone and relax for a few minutes.

20. Getting a good night’s sleep :

Most of the time I sleep less than I’d like. I am busy doing stuff at night, I go to bed later than planned. I almost always set my alarm to wake up earlier than I would wake naturally. This is modern life for most of us, of course. But every so often I listen to my body telling me it’s tired and either I sleep in late or I go to bed early (or very rarely, I do both) and its always a shockingly amazing feeling to feel what a good night’s sleep is really like.

I recently made this post about creating a list of 100+ Things That Make Me Happy and why I found that to be a really helpful partner in managing my weight the low-stress way last year. 

Make a List

As I mentioned last week, I’m going to post some of my 100+ Things That Make Me Happy every week — and hope to get well beyond 100. 

1.  Cook something yummy

I spent years not cooking.  I didn’t know how and  I didn’t enjoy it.  But of course losing weight and eating out aren’t very compatible so I did the minimal amount.  Most of my food was pretty boring and for a long time that didn’t bother me.  When I met my husband, he was the cook.  But after a while it just seemed unfair that he was always having to cook when we were both tired from the day, and he is not a very healthy cook (although he is good!).  I started to cook more to balance things in our relationship than anything else, but surprised myself when I found that I actually liked the cooking.  It helped that I took some cooking classes and read a lot of cookbooks.   Several years later, cooking is something I actually ENJOY, but most especially when something turns out well and is really yummy.

2. Trimming the rosebushes

I hated yard work growing up.  It was one of my mother’s favorite ways to punish us as kids, and that’s not a great way to raise future gardeners.   Much to my surprise, I found tending to the rosebushes was a lot of fun and very satisfying.  Cut a little bit here, watch a shoot start & a new bloom a few weeks later.  We have lots of rosebushes now in our garden, and I love taking care of them.  Most of the rest of the garden work is still a drag to me, but the rosebushes make me happy.

3. Doing art projects

I’m not skilled, but I enjoy doing artisitic things.  If I had infinite time and energy I’d take a drawing class and a painting class & I’d buy tons of art supplies.  Alas, both time and energy are limited, so I don’t do much of it, but when I do I’m always pleased with the feelings of the process (even if the results are pretty lousy).

4. Taking sunbaths!

I started doing this last summer when my vitamin D levels turned out to be deficient.   I loved the process of going out in the sun with the express purpose of just lying there for 10 or 15 minutes.  Hard to do with a job, and hard to do without a private yard, but it was a really nice few minutes for several weeks, and something I am looking forward to in the coming months - at least once in a while on weekends.  For day to day vitamin D I take supplements (and periodic prescription doses) but I really loved the sunbaths.

5. Having a clean house - and sometimes the act of getting it that way

I don’t like the routine of cleaning a house, but I like the result, I like the smell of a clean house, and l like looking at something that was grungy and is now clean.  Sometimes if I can spend a short amount of time transforming grungy to clean I even like the process of cleaning, but that has to be short and show a visible difference — routine cleaning doesn’t give me that pleasure. 

6. Not having piles of clutter

Interesting that I found this on my list, because piles of clutter are again all over my house, and I forgot how much I like having them GONE.  I did make major strides last year in getting the clutter piles cut dramatically down - there is now just one main area that gets the clutter bug for me personally, but in our house my husband & stepson grow clutter in several locations, and I’ve maybe let that get out of hand.  Clear clutter-free and organized spaces are just so much more pleasant.

7. Being on top of projects and paperwork

It’s true that this is a great feeling, and it’s also true that this is an ongoing battle.  I almost always have more projects that I can reasonably manage, and that often leaves me feeling that I’m behind on something, not on top of everything.   But having systems that work really makes this run smoother, and I’ve worked those out to be pretty functional for me over the years.

8. Doing things that are supposed to be healthy for me, like taking vitamins & drinking green tea

I now get great happiness from knowing I’m doing things to take care of myself & my health.  I’ve even managed to switch my mindset to make Regular Exercise one of these things that I do to take care of my health, something that I refer to as Dieting Nirvana, because I think it’s the ultimate place to be.  Making choices that make us healthier AND happier.   For me, taking vitamins & drinking green tea are some of my daily routines that fit in this category — little acts of self-care that really matter to me on many levels.

9. Drinking good teas (black, herbal, green)

I grew up in Denver Colorado, home of Celestial Seasonings teas, and have been an avid herbal tea drinker most of my life.  I now am an avid tea drinker period, drinking black tea in the morning (usually instead of coffee, sometimes decaf, sometimes not).  I drink a big pot of green tea now usually mid-morning.  If I’m on the road I have travel sachets of green tea I take with me, and I have little packs of the powdered matcha tea that I sometimes mix into water bottles too.  I take the tea thing seriously, because I really like it and I’ve found it puts a good focus on my day — If I’m focused on drinking my various types of teas, I’m not focusing on snacks and other things.  It also means I’m drinking a lot.  After the green tea is done, I usuallly move to herbal teas in the afternoon and will drink them most of the rest of the day, ending with a hot cup as I go to bed.  I do drink water along the way too - so yes, I spend a lot of time looking for bathrooms along the way.  Green tea is interesting because last year I didn’t much care for it, and today it’s my favorite.  Our tastes definitely change with time and exposure.

10. Playing sudoku

Silly time waster, but not as dumb as some things are, I enjoy playing sudoku.  I don’t like the really hard levels, and I don’t like ANY of the variations (the counting or math ones).  But these little puzzles are a good way for me to calm an anxious mind, and can get me to relax enough to go to sleep when I’m wound up, and can also be used effectively when I have time to kill waiting somewhere.  I play on my iPhone, on the Nintendo DS & on paper.   I tend to go in cycles, not playing at all for several months, but I also like to know it’s there as a short little treat when I want it.

I’m also updating the page “Relax” with this list.

I’d love it if you play along too! 

What are some of the things that make you happy?

If you join in making this list, please let me know - I’m going to create a list of those playing along in the “Relax” page

A couple of years ago I stumbled upon an idea to create a list of 100 Things That Make You Happy.  I started the list, then let it languish.

Last year when I was scared to death about the endometrial cancer stuff I found it again, and this time I completed it.

Why? What’s the benefit of such a list?

The reason the list of 100+ Things That Make You Happy is a good idea is that it puts emphasis on pleasure, enjoyment & happiness in life.  Once you list things that make you happy, when you need to de-stress or recharge your batteries, you have a list of things that you can do that make you feel better.  Some things on your list might require planning and organization (climbing a mountain) but some might be just lighting a candle or making a cup of tea.

Focus on the Positive

Doing those 100+ Things That Make You Happy puts a focus on the positive aspects of your life.  Plenty of other things in your life might be tough, but there are still moments of peace and happiness that you can extract.

A great synergy for weight loss

Having this list can give you ideas of treats and rewards for yourself that you can use as you work on losing weight.  If you’re really lucky and have hit Dieting Nirvana anywhere it can even include items that are BOTH relaxing AND contributing to your weight goals (a walk in the park, a gym session, a great salad, etc).

Ok, I see the point.  How do I do it?

Getting started is easy - just you and your ideas, on the back of an envelope, or even better as a blog post.  Whatever works for you.

If you’re like me, you won’t get to 100 in one go - I think I managed about 20 ideas right away, then it slowed down a lot.

I actually found it really hard - I mean, it was easy to find about 40 things, but getting to 100 required really thinking about it and adding to that list from time to time.  I worked on it off and on for quite some time, and now that list is pretty much complete - although as I post my list here (in groups of 10) I’m challenging myself to add at least one new item for each set of 10. My personal goal is to get well above 100, and I’m actually starting from less than 100, because as I re-read my list I found 2 duplicates (tea & dark chocolate!) and a couple of other ideas that are too similar to really count as separate entries.

As I started mine, I found it helpful to think about different aspects of my life :

• Different roles I play (wife, job, friend, etc)
• Daily activities & routines (shower, lotion, etc)
• Recreational Activities
• Personal Activities
• Favorite Pastimes
• Projects

A couple of other pointers :

I exclude Money because in fact Money doesn’t buy happiness & it’s too easy for us to cop out of the things that DO make us happy by imagining money as a magical solution.

I had thought about excluding food but that’s just not realistic.  I eat 3-5 times a day, and if I don’t use some of that time to make myself happy I might as well just eat gruel.  On the other hand, I don’t believe my happiness is tied to my diet, and one of my key weight loss tips is to eat a diet that you actually enjoy, so I think happiness and food can be compatible.  The truth is dark chocolate, berries & Mexican food really DO add happiness to my life.

There is no wrong way to do this - it’s about making a list that is relevant to YOU. Here’s a blog post someone wrote recently that elaborates more on the topic.

This is an excellent exercise to remind ourselves what things in life should be valued the most, no matter how small. No matter how you start, I hope you enjoy the process!  I’ll be putting my list on a new page on my blog as I build it.

I hope you’ll join in doing this with us - I intend to post 10 items once a week, so this will go on for quite a while.  Jump in whenever you want to — on your own blog or posting in the comments!

Wow, this “focus on relaxing” thing seems to be really helping me.

Focus on the Positive

Instead of just paying attention to food (it’s a food journal week) and exercise that I should do, I’m paying attention to the Relaxing and Pleasure of what I want to do too.

It makes me focus on the Positive and not feel like I’m living a life of deprivation.  (Not that I am living a life of deprivation anyway, but sometimes dieting can feel like that).

I packed a small candle in my suitcase.  I have a pillow spray from the hotel last week that is lovely and a nice little touch.  I kept the flower from the room service tray in my room to decorate and liven the place up a bit.  I have a good book and an iPhone packed with lots of podcasts to listen to as I get ready in the mornings.  There are plenty of nice things going on.

The Challenges have begun

Huge enormous hotel breakfast buffet with about 7 million kinds of cakes and pastries, tons of jams and pancakes, juices, and well, just about anything you would say wouldn’t be part of your healthy, diet-friendly breakfast was on offer.  I stuck to my guns and had roughly the same breakfast I’d have chosen at home, although I did add berries.  Wonderful deep red tangy berries.

When did coffee breaks become snack breaks?

I’m at this big meeting with fixed coffee breaks twice a day.  If you’ve ever been to one of these events you’ve probably seen the same thing - a big chain hotel, a bunch of people, scheduled breaks.

But it’s not really about the coffee at these things anymore - it’s all about the snacks.  They’ll probably have different snacks out at each of the breaks (2 day meeting, so 4 breaks total).  Small squares of cakes, cookies, candy, fruit (if you’re lucky or push to the front before it’s all gone).  Often in the afternoon they’ll add some salty snacks too.  And given that I’m in Germany it’s likely to be pretzels.

What do I do?  I focus on the coffee.  Well, tea actually.  I try to drink a cup during the break and make another cup to take into the conference room with me.  Comforting, warm, soothing, tasty tea.  So far this morning, I’ve had 3 cups of a lovely flavored green tea.  And 2 cups of English Breakfast tea at breakfast.

Focusing on the tea makes me not focus on the snacks that I pass up.  Honestly it’s not that anyone is actually hungry at 10:30, nor that the snacks are ever THAT good - usually they are industrial disappointing sickly sweet things.  So I know my tea focus is a better health choice, a better mental focus, and aids me in relaxing.

What nice things are in your life today?

I’ve been feeling more stressed these past few days, so it’s a good thing I’ve been trying to put an emphasis on relaxing.

I’ve meditated daily. 

Yesterday I called a friend and that was really helpful.

I’ve tried to sleep a bit more.

I’m drinking tons of tea, especially green tea.

The other day I went for a walk at lunch and really enjoyed listening to music on the way.

I’ve listened to lots of podcasts on my iPhone while in my hotel room this week too.

I would have loved to take a bath but my room this trip had a shower not a tub so that was out - but I did enjoy my nice shower gel which has almond oil in it & leaves me feeling all slippery.

I’ve tried to mainly eat foods that I actually LIKE as well as fit my diet, because taking pleasure in eating relaxes me too.  I’ve not always had success with that - a lot of what’s on offer here in Germany isn’t my favorite, but I do the best I can. 

I smile while I type because I’m wearing the rings that fit again that remind me of my wonderful husband and his generosity & good taste & how lucky I am to have him in my life.

I have a magazine ready for my flight home to entertain me & get my mind going in some new directions.

I would have benefited from releasing some stress through exercise but I’ve had long working days and been very tired this week, so my good intentions to do exercise in my hotel room this week have largely gone unfulfilled - but I forgive myself, so that’s okay.

I’ve enjoyed NOT having a scale to hop on every morning, and I think I’m getting ready to give the scale up for a few weeks.  I “officially” weigh in every Monday but really get on the scale pretty much every day when I’m home, just to “see how I’m doing” but being away from the scale I’m realizing that even that does add some stress, and I’m pretty sure I’m in the groove enough to be able to stay on track without the scale every day.  I think I’m going to put it away and only pull it out Mondays for a while - and see how that goes for me.