Day Four
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HOT SHOWERS
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COMMUNITY
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MY LITTLE FAKE FIRE
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AMAZON MUSIC
| HOT SHOWERS | COMMUNITY | MY LITTLE FAKE FIRE | AMAZON MUSIC
Today’s Vibe:
Day four and November already! Where does the time go? Another busy day working away today. Lots of work for a non-profit I work for, a little bit of marketing work, an online course and a fair amount of voluntary work too. In addition to running my creative consultancy, I’m pretty heavily involved in music and theater in the town I live in so that keeps me out of trouble.
Today I was creating graphics and writing emails to encourage people to join our music boosters organization, as well as working behind the scenes on a future fundraiser for our school theater booster club, and it just struck me how GREAT our community is. We are a small town full of hard-working, busy people (for the most part) and sometimes people can feel overwhelmed by the busyness of life and miss things. But when you draw people’s attention to what’s needed and what they can do to help - be it a $5 - $30 donation, buying a ticket, volunteering to create something for a display or help make and source costumes, this community seriously steps up. It’s great. And it’s worth focusing on it really, because when I look out beyond the town I live in it can sometimes seem a bit as though we’ve all lost our humanity. Sometimes it’s good to just focus on the good things, even if they’re small in the grand scheme of things!
Before you say it, I do recognize that the reason people in this community are able to step up is because they are in the fortunate position to have either the time, money, or energy to help, because life for most people and for the most part around here is pretty stable. But I’m also involved in several other communities through work where people are not so fortunate and have suffered deeply. And seeing the community those people have and the support they offer one another also makes me feel hopeful. So, community. That’s definitely something I’m grateful for today.
It’s been the chilliest day so far this fall today. And for some unknown reason we’re trying not to put the heating on in the downstairs of the house (and only in the upstairs for when we get out of bed). It’s kind of nonsensical - it’s freezing. And it’s not like we were trying to get to November 1st or anything - we’re just… not putting it on. Of course it’s better for the environment - saving the polar bears as I like to say - and it’s saving us money, but I actually don’t think we’re doing it for either of those reasons - it’s more to prove our toughness or something?! Actually, I’m not trying to prove my toughness at all. My study is slap bang in the middle of the house and I have shut all the doors and put on my little fake electric fire. People tease me about it and say it’s naff but I love it. I know it’s fake and obviously so, but something about fake moving orange flames just makes me feel warmer (even without the actual heater on I have found!). It’s odd the way we can trick our brains - like imagining you’re laying on a beach and you can hear the waves and feel the sand between your toes - try it - it works!
OK, so the things I’m grateful for today are:
Hot showers - I was late getting my shower this morning as I spent over an hour on FaceTime to my daughter in the UK (5 hours ahead) helping her book train tickets and when I got to the shower the heating hadn't been on upstairs for a while (just writing this I’m thinking, turn the heating on you crazy woman!) and when I got in that hot shower it was bloody BLISSSS! So much so that I think I’m going to have another one when I’ve finished this!
Community - Because it’s great to feel part of one and to feel other people care about the things you care about and have your back.
My little fake fire - it may not be sophisticated, but it makes me happy!
Amazon Music - because it’s just on in the background and playing some epic tunes as I write this. Love how it always seems to know my mood! Islands in the Stream, people - channeling the Beckhams tonight!
It’s a Gratitude Cloud
Fancy taking part in this exercise and sharing the things you’re grateful for each day so you can be part of our Gratitude Cloud (like a word cloud, but more grateful!)? Just fill out the form below. Each day I’m posting a word cloud here.