Day 187 Intention ~ Be Thankful For The Time Together

Day 187 Intention ~ Be Thankful For The Time Together

As my family parted ways this morning,  I am thankful for what time we do get to spend together. We are spread out in Georgia, Virginia, New York & Ohio and just don't get to spend that much time all together. Sure we don't always agree, but we still always love each other. We laugh a lot & there is an unbreakable connection between us. These are the people who helped shape my life and who I am today.

Thank you to my family ~ I miss you already ♡

Til Tomorrow...

Shanti,

Marcia

Day 177 Intention ~ Keep Counting The Blessings

Day 177 Intention ~ Keep Counting the Blessings...

It is always good to look at the things in life that are positive and good. Whether it is something personal or more universal. 

Today, I continue to count the blessings for having such a wonderful husband, dog, cat, family & so many wonderful friends. I am thankful that I get to do what I love to do for a living. I am thankful to have a home I love with food on the table and that we get to go have so much fun in this life. 

I am thankful for the downfall of DOMA today too so that others can share in some of the happiness and feel support in their equality in this life. 

We have this life (and maybe some more- ha ha) to be the best person we can be and live in love, harmony, peace and respect for all other living things. Let's not take these things for granted. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 170 Intention ~ Start Today Fresh

Day 170 Intention ~ Start Today Fresh

Part of being present is starting each day fresh. We get a chance to start over every single day of our lives, so the choice is ours to have a good day or wallow in the past or get anxious about the future. It's so much easier to just choose now. 

Yesterday I was feeling down and out of sorts and just a little bit grumpy. But this morning, everything seemed new and exciting and I found gratitude again. To have so much in this life to be thankful for and not take for granted is so so important. 

So, maybe today hasn't been your day so far. If you can't turn it around for yourself right now, just remember to hit the "refresh" button on your mind when you wake up tomorrow. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 167 Intention ~ Give My Dad A Little Love

(In Portland, Maine summer 2011)

Day 167 Intention ~ Give My Dad A Little Love

Happy Father's Day to all of the dad's out there. Just like many little girls, yep, I think that mine is the best. Even as an adult I think so. Just one of those genuine, hard-working, honest, laid back guys that did (and does) what he needs for his family and lives how he feels it is right. My dad is that guy who always mowed the older people in the neighborhood's lawn or shoveled their driveway in the snow. Even now at almost 84, he tends the lawn at his church. 

He worked 2 jobs when my brothers and I were growing up to make ends meet. He was a fireman for 40 years and on the side, he installed electric garage doors. He always grows a beautiful garden and just plain knows how to do stuff. 

As a kid, it seemed like he was always at work, but when he was around, he was always working outside or taking care of things around the house for us. 

As an adult, I love to talk to him about football and baseball, gardening, and whatever's on his mind. We joke around a lot. We laugh a lot. Even today, when I talked to him, we mostly laughed and talked about our upcoming trip to Virginia with my whole family. 

This fall it'll be 3 years since he had a quintuple bypass, but he is doing great and I am so blessed and lucky to still have him around. 

Happy Father's Day to my dad, thank you for everything. 

I love you. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 154 Intention ~ Be Thankful For Each Meal

Day 154 Intention: Be Thankful For Each Meal

Yesterday after rocking the park, I met some friends at a local spot for brunch. As everyone was about to chow down, one person brought up that many times people don't say thanks for what they get to eat. It's a great thought. We don't. 

Oftentimes, we are eating on the run or watching t.v. while we eat or otherwise distracted and just start to shovel the food into our mouths. We don't pay attention. We don't chew. We tend to overeat because we aren't thinking about what we are doing. 

This takes me back to a training I did with yoga teacher, Jonny Kest a few years back. He had us all close our eyes and he put a raisin in our mouths. He had us feel it with our tongue, softly bite it, and really think about it before we chewed it up and swallowed. This was his way of getting us to think about what we were eating. He encouraged us when we broke for lunch to eat in silence, with no distractions, and take one bite at a time. Not putting any more food into our mouths until the last bite was swallowed. Slowing it down and appreciating each bite in the meal.

When you slow down how quickly you eat, your brain has a chance to catch up to your stomach and you find that you don't need to eat as much to become full. 

I am very lucky to have not ever suffered from hunger in my life. There has always been food on the table at meal time. For many, this is not the case. I am sure that for people who have gone hungry at some point, each meal is gratefully accepted. I really want to be sure to be thankful for each meal that I get to enjoy and savor it. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 83 Intention ~ Have Gratitude

Day 83 Intention ~ Have Gratitude

Being thankful for all of the wonderful things we have in life is a great way to keep us present and it allows us to appreciate what we have rather than what we don't. It's easy to start the comparison game or the glass half empty game in our minds and feel bogged down. When we look at all the good, even the tiniest little thing, we will love our life, just as it is. 

Eventually, we also appreciate the tougher, hard things in life. We are open to what they are trying to teach us. When we open up to these things, the sooner they can start to resolve themselves. 

Each morning when you wake up, think of something that you are grateful for and I assure you, it will start your day off on the right foot. 

Today, I am grateful for Sunday morning.

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia