Day 18: Embrace Good Smells

To me, nothing quite beats the smell of the great outdoors (Pics: Wyoming)

By reminding ourselves to be mindful of the fragrances we associate with the people we love, we can amplify our enjoyment and appreciation of this physical sense.  Few pleasures have the simplicity of a lovely scent. – Gretchen Ruben

Fish & Chips – London, England

Nothing could ever top these cupcakes in Krakow!

Tell me about your home, your office building, your favorite restaurant, and your garage.  Most of you would respond with of a description how these places look and how you feel when you’re in them but completely overlook the sense of smell.  Have you ever been in someone’s house so often that over time you’ve started to associate the distinct fragrance with the individual?  Maybe say, your grandparent’s house?  The sense of smell is often overlooked as a descriptive tool, but sometimes it can be the most important.  Sometimes particular smells bring joy, such as the smell of your father’s famous chicken on the grill outside, where others can elicit feelings of sadness or anger, such as the smell of an ex-boyfriend’s cologne.  Either way, it’s important to recognize these associations and grab on to them.  Vowing to embrace good smells could increase the joy you get out of the little things in life!

Enjoying a Pastry in Berlin, Mmm

What smells do you associate with positive life events, the people you love, or comfortable places?

I love the smell of crisp air in the morning, sweets in the oven, my mother’s perfume, and fresh picked flowers ❤

To me, nothing quite beats the smell of the great outdoors

Day 16: Respond to the Spirit of a Gift

This year’s Birthday Cake…Mmmm 🙂

Saint Thérèse emphasizes the importance of accepting gifts in the spirit in which they’re offered, instead of responding to the gift itself. She doesn’t want to be distracted with chitchat; she wants to write. She doesn’t want a bouquet in her lap; she wants to see wildflowers growing in the fields. But she takes “care to appear happy and especially to be so.”

The gift of an education

The gift of being loved, and loving others

The gift of beauty

Think back to when you were younger (like wayyy younger, try elementary school) and you received a gift that you didn’t like.  Being the pure and innocent child that you were, you did what you deemed the sensible thing and acted with bewilderment that this person would even think that you would LIKE this, sadness that this was all you received, or anger thinking that this individual was trying to change you in some way.  I would be amazed if you’ve never received a gift that you weren’t crazy about (which is why I’m a huge fan of gift recipes & gift cards), and your parents probably used your disappointment as a teachable moment.

For example, one year in middle school all I wanted from St. Nick were 2 tickets to an alternative music concert called “The Big Snow Show” playing in Milwaukee.  Needless to say, when I didn’t receive the gift I expected I was disappointed, mad, and ungrateful.  To this day I’m embarrassed about the way I acted because the gifts that I did receive were also things that I loved but just not as much as the one thing that I wanted (and because now I understand that my parents probably didn’t want their 13 year old daughter going to a rock concert in Milwaukee on a week night)!  When I’m a parent I’m going to use this example the first time I see the look of disappointment on my child’s face after opening a gift.  The fact is, disappointment is a part of life but we need to learn how to appropriately “respond to the spirit of a gift” instead.

What lovely wrapping ❤

Ty’s giant cupcake!

Gifts from my Love 🙂

Mmm Melting Pot’s Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Day 11: Quit Nagging

Nothing’s worse than the person who’s constantly nagging for you to get something done that you absolutely, positively don’t want to do.  Now, think about how annoying this person is and reflect on yourself.  See any similarities?  If you do – follow the guidelines below that Gretchen listed for her day 11 resolution to “stop nagging.”  You may find that these will help you get your point across in the future, I know I will!

• It’s annoying to hear a hectoring voice, so suggest tasks without words. Leave a note, send an email, put a bottle out on the counter to suggest that the prescription needs re-filling.
• If you need to voice a reminder, limit yourself to one word or phrase. Instead of barking out, “Now remember, I’ve told you a dozen times, stop off at the grocery store, we need milk, if you forget, you’re going right back out!” Instead, call out, “Grocery store!” or “Milk!”
• Don’t insist that a task be done on your schedule. “You’ve got to trim those hedges today!” Says who? Try, “When are you planning to trim the hedges?” If possible, show why something needs to be done by a certain time. “Will you be able to trim the hedges before our party next week?”
• Assign chores based on personal priorities. If you hate a messy bedroom, make tidying the bedroom your job.
• Re-frame: decide that you don’t mind doing a chore—like putting clothes in the hamper or hanging up wet towels. This is often surprisingly easy.
• No carping from the sidelines. If someone else makes the travel arrangements, don’t criticize the flight time. If someone else gets the kids dressed, don’t mock the outfits. If you want something done your way, do it yourself.
• Remember that messy areas tend to stay messy, and tidy areas tend to stay tidy. If you want others to be neat, be neat yourself.

Doing some shopping, WY!

Wine tasting in CA

Camping trip in WI

Skiing in WY