Posted in Blogs, Books, Music, Uncategorized

It’s a Nice Day to Start Again

Posted on by D. Parker

1afrus13Have you ever had one of those days, dear readers, when you’re so frustrated with yourself you don’t know whether to: cry; give yourself a time out; scream; give yourself a hug and say you’ll do better next time; or maybe all the above and not necessarily in that order?

Too many things I try lately are thwarted, either by circumstances, or by me responding to circumstances. I keep giving myself pep talks, but I have a suspicion I’m not listening very well.

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Happiness is a choice. Apparently, this isn’t just a platitude or a wall plaque, according to researchers, happiness is really a choice (as well as a booming business). So instead of beating myself up for my utter failure today, I decided to go to a happy place and figure out how to reduce my stress.  I’m not one for magical thinking, I like to believe in goodness, happiness, etc., but the realist in me knows that any broomstick I’m handed will come with a dustpan, not a flight into the moonlight.1afrus17

Maybe today was a good day to read MeQuilibrium: 14 days to Cooler, Calmer, and Happier (Harmony Books) – wait, what, 14 days?!? That’s a long time, 2 weeks, a fortnight, half a month, I need help right now! Deep breaths, remain focused on the outcome, not the obstacles.

Ok, Jan Bruce, Andrew Shatte, Ph.D. and Adam Perlman, M.D., dazzle me with your wisdom. I hope the rest of the book is better than the title, sorry, it doesn’t really thrill me, but Blogging for Books wanted an honest review in exchange for the digital copy of this book, so ready or not, here it comes.

Day 1, sure, let’s pretend that’s today. This book has a lot of logical points, including changing the way you think about a problem or situation, although most I’ve heard in the labyrinth (ok, I just spelled that correctly for the first time in my life, things are looking up) of self-help I’ve traversed in my journey to now.

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As I read about our Emotion Radar and how we scan and see situations and things, I had to squint as the light bulb over my head turned on. I went into this morning’s debacle looking through an ‘anxiety radar’, therefore, I saw things to be anxious about, then became more and more and more anxious, trapping a bunch of poor little monarchs in my stomach as my heart tried to smash through my ribcage.

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This book, while well-written and easy-to-follow is basically a giant ad for their ‘wellness’ program, but that doesn’t rule out any a-ha moments (Excuse me, I need a moment to dance to a-ha’s Take on Me, don’t be shy, join me! As I watch this video again, there’s clearly a lesson to be learned – no matter how drawn toward someone you are, it’s probably a bad idea to go into a comic book just because the cute guy winks at you and extends his penciled hand).

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Society has become busier and busier as we rush from one thing to the next to the next. We barely have time to breathe, let alone think. The answer might be to unlock our problem-solving room, go in and get calm, figure things out, before we fall into the stress traps.

As I reboot and relax listening to Duran Duran’s Save A Prayer then Billy Idol’s White Wedding (I moved on, but couldn’t quite leave that decade apparently) I realize, if I should stumble, I can catch my own fall. Perhaps I didn’t do as badly as I thought, in retrospect, I actually learned a lot from the experience.

It’s a nice day to start again.

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80 thoughts on “It’s a Nice Day to Start Again”

  2. Hey little sister, you’ve had White Wedding playing in my head since i read the title. Even Take Me On didn’t make it go away. But that’s cool… Good song. So long is i never have a white (or any other) wedding again! LOL. Well done, Donna. Great review, and enjoyable post. If you really were having a rough day, I’m sorry. You deserve all good things and all happy days. Snoopy dance! 😀

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    1. There’s never anything wrong with having Billy Idol in your head. 😉
      The first half of the day was extremely rough and then it got better. Thanks, sweetie. 🙂 Hope yours was ok (all things considered). 🙂
      Snoopy dance!!! 🙂
      Megahugs Teagan and dare I hope you have another part of your serial for us tomorrow? Fingers crossed, although I’ll understand completely (well, almost completely) if you don’t feel up to it right now. 🙂

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  3. There are some days, weeks, and months where happy is not an option or a choice. If someone loses his/her family, the house is seized in foreclosure and s/he ends up living under a bridge I think anyone with half a brain would consider that person insane if s/he’s happy.

    I, for one, reserve the right to complain and get it out of my system rather than look happy when I’m not and have my head explode one day. 🙂

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    1. But sometimes complaining can lead to a happier time.
      Life is always a series of ups and downs, I’m having a lot of downs of late, and we all handle things differently, isn’t that the wonder of all things? 🙂

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  6. I definitely do a lot of beating up on myself for unproductive days – Puritan and Lutheran DNA is to blame. Congrats on spelling labyrinth correctly! The word I absolutely cannot get right is ackward, okay let’s see awkward? Oddly, it’s probably the word that describes me the best! Great post as usual.

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    1. I keep reminding myself of all the things I’m doing right, all that I’ve overcome, and all I want to do and it helps. 🙂
      Some words are awkward to remember how to spell and I should always remember that one too. 😉

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  7. Today was a ruff day for this little doggie too. Your post is timely. I’m having a “let it go” talk with myself and getting out the old day planner to give myself time slots. Probably seems a little regimented, but everything that I can’t get done is its slot just doesn’t get done at all. I let it go and breathe. Aaaaah.

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  8. What a rotten way to get your day into gear: starting with bad before going to better. Hope you’re feeling more yourself before the end of this day.

    An entertaining reviews of the happiness books. ❤ ❤

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  12. Billy Idol – White Wedding, great song. How bout Phil Collins – In The Air Tonight. Also a good song from that era. Hope things just keep getting better for you. Had days like that myself, I think maybe my negative thoughts attract negative energy, so everything seems to go awry. Sounds kind of new-agey. Oh well.

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    1. The 80s had so many amazing songs, it’s almost unbelievable when you start thinking of them. 🙂
      Yes, I think negative thoughts spiral way, way too easily. 🙂
      Hope this day treats you kindly. 🙂

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  13. I saw Flock of Seagulls and Animotion and Tommy Tutone in concert last summer, Donna. Somebody even played A-ha’s ‘Take on Me” during the show. Anyway, I hope you turned your frown upside down with the book. Your review made me smile. 867-5309. Give me a call. Tommy Tutone was my fave that show. Really great.

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    1. Now I have those songs in my head too…who am I kidding, they were already there. 😉
      My frown is now extremely upside down…I think the music and book worked together, thanks. 🙂

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  15. so…here’s my day, in one single event: I bought a 2002 town&country…paid too much, and it needed a lot of work…it was overheating and needed a radiator (which I replaced) and the cooling fans weren’t working…this morning I attempted to apply a temporary fix…I “hotwired” the fan, which meant the fan would run all the time…and…killed the computer…that’s my day in one event

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      4. I does do that. But it depends, some people like video, others like reading. I prefer reading most of the time, but again, that’s me. Everyone should do what they want on their blog and let the readers decide what they like. 🙂

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  17. It is and I loved this. Your witticism is on 💯!!!

    Sooo good & that frustrated cat pic is the best.

    Beginning again…again,

    e

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  21. I had troubl reading yur post due to the liens being quite long (on my screen reader), but I like you writing style. I can also completely relate to your cynicism. #weekendbloghop

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  23. As I’m sitting here at 5:30 in the morning because I can’t sleep – again – I’m thinking this is a good mantra for what will be a long day. It IS a nice day to start again … the birds are chirping already and I’ll get to watch the sun rise. How’s that for a positive spin? 🙂

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  25. Hate you were having a rough day and am saddened by your apparent struggles; however, I am a big believer that happiness is a choice and I know that these struggles are preparing you and the fact that you are making your way through them shows how strong you are! 🙂 Keep making it good!

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  26. Every day is a great day for starting over! I’m going to go out and “thwart” some weeds this morning. Just being in the sunshine and dirt brings me balance. Good insights!

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    1. So very true. Thanks for everything, Roseann, you’re too kind. 🙂
      Love #BloggersPitStop – what a blogging goldmine!
      Hope this weekend is treating you well. 🙂

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