This week’s inspiration comes from Gretchen Rubin, a self-proclaimed happiness expert. I love to steal her ideas, so workable and real, whenever possible!
Perhaps her advice resonated with me because of this lingering bout with Miss URI that stuck me in a rut of medications and boring self-care.
Rest, hydrate, sip soup, medicate. Repeat.
Blah, blah, blah.
Granted, I had no energy to do anything else. Still, when your wings are clipped, life can get pretty small. The physical begins to affect the mental and before you know it, blah, blah, blah begins to seep into your mindset.
Miss Ruben’s words offered insight.
Yes! My routine, although healthy and necessary for healing, was beginning to affect my mood and outlook. Thankfully, after one final visit to my doctor to make sure this annoying cough wasn’t something more serious, I was pronounced “on the mend” and not contagious. So I ventured out with a friend to a familiar gathering. There, I learned from another friend about a new class offering and caught up with two other friends about their family holidays.
Then, I did the most extraordinary thing—at least for me. I put a name with a face that I recognized, but had been too embarrassed to admit I had forgotten.
Do you ever do that? Know the person—and I mean really know the person, as in being able to state multiple facts about that person, from where they live, to where they went to school, to how many kids they have, or even their dog’s breed and age—but STILL forget the person’s name?
I’m the worst. Ugh!
It’s just a simple question. “Can you remind me of your name?” Still, having to ask that question makes me cringe inside. How can I know so much about that person and NOT remember their name?
Anyway, after a couple of paragraphs worth of conversation with one “known” but unnamed friend, I asked her to remind me of her name, and yes, I felt better. Maybe even happier? I returned home energized with new information and experiences.
Why?
Flanked by the familiar, I moved in a new direction, learning about a new class while refreshing some friendships. This adventure to learn from the unknown (and the forgotten) lifted my spirits.
I beat the blahs!
How about you? Do you find trying new things lifts your spirits? Makes you happier? Tell me about it. I’d love to know.
Thanks for the inspiration, Ms. Rubin! I plan on making your advice a habit and will be adding it to my resilience toolbox.
My best–always,
Becky (Nana B)
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