Day Eighty-Seven ... Enjoying Simple Things

Even though the week was a light one work wise it still felt long. It felt so good to wake up and know it was Friday today and that Saturday follows tomorrow.

After work it was very enjoyable to stop at Whole Foods to pick up something to make for dinner. Making dinner was even more enjoyable. Sitting down to eat was very peaceful.

The better thought in a day does not always have to be fancy, sometimes it is just the comfort of being at home, enjoying a homemade dinner. To wind down from a long week.

Enjoying simplicity,
Nicola Byrne


Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
-Leonardo DaVinci

Day Eighty-Six ... Luck

My note from the Universe from yesterday:

A Life Coaching Tip from The Universe:

The time will come, Nicola, and it will be sooner rather than later,
when your greatest admirers and protégés will look at your life - your
achievements, possessions (especially your beautiful home in the desert), and passions - frown a little and sullenly say, "Yeah, but for you... it was easy."
At which point you should conceal any yearning you may possess to either
object or laugh hysterically. Instead, lovingly look them square in the eye
and say, "Yes, and it can be easy for you, too."

Get used to it,
   The Universe

It has a ring of truth in it. How many times have I looked at someone that seems "well off" and thought they were just simply lucky, completely bypassing whatever steps, effort, or beliefs it took to get them where they are. Someday I will be where I want to and someone else will be a few steps back on their journey and think the same thing. Not knowing all the time spent on learning different ideas, the missteps, battling with negativity, planting seeds for positivity, then seeing them wash away only to replant them again.


What we see is always only the tip of the iceberg. Unless we walk in another persons shoes we will never know the path or how many pairs of shoes they wore out along their own journey.


That email was a good reminder for me.


Moving forward, one step at a time,
Nicola Byrne


Luck is ... Laboring Under Correct Knowledge.
-Attributed to Mary Ellen Holden

Day Eighty-Four ... Sleep Attack

I woke up at 1:00 a.m. and realized I had not written and posted my blog, which means it is late! Today will have two. I really dislike when I do that however I won't go on about it.

Yesterday I intended to write about something I discovered while reading the book I am working on (Focus on the Good Stuff: The Power of Appreciation by Mike Robbins). There is some writing and note taking to go along with the book, in the form of questions and answers. Yesterday I took a self-test where you write down "problems" that you want to work on. After spending time doing that you move on the to next part which is write down the things that you are good at. It was a little surprising to me that the list of negatives outweighed the list of positives by more than double.

It was a good test to show where I am at on the choosing better thoughts journey. At some point later in the book after learning the five steps of appreciation the self test is repeated. It will be great to see an improvement.

Have a nice day,
Nicola Byrne

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
-John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Day Eighty-Three ... More Reading

Now that we have central air once again I have been able to think and concentrate and read a bit more. Reading to learn that is. Which means I returned to the book by Mike Robbins, Focus on the Good Stuff: The Power of Appreciation. It is an easy to read book and leaves you with a feel good mood even after a few pages.


Today I took a little quiz on "where negativity shows up" in my life.


Judgments and lack of appreciation were two that I identified. I'm not a big gossip, not that I'm immune it to it, but I don't initiate it or seek it out. However, judging things good or bad, I see that a lot in myself. What's a good exercise? A bad exercise? A good food? A bad food? I'm good if I stay busy and get a lot done. Lazy if I take time to relax. Those are certainly part of a parade of thoughts I can have on any given day. Anytime I get stuck in griping, whether it is just internally and not expressed, I am not able to appreciate anything around me.


Those are two things I want to improve upon. When I catch myself griping, I look for something to appreciate. When I hear myself think good or bad, I look for impartiality. To just see things as they are without prejudice. That is a challenge for me. I'm so used to labeling everything pro or con. Good or bad. One day I will be better at accepting and get away from judging. It seems to me that is a very peaceful way to be.

Looking forward to more reading tomorrow,
Nicola Byrne

Acceptance is observation of life and suspension of judgment about whether what is happening is good or bad, right or wrong.

-Ron Smotherman

Day Eighty-Two ... Blissful Central Air

Since I've moved to Las Vegas I have met some of the kindest, most generous folks ever. Thankfully, another such person came to the rescue and fixed our central air. A week without it is enough to ensure that I will not take it for granted ever again. The difference in energy levels for us and the pets is drastic. Those little key things in the background that aren't noticed until they are gone make such a big difference!


With lots of gratitude,
Nicola Byrne


A limit on what you will do puts a limit on what you can do.
-DEXTER YAGER

Day Eighty-One ... Poem By Dan Coppersmith

I read this poem today and it is truly beautiful. It is copyrighted and I'm not sure if it would be acceptable to post it in the blog. Here is the link instead: 


http://www.blissphemy.com/pages/poems/onlyu.html

Good night,
Nicola Byrne

You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love & affection.
-Buddha

Day Eighty ... Heat, Humidity and a Rainbow

There was no escape from the heat today! Thankfully I still forged ahead and accomplished my myriad self-assigned chores anyway! I also did some reading, both entertainment focused and some educational. A storm moved in and it rained for a very brief amount of time. Too brief ...

The rain cooled everything down a very minuscule amount. Any drop in temperature and humidity is a blessing right now. I stepped outside while cooking dinner and saw a beautiful rainbow. I took some pictures but it just doesn't show up on the small camera phone screen well enough. It was much prettier in reality. The sky really develops a lot of texture, color and dimension with clouds here. More so than I ever perceived in New York. Especially as the sun descends, then the clouds pick up some truly spectacular colors.

I can barely see the rainbow in the pictures, it is transparently barely visible over the palm tree.

I love rainbows,
Nicola Byrne


My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky...
-William Wordsworth