So. . . my past few posts have been quite the bag of negativity. Occasionally, I need to blast out the contents in my head that might be better reserved for therapy or a private journal.

Or maybe not.

I think it’s okay to share the less-than-stellar.

Thanks to those who read and especially those who took the time to offer thoughtful comments and emails. I’m behind responding but am SO appreciative! Your words helped more than you can imagine!

Today is a #WGWW post, as in What’s Going Well Wednesday. . .

On a sunny Thursday morning, out my window anyway.

Oh well. I’ve never had the best concept of time.

Allow me to share a bit of my happy, and I hope you’ll share what’s going well for you or what’s inspiring you or simply something you love at the moment.

Here ya go:

YOGA!!!

— I’ve been on a quest to do some form of yoga daily. My love of yoga deserves a post in itself — how I became a yogi, all that, so stay tuned. But since having children, working at home, life, I am grateful for amazing instructors who put routines up for those of us who have a hard time getting to classes. This morning I was feeling unsettled, a bit anxious, lacking focus, and tense. I pulled up YouTube and searched ‘Yoga For Anxiety’ and multiple options popped up. Isn’t the Internet fabulous? Today I selected a Jen Hillman video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMHkmzOMcyk

I found this video relaxing and gentle. There was one deep squat that might challenge people with weaker knees, but other than that pose, which could easily be swapped out for something less taxing on joints, it was chill and got me in a better head space. Lots of days I do more rigorous yoga workouts, but this was exactly what I needed today.

Check out http://www.jenhilman.com

And if you have a hard time getting to yoga classes or want to familiarize yourself with poses before attending an actual class, I encourage you to have a look at the many YouTube videos available. There’s something for every fitness level. I hope to write more on this soon!

 AUDIOBOOKS!!!

— I go through phases where I power through books, and then there are times when I feel like I can’t complete a single page. I’ve been in the not-completing-stage lately, BUT I’ve had a decent rotation in the Audible app on my phone.

I was especially inspired by the latest from author Elizabeth Gilbert.

Big Magic was mood lifting, creativity sparking, and simply magical. I can’t say enough about this book. I’ve never been a Gilbert groupie or hater, but I learned a few years ago in my book club that many have strong feelings about her. One member spent a good half hour blasting Committed, a book about marriage. I liked it well enough, and enjoyed Gilbert’s take. I also liked Eat, Pray, Love, but it didn’t necessarily do for me what it evidently did for others. So, while Gilbert has certainly been on my radar, and she’s obviously a talented and successful writer, this is the first book of hers that genuinely moved me.

Big Magic inspired me to move past fear and DO the things I want to do, particularly in the creative realm, and managed to do so in a concise, optimistic way, without falling into fluffy, dreamy, head-in-the-clouds territory. Gilbert’s approach was much more pragmatic and less meandering than Committed and Eat, Pray, Love. It’s also short — a necessity for me lately. The unabridged audio version was just over five hours. I listened over two days while folding laundry and tackling dishes. Oh, and I also popped in my headphones a few times to distract me from my children’s fighting — a sweet bonus! I encourage you to check it out.

Other books I’m listening to — during bouts of insomnia, redundant housework chores, car trips:

Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

Grace (Eventually) by Anne Lamott

Broken Open by Elizabeth Lesser

The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

I provided Amazon links because that was easiest, and though I’m currently listening to these via Audible, I have also read the actual books. All have moved me enough that I find myself coming back to them from time to time.

Novels!!!

 — I love fiction. At times it feels entirely too luxurious, though. I’ve been working a lot in various realms, and while I’ve certainly dabbled in fiction writing, I have never been published, nor do I know if that’s a big aspiration currently. Plus, since moving, I’m no longer actively involved in a book club, so I’ve fallen out of the fiction habit. However, a couple of weeks ago I realized how much I missed losing myself in another world. I decided I needed something kind of quick and easy. I grabbed a book that was recommended to me a year or so ago. I ran across a copy at a thrift shop and snagged it, but never got around to reading it until now.

Saving Cee Cee Hunnicut  by Beth Hoffman — I devoured this book. This likely has something to do with the fact that it’s set in Savannah, GA, my current home and one of my favorite places ever. Prior to reading it, or even knowing anything about it really, I pre-judged it harshly because of the person who first recommended it. Live and learn. She said I’d love the book, and I did. Hoffman’s writing is lovely, and in addition to capturing so much of what I love about Savannah, she created well-developed, quirky, believable characters. She also didn’t dance around hard subjects  like death, racism, addiction, and mental illness, but still managed to create a book that was uplifting and hopeful — no easy feat.

What’s inspiring you lately?