The Bliss Of Yoga

Today is DAY FIVE of not smoking. I thought I may have eaten poor Mick alive a few nights ago. Night times are still the hardest but at least I am of my butt now and looking for things to do. I am going to start on some craft projects I have wanted to do for some time now and never have the energy or inclination to start them let alone finish them. Will keep you posted.

I saw your blog Andrew and that picture is great. Just write on it and that's it. PROBLEM though is as all of this is so new I don't know how to leave a comment and neither does Dad - whats the deal? HELP required.

I just read the blog "lessons I learnt from marrying a monk" - click on the right hand side. Her post today is so true. Not just for me but for everyone. I am so inspired all of the time from my Mum and Dad. They are always moving and not letting their bodies petrify with old age. They are more active and fit that I am and that was a large part of my inspiration to do something with my life and stop wasting time. Make it WORTHWHILE. Read my first Post on here and that explains the WORTHWHILE bit.

I will list EVERY DAY at least one way that I made today WORTHWHILE. How I didn't waste the day given to me. How I made the most of it. How I not only appreciated it but was actively involved in living my life and making it count. Count to me - not to anyone else. So that at the end of the day I can sit back and say I am moving forward or maintaining a balance but definately not moving backwards.

A few days ago I was speaking of searching for what is my BLISS. One thing has come to my mind that has always moved me to the core and that is YOGA. I love the feeling I get when I practice Yoga. The description in the blog I just read sums it all up perfectly. So this is the first thing I need to persue to find my BLISS. Yoga classes and Yoga at home.

The second thing that I thought of is walking in nature - bush walking. I really miss this part of my life. I used to go walking quite a lot and over the past years I have always put those days to the wayside and let all the other things I do come first. The funny thing is that walking in nature is something that brings me joy and a feeling of BLISS at the end of the day and it also is excercise and moving my body. I did arrange to do the Noosa cliff walk a few Sundays ago but it was raining cats and dogs that day. I am going to write a list of walks in the area that I want to do and post it on here in the next few days - then as I do each walk I can tick it of and write about that day. No set time limit and no set agenda just a simple list to help remind me of what I enjoy doing and that it is a very good idea to include this activity in my life as it brings me so much pleasure.

Anyway I had better stop there as I think I could talk all day.

Peace and Love to you all,

Wendy

Becoming a non smoker and finding my BLISS

FOLLOW YOUR BLISS - I know what this means but seriously for the life of me I can't work out what totally rocks my boat. I very much like peace and calm but they are not things I can do. I was reading a blog called - Lessons from the monk I married - I will list it on the side with my fav blogs. Anyway she was talking about if we focus on our Bliss then things will run more smoothly and fall into place. It is when we folow our bliss that we are in flow. Now for some thinking about what brings me bliss. Am I that lost that I can't even think of things that bring me bliss and happiness. It's not that I can't think of things that I totally enjoy but to think of them in terms of continually being able to do them each day as part of my work is something I cannot fatham out how to accomplish. So this leaves me thinking of actual things that I can do that bring me bliss but then that is like trying to read a book upside down. I will rest on this and think on this and see what the universe shows me.

Anyway this is a great idea that she is doing on this blog - that is noting the lesson she has learnt each day. Today she has written TAKE REST. How many times I ignore this lesson when my body and mind is saying rest and I keep going.

I stopped smoking on Monday the 1st March. I do not want to smoke. I do not like the taste or the smell and I know to others that I meet they want to cross the road and avoid me but are to polite and say that's okay - we can put up with your stench. Anyway I got through day one and then day two yesterday. I nearly bit my hubbies head of but he has the patience of a saint and he can go out to his shed and have a fag. I don't envy him. I am so sick of the control that a habit like smoking has over you. Every time I did something I had to make sure I could have a smoke break. I couldn't breath properly but I still lit up a cigerette. It is a hard habit to break but I am determined to achieve my non smoking goal.

Today is day THREE and so far so good. I find the days are okay and I am keeping my hands busy. I am trying not to change my habits to much. That is - I went to shops today and I watched a DVD last night. Night time is the hardest for me and I am steeling myself for going out at night to the pub for Darts night and things like that. Not everyone smokes and they go outside but I need to be prepared for the mind games.

MIND GAMES would be so funny if not so serious. I wish I could record what my mind says to me. I am sitting there and it says "Okay let's go have a smoke". I stop whatever I am doing and then think to myself "But I don't smoke". It passes so quickly. Then there is the more insidious mind games that take hold when I am upset. Gotta stay as calm as you can when giving up smoking but life goes on and you are also dealing with the emotional waves that come over you while your body is detoxing. Silly thoughts like "Go on you can go to shop and buy smokes - you deserve it - no one will know - you can't do it".

I just stop whatever it is I am thinking and change the thought to " I DO NOT SMOKE - I am fine - I am feeling okay - I am proud of myself". I know you have to be so on guard as I started smoking at school when I was 13 and then after 14 years of smoking I stopped for 15 years. I was someone who couldn't be in the same room as a smoker and it was terrible. Then with a major upheaval in my life I ended up smoking again and cannot even begin to tell you why as I can't fathom the whole thing out myself. So I stopped worrying about why and concentrated on changing my ways again. I have been smoking for the past 5 years again with two sessions of three month giving up. So the count down never stops. I have learnt that. Vigilence every day is required.

Anyway I will be thinking about Bliss and counting the days of not smoking.

Peace to all,

Wendy