Hello Hello :)
I haven't been posting as much as I'd like to lately, but to be honest, I've been feeling pretty down in the dumps over the past month or so and I just haven't felt up to it. Nothing terribly bad has been happening, but I've just been really stressed at work, dealing with a number of quite negative people that have left me feeling totally drained.
I'm usually a pretty happy, optimistic person, but being blamed for things that aren't your fault, or questioned about your intentions and skills (when all you are doing is trying your best to help people), really does get you down after a while.
After having a mini breakdown the other day, I decided I just have to move on and not let those negative Nancy's get to me anymore. It's much easier said than done (particularly for someone like myself who takes everything to heart), but I'm slowly getting there.
This blog is my "happy place" - I want to spread positive vibes and for my little corner of the internet to be a fun, uplifting place to visit, so now that I'm in a better mindset I figured I'd dip my toe back into the "blogging pond" by sharing something that's been helping me to feel a little better, even on a pretty crappy day.
I think the saying "There's something good in every day" is really true, and so even when I haven't been feeling the positive vibes, I've been trying to look for the little things that make me smile. It might be the tiniest thing that only lasts a few moments, but if you look for it, there's always something good in the day to be grateful for.
So here are just some of the little things, that have made me smile lately...
1. Seeing a rainbow on my drive to work
. I like to think of this as a sign that it's going to be a good day!
2. The beautiful cherry blossom (of is it a plum blossom?) tree that's blooming outside our apartment
. I see it as I head out the door on my way to work and it always brings a smile to my face.
3. The fact that it's just that little bit brighter in the mornings now as I'm waking up
. I'm so excited for Spring - it's always feels like such a fresh start and that everything picks up once September rolls around.
4. A big hug from my Nonna
- she's a little lady but gives the
best
hugs, and on this particular night, I really needed a good hug. It didn't exactly fix the situation that was stressing me out, but it definitely helped me feel a whole lot better about it all.
5. Sipping a hot cup of tea in the morning as I get ready for work
(or even better when Tom brings it to me on the weekend when I'm still in bed). There's something pretty amazing about the power of simple cup of tea.
6. Our little apartment
(okay so I guess this is actually a pretty big thing!) - it's really coming together now and feels so cozy and homey. I feel so lucky that we have this space to call our own.
7. Snuggling into freshly washed sheets
- one of the best feelings ever!
8. Watching The Bachelor
- I originally only started watching it so I could chat to people at work about it and feel a bit more in the loop, but I've actually really got into it and now I'm hooked. It's nice to be able to just escape reality for a little while and enjoy some light hearted entertainment!
(For the record, I think Nikki will win - she seems like such a sweet, down to earth girl and they seem perfect for each other)
9. Listening to the rain while I'm snuggled up inside
- I don't think this one needs any explanation, the sound of rain is just so relaxing...
10. The fact that I can now do proper dead lifts at the gym!
I never thought I'd be into lifting weights, but I actually really enjoy it! It's all down to the fact that I have an awesome personal trainer -
. He's one of my friends from uni so going to the gym just feels like a fun catch up with my friend. If you're in Perth and after an awesome PT you should get in contact with Matt!
11. Watching my orchid that I repotted a couple of months ago growing
. The flowers are just about to blossom (for the third time now) and it's so exciting! Tom says I sound like a proud mother when I'm talking about my orchid... I've never kept a plant alive for this long before, so I guess I am a proud plant mum! ;)
12. Going for a walk in the sunshine
- even if it's only for ten minutes during my lunch break - it can really help to brighten up the day.
13. Picking Tom up from the airport
- my favourite part of the week.
He's coming home tonight and I'm so excited :)
After writing that list I'm feeling pretty good about things right now (the fact that it's Friday night is also probably helping with that!)
They're just simple things, but when you look for them you realise how many good things there are. They don't exactly fix all the other things going on, but when you're feeling grateful it's much easier to deal with the harder stuff (at least it seems that way to me).
What little things have been making you smile lately?
Lots of Love
Lauren
xxx