Day #3 QuitCHIR ~ Countin Some Blessings

My day two "lose the negativity" quest went..., well, well. One of my most challenging of late co-workers didn't come to work. That may have helped a bit. However, one of the others was especially crabby. A little storm cloud followed her in and we chatted after she arrived. Mostly, she complained. A few minutes into her tirade I told her I was trying to be more positive and stop the cycle of negativity. She laughed out loud then told me that positive thinking is a crock. But I did effectively end the negative flow of her words. She teased me throughout the day but didn't launch back into her complaining. Hmmm. Interesting technique I may have to hang on to.

I noticed a few things about my day when I was looking for the positive: The sun was shining and the temperature hit the upper thirties, making it officially beautiful. Compared to an April 70 degree day, maybe not, but beautiful none the less. I started my day with prayer and chewed on some spiritual truths on my way to work. I made a dent in the stack of paperwork on my desk. Sometimes just digging in instead of dreading digging in and putting it off is really the best plan. Less wasted energy spent fretting. One of my co-workers had some time on her hands and offered to do a job that I put off because it's so overwhelming and insignificant but yet has to be done. ... Wow. That was a HUGE blessing. A doctor from another clinic not only held a door for me twice, the second time he opened the door, stood to the side and motioned for me to go through first. And not in an inpatient, "hurry up, Lady" kind of way. Crazy, that doesn't happen very often.

What happened to you today that you would call a blessing?

See. It's not so hard.

Today. Write a list of ten blessings, positives, greats, betters in your life, and stick it somewhere where you can see it.. And keep paying attention to what you are saying and hearing and try to add a little light, a little positive into your surroundings. You can do it. Shoot for one positive to one negative.

QuitCHIR Day 2...Adding a Little Positive Into the Yuck...

QuitCHIR (Quit Complaining, Harumping, Imploding, Raging.)

Thursday and Friday at the office were pretty tough. Reentry after a few days of family and friends and celebrating holidays is tough. But when there are changes, transitions and unknowns on top of it, and several women who don't always deal well with any of these, negativity is a mushroom cloud. We all got a 1 1/2% raise and the government took 2%. We work in medicine which changes every year, more so this year than usual. Staff has changed, and folks are dealing with car issues, family problems, diets, and just overall stress. Monday, the first day that I had decided to pay attention to the waves of negativity I surf I got an eyeful and I just gotta say. WHEW!!!! I'm not sure there were any uplifting, positive comments uttered. Oh, there was black humor and sarcasm aplenty. But as funny as sarcasm is, it's simply disguised cynicism. One of the best things about my job is that when my morning appointments are done, the rest of my day is flexible, and I can come early and leave early. That can be a lifesaver. When I go in before we open, I have silence or lowkey interactions for long periods of time. Two of my coworkers do the opposite. They come in late morning and stay after we close up shop. Are we instinctively trying to create nests of sanity in our world?
What do your environments look like? The same quagmires? Do you have a safety net?

Today, I suggest that when we recognize a negative thought, or comment coming out of our mouths, or even out of the mouths of others, that we toss out something positive. Simply look at our half empty glass and pour something into it so it begins to look half full. You don't have to attack your friend, family member or co-worker with a glitter wand, though I'm thinking that could be VERY effective in some situations. Positive can be remembering that if there is a huge pile of horse poo there's gotta be a pony, right? Look for the pony in the poo. Or, maybe. put on the eyeglasses of compassion and agree with your coworker that maybe life is hard, but.... the sun is shining. You've both got your jobs and that she's good at her job. Don't forget to look inward and combat self-talk, too. Use this tool against your own inner monologue of negativity. You, each of us, has something to offer the world. Sometimes the most simple act can mean the most. Being kind, patient, upbeat or gentle can make someone's really rotten day begin to look up, even if that really rotten day is yours. 

QuitCHIR ~ 30 Days of Change ~ The Explanation.

How easy is it for you to plunge into negativity?

The lure of negativity for me? It's cake. Multiple layers of decadent cake slathered with creamy frosting and various assorted mouthwatering fillings. And as addictive.

When I begin complaining, counting flaws, finding fault, gritching, blaming, it becomes a crushing snowball in my life. And when I enter a location with others who are out of sorts, it's not long before I join them and built my ice fortress of ugliness.

So. Even though we are one week into the new year and I have yet to make official resolutions, I'm setting aside thirty days to make a change in the way I look at life. If I force myself to stop the cycle of negativity I won't catch the frozen snowballs of yuck that others throw my direction. Right?

So join me.

I'm going to call it QuitCHIR.  Quit Complaining, Harumping, Imploding, Raging. Start seeing the blessings in life, the good in others and the beauty around us. Because all of those three huge things exist. They just get buried in attitude, outlook and gloomy clouds of doom.

My suggestion, and feel free to expand on this idea, is to replace the focus on the stormy clouds with looking for the silver linings.

Day One

Recognize your negative thoughts. Are there situations and/or people that tend to multiply them? If you are very brave write them down.

Come back tomorrow for Day Two. A very positive step, indeed.

Not So Serious...

Or is it? 

Occasionally I run out of things to blather about. So then I have to get creative. Here's the grease that got my brain cranking.

Do you eavesdrop on people in public places? 

 

I must admit that I do. Sometimes, it's impossible not to. Those icky, awkward situations when folks are airing their dirty laundry in public. Or, you know, the parents cajoling, bribing, trying to talk sense into their out-of-control shrieking children. Or worse, the parent yakking on the cell phone and ignoring all sorts of screaming and bad behavior, only to reprimand the child in a horribly inappropriate way over something trivial. Yes, behavior that makes Christmas shopping all the more fun. 

 

And it's really difficult not to focus in on conversations where both parents are on cell phones at dinner and kids sit at a table playing video games. I think a full 80% of public cell phone conversations are ones that, if they didn't take place, wouldn't matter one bit.  

 

And my favorite of all places to overhear a conversation involves another cell phone scenario, a public restroom, in the stall next to me. Nuff said? Right? I can attest to the fact that ALL overheard potty stall cell phone conversations are ridiculous and more often than not noisy, all those flushing toilets and other ... stuff.

 

And then, there are the quiet conversations. The ones the inner mystery lover in me wants to investigate further. Just sayin. And finally the fun, distant tete-a-tetes wherein I get to make up conversations based on body language, gestures and lip reading. An exercise in fiction writing. :  ) 

 

 Do you eavesdrop?

 

Scraps and Snippets ~ Cinnamon Bun Cake

This is a really delicious and much easier scratch for a cinnamon roll itch. I Veganized (and eased up on the fat from this version).

 

Cake:
1/4 Cup room softened Earth Balance margarine
1/4 Cup applesauce
3/4 Cup sugar
2 flax eggs (2 TBSP ground flax, 6 TBSP water mixed together and set aside.)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 and 1/2 Cups non-dairy milk
3 Cups flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping:

3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 Cup and 2 TBSP softened Earth Balance
1/4 Cup and 2 TBSP applesauce

Glaze:

1 3/4 Cups powdered sugar
3 TBSP non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon maple syrup
 
Putting it all Together:

Instructions for the cake:

Cream Earth Balance, applesauce and sugar, add flax eggs, vanilla, and milk. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into a 9 x 13" greased pan.

Prepare topping:
Stir together topping ingredients until cream. Drop evenly over batter by tablespoons and swirl through the batter with a knife. I pulled the knife horizontally through each row of cinnamon blobs. Then I did the same vertically until I had a pretty marbly pattern.

Bake at 350º for 45 minutes.

Glaze:

Whisk glaze ingredients till smooth. Drizzle 2/3s over warm cake. And leave the rest for icing lovers to add as they desire to their own piece.

Thus Begins the New Year

Friends arrived on Friday to close out 2012 and open 2013 with us. This has become an annual event and I think this was year 5. The first year was bacon bacon everywhere. Then as our eating has evolved so have the feast contents. I do have an amazing cinnamon roll cake recipe that will be appearing soon.

The highlight of the trip might just have to be meeting Chloe though. We spent New Years's Day antiquing in the Old Market district in Omaha. Both Michelle and I found amazing deals on doors. But that was forgotten when we went to Joe's . Chloe is a rescue terrier mix with quite the personality. My favorite was what happened after the fashion show. She put her paw on my shoulder and I asked her if she wanted down. Her owner said she probably wanted a hug. And she did, a very long hug to be exact.

She climbed on board and was content to stay on board. Of.course she wasn't featherweight so I went to place her back on her perch, her little back legs hit the counter and kicked off while her little front legs climbed higher and wrapped tighter. Three times we played out this little scenario. Finally when it was time to go she let me leave. So cute.

2013 Coming Soon...