Can you imagine what the “OLDEST PERSON IN THE WORLD, according to the Guiness Book of World Records, has seen in her lifetime.  Misao Okawa from Japan turns 116 years old today. Imagine if you had 2 children aged 94, and 95? What is her secret you and countless others are asking?

 “SLEEP and EAT and you will life a long life”. She always says “You have to learn to relax!”

I really cannot add much to this as I haven’t mastered these simple good living tips. My Birthday is this week and I have been feeling a little reflective and emotional, turning 29 again. MMM… I think I will try, I say try to work on her simple, but sometimes hard to incorporate practices. I did make time this morning to have a lovely little power walk and tried to eat well (except for those 5 little chocolate pieces). Well they were little so they couldn’t have had that many calories.

When I read this article yesterday, I quickly phoned my 95-year-old Grandmother, she will have another birthday in a few months time.  She was sleeping when I called and I had woke her up.  My father (her 70-year-old son), always reminds her “you have earned the right to sleep” when she says “she sleeps too much.”  She was happy I had woke her up as it was time for her to eat lunch, (she likes her food!)

I guess she is doing something right too! She sleeps most of the day, eats well (she doesn’t like to eat chocolate now because it bothers her stomach).  She is and was always very health conscious.

She laughed and laughed when I told her the secrets to this women’s long life and she told me “she needed to hear that!”. I mentioned another secret the oldest women in the world said.  My Grandmother was very quiet and giddy almost to hear this tip. “She eats sushi once a month” I said.   I told my Grandmother I would bring her some sushi out next week when I go visit her. She quickly said “well I don’t like that one with the…. you know”. I said I know Grandma the “raw fish”.  She said the Japanese women probably eats the raw fish one and that keeps her young.   I said I am sure the vegetable one has the same benefits. “OK” said my Grandma, she would try it!”

Remember those simple golden rules for a long life!

“EAT … SLEEP & RELAX!”

Talk soon ~

Nancy

GRATITUDE & LOVE XOXO

We celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14th – we celebrate LOVE.   I must admit I am not always cheery and full of love 365 days of the year.   On those days when all is not going well and I want to just pull the covers over my head and stay in bed.  I must remember to be grateful! 

 Melodie Beattie wrote:

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, and confusion into clarity… It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

This is one of the nicest thoughts on gratitude I have heard; I wanted to share it with you, as I think it is a state of being and can be achieved.  I know when the business of life gathers around us, it can certainly be hard to practice this gratitude.  But it is there for all of us to grasp and hold if we want it. 

Wikipedia lists the benefits of gratitude as well:

“Grateful people are happier, less depressed, less stressed, and more satisfied with their lives and social relationships.  A large body of recent work has suggested people who are more grateful have higher levels of well being.  Grateful people also have higher levels of control over their environments, personal growth, purpose if life and self-acceptance.

I try to keep a gratitude journal and write in it on occasion.   I hope to write in it more often, after researching all of the wonderful benefits.    Here is what my list looks like today.  I encourage you to try your own list, and reap the rewards of this simple practice in your daily living.

 Nancy’s Gratitude List

• Meaghan & Noah (my kids)
• My Dog, having a nice walk with the “old boy”
• Enjoying some “Nancy time” watching (Mad Men).
• Reading my Book
• My Family / Friends
• My “Matt”
• My Health
• Warm Home
• My Paperwhites
• Feeling love for myself, and people in my life today

 I think I will send my sweetie and kiddlets a gratitude list of all the things I  am grateful for.  I am going to make them big fancy red heart cards using my daughter’s construction paper and decorate it with glitter, hearts and fancy lace!  (Shhh.. it is a secret, don’t tell them).  As we celebrate the month of love one of my goals is to try and practice more gratitude in my life today.  I think it starts with self-love first and then flows into giving and receiving more love to my family and friends.  I am so grateful for all the blessings in my life today and hope you will be have a wonderful month filled with love, kindness and gratitude, (Oh…. and maybe a “Heart shaped Box of Chocolates).

Talk soon ~

Nancy

KINDNESS: The quality or state of being warm hearted, considerate, loving and sympathatic. 1. The quality or state of being kind. 2. An instance of kind behaviour.

We all have 24 hours in our day; we choose our thoughts, our actions, our words, in that time. Some of us have more flexiblity or freedom in our days. My day goes smoother when I choose to be kinder to myself and others around me. What is kindness, is it an action, a feeling a word?

This month marked “Random Acts of Kindness Day”. What did you choose to do on that day? For me it represented much reflection on “how kind am I to others?”. Being human I am not always kind to others or myself. When I have had a bad day, and my expectations have not been met or I have had an arguement with my spouse or family member, it is difficult to act kindly. When my basic needs have not been met, when I haven’t had enough sleep or haven’t ate properly I am not “a happy camper.” I have found that I must look after myself first before I can help others around me. It is imperative for me to try and find a balance. I feel this starts with showing loving kindness to myself first.

November 11th is Remembrance Day. It is a day to reflect on the many brave men and women who have given their lives to help us have a better life. Thank you for giving me a life of freedom and choices today. I am truly grateful to live in such a wonderful Country! I reflect on what our world would be like if we could be kinder to each other, would it be different? It seems so many wars and discord in our world are a result of opposing thoughts on religion and politics. I leave you with the below quote on kindness.

“My religion is simple. My religion is kindness.”

~ Dalai Lama

Meditation on LOVINGKINDNESS:

May I be filled with lovingkindness
May I be safe from inner and outer dangers
May I be well in body and mind
May I be at ease and happy

Talk soon ~

Nancy