10 reasons to drink Coffee

Anyone who knows me knows that I love coffee….but why?

1. I’m addicted, I admit it. I started drinking coffee when I was studying for final exams. I really started drinking coffee… more than 3, sometimes 8 cups a day… when I gave up smoking.

2. I love my cappuccinos, lattes, flat whites, percolated, plunger, even instant. And have you ever tried an espresso martini? OMG!

3. I just love the aroma. It’s hard to walk past a coffee shop without taking in a deep breath.

4. It’s a sociable drink. Popping out for a coffee break with colleagues, meeting up for a coffee with friends, or sitting around a table having chat over a cuppa.

5. I find coffee soothing. When I hold that mug in my hands and breathe in deep it relaxes me.

6. It compliments so many foods, either after a meal or with a delicious piece of cake… or chocolate… or biscuits…. especially Tim Tams. Bight off both ends of a Tim Tam and suck the coffee up through it like a straw… mmmmmelty chocolatey goodness.

7. It picks you up in the morning (or when 3:30itis sets in). A lot of people say they can’t function of a morning until they’ve had a coffee.

8. I love the comforting warmth. Especially on a cold winter morning. It starts with the warmth of holding the mug and then as you drink it spreads through your body.

9. I love when my husband calls me up at work to say he’s in the area and asks if I want to meet up for a coffee. Of course I do, not just for the coffee but it’s one time we can chat by ourselves, without interruptions.

10. I just love it.

This post is in response to Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop prompt 3.) A list of 10 reasons you do or do not drink coffee.

6 things I do to stay positive

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you can not see the shadow” – Helen Keller

It is so hard to stay positive when something brings you down, sometimes constantly. I have learned that for me to be able to work towards becoming a more positive person I need to understand why and how these things make me feel the way I do. I am learning… always learning… that I tend to go through stages which, funnily enough, are similar to the Five Stages of Grief first identified by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross in her book On Death and Dying, however instead of Bargaining I have added Guilt.

Let’s take a typical day with my mother as an example…

Denial – It’s just one day. I can cope with this. I’ll just go along with whatever she says blah blah blah

Anger – She always has to pick or make some stupid comment! Can’t she see what she’s doing? Seriously! And she wonders why we argue?!!

Bargaining Guilt – I shouldn’t be thinking these things about my mother. I wouldn’t want my daughter to think these things about me.

Depression – I can’t handle her anymore. I need to be alone. Maybe she’s right. I can’t do anything right.

Acceptance – I am going to be OK. I am not as helpless as she thinks I am. I am much better than that. I’m not perfect and I don’t want to be. (I also like to call this a Re-Birth)

So, if I am to stay positive I need to remain in the acceptance stage. If I should stray then I need to work through the other stages as quickly as possible to get back on track.

What are the 6 things I do to stay positive?

Keep Busy – I find that if I have a lazy day my mind starts to wander. I used to have a lot of lazy days.

Be Grateful – I have a little gratitude journal that I note down things that I am grateful for. Focusing on the positive each day, no matter how small, does wonders.

Get Inspired – there are so many inspirational people in the Blogosphere. I just have to  watch I don’t fall into the trap of thinking I’m not good enough.

Try not to get Discouraged – Set goals and stay focused. Try to make your goals realistic. If something is not going to plan, re-jig it a little. I am always working on mine so that I can achieve what I set out to do.

Take Time Out – I’ve discovered I actually like shopping. Watching a movie or reading a book is always great to get your mind off things. And when I get to it, exercise is also another great way to take time out, while still do something positive for me.

Watch out for ‘God-Breezes’ - I am not religious however I have found that when I’m at my lowest, something will come along to lift me up, even at 4am. This is when I have my re-birth. This is when positive changes are made so I can avoid this nasty cycle from repeating.

What tips do you have to stay positive?

This post is in response to Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop prompt 5.) “Keep your face to the sunshine and you can not see the shadow” – Helen Keller. In what ways are you able to stay positive about something that sometimes brings you down? (inspired by Lady Di from Daily Doses of Mama Drama)

Writer’s Workshop : When quiet is not so good

I was given many labels when I was growing up.

A friend’s father once told me that he always remembered my name because I’m shaped like an ‘S’… he was referring to my butt sticking out.

My brother, followed closely by the rest of my family, often called me “Thunder Thighs”. The funny thing is that when I look back at photos my thighs were not that big…. however the paranoia about my thighs remains.

But the one that really REALLY HURT, the one that has stuck with me ever since, happened one day in high school.

I went to an all girls Catholic high school (thanks Mum!).

It happened in a Phys Ed / Personal Development class.

We all sat in a circle on the floor in the gym.

We were asked to get out a piece of paper and write our names at the top.

Done.

Now pass the paper to the person on your left.

Done.

Write one word that describes the person whose name is on the top of that piece of paper you now have.

OK….this could get ugly.

Repeat the process until you get back your piece of paper.

What does it say?

Mine read something like this…

quiet
quiet
quiet
quiet
quiet
quiet
quiet

…you get the picture.

I tried so hard to fight back the tears. I wanted to shout…out LOUD! These people don’t even know me! I don’t understand. I wrote nice things about everyone else… even those girls I didn’t like.

Being quiet is not a great quality to have… OK it can be but it’s not everything that I am!

This day had a huge impact on my life. I withdrew into my shell even more. Self fulfilling prophesy. And I pretty much stayed there until I left school.

…but that’s another story!

This post is in response to Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop prompt 1.) In what way were you labeled as a child and how did it affect you?