Since the job lay-off announcement I have been trying really hard to focus on the positive parts of my life, and now I have taken this one step further. I have decided that focusing on the postive is not enough. I am still allowing negative feelings and stressors to bother me and affect my overall well-being. I have truely decided that I need to focus really hard not just on the positive things in my life, but I need to act on them and purposefully bring joy into my life through my actions. I really need some extra joy-medicine right now!

Here are some of the positive things I have been grateful for this past week:
-a break in the bone chilling cold and some very nice runs
-longer days leading to many eggs in the nest boxes
-a good book
-my orthotics (always grateful for those)
-chicken soup
-a gift from a friend
-my warm bed filled with cuddly children
-finding my lost slipper
-sushi with friends
-flowers from B.

And in my desire to actively bring joy into my life:
-ordering hatching eggs. I'll have 24 eggs in the incubator this spring! And some gorgeous Welsummer and Buckeye chicks in my kitchen
-taking the time to really listen to B. I don't do that often enough and I miss a lot.
-rubbing C's back and getting a neck rub in return
-giving to others and getting a little bit of their joy back for myself.