Day: November 11, 2011

Eleven

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It’s 11.11.11

I don’t know a thing about numerology but it’s still kinda neat.

I do know that November is a super-duper month to focus on cultivating an attitude of gratitude and a natural time for reflection.  The holiday’s are upon us.  The year is drawing to a close.

November can also be a super-duper stress inducer.  The holiday’s are upon us.  The year is drawing to a close.  Time over-commitments, family, travel, finances, excess food and drink: it can get us all down, especially when the nights are long and vitamin D is scarce.

I love the holidays, not in a hitting-the-mall-wearing-reindeer-earrings-singing-“dradle, dradle, dradle” kind of way but more like a it’s-freakin’-dark-n-cold-so-let’s-get-each-other-off-the-couch-and-play kind of way.  Alas, sometimes I still get caught up in the stressors.

This year, before the craziness swings into full gear, I am making a list, checking it twice, and working hard to not naughty but nice.

11 Reasons I Am Grateful

  1. Virginia has amazing, gorgeous weather.  Yesterday was dark and gloomy, our first dark and gloomy day in weeks, and it kind of sucked.  Today is bright and blue and full of light.  I thrive on blue sky.   I soak up the sun like a little seedling, photosynthesizing it’s rays and using them to make me stronger.
  2. I made a difficult decision to leave the Best West coast and move to Charlottesville to be closer to family.  It was the exactly right thing to do.  I made a quick trip “home” on Tuesday to work with a dance company there and as a bonus I had lunch with my mom, sister, and niece and a little walk n’ talk with my papa.  Family is good stuff; challenging, intense, beautiful, and irreplaceable.
  3. My health.  I was down on my health yesterday.  I was really bummed because my shoulder is in bad shape (I have no idea why) and not only does it hurt constantly but I have to take a break from practicing yoga or lift weights.  It’s been a challenging fall physically and these roadblocks have me toggling between frustration and gratitude.  Today I choose gratitude.  It could be worse, so much worse.
  4. Blogging.  I love it.  It fits me perfectly.  I love the aspect of visual art.  I love creative writing.  I love connecting with people about whole food and exercise.
  5. Dance.  This week I’ve been living like a dancer again.  Monday night I took a class with the artistic director of Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zance Dance Company, who are in town for a residency at UVA.  Tuesday I choreographed on a group of eight teenagers in WV.  Last night I saw the aforementioned dance company perform a work-in-progress, one of the most mesmerizing dances I’ve ever watched.   Tonight I’ll see the company perform Serenade/The Proposition (I won tickets!).  🙂 dance 🙂
  6. Food.  I dig it.
  7. Family.  My little family of two, my nuclear family, my extended family, my in-laws, my family of friends, they all fill me with love, warmth, and gratitude.
  8. This is getting hard…eight is for food, again.  While our food system in the U.S is very far from perfect, we are in better shape than a lot of the world (not where we should be but more on that next week).  I am grateful for all of the food choices I have.
  9. I’m really grateful lately for my optimism.  I didn’t realize until recently that I’m an optimistic, silver-lining kind of person, but I am!
  10. Humor.  Laughing is great.
  11. Today!  I am grateful for today, Friday, 11/11/11, a sunny and windy day in Charlottesville.
What’s 1 thing (or 11!) that you’re grateful for today?