Saturday, May 09, 2009

Saturday Night Smile List

I feel the encroachment of the mid-evening slump I've struggled with lately. That part of the evening when it's not quite bed time, but you've lost motivation to truly do anything else. That part of the evening where I start feeling lonely, and and restless, and sometimes unloved.

I wondered upon waking this morning, and finding last evening's mid-evening slump still present if tonight would be one of those nights where it would come on hard and fast.

And now, as I feel it making it's presence known, I grabbed a piece of paper from the kitchen table. A piece of paper from the pad on which we usually make grocery lists. But, instead of a grocery list, off and on all day today I've been jotting items for a "smile list" on it.

Because those of you who've hung around my blog for a while will know that when I'm really low, I'll try to write a smile list. A list of things I'm thankful for, or things I'm loving - things that are making me smile. Because they've apparently done studies that show that making this sort of list has the same effect on your brain chemistry as taking a mild anti-depressant. Plus, it just makes you feel better to think about the things that bring smiles, instead of the things that are bringing on the slump.

So, here, in all it's glory, is the smile list I've been keeping today:
  • the trees outside my bedroom window finally developing green buds that promise leaves
  • a fresh, ripe mango for breakfast
  • Ingrid Michaelson's song "Keep Breathing"
  • the latest episode of Grey's Anatomy
  • a walk this morning with a mostly blank mind. focusing on the birds singing - sparrows, starlings, and sometimes the "cawing" of crows. listening to the rhythmic slap of my own footsteps against the pavement. the rich, earthy smell of decaying seed pods, wet from the rain and rotting on the sidewalk and grass.
  • the scent of peanut butter bars (complete with secret ingredient goodness!) baking
  • coconut body butter
  • a pretty new necklace purchase (fairly traded, and from India!)
  • sitting wrapped in a favorite blanket
  • an afternoon nap
  • a great deal on a cute sweater for work
  • crossing things off my "to do" list
  • a really comfortable pillow
  • favorite sweat pants

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