Today- appreciate YOUR life : )

Celebrate your life today! Give thanks for what and who you have in it. I have a quote that I love to revisit, "Someone always has it worse than you". Although it is unfortunate that this is true, it is a great quote to help you realize and appreciate what you do have.

I want to share my day and what led me to this post. I had a friend come with me today to a follow up doctor's appointment for my Thyroid Cancer. I kind of kept this appointment under the radar from my family and friends because I have asked for so much help and support over the past 2 years. I mentioned it to her last night because I was still a little nervous. This doctor's appointment would tell me if I needed to have a 2nd radioactive iodine treatment that would give the Cancer the extra kick in the butt. I was very (secretly) relieved when she asked if she wanted a friend there. This morning, we took the drive over an hour to the appointment. Even knowing that I am cancer free, I still get nervous going to these appointment, especially because this one was to either prolong treatment or give me the clear... and I got the clear! The doctor told me I did not need to have another treatment, and that I just needed to follow up every 6 months for the next couple years. Other than that, I am "normal" again! What a great way to feel some appreciation for your life! I feel so full of life today, and I am so grateful that the weight is lifted off my shoulders. I am so grateful that I had a friend reach out and ask if I needed help. It reassured me that I am very fortunate to have people care so much about me! On the way home, my friend and I were discussing how so many people need to appreciate the life that they have because they are so many less fortunate out there. It is amazing how so many people lose sight of the greatness of their own life by only focusing on the bad things.

Focus on the great things about yourself today. Even make a list of all of the things in your life that you are grateful for. Put down on paper how amazing your life actually is. Also, take a minute to throw some thoughts and/or prayers out to all of the less fortunate people in the world. I believe that everyone can use this hand of harmony today to find a new appreciation for their life. Celebrate today because you have today!

-JR

Get a little exercise in today

I could go on and on about how exercise is great for the body and releases stress scientifically, but let's just put it into a feel good level. I am certainly not the one to tell you to start going to the gym every day, but if that is what makes you happy or relieves stress, then be my guest! I do believe though that getting out your stresses in a healthy way feels great, and exercise is certainly on the top of that list.

Even going on a long walk today. Enjoying the scenery as well as letting a little steam off may be a great way to start the long week ahead. Maybe you would prefer to lift some weights or do some boxing. Whatever it takes, start your week off in a healthy way by getting relieving stress in a way that is going to make you feel better rather than feeling worse.

Who knows, maybe this little hand of harmony will get you working on some other goals that will make you feeling better about yourself? Just by boosting your exercise mode, you can start to feel a whole new level of happiness. So rather than going on and on, I am going to just going to reach the hand out and let you define what types of exercise are going to lead you to feeling the best.

Release tension, increase your peace of mind : )

-JR