February Update (Cards for Mindfulness)

Y'all:

I really do need to update my blog more regularly. I decided to do a quick update this morning since I'm up way too early for the day ahead of me. Today I'm going to use my Cards for Mindfulness deck (which I backed on Kickstarter) to guide my update, because why the heck not? I haven't really messed with this deck yet, and I thought it would be an interesting exercise

Oh boy, I got Reflect Joy. The back of the card talks about how "the happiness and joy of others can support happiness and joy in ourselves." For those of you playing along at home, Mikie and Happiness are not bosom buddies. Hell, we're hardly even pals these days. Is this news to you, reader? Perhaps it is, and in fairness, I haven't been updating lately. But this isn't about me, right? I'm supposed to find happiness in the joy of others, so...here goes.

I look at my sisters and their husbands, see the beautiful families all four of them have made for themselves, and that shows me there is joy in the world and gives me faith in love (faith I have sadly lost). I am blessed to be even a small part of their lives. On that note, I'd also like to add my Jeffrey and Ginny, my closest friends who are happily married. Ok, next card.

Ok, I'm continuing this blog post after work because I didn't wrap it up first. Now I'm sitting on the couch in my living room, and I have a different shirt on. Um...yay? This card claims that smiling will help to relieve stress and "also tells the mind that we're doing OK--even if we're not feeling super-happy when we do it." The takeaway is I should hide behind a smile. I've got news for you, Card...I already do that!

Seriously, though, I struggle with depression. I'm not entirely happy with my life, and I'm not entirely sure why that is. I like my job, I live in a beautiful country, my roommate is pretty cool, I'm full of awesomesauce...something is missing. I feel like it's time for me to move on to something else (a teaching job in the States perhaps). Maybe I need a girlfriend or a boyfriend or something to that effect...nah, that's nothing but trouble and I know it. I need to do some more soul-searching, then, which means I need more alcohol.

Hey, I resemble that remark! "The straight back encourages alertness and brightness, and the soft belly relaxation and openness." Well, I think I have pretty decent posture, thank you very much. I definitely have the soft belly going on. The card goes on to say that we "should check our posture whenever we remember and nudge our body when it needs to be nudged, noticing if it changes how we meet what comes our way."  I can see that, I think. Standing tall (as tall as I can) and facing the world with a mixture of alertness and relaxation is very Mikie.

Ok, that's enough of that for today. I hope you enjoyed this little update. Cards for Mindfulness is pretty neat, and there are many ways I can use this deck. I might use them again for a future update, or perhaps next time I'll use a different gimmick.

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THE ONE AND ONLY,
MAC III


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