Traveling Comfort

Have you ever had one of those days where you feel like you are trying to just survive? Where you feel like if you allow your heart and mind to go where they are drawn that you’ll just spend the time choking back tears and trying different breathing techniques in an effort to calm down? It has been one of those weeks for me. Not every single moment of the week, but definitely much of it.

This morning when I got up I tried to think of a few things to do to bring peace into my day. I took an extra minute or two in the shower, had a cup of coffee while spending a few minutes reading something inspirational and I called my grandmother. Not to talk about anything specific but just to check in as I often do. Then this afternoon rolled around and I felt it necessary to do something else to relax. My little one was napping and I had a few minutes. So I made a cup of tea and decided to write a letter. (Do you remember my post Snail Mail earlier in the year?) I guess I can’t really call it a letter. It was fairly short as it was written on a card. But it was a paper and ink type of note. One I’ll place in my mailbox tomorrow morning, raise the red flag, and two business days later someone will have a surprise in their mailbox. Initially I was thinking how it would be a nice surprise to receive something other than bills in the mailbox, but as I was writing I realized it made me feel good just to sit down and do so. It was peaceful and it was just what I needed to bring an extra touch of comfort to my day.

To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere without moving anything but your heart.  ~Phyllis Theroux

What do you do when you are in the midst of a difficult day or time in your life? How do you cope? What little things do you do to brighten your day?

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Good Riddance

Have you ever had someone in your life that was just not good for you? We all have I’m sure.

Yesterday I was thinking of one person in particular. She popped into my mind and I immediately felt a sense of comfort knowing that I no longer have to deal with her. It reminded me of this quote by Sun-tzu: Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. Which is how I felt I had to interact with her. It wasn’t always that bad but at times pretty close!

She was the type of person that if you pissed her off she threatened to make your life miserable. Correction: It wasn’t if you pissed her off it was if you didn’t do what she wanted you to do. There would be times that I would sometimes learn that she would be speaking for or about me and although some of the things may have been true they were always exaggerated. We were once colleagues and I remember feeling relieved so often that she wasn’t a supervisor of mine. Although if there was a public event she was the type of person that acted as if everyone worked for her. You know the type!

At times I wish I had been a stronger person. I wish that I was able to tell her just what I thought and that I could do what was best for me as a person but you know how it is in the workplace. Sometimes you just don’t have a choice. I remember the first Monday morning that she was no longer there. It was a renewed environment!

Think of the toxic people in your world today. If you can’t help them or get them out of your life then try to do a little something to separate yourself a bit. Do something for you.

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Comfort in a cup

I’m starting my morning with a nice hot cup of tea – like I do most mornings. I must have it just a specific way. If I go anywhere overnight I’ll sometimes bring my tea bags with me because most other brands just don’t compare. I have an aunt that comes to visit often and she says that I make the perfect cup of tea. She teases that she wants to know my special ingredient. I always tell her that I won’t share. She’ll just have to come visit. Really though it’s just the brand of tea bag, in my opinion.

Isn’t it funny how we can find comfort in something as small as a cup of tea? Sometimes it gives me the time I need to reflect on a nice memory or think about hopes that I have. If that’s not comforting; I don’t know what is.

As a young girl there were times that I was at my grandmother’s house in the morning either on a school break or during the summer. We always had a cup of tea and a bagel together and shared so much on those mornings. When I was at home and it was a school day I’d make my cup of tea and call and talk to her on the phone for 10 minutes each morning. I think that is what started to make me love tea so much.

This morning my mug is an oversized one with a very pretty design. Inside it says live*love*laugh. I have a feeling that the person that gave me this knows just how much a nice soothing cup of tea can brighten my day.

Lately my mornings are spent enjoying this caffeine at home before my little one wakes up for a very busy morning. Not all that long ago I was enjoying my morning beverage at work. I’d bring my nice mugs from home. I’d get to work, turn on my computer, my radio, listen to voicemails and make my tea. Usually I was catching up on emails while having tea – a couple mornings a week my tea would come with me into meetings. Sometimes I already knew that there would be issues discussed that I wasn’t looking forward to but my tea was there. Something to hold on too. It was at times something that would give me just what I needed to not react to something that I didn’t agree with negatively; sometimes it gave me strength I needed to stand up for something I believed was important to my department.

Everywhere you go people seem to have something to drink with them. On television many shows have a café where everyone meets for coffee or tea. Actually lattes and macchiatos are more popular now. On Frasier I think it was Café Nervosa; Friends hung out at Central Perk – those are just two of many. How many movie scenes are in a coffee-house or diner? Too many to mention! There is a reason Barnes & Nobles and Borders opened with large cafés inside. It’s just what makes sense; it’s comforting.

What is something little that brings you great comfort? If you haven’t incorporated it into your day yet today – be sure to – you deserve it!

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