What Went Well Wednesdays
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What Went Well Wednesdays

I’ve been reading about the science of flourishing, much of which is based on work done in the field of “positive psychology.” The general idea is to focus on our strengths and build on them, rather than dwelling on our flaws and vulnerabilities.

One fruitful exercise is called “Three Blessings”, or “What Went Well.” Here’s how it goes:

“Every night for the next week, set aside ten minutes before you go to sleep. Write down three things that went well today and why they went well. You may use a journal or your computer to write about the events, but it is important that you have a physical record of what you wrote. The three things need not be earthshaking in importance (‘My husband picked up my favorite ice cream for dessert on the way home from work today’), but they can be important (‘My sister just gave birth to a healthy baby boy’). Next to each positive event, answer the question ‘Why did this happen?’ For example, if you wrote that your husband picked up ice cream, write ‘because my husband is really thoughtful sometimes’ or ‘because I remembered to call him from work and remind him to stop by the grocery store.’”

Three Blessings

If you do this regularly, it is supposed to reduce depression and anxiety — and remind you to feel thankful, another key to happiness. So I’m going to try to do this on my blog, at least weekly, on “What Went Well Wednesdays.” Serenity now!

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Wensleydale

I’ve “challenged” myself to write about a “travel trinket” and associated memories. Here are my trinkets:

Piers Browne Books

Actually, only two belong to me: the top book, Wensleydale, and the third one down, Glorious Trees of Great Britain. They were written and illustrated by a Yorkshire-based artist named Piers Browne. My parents and I discovered him decades ago, when I was a twenty-something, tagging along with them on a trip to visit my mother’s family in England. I had been working at a very demanding job and they were worried about my stress levels, so they invited me to join them in Yorkshire, where my mother’s cousins lived. We stayed at a B&B run by the local pub, which meant that my parents stayed in one village home while I stayed in another, and we met up for breakfast at the pub. The home where I stayed had dozens of gorgeous limited edition etchings done by one Piers Browne. When my mother and I were admiring them, my hostess said that he lived nearby, that he sold his etchings out of his artist’s studio sometimes and that he didn’t mind visitors. So off we went, my middle-aged parents and I, to seek him out.

We drove through the beautiful rural Yorkshire Dales that are the subject of so many of his artworks, winding our way through remote lanes and up moors, until we reached his studio. And yes, he was there, and no, he didn’t mind visitors. We pored over his etchings and came away with a few, including one that my parents bought for me as a gift.

Fast forward twenty-five years. Continue reading →

Summer Wedding Inspiration

I am slightly obsessed with David Austin’s “English Roses.” I grow some in my own garden but alas! Without an English climate, I don’t achieve quite the same results. BUT David Austin Roses has a blog! With the most gorgeous photos. Enjoy.

Summer Wedding Inspiration

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Respite

res·pite
ˈrespət,rēˈspīt/
noun
  1. 1.
    a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant.
    synonyms: rest, break, breathing space, interval, intermission, interlude, recess, lull, pause

    We all need breathing space from the daily rush of tasks, responsibilities and obligations. How do you find respite in your life?

     

    Photo: davidaustinrosesusa.com