Allotting my Budget

brings me gratitude.

So with the new year, new focus comes into play. I'm not one for resolutions.. but I thought it was time to put a budget together. Don't get me wrong. I do have savings and RSP's, investments and a mortgage but I'm a bit embarrassed to say that I've never done an actual budget based on my income.

I knew my laptop had to have a program on it for budgeting so I looked it up and filled it in.

I have to say I was shocked at how much of my income is put towards my monthly expenses - the mortgage, property tax, maintenance fees, car payments, car, life and home insurance, cable, internet, cell phone, groceries. Oie vae!

Now this is all a choice. We wanted to purchase a condo a few years ago instead of paying rent and someone else's mortgage, and after many years of wanting a car but not needing a car we decided it was time to purchase and of course the cell phone, internet and cable are all luxuries that we choose to indulge in.

But then I thought about it. I thought about all of the things that are not included in those monthly expenses... things like hanging out with Lola, and hugs from my husband, and walks by the lake, and hanging out with family and friends. And it got me thinking even more as to what my monthly expenses go towards... a home for my myself and my husband, warm showers, the option to turn the heat up if I'm cold, all the drinking water I need, lots of books to read,

too many clothes...

and shoes to choose from,

the option to use the building pool or exercise room..., freedom to drive where we'd like, taking a bike ride, the internet to learn about anything that I choose, a number of movies to watch, tons of music to listen to, limitless meals to try making from the countless cook books the hubby has,

not to mention concerts, travelling and memorable experiences! I could go on and on and on...

I enjoyed this. I enjoyed not only clarifying where my hard earned earnings go to but also taking another look at what I so have and appreciating all of it!

Thank you!

Just happy...

...brings me gratitude.

As previously mentioned I was a little off this summer.

I don't feel ill will towards it... I accept it as is and am happy to move on.

I am just happy now.

Happy to be enjoying work. Happy to have work!...

Happy when I have a day off. Or happy when I have an evening with My Love.

Happy that we have so much to look forward to...

Happy about the amazing experiences we have had recently..

and so many more to look forward to...

and in honor of Gandhi, on the anniversary of his birth... my favourite quote:

Be the change you want to see in the world.

Love.

Thank you!

Slowing Down...

brings me gratitude.

Today is Thursday, and I have a rare mid-week day off... always a great indulgence!It's been a while since I last blogged but a lot has happened in the last couple weeks.

I guess the most apparent is a mystery injury to my right foot.

I don't know if you can really tell from this photo but it is quite swollen..

I've been to the doctor and it is not a sprain, as I initially thought, but perhaps a fracture.

The swelling has since gone down but I've been limping around and today I am taking advantage of my day off by staying off my foot. The mystery is that I'm not sure when it occurred...

Last week we had a morning date at the coffee shop,

and decided to play tourists on a tour of the Toronto islands.

Did you know that there is a bird sanctuary on the island?... very serene and peaceful. But I digress.

My foot was sore but it was not worrisome...

But then we hosted a rock band at work,

and I was on my feet for hours and hours, in heels no less!

Needless to say this was not what my foot needed and realized that I had to go to the doctor.

X-rays were taken and I go back tomorrow to find out what is going on.

The benefit has been that I have had to slow everything down. I've had to lessen my hours at work,

I've had to take a break from exercising (or thinking that I should be exercising), and I've had to remember that it is a gift to have a healthy body with full mobility.

Sometimes I forget... how blessed I am.

But I try to see the messages and lessons from my occurrences in life.

Sometimes the things that occur are out of my control.

Sometimes it's a bad choice...

But no matter what, there is always a lesson that can be learned,

to bring me back to the things that are most important.

I am grateful that this happened.

Of course, I hope that it is not a serious injury but this is my body's way of telling me to slow down and smarten up!

Or at least get better shoes for work.

Michael Jackson - Man in the Mirror

brings me gratitude.

Like the rest of the world I am shocked by the death of Michael Jackson, actually more in disbelief. He just seemed immortal and larger than life. The memorial yesterday certainly made it real.

Was I a fan? Sure, at points in my life, I was. Certainly not fanatic, though. Did I think his life was strange? Yes, absolutely. Does his music make me want to get up and dance? Always!

When 'Man in the Mirror' came out I was in grade 8. Amazing song, of course, but I didn't quite get the message then. Listening to it now it inspires me to 'change the world'. In order to do this it starts with ourselves. Small changes inspire big changes. Perhaps those changes in yourself will inspire your partner, or your child, or your siblings, or your co-worker or your boss or your next door neighbor or the bus driver to be a better person.

The change in myself over the last 7 months have been incredible. More aware, present, motivated, inspired, less reactive (still working on this one), less afraid, more myself.

Michael Jackson made such huge impact on so many generations of people that he really did change the world but he had to have his own personal goals to make it happen.

"If you want to make the world a better place take a look at yourself and make the change".

Thank you, Michael!

Absolutely incredible video!