When You're In Need... GIVE

I've been feeling a little flat lately. 

Having had the flu in the past week didn't help but I've felt a simmering discontent even before that.

However, I was recently invited by a group on CONNECT to join a challenge.

The first week our challenge was to do 20 sit ups, 20 push ups(on the knees counts!), 20 lunges and one 60 second plank each day for at least 4 days in the week.

This second week we added in doing 10 minutes of meditation a day.

A lot of people think of meditation as some kind of woo woo thing but it's really not. 

There are also a lot of ideas out there about what meditation has to be- sitting in the silence for a certain amount of time.

Personally, I think meditation can be kinetic.  When I was still doing portrait drawings in charcoal I always found shading to be meditative.  Some people can meditate while playing an instrument or gardening.

It's just a time to quiet the mind and feel at peace. 

Anyway, I decided part of my exercise this week would be to bring more mindfulness to all of my interactions- at the grocery store, work, gas station, home, etc.

So today I left the house feeling a little tired and less than enthusiastic.  I went to an obligatory office meeting on my day off and then went to run errands. 

I had been strongly craving scallops but when I got to the grocery store I saw they were $17.99 per pound which is really pricey in my book.

But, I was practicing being present with the woman who worked behind the seafood and meat counter. 

I made eye contact, smiled and talked with her. 

She took me completely by surprise.  She told me she loved her job, that she never thought she'd say that she loved to work at a meat dept but she did.

I told her I was trying to decide how many scallops I thought I could afford and she said "You know what?  They're on sale over at Hy-Vee today for $9.99 per pound.  I'll price match it for you".

So I got a huge discount!  That alone was great but the part that was even better?

Her smile.  It was real and bright and it lightened my whole day.

She was so real with me and so kind.  It lifted me up and by the time I got home I had so much energy I couldn't wait to go work out!

Giving doesn't have to mean draining your bank account.  Sometimes the best gift you can give someone else is a real smile.  I gave one today and it came back to me multiplied. 

So, it's really true what they say- if you're feeling down and in need, the best thing you can sometimes do is to give.

You'll be pleasantly surprised by just how much you get back in return.

Have a wonderful weekend!

~Carrie