Amit Sood and His Ideas to Increase Our Resilience

 Dr. Amit Sood has some great and easy to start ideas to increase our resilience, our ability to get through trouble, loneliness and sadness. He wrote "Just as trees grow their branches toward the sun, spend more time with people who are your source of light." 

One idea of Dr. Sood's I like is "Greet at least one person each day as if you haven't seen them for a month, with enthusiasm and energy."

Here is a picture that might make you smile, it makes me smile. This is a painting of my pup, Bounce. Yes, he has a Hawaiian shirt like in the portrait, and he is holding a ukelele in the painting, the artist's creative idea.

 

Dr Sood also says try to notice one new thing each day. I find that takes a bit of work, it is not as easy for me as I might have thought. Another of his ideas to build resilience in us is to send a silent good wish to someone you're connecting with. He does this all day, which makes him feel uplifted. Dr, Sood is a former medical professor at Mayo Clinic and is now CEO of the Resilient Option.

Me in 1966 riding a donkey to a picnic spot on Buyuk Ada, an island near Istanbul. My Turkish friends planned the picnic which included a carriage ride and they cooked shish kebabs and other goodies outdoors. Fun. New Things. Let's Do It.

Friends, Happiness, Cats and Violets

Here is a darling card I received from Diane, Diane Wants to Write a long time blog friend and penpal, it came all the way from the Philippines. The African violets are from Wei, a friend in town, and she moved here all the way from China when she was a college student.

The card says "Do one thing every day that makes you happy." I am always on the look out for those things. The card itself does that for me. I am going to buy a frame for it, it is 5 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches. Actually I might frame all 4 cards from Diane, they would look cheery hanging as a group on a wall.
Now I will look up how to care for African violets. I love that color! I think it will thrive with my orchids near my patio doors. The light is from the east, and I will set the pot in water for an hour once a week with a bit of plant food until the soil feels damp. If you have better African violet care tips let me know please.
Here are two more cheery cards from Diane:

The card with the bear says "Do small things with great love." I recall reading that Mother Theresa said this.
The following card from Diane arrived today, it is funny and I added it right now.

I like having fun reminders around my house that give me smiles. Violets and cards from friends, that will do it.