Hello Friends,

I hope that you are off to a good start for the new year.

After having enjoyed being a sloth during the later part of December, January is usually a time when I spring back into action and try to do some cleaning up and organizing around my very cluttered house. The inside Christmas decorations have mostly been put away.  The tree has been taken down, 10’000 pine needles have fallen.  My holiday visitors have left and so now it’s also time to do mountains of laundry and to reduce the dust accumulation in our abode. I  also tackle the hallways and stairs. Steps can be a particular challenge for me.

Perhaps I am just a klutz but about six years ago, while trying to move a larger shop vac over one over sized step in my basement, I managed to trip and fall, breaking one ankle, while spraining the other. The pain of that fall had me seeing stars and almost blacking out. I remember crawling over to another room to cry for help.  The healing process was a long one. I ended up sitting on my butt for eight (long) weeks, being dependent on the kindness of my angel husband and helpful sons, who managed to remain patient and  kind with me, even when I was being a  demanding and ill-tempered patient.  Are you shocked?  Well, this was before I started up  with the Laughter Yoga. Thinking back to that time, I am embarrassed by my behavior. I was so used to doing for others, it was really hard for me to accept help from others and to learn how to appreciate how they do it.  I’d like to think that that was a good lesson for me and moving forward, I have learned to do and be better. Of course, I am a work in progress. : )

I have always been challenged with vacuum cleaners, their cords always getting in my way and tripping me up. Or sometimes I get frustrated because (moving from room to room), I need to keep unplugging the cord, it is never long enough.  It seems, as much as I am grateful for the suction of my special vac and being able to tidy up, I get irritated with the parts.  In past years, while maneuvering on the stairs, I have twisted a knee or have taken a misstep, just missing a step and losing my balance, catching myself from falling at the last moment. I wonder,  am I the only one that feels so accident prone?  Most likely my own darn fault for always being speedy and not paying attention. Blame it on the vac, ha ha ha.

So now, I am reminding myself to be more mindful with all my chores, particularly the ones I am not so excited about. Mindful of being in the moment, using my breath to work with the task instead of fighting it and rushing through it.

Reminder: If it’s a really dusty area, don’t breath in deeply until you’ve vacuumed up the area but if you are just doing some easy cleaning, do some gentle breathing and laughter.

Laugh as you:

-fold your clothes (gratitude laughter for each piece of clothing)

– wash your dishes (gratitude laughter for your nice dishes and cutlery

– before & after you scrub your toilet (let’s get this over with” laughter and “I did it!” laughter)

-scrub or clean stuff up

Try talking  to your plants, paying  them some compliments and showering  them with a bit of laughter.

Clean on with a smile and brighten your pathways.