One of my favorite things and biggest stress relievers is spending an hour perusing the aisles of TJ Maxx.  It’s a rare place where you can pick up a new whisk, a 24-inch statue of a wildhorse, and a new pair of pajama pants that you feel speak especially to you.  (Plus, each item is usually a bargain, so how much better could it get, right?)

The thing about it is you have to be willing to hunt to find stuff that you love.  Akin to some kind of weird domestic treasure hunt, if you look hard enough, you’re sure to emerge with a few gems.  As I left my local TJ’s with some gold of my own last week, I thought about how the search is worth it.

And I think the same is true in life.  Each day we are presented with aisles and aisles of thoughts, emotions, and actions that we can choose to experience.  Some days it’s easier to pick stuff off of the shelves from the hum-drum, negative, woe is me aisle. (Especially during this gray time of year.)  We forget that we can leave that stuff alone and search for better and brighter things to fill our carts with.  Simply move to another aisle and keep looking.

It takes some work, energy, and sometimes some manufactured motivation, but it’s worth it in the end.  The more I read, learn, and listen I realize that positivity, motivation, and feel good feelings like kindness, happiness, and hope are always ours for the taking.  They might be hiding under some random pair of sweatpants that someone threw in the wrong space, but if you’re tuned in to looking for them, you’ll eventually find them.

And I promise that you’ll never regret checking out with a load full of that kind of good stuff in your cart.

What aisle are you in this week?

Extra-Ordinary Ideas

Read It:  One of the things that can help us find the right attitude this time of year is purging the stuff we don’t need.  This is a book I re-read about once a year: Throw Out Fifty Things by Gail Blanke.
Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life

Do It:  Creating some simplicity in your life never hurts, and a good meal can do wonders.  I accomplished both last night with this crock pot recipe that was a hit. (P.S. I subbed Diet Dr. Pepper, cooked for 7.5 hours and then removed, covered in sauce and cooked at 350 for about 15 minutes.) Now you’re really curious, right?

Think It:  “Our attitude toward life determines life’s attitude towards us.” Earl Nightingale

Leave a Comment:  How do you stay motivated during the gray days of winter?

Remember when you were a kid and you wished and wished for something for Christmas (like Atari!), and you finally got it. Oh, the joy of playing Space Invaders a hundred times in a row. You felt like the luckiest kid on the planet.

I’m wondering when the last time was that you felt like the luckiest person on the planet? As we get older, it’s easy to get bogged down in the responsibilities of life instead feeling uplifted by the opportunities of life.

The great things is that you just got a big gift this past week that has the ability to make you feel like the luckiest person on the planet once again . . . a brand New Year. I love the New Year because it is a built in chance for renewal, a chance to shake things up, throw things out, and take some new chances. When is the last time you tried something for the first time?

Trying new things is a great way to connect to that kid in us who used to be surprised and amazed on a regular basis. And it doesn’t have to be something major. All small feats count. I made corn chowder for the first time this weekend, and (drum roll please) my family liked it. I know, it’s a small accomplishment, but in a time when the news is bleak, the credit card bill is coming, and the sun makes rare appearances, it’s the little things that are worth celebrating.

So get moving and try something new this week . . . a new book, a great movie, a new recipe, a great game, an online course, a new furniture arrangement . . . just one thing will get your blood flowing and your energy up.

Happy New Year!

EXTRA-Ordinary Ideas:

Read It: The Guinea Pig Diaries by AJ Jacobs . . . A very funny read about a guy who experiments with trying all kinds of new things.

The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life as an Experiment

Do It: Check out the Corn Chowder recipe that I made. Super simple and yummy.

Corn Chowder

2 Tbsp butter

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 baking potatoes, peeled and diced (I used 4 small red potatoes instead)

4 cups chicken broth (canned is fine)

1 regular sized can of any corn you like (I used Summer Crisp)

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

One 10.75 oz can condensed cream of celery soup

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper (I added some of this to the soup and used the rest for garnish)

In a heavy-bottomed 4 quart stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and potatoes and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the broth and boil the vegetables over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are very soft. Add the corn to the soup and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the half-and-half, salt, pepper and the cream of celery soup. Stir well to combine. Simmer until hot. Serve immediately. Garnish with the bell pepper. Makes about 6 cups.

Source: Paula Deen Celebrates!

Think It: “Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic.” Anonymous