June was overall a good month. Writing that feels good, doesn’t it? I have been writing gratitude posts for over a year now, and I realize that starting by writing something positive gets the positive thoughts rolling. So here are the wonderful things that happened:
Socially, June was a nice month. Had a few get-togethers with friends. Meeting over some good food, indulging in laughter and chatter has to be good for the heart and mind. My mil dropped by for a week bringing a load of mangoes from her backyard (the last of the season). One more reason to gorge on mangoes. 🙂 My diet and fitness stayed on track this June (pats myself on the back). I also incorporated Yoga (pranayam) in the routine to help me keep allergies at bay. Except for illnesses or extreme fatigue, I exercised regularly. And since I cook, eating healthy is not so difficult. I experiment with different types of foods, and most times I can rustle up a complete meal in less than an hour. I have recently got a help to come in the evening and chop veggies. Fingers crossed that she stays. And she has been a huge help in letting me spend even lesser time in the kitchen while doing a complete meal with salad.
Meals bring me to some thoughts on food. I am doing this weekly series where I share lunch box meal ideas. Do follow the hashtag #LunchwithVaya on my social media handles. I have realized after following other mums on social media and also among my friend circle that many of us ignore incorporating protein in our children’s diets: roti and sabzi or idli/dosa and chutney are not complete meals. Please do pay attention to adding some form of protein in your child’s tiffin. Incorporating protein in every meal keeps them satiated for longer and provide them complete nutrition. I have also been having more millets like ragi and jowar rotis. My mil told me a method to make them softer and I am going to try them soon.
My presence on social media is quite sporadic. And, it will only continue. It was among my resolutions since last year and I am glad that I am sticking to it. I enjoy friendly interactions and that’s about it. Rants, vitriol etc. I have no patience for. Best are updates that are goofy or bring a smile to my face. I am also doing a fair bit of reading both online and offline. Recently read Baaz by Anuja Chauhan. She does the romance really well and I love her strong female protagonists. Yes, her novels feel a bit repetitive. And this one even more so. The climax disappointed me. Overall, worth a read once.
Meanwhile, I have been spending some time in the rooftop garden watching with delight flowering beans, bhindis, even melons. The husband is doing such a great job, and it provides me fresh produce to cook with and a connect with nature. We regularly give away saplings. We also compost our own kitchen waste that we use for our plants. Recently, I have joined in the community initiative to compost waste. Hopefully, we can help in our own small way. Staying close to nature makes us more compassionate towards our environment. Try initiating your children into it. It is very rewarding.
The tooth issue has reached some sort of culmination. It is at peace currently and I have been asked to leave it as is. So grateful. This entire tooth incident that dragged on for 6 months and caused me a world of pain and anxiety taught me a valuable lesson about worrying. I am a worrier. I worry about everything minor and of late, I have begun calming myself down when I find myself going down that road. I must mention that I am feeling better when it comes to idle worries. We can handle things with fortitude instead of spending all our energies on worries. I guess all of us know this, but it is worthy trying to stop yourself if you find yourself worrying incessantly.
The kids are settling down with more than a month gone by in their new classes. The younger son has his first PTI today, and I am looking forward to meeting his new teachers. I have some issues with how some of them behave and react, but that is food for another blog post. Next week is elder son’s PTI.
June was also my dad’s birthday and when I called him to wish him on his birthday, I asked him about what he had planned for celebration. And he said that he planned to celebrate the fact that his mind was alert, his health was good and that he still did work that he enjoyed. Amen to that! When I need my dose of positivity, I speak to papa. I have rarely seen him deterred by adversity, and he has weathered a number of storms.
That left me thinking, do you think we are weaker or complain way too much or just that we put it out there? Is it because just like we blame the younger generation, we feel entitled to having a life that is easier and devoid of angst? Food for thought, eh?
With half year speeding past, let us all look at making the most of the rest of the year.
Join us at Vidya’s gratitude circle this month.
Main Pic courtesy: By FCSCAFEINE by Shutterstock
Gratitude lists are fantastic and have helped me greatly too! I always wait for yours.
So good to hear about the tooth problem. Hope it is soon a distant memory. That’s wonderful about the composting! What a way to give back to Nature. Well done.
Social media is always a bit of a tricky balance for me. I manage mostly well except for brief durations of the month. I realised that my last episode was due to hormones! Crazy but it can’t be helped.
On the whole though it’s brought me great perspective and I’m all set for my third 30-day challenge from today. Routine and lists help me stay calm and focused. Reducing my social media time even more from today so let’s see how that goes. July will be a busy month with some family events and Gy birthday as well. So looking forward to the excitement 🙂
I don’t know if the tooth issue is completely resolved but for the moment it seems okay. Yes, hormones, they make us go nuts. 🙂 Way to go! I think social media is a necessary evil. Let’s just keep it as optimum as possible . Looks like you are going to have an eventful July. Have a good one.
There is a lot to thank and express gratitude for having got from all!
Thanks so much, Rahul.
Can’t quite believe that half of the year has flown like the windy breeze. Three days back was also Dad’s birthday and wished him to his abode…in heaven. Glad that June was eventful for you and mine was quite peace with not too much running around. Thank my stars for that. Wishing you an amazing month of July.
Sorry to hear about your dad. I am sure he is hearing your wishes in heaven. Nice to have a peaceful month. Glad yours was that way. Wish you a great July.
Apart from the tooth issue, and the odd challenges with parenting(which we all have), the first half of the year seems to have gone rather well for you. I wish you an even better last half 🙂
I’ve been seeing your updates about the fitness, and kudos! Oh, and the ‘green thumbs’ – awesome. I wish I could make more stuff grow in our balcony garden, but no matter how hard I try – nada!
Thank you, Sid. Oh well, there have been some really big changes at home, but I choose not to talk about those. Life is all about change, right!
The husband is the one with the green thumb. I can’t take any credit for it except for watering or providing moral support. Thanks for your lovely wishes. I wish you a great second half as well.
I have been writing Gratitude Lists for two years now and like you I love the positive energy it brings to be.
Good to know you had a good June. I have been following your updates on the terrace garden and I am so very interested to visit your place. Remember, I wanted to eat too? 😉
I can’t believe the first half of the year is already over. Where did time go? I loved what your father said about an alert mind and healthy body. Such an inspiration. Have a lovely July, Rachna.
Yes, dad is someone who is a constant source of inspiration for me, Parul. I know the distance is a bitch. Do come over when you can spare time. I would love to have you over.
I love that you had a good month, Rachna. For me, June was good and it was only on the last day that I realised how grateful I am. Perhaps, I’ll do a post on it. I met you in June so that was a good thing about the month for me 🙂
Meeting you and Indrani was among the high points of the month for me as well. Hope we can do it more often. And please do write the post. I would love to read. 🙂
I am glad the tooth issue is resolved now, and that June was such a great month for you.
I love your dad’s outlook on life. It makes me reflect on how much we tend to crib inspite of having so much.
I hope you have an equally wonderful July, Rachna. 🙂
Not completely resolved but okay for now and that’s a relief. Exactly, Shantala. I wonder the same. We have so much yet we crib for everything small.
You have a great July as well.
You have had an eventful and enriching month, Rachna. Good to know that you had a great month. Baaz has some brilliant momets but the climax was was truly disappointing. I somehow felt cheated. Having a terrace garden and growing your own veggies is so therapeutic and comforting. I would love to do it too, sometimes, but with my frequent travels, it’s challenging to maintain even one plant that I have in my balcony!!
Have a happy and healthy July, Rachna
Thank you, Shilpa. I have to give the credit to the husband for the garden. He is the one with the green thumb. Wish you a great July too, Shilpa.
Hi Rachna, I always land up to read the gratitude posts and see a whole lot of focus on positive stuff, something I should be learning to focus on too. I just started this recently a couple of months and hopefully doing this over a longer time should help. Nice to read about your month. My dad too is someone who I look up to for lessons in resilience. To answer your question, yes I do think we complain a lot more -I think we have more options to vent out on, like social media even if no one is really listening. But like you said there can be multiple views on this, maybe a post too.
I understand, Vibha. One reason why I do these gratitude posts is to focus on the positives, no matter how small. And I prefer not to share the unsavoury bits. I deal with them privately. Yes, I think you are right. We vent not only because we crib more but also because we have more options to do so. But somewhere resilience and happiness gets affected. Wish you a happy July as well.
I started with Gratitude posts only this year and now, I am taking it seriously as it helps me to love Life and stay away from cribbing. To celebrate Life, I have started a gratitude Instagram series #gratitudepie. I found it easy to document this way. I wish you could join some day. I planted beans and spinach. But they died 15 days, may be lack of care. I will start again soon. Composting is such a good thing. Like you, I keep myself away from social media rants and controversies. Happy to read these gratitude posts.
June seems to have been really peaceful for you, Rachna. Happy for you!
Health should always be a priority, especially for us women who run around and do a million things in a day. Kudos on that. I’ve skipped my workout many times in June, mostly due to ill health though.
I’ve been following your #LunchwithVaya posts closely and have incorporated some of it in my lunch dabbas as well, so thank you for that 🙂
May you have an even wonderful July.
Looks like a good month Rachna binding with friends and food. Friends and good company does a lot to keep one feeling positive. I tried reading Anuja Chauhan’s Baaz too. Somehow never liked her writing. Couldnt get past the first few chapters :),….
I havent done a gratitude post so. Never seem to schedule one.. Probably its time I gave this a serious thought
My June was dealing with absentee maids, both taking turns to drive me up the wall.
Our exteriors is getting painted. So I am greeted with the sight of strange men hanging outside my window and my balconies splattered with paint.
Grateful to be alive, I guess.
Love your list, Rachna! Friends-time is always precious.
Do you go to Yoga class?
Rooftop garden! I’m enjoying your photos on instagram.
Glad to know your tooth’s at peace. The fillings I had done have come off and I am waiting to see my dentist next week for next steps. Sigh.
Social media…hmmm. Never was addicted, and now, even less so. Can so do without all the acid attacks.
How quickly time seems to have flown, after school reopened. We have also been busy with my niece’s admission…and now, packing.
Happy birthday to your Dad, Rachna.
I am so happy you are part of the Gratitude Circle! Hugs! (Adore your photo in the sidebar here–Who am I.) Wish you a wonderful July!
Such a newsy post, this one. I love the peek into your life Rachna. Your healthy eating and exercise routines are an inspiration. I have been trying and failing many times over. June has been rather hectic for us what with the kids’ birthdays, the school reopening, the Husband being home and friends coming to stay with us. While the activity was fun I am enjoying the peace that July has brought.
I enjoyed reading your gratitude list. It brought a smile on my face 🙂
Thanks for sharing the wonderful life lessons. And I would like to join the gratitude circle from this month 🙂
Thanks, Purba. Do join. The gratitude circle post is done on every last Thursday of the month.
I just love the idea of your organic garden, Rachna and it is always such a delight to see what you are cooking up from there. So beautiful to read about the relationship you share with your dad too. I am grateful for my happy peaceful vibes here right now, may you have more to be grateful for next month.
Thank you, Arti. I love watching the tiny buds form and the produce grow in front of our eyes. So satisfying. And yes, dad symbolizes positivity in my life. Thank you for your warm words. Would love to have you join in these gratitude posts.
These gratitude post’s sound interesting! Being thankful is essential for some inner peace.
These posts are actually quite good both for feeling gratitude and also for enhancing positivity. You should try them.
Happy to know that you are at peace with your tooth. My prayers and love to your dad. I too write gratitude list every month …. and it has a tremendous change in my outer behavior and inner attitude.
I hope the tooth issue is resolved now.. my best wishes your way 🙂
and yes yes i know i have said it enough times I need to gate crash one of these days at your place to enjoy the food 🙂
June for me just flew away and as you see July is also half way there .. So much ..
You gratitude posts always wants me to write one for myself but never made it 😛
The lazy bum that I am 🙂 Glad to know you had quite a peaceful month. Hope your July is going as smoothly as June 🙂