Can't beat 5* moments!

Thursday 22nd October 2015

Sometimes you find out what you are supposed to be doing by doing the things you are not supposed to do.  Oprah Winfrey

I started reading Oprah Winfrey's book "What I know for sure" to mom yesterday, we're going to enjoy it together, only 12 pages in and it's full to the brim of nuggets of wisdom and little gems to make you think.  She talks about working and playing hard, taking pleasure seriously and the yin and yang of life.  She calls those amazing moments, those perfect pleasures, "5 star pleasure", for example her nightly phone call to her best friend, walking her dog in the woods, enjoying the Sunday paperwork sitting under a tree.  What are your 5 star moments?

I'm not going to lie one of mine is finding that perfect glass of robust red wine, it doesn't happen every time I open a bottle, even if it's the same brand twice, some days, everything is just perfect, the mood, the food, the wine, the time.  It's usually when I manage to make a glass last a very long time because I don't want that magic to end.

My all time 5 star pleasure though, is laughing with mom until we both stop at the same time and sigh together, then laugh again because we've sighed together, then that continues for quite a while and we just sit there with silly smiles.  It's a wonderful mom and me moment.

There are so many 4 and 5 star moments in life, and sometimes we overlook them because we get bogged down by the stuff that doesn't matter, I was in danger of it yesterday when I was letting my messy office and paperwork get on top of me, I was about to add another job to my long to do list, but instead I went downstairs and cooked a lovely lunch of chicken tikka and loaded jacket potato, sat down with mom, had a bit of a natter, then made us a posh coffee and read Oprah's book together for a little while, now that was a 5* moment I'll remember, a tidy desk a 2* moment - I won't!

Just done my headspace me time and today was about balance, which I talk about a lot but what he said at the end which is a really good point is noticing the things that knock you off balance, is it a situation, people, your thoughts, your actions, I like this idea a lot.  It's great to work on getting a balance in your life but it'd be a lot easier to get that balance if you know what knocks you off balance in the first time, then you can focus on making changes or at least changing how you react.

Back to the idea of 4 & 5 star moments, I just love this idea, I'm actually going to make myself a list of them as they happen so I can record the happy, the highlights, the best bits.  That list would make a great read when you're feeling off balance and out of sorts.  My phone notes would be a good enough place to start, a friend was telling me about a gratitude app yesterday, I like that ideas too, as I've had a gratitude book in the past but of course, it's something else to try and find!  So an app that'll be on my phone which I've always got, think she paid £2.50 for it, but if it's going to help you be thankful for things, it's well worth it.

Remember those moments don't have to be out of this world, for me my first mug of perfect tea in a morning knowing I have time to drink it and I can sit and enjoy, that's a 4* moment for me. Yes I like this idea a lot, stopping to think about the highlights, the good things, the little things that make you smile, that you're grateful for, that make this all worthwhile and distract us from the tough moments, the 1 and 2* moments that we can live without.

Let's focus on 4 & 5* today BeYOUtiful, it's so much nicer, focus on the healthy and happy, because when you get those weight loss certificates like so many have this week, they're always 5* moments for me as well ;)