Reduce, Reuse = Recycle

I found this the other day when I was parking in a parking structure in Burbank, California. I saw the sign at first and glanced at it but I didn't really get what it was saying and I didn't have time to stop and go back. I couldn't stop thinking about it afterwards though and when I was finished and came back I took some time to explore and look around. I was curious about what was there around those concrete pillars and walls. Silly I know but something about it just stuck out to me as something neat and interesting and worth looking into. Something that showed mankind investing back into the world it had created in a positive way, or so I hoped. When I got back to the structure I looked at the sign. The boulders that are found all over and on both sides are actually repurposed from the Burbank landfill. It's kind of cool, to take something from an area of waste and putting it to good use where it actually looks good too. It reduces waste and reuses it at the same time, repurposing at its finest. The stones are filled in to imitate the actual California environment. That combined with the native draught-resistant plants makes this garden more than ideal. It requires less upkeep, it will stay nicer longer, it is more ecological friendly and it was done by reusing old waste products. That is seriously really cool. 

The City of Burbank Water & Power company did something inventive and smart, it is a Demonstration Garden to show just how effective they can be. That is what we constantly are, Demonstration Gardens, always showing to others and ourselves the potential that we know we have within. Sometimes it shines brightly through and sometimes it doesn't. Those times are when we really have to hold on to our Joy and what it means to us. We reduce and reuse by taking all of our past and letting it go. We don't just pretend it doesn't exist, we just have to deal with it and move on because in the end there is no way to go back in time and change things. There will never be a way. Deal with everything and don't let that waste, anger, stress, bile, depression build up until it has nowhere left o go except out - or inwards towards yourself. Use those mistakes and bad things and make them Joyful, you learned and survived and moved on. That really is something. Take the Joy you find with you and carry it with you throughout life, leaving gardens for you to visit from time to time when you need to moments. We are always demonstrating because we are never the same, always presenting something new and something exciting. Life is never the same, which is what makes it amazing. But that also means we can't go back in time either. We have to keep moving forward, stay strong and stay Joyful. Don't let things hurt you or weigh you down, let them make you stronger and then cast them to the side. 

Lizards In The Garden

As spring begins the world has begun to come alive all around me. I love it, I love the smell and I love the feeling in the air. That crispness I sense as I breathe in is so refreshing and invigorating. This is why I am always going outside. It's why I'm always pushing myself to get up and get out. When I get really depressed all I want to do is stay in. Whether it's lying in bed, sitting at the desk or sitting on the edge of the bed I don't care. I just don't want to get out and interact with people. And I definitely don't want to talk on the phone. I can get stuck like this, stuck in this terrible self-perpetuating cycle of misery and despair. We all can, it's an easy trap to fall in to. The best way I found to get out of it is to get up and just go outside. I do it by myself if I need to, but I still go outside and breathe in the fresh air. It brings me back to life. When it's time to come back inside I always feel at least a little more optimistic about life. It somehow helps me realign my perspective and puts a little more fuel in my tank. I don't know what it is but it works every time. It helps me calm down enough to take a deep breathe and put all my problems in relative perspective. I push myself to realize that some things just aren't worth t, like whether or not what I did at work made someone mad or not. If it did then oh well it's already happened and I can't change that. If not then I have nothing to worry about anyway. It's simple, some things aren't worth wasting time worrying over. The past is the past and all we can do is adapt and move forward as best we can. Sometimes we need something to force us to slow down, to take that breath. Use nature, it's all around you and already at your fingertips. It costs nothing and returns everything. It can be simple like walking to the store just down the street instead of driving to it or taking a fifteen minute walk through the park with your headphones on. Do something you want, it is supposed to be fun too. 

One of the things I love is seeing the flowers budding and the green growth stemming from all the tree branches around me. A raw example of life and the power of nature, it's beauty on display for all to see. Roses are my favorite, red roses particularly. But I do love all roses, and I love that I get to see them everyday walking in my neighborhood. The old saying about stopping to smell the roses always comes to mind, but then again it is true. I love to just stop and close my eyes and smell a beautiful rose. It's five seconds of pure bliss. Everything melts away and afterwards that rose stays on my glasses to keep me looking at things just a little bit brighter. The next time you are out take a moment and smell a rose, or any beautiful flower you happen to come across. Savor the moment and take in the healing energy Mother Nature is giving you. 

Now that the warm weather is here and the sun is out to warm the stones and grass lizards are almost everywhere. I love it, I used to have a pet lizard. He didn't last too long but I loved him for every second. At least I think it was a him. I wouldn't know. I've always loved lizards, just not snakes. There are lizards out sunbathing on the walkways at work and on the stones lining our daily hiking trail. There are so many, I love just watching them. They are so adaptable, I have always been amazed that they can grow back a tail that gets severed. Amazing. They can climb almost anything too, any surface or terrain. When I see a lizard I tell myself to be a little more lizard like. Take time to bask in the healing sunlight, pause and breathe in this beautiful world around you and learn to adapt to trying and tolling situations with dignity. You know you're able to. We all have it inside of us, it's how we're made and born. Lastly, don't be afraid to go anywhere, even when you're scared out of your mind. Don't be afraid to tackle any surface or brave any terrain. Look at the lizard, another example of the universe showing us that we really can make it. Slow down enough to get the message and see just how much it will change your life. Take a second and go look through the window into the garden. It's beautiful isn't it? Wouldn't you feel better outside? Just five minutes of that fresh air is worth a days problems if you let it empower you. Harness the joy around you and take flight, what is there to wait for? Nothing more rewarding. 

Meaningful Monday's

Just like about everyone else on earth, I hate Monday. I spend most of Sunday evening trying to make myself somehow forget that I have to get up early and work the next day. Don't get me wrong, I love my job so much and enjoy it for the most part, minus the complications at the moment. I am proud of what I do and who I work for. I haven't been able to say that for a while. But Monday's are still Monday's. This week was made especially worse by everything happening at work. I spent the whole weekend dreading having to come back today and face the situation head on. The worst part is the waiting in limbo for everything to get taken care of. Now there are many employees involved, it's not just something I reported. Either way, I am still afraid to have to face people after they begin to find out what happened or they hear rumors that I'm sure will start circulating. So this Monday is doubly awkward. Or is it really?

My partner has been telling me all day that there is no point in being upset or anxious, the problem is being taken care of and I did the right thing. I shouldn't worry because I did what others were too afraid or intimidated to do themselves. To me, I just wanted to stand up for myself and the other countless number of people I know have been affected. Monday's are never fun. Unless you make them. Like my partner kept telling me today, look at it the other way. You have an awesome job, you have me, you have your truck, you have a job you love and there are many people on your side he kept telling me. It's hard to take your own advice sometimes. Every situation has two sides or two ways of looking at it. You can see only the negative or you can choose to acknowledge all that negative and use it to build your strength while paying attention to the positive things. Hold on to that hope; find it and never let go. Don't let things get you down. If they start to get to you stop and jot down a note. In a few words write down what is driving you crazy and intruding on your joyful day. Letting it out and putting it on paper always helps. When you do, look at what you wrote. Reword it to feel better and encourage yourself. You are your own coach. Instead of thinking why are all these terrible things happening to me think about the positive things you have and feel and choose to live by them instead. There are two sides to every coin, every situation. It's your choice whether to look at heads or tails. 

Last night I didn't sleep very well and I had a really hard time falling asleep. When we went to Wal Mart I picked up two tulips for 98 cents each and two little planters for a dollar apiece. Less than 4$ total. While I was watching tv last night I sat in the doorway leading outside and focused on bringing life back to these beautiful flowers. For less than 5$ I found something I could do that was both productive, relaxing and healthy. Growing your own plant or flower is always an amazing feeling. It's not much work, just checking it daily. But if you care for it right you will see it blossom into something beautiful. Watching it grow through the storms and cold is a reminder of just how resilient nature is, and we are a part of nature. Tonight I'll water and check on them and over time I'll watch them grow strong. So small and yet so profound and inspiring. Find a small plant. Get an aloe plant, those are so easy to care for and they can be used for cuts and burns at home. If it dies then start again, learn from your mistake. Try something new. This small distraction will help inspire hope and strength, if you open up your eyes and mind enough to see it and then to grab hold for yourself. 

Do you grow anything? How do you deal with Monday's? This is a community of joy, we're all here to support each other.