Welcome to my bubble of calm

It might be worth noting that it's been so long since I did a blog post that my blog publisher changed its entire format while I was off doing whatever it was I was doing that wasn't blogging.

As for what I've been doing during my non-blogging time -- I've been living. Traveling mostly. First it was to Taiwan for work where I survived not only the jetlag and missed connection to Japan but also getting out of Asia in the midst of a typhoon. Then I came back to Chicago, did three long days at work and then hopped back on a plane to visit my husband for a week. I came back home late on a Tuesday night and proceeded to earn my purple belt in Karate, paint my bedroom, visit with my mom and sister and do a ton of laundry.

Since then, I've been living in a bubble of calm. I've tried desperately to keep my bubble a calming place. It hasn't always been easy, but I've found a few things that have helped:

• I try not to let other people's negativity get to me. I've gotten pretty good at telling people if they're going to be mean, rude or negative around me then I will make myself scarce so that I'm not brought down with them.
• I focus on the positive. I actively listen and appreciate the sounds around me. I take great joy in watching the fireflies around my house or watching my stepson become enthralled in a documentary. When I hear that someone has too much laundry to do, I respond with a (nice and calm) "what a great problem to have -- having so many clothes and sheets that you have a tough time keeping up with them."
• I turn problems into opportunities. I don't like being a victim; it makes me feel helpless and uneasy and those don't exactly jibe with my bubble of calm. If something has gone awry at home or away, I try to refocus and look at what I can do or learn from the situation. 
• I treat myself well. In the past few weeks, I've been trying to treat my body like a temple: I try not to fill my body with bad things, I exercise and I sleep, rest or relax when my body seems to be screaming at me to pause. I've been known to turn on a white noise (like a fan) and just lay on my bedroom floor and chant to myself: "I'm a good soul with so much to offer and I'm proud of who I've become." 

This all may sound ultra new-agey, but it's helped. It's probably also why I haven't really blogged much or been around on a lot of the stepmom sites I normally frequent. I've been trying to stay calm and relaxed and not sucked into negativity which seems to run rampant.

I guess what I've done -- and what I would encourage each of you to do -- is to start focusing on how you too can find your bubble of calm. What steps would you  need to take to be calm and relaxed. What are a few things you can truly remove from your daily life so that you're not very stressed.

Trust me. I haven't felt this wonderful in years.