Less than a Latte 4-18-12

At my Day Job we have four-hour-long meetings every Tuesday from 9 am - 1 pm. There are about 30 people who attend any given time. Some people say the meetings are soul-sucking. I usually find them unpleasant but take it as an opportunity to practice my meditative breathing. And catch up on email. Anyway.

The meetings typically leave me feeling rather unsettled, so I've taken to going for a walk immediately after, for as long as my schedule allows (which is usually an hour or less.) I'm lucky enough to have a Trader Joe's nearby, but I'm trying to find ways to soothe myself in ways that are free of calories and chemicals, so I avoid going there at times.  Yesterday though, during my only free 20 minutes of the work day, I walked over to TJ's, had a free mini-cup of their coffee du jour and bought myself an $.85 bottle of raspberry lime seltzer. Since it was a beautiful sunny day, I took a little longer route back to the office, arriving just in time to get myself some ice and pour a tall bubbly refreshing beverage. It tasted like summer and was completely guilt free. I felt quite virtuous. I felt refreshed and renewed. And as I entered another 3 1/2 hours of back-to-back meetings, my day was just a bit brighter with the promise of better hours and days to come.

Take a walk. Get some seltzer. Find your happy place.