Category: Grateful

January 28th: Try a New Meditation

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When I made this list I feel I was living a very different life. It has been four years since I made the original list and as I mark things off but didn’t finish the whole list I would add more items to make it full for the next year. Often as I go through the list I come across things that were important to me 4 years ago that I might have forgotten about. Strangely, meditation is one of those things. I had a point in my life where daily meditation was important and for some reason it fell away.

As I searched through the list recently I came across “Try a New Meditation” and it struck a chord with me, that I don’t meditate (at all) enough anymore.

So on my nightly walk with my pup Bella, I found this spot at a park near my house, very little city lights, clear blue, starry skies and very quiet. I sat down and just breathed. In and out. Clearing my mind. I glanced up at the sky and felt a moment of clarity. Now that I have found this spot, I feel I will return to it often.

I found this article that discusses the 12 Benefits of Meditation and I can’t see why a person wouldn’t want to have a meditation routine.

January 20th: Buy a New Camera

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If you cannot tell from some of my other posts I am an avid photographer. I got my BFA in Photography in 2008 and love taking photos in a daily basis.

The goal was with this “thing” to buy a new camera but I was actually fortunate enough to have a friend just give me this digital one.

I have almost always shot with film, aside from using my iPhone. But this new camera could bring a lot of new projects my way.

I cannot wait to start using it!

January 1st: Here we go 2021! 365 Days of Photos

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Starting a new year is always like starting a new journey. This is the 4th year I am attempting to do 365 new or fun things. I have a list compiled and will strive each day to check something off. I have yet to do a complete year but whenever I look back I am always grateful for the things I did force or push myself to do.

About 7 years ago I challenged myself to take a photograph everyday. I am challenging myself to that again this year. So my first check mark for the year on my 365 things is to start and push myself everyday to photograph.

Denver, Capital Building

I went down to the capital building this morning, one of my favorite structures and things to photograph in Denver and snapped some shots.

You can follow my photo journey on Instagram or Facebook @megantutinphotography !

Happy New Year! Wishing everyone a safe, healthy and wonderful 2021.

March 8th: Have a Really Good Solo Moment

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This is one of those things that happens and I check off but I don’t realize it’s happening or going to happen. I had something else to check off today, but I think this one is more appropriate.

Today is my 7th full day on Maui, and sadly my last. After a long day of beaches, food and napping (I know, sounds awful) I kind of wanted a moment to myself just to breath and take in the week.

The sun had already set but I thought it would be nice to go take in a few moments on the beach.

I won’t go into great detail, because I think a great solo moment, should remain just that, but I will say… it is important that we take moments for ourselves. I think this vacation reminded me that I don’t do that enough for myself and I need to remember to do so. ESPECIALLY when I am not on vacation.

February 5th: Bring Breakfast for Morning Crew

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Sometimes I get overwhelmed when I fall behind on my 365 things. It can be hard working full time, taking care of the pups, trying to have a life… blah, blah, excuses excuses. When this happens though I tend to not want to do anything the next day or the next because I feel like I have to catch up for all the days I missed. But I need to get over that.

Today I am doing something for today and I will worry about catching up on the missed days as I can.

So anyway, today I’m on my way to work and buying breakfast for everyone I work with. Hopefully a nice surprise. Plus, it keeps me in my routine of eating breakfast.

January 28th: Go for a Long Walk

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Walks have definitely been in the mix a lot more since getting Bella. Everyday getting a little longer to tire this incredibly active doggie.

Today we attempted a long one with Mia in stride to try and get them more comfortable with each other. They both love it.

We went over two miles and by the end they were walking side by side with no problems and ready for a nap when we got home.

Amazing how a new dog can change your life. It can be exhausting by snuggles and exercise are making it all worth it.

January 7th: Teach Bella to Sit

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Having a new puppy in the house in no cake walk. It has been trying. Especially with an older dog already in the house who expects all the love and attention.

But Bella is great! And so smart.

Today (and over the past few days) I taught her to sit! She learned it so quickly that I feel she must have been in a decent home to begin with.

Her and Mia are still having some hiccups but I hope to train them both out of it quickly.

Any pointers for helping an old dog transition into having a puppy around that wants to play all the time are greatly appreciated!

Wikihow.com always comes through with great advice- 4 Easy Ways to Teach Your Dog How to Sit!

January 4th: Treat Yourself to Lunch

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I started this journey two years ago on January 1st of 2017. The December coming up to that new year I compiled a list of 365 things that I had either never done, goals I wanted to accomplish or resolutions I wanted to set for the year. In that first year I accomplished just over 200 of them. It was hard some days… other days it was super easy.

Coming up onto 2018 I realized I was never going to cross them all off. So I added new ones and in some cases repeated ones that I wanted to make sure to repeat. 2018 was hectic. After crossing off “Buy a House” in 2017, 2018 became a lot about renovating and costly expenses, particularly mortgage costs. Through the year I only crossed off 60 things.

Now that 2019 is here I am restarting the list and hoping to spend the year concentrating on positive reinforcement things and goals. Continuing DIY projects for my house, garden and property will be a major part but I will also concentrate improving myself through month long resolutions, like purging one item a day for a month that I started on the first. But I also want to make sure to think about things I can do for myself that positively reinforce life. I do not want everyday to be about what I can do to improve or “fix” myself. I think it is also important at to do things that make me feel good or give me a sense of positivity.

So, really, that long wonder blog for the day just boils down to my thing for today- “Treat Yourself to Lunch”. I went out this afternoon and had a nice lunch at Buchi Cuban Cafe. Nothing fancy, nothing expensive- but a nice change up from either not even eating lunch or something thrown together at home. I went and had a delicious lunch by myself. I just set out from my house with no known destination and as I drive by Buchi’s (which I had been to before) I remember how much I enjoyed the establishment. It is owned by a Floridian and kind of reminds me home.

Nice how such a simple thing for the day gave me a positive feeling and put me in a good mood about having to go to work tonight.

February 4th: Get a New Pet

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Well, this was actually quite a surprise!

Unfortunately, my little sister’s dog, AJ, but my two year old nephew. AJ is twelve and they have had him for over seven years. Sadly, he had an ear infection that they didn’t know about and when they were playing AJ, being in pain, retaliated adversely.

He is such a sweet dog and was just in a lot of pain when it happens. Regardless, my sister felt she could not keep him around the kids anymore.

So now he is going to live with me!!

My sister lives in Tampa and my dad just spent three days on the road driving him out here!

Getting a new pet was on my list for the year and I cannot think of a better way to get one that to help one in need.

So I welcome AJ to my humble abode and hope Mia gets along with him.

January 15th: Post positive affirmations or quotes everyday for a month on social media.

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Social media has absolutely changed the way the world works. It is where people get information, share their opinions and thoughts and where so much of culture is formed.

I am on social media all day everyday because I am a Marketing Manager. Over the last year I feel there is so much negativity, bickering and arguments. It is so overwhelming some days.

I thought it would be nice to post affirmations or positive quotes everyday for a month and see how it can change me or change someone else’s day.

Since today is MLK JR Day I thought it would be great to start off with a quote from him. I plan on continuing with different quotes every day until February 15th.

You can find me on facebook at Megan Tutin. Hopefully maybe one of those days can help you feel a little better and less overwhelmed by all the negativity.

January 10th: Donate to a Charity

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So this is something I try to do once a year. I added it to my list to make sure I remembered to do it. In the past I have donated to Dumb Friends League and probably will again at a different time of this year.

However, I really wanted to donate to something else for this task. Make it something that I would not normally do.

So I found this website: Charity Navigator thinking it would make it easier to find a charity that was worthy and really needed this money. This was not the case. It actually made the choice much, much harder.

I cannot even decide between the categories:

Let alone decide once in those categories. But I set a standard for myself and just had to push through and do something.

So I looked through the “popular topics” that need money and found a popular charity called Direct Relief:

Direct Relief is a humanitarian aid organization, active in all 50 states and more than 80 countries, with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies.

They have multiple programs but I found it interesting you could donate to a specific cause. I chose to support people dealing with the wildfires in California.

It is tragic. What is overwhelming is there are so many tragic things going on in the world it was difficult to not give to everyone. I did not donate much. I do not have that much disposable income. But I hope anything can help. And I know if other people join in the help can be more widespread.