Happy Friday, RISERS! I hope this week has been good to you. Next week marks the beginning of September, and with it the start of local apple harvest and the arrival of all things pumpkin spice. The aromas of Fall are among the most exciting ones of each year. I hope this weekend finds you having a little fun, getting a lot of work accomplished, and spending time with family and friends.
Quote of the week: “Life will never conform to all of our desires. Ever.” –Mark Manson
Book of the week: This week, I’d like to recommend to you the Percy Jackson novels by Rick Riordan. I am a science fiction nerd, and I really loved the Olympians book series. I first came across his unforgettable teen characters when I watched the movie Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. Then, after the second movie came out, I decided to read the books and see what all of the hubbub was about. It took me about 24 hours to finish each title in the series. I couldn’t put them down. I have always liked Greek mythology, and these books don’t disappoint. Hope you like them. Happy reading!
Joke of the week: While I was working as a substitute in middle school this week, a sixth-grader told me this joke: If you ever get cold, just stand for a while in the corner of a room, which is normally 90 degrees.
Nugget of Wisdom for the week: I want to talk to you about creating healthy habits and taking care of your body at this stage in your life. When I was younger, my sister and I were often forced to stay outside so that we wouldn’t wake up our dad, who worked rotating shifts. As you can imagine, that left a bad taste in my mouth for going outside on a volunteer basis. When I was in 9th grade, I was quite good at running and did marching band all four years of high school. I now wish that I’d continued physical activity after high school. My husband ran and worked out, since he was in the Army, and I did a little bit of a working out with him at the gym—but not enough to develop a habit. They say it takes 21 days to create a lasting habit.
You can prevent (or solve) so many health issues just by doing a little bit of exercise for a few days every week. If you like to walk, create a playlist and find a route that makes you want to get outdoors and move. If you are a runner, get a buddy and find some peppy tunes that will help keep your heart rate elevated. Maybe you’d prefer to ride a bike, or take a dip in the pool. Exercise is great not only for your body, but also for your mind and your spirit. It can help you decompress and problem-solve. It is much easier to create the habit at a younger age than it is to start later in life, which can be done but takes a bit more work. I run in my head all of the time…I just haven’t translated that to real life yet! But now, with Fall quickly approaching, it’s a great time to put good intentions into action. Let’s get outside and ENJOY!
Also, I want to give a special shout out to RiseUP’s blog manager, Debra Hicks. She takes the jumbled words I send her each week and turns them into the awesome blog post you see each Friday. Thank you, Debra!
Stay tuned next week for a special something I hope you’ll like. Have a great week. Remember, you are most awesome and YOU ROCK!
Marion Rhines is a foster-turned-adoptive parent. She lives in Knoxville, Tenn., with her husband and five children. She has written and published two children’s books as well as two foster-care-themed novels. She has a Facebook blog, Tips from the FLIP Side, and enjoys working with children of all ages.
