Showing posts with label The Happiness Project. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Happiness Project. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

The Happiness Project--Week 2: Personal Commandments

Personal Commandments: “The overarching principles that you want to guide your actions and thoughts”

For some reason I have found this particular assignment to be difficult. (And this is only the second week. I’m in trouble.) I should be working on week three’s assignment, but I have been milling the second assignment around in my head for a couple of weeks now and just couldn’t really pen-point exactly what I wanted/needed my personal commandments to be. But the longer I thought about it, the more I discovered that the list I was creating boiled down to the principles of the Fish! philosophy that was made famous by the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle. So here we go; my personal commandments in a nutshell.

1. Be There--Being emotionally present for people.
Savor the moment. Be with my boys. Take in there smiles. Their laugher. Their innocence. Value my husband. Stop and smell the roses. Stop multi-tasking with people—tasks yes, people no.

2. Choose Your Attitude--Taking responsibility for how you respond to what life throws at you.
Everyday is a new day. I can make it a good one or a bad one. It is my choice. Will I made lemonade with any lemons thrown my way? I hope so. Remember…I can only change me. I can only control myself. My thoughts, My words. My actions. My mood.

3. Make Their Day--Finding simple ways to serve or delight people in a meaningful, memorable way.
Spend time figuring out what I can do to make someone else feel special. By focusing on making someone else's—husband, kids, family, friends, co-workers, and students—day a little brighter. It’s the small things.

4. Play--Taps into your natural way of being creative, enthusiastic and having fun.
Act like I want to feel. This is big for me, especially lately. Between my 9 month old and my post-op husband, I am pretty much tired everyday. I must act as if I am full of energy, so I will feel as if I am. Put a smile on my face and go. I believe I read somewhere that just making yourself smile will put you in a better mood. My boys are little and I want to play and be silly everyday with them. I need to remember not to take life so seriously. It’s okay for me to let loose and have fun.

That's a tall order if I do say so myself! Wish me luck on my journey…

Monday, February 15, 2010

The Happiness Project—Week 1:Resolutions

My Happiness Project--I don't plan to tackle all of these at once. The bold text are the resolutions I am working on now. I will add the rest in a little at a time so all of this isn't so overwhelming.


Patience/Attitude:No road rage; Take three deep breaths when I feel my temper rising; Pick my battles; Choose to have a good attitude everyday; Get up on time so mornings aren't rushed

Gratitude: Write down one small thing each day I am thankful for. Make a list on my phone and read it weekly to remind me of the good things in my life that I can miss if I’m not looking.


Energy: Daily Vitamin; Water—64 oz daily; Only 1 pop per day (32 oz max.);Minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night; exercise at least 3 times per week for at least 20 min.

Family & Friends: Spend quality time (even if it is just a few minutes) with all three of my boys everyday (Be there ) Have a GNO at least once a month; Have date night at least once a month; Tell Everett how much he means to me at least once a day; Do something special for Everett at least once a month; Have a mommy/E.J. date at least once a month

Clean house:Dishes out of the sink each night; Sweep kitchen floor each night; Put laundry away after doing it (Can’t live on the chair or on the window seat); Vacuum M, Th, Sat, & Sun; Dust on Tues.; Clean bathrooms on Wed.; Mop tile floors every weekend

Scrapbooking: Finish Levi’s baby book by his birthday; Finish E.J.’s baby book by Spring Break;Start family scrapbook albums this summer; Take a PS or PSE class soon

Organization (Home): Make dinner menu once a month & freeze meals (Sat. after payday); Keep current lists on iPhone for Target, Groceries, and “To Do”; Clean out--Medicine cabinet, Kitchen cabinets, Computer room, Hall Closet, Front Closet, & Garage; Buy dresser for bedroom

Organization (Work): Clean out my filing cabinets by Christmas; Clean out my cabinets by May