Fake it till you make it

No, it's not inappropriate Thursday.  I don't mean faking it... unless, of course, you need to.


It's one of those sayings I've always kinda ignored and would be annoyed when people did use this cliche.   I mean, really, why should we have to fake anything?  But still, I am not bouncing back from last week (wahmbulance anyone?) and this Christmas is not waiting for me to catch up.  Once again, I need to pull out the big girl panties and paint a smile on my face.  Eventually I will catch up and that's all that matters.


What I am noticing though, is that the more I start off pretending to be happy and 'tis the season', the more I am carried away by that feeling.   They say that the mere act of smiling is not only contagious, but can actually change your mood the more you do it.  By smiling, you can lighten someone else's day, and that in turn will lighten your own.  

I really do believe that giving is far more gratifying than receiving, and sometimes the best thing you can give is free.  


It may be priceless to the person receiving it, and you never know what someone else is going through, so sometimes a little kindness is the perfect gift that just keeps on giving.  

Rejection

Set your timer:  For the next 15 minutes, write about rejection and what it means to you.

Since I've avoided this assignment for so long now, I feel like I really should just get it over with.  I mean, it's rejection... big deal.  Who hasn't been rejected at least once in their lives? 

I guess a part of me, and most likely everyone else, rejection is taken as a personal attack on our character.  Negative opinions (and sometimes no opinion) make us beleive that those views are about our selves, and not our work.  Now, being a writer, I know that every word I write is a reflection of me, so how could I not take any rejection as well, a personal rejection?  How can the two be seperated? 

I have spent the greater part of the last year working on Jr. Nationals, hoping that all of our hard work, meetings, paperwork, emails, and money would be well received by the skaters, coaches and judges.  Well it was, but there are still a few moments that I remember from last week that I would rather forget.  The angry parent.  The disgruntled coach.  The pushy volunteer.  I don't readily remember the good stuff, I remember the moments that made me feel like I didn't do enough, or rather, the moments when people rejected our grand plan. 

Out of 20 compliments, why do we remember the one rejection?

The end of the year always makes me look at my life and see what I can make better.  I think this rejection phobia literally stops me from doing things I'd like to do, and stops me from living and enjoying life.  I spend a great deal of time worrying about what others will think about what I'm doing, wearing, or even writing, and quite frankly, I'm sick of it. 

I think this kind of wisdom comes with age.  It has to be learned over time.  True, some people are born to not care about what others think, but I am not one of them.  It is a very difficult habit to break, but I think at this point in my life, and having the year I just had, it will be a bit easier for me. 

What will you be working on next year?

Hope

Because it it one week away from the big event and I have nothing to give to you, I'll just try to inspire myself :)

#1. Because I've been complaining for the past two days about everything from nasty parents to bad sandwiches from Jimmy Johns.  I mean really, is there such a thing?

#2  Because I need one... okay two.

#3.  Because my fear and anxiety are out of control lately.  See #2.

#4.  Because I need something to look at :)  And really, I like to look at him even when I'm not stressed out.

#5.  Because I forget this all the time.

Have a fabulous weekend!

I'd like to take a moment and thank the makers of Pinterest for giving me inspiration when I need it most!  Happy Pinning!

Gratitude

This past week has been all about gratitude, and it almost makes me cringe to say I've been anything but grateful.  Here I am, in the midst of a beautiful life, and I've had to work today in trying to find things to be grateful for.  So I thought I'd put it all out there and see if jumping into an ice cold gratitude pool will jolt me awake.

Lazy Sundays

Working from home

Criminal Minds Marathons

Pictures

Texting

Facebook notifications

Taking my time cooking dinner (instead of the weeknight rush)

Baking cookies

Eating cookies :)

The satisfaction you get from doing 6 loads of laundry in a day.

Organizing for the week

Grocery shopping before the Sunday crowd

Having the day off of work

All three boys playing X-Box

Pajama days

Candles and the fire going all day

Sleepy dogs by the fire

Being lazy and productive at the same time.  Pro-lazy?

NAPS

Picking up a book I've been wanting to read for a while

The calm before the storm...

And that was literally just for today.  So often, we walk around in denial, not even trying to own our good stuff.  The blinders we have on are blocking from our view and creating unnecessary drama in our lives.  

Life is not perfect.  

We are not perfect.

The people in our lives are not perfect.

But I also believe that our lives are a perfect combination of our choices and divine intervention.  The stuff that annoys us the most are also our biggest life lessons.  I really believe we're supposed to learn from all the junk in our lives, and figure out a way to be thankful for everything... good, bad, and ugly.  

*Big sigh*

Now doesn't that feel better?  It's definitely more of a challenge to jump into the pool, but once you do, it really is quite refreshing.  It's amazing how often we over look the simplest things, but it's those things that make our lives so much better.

Now, before tonight is over, jump into your own gratitude pool and see what you can come up with.

Happy Sunday...

Fickle Minds

Set your timer: If you have more than one project going, which one do you want to work on above all others?

In a nutshell, this is the story of my life, and I didn't even know it.

For years, I have been bouncing from project to project (including this one), and never really committing to any of them. Each one that comes around is THE ONE that is going to settle me down and force me to grow up as a writer. How I ever finished two novels in the past I'll never know. The only thing I can think of is they were before I started a desk job. I think I've lost creativity along the way with this job, having to focus on the numbers and management. True, I've learned a ton and really wouldn't trade it for the world, but there are days that go by without any creativity at all, and that is just sad to me.

The one thing that Jr. Nationals has taught me is that I don't love being in charge of something so big... so daunting. I haven't enjoyed much of the planning, and really find it tedious and petty. I know it'll be fabulous when it's going on, but it has really put the rest of my life on hold for so long now, and lately, I'm really itching to get back to me again.

That's why I started yoga again, which I figured out why I don't work out every day :) But I did do 4 days this week, four more than last week. And I will keep up with it, because I really do feel better when I'm done. I am a better me when I get to do the things that bring me joy.

So, back to the question at hand: Which project do you want to work on above all others? My answer is this one. I want to finish this book before I move into Isabelle's life. For the first time in years, I simply want to say I finished it, and from here on our I am going to live by the words finish what you start.

Being fickle might be fun for a while, but eventually, you just have to commit.

21 Days

Did you know it takes 21 Days to create a new habit? It does, and I'm hoping it'll take 21 days to change my life.

Starting tomorrow, I am going to take a 21 day yoga challenge. I'm not following any special program or signed up on any new websites with daily emails. And I'm certainly not going to diet.

Nope, this is just me... with an iPad and a yoga video that I can't get through without wanting to cry. By the end of the 21 days I am hoping that not only will I be strong enough to get through, but will love it so much, I won't stop.

Exactly 5 weeks from now, I will be gearing up for one of the longest weeks I've ever had, and I'll need every bit of focus, strength, and calm I am hoping to get out of the yoga challenge. I am dreading it like I dreaded childbirth. Yes, it's that bad. There is no turning back, but if I could I would. I know I've bitched about this for the past year, but the amount of extra work, worry and stress it has put on me (okay, I put it on myself like a sweater) has been life changing... and not in a good way.

I'm sure Toby would like his wife back. The one who has a sense of humor.
I'm sure my kids think I'm possessed.
I'm sure everyone at work is sick of hearing about the fact that I don't have a medical staff yet. And why in the hell did I agree to take that committee on anyways?
I'm sure my friends would like it if I could just relax.

To which I reply: "Have you met me?"

I will not relax, nor do I even know how to. I can eat cookies and drink wine, but eventually the buzz from both wears off and the whole I'm too fat vicious cycle rears it's ugly head.

I'm pretty sure it's an Angel whispering in my ear to start this challenge. I couldn't think of something like this on my own with only 5 weeks to go, and Lord only knows how much I need this if I'm actually agreeing to it. I'm calling it my divine intervention (pun completely intended) and checking myself into the yoga rehab for 21 days.

Yoga rehab. I like that.

I hope you all have Angels on your shoulders whispering sweet ideas into your head. Take a moment to listen to them and see what you could do :)

ruts

So I feel as though I've slipped and fallen off the Happiness Wagon.  


Perhaps it hit a rut.


Most likely I have.


They say, all work and no play make for a very cranky day, and most moms know, it's completely true.  I work.  I cook.  I do laundry.  I taxi.  I ....I....I.


I'm trying to get out of this rut, and even noticing the rut has to count for something, but life is taking over my happiness and it just makes me wonder, at what point does life become happiness?  This is the essence of Be Happy.  Knowing that you are already happy, and just pushing it away because you get something out of being unhappy.  We spend so much time trying to find our way to happiness instead of just letting it be.  We (and when I say we, I mean me) feel like something has to be achieved, bought, or done in order for happiness to settle.  

It's all a big lie.  


Happiness just is, whether we recognize it or not.  It's with us all the time, and most of the time we just ignore it.


Which leads me to my happiness project.  Life is too short not to be happy, no matter what.  Most likely we will still have our jobs and bills 5, 10 years from now, so we might as well learn to make peace and find a way to accept it.  


The only way to get out of a rut is to do something different... over and over again.  It's not easy, but I am going to try and figure this thing out.  Is there really any other choice?