Days 38-40 Gratitude Check

10 MORE things I'm grateful for:

31. my friends
32. snow - we actually got some this year!
33. salt & vinegar potato chips
34. girl scout cookies
35. connecting with a student
36. hearing a student say "I loved this book"
37. hearing a student say "the book was way better than the movie"
38. when my kids are excited about driving because they can't wait to hear the next part of Harry Potter
39. reading together with my kids
40. Dr. Seuss a.k.a. Theodore Suess Geisel

Days 32-37 - Life Takes Over

I'm sorry I haven't written lately, but life took over last week, and I hardly had a spare moment to breathe, much less write. Usually, when I find myself in a week like that, I begin to feel resentful and put-upon, but this time I found myself randomly laughing or smiling, even at my most exhausted.

I think I am really getting there. I think I am finally finding peace with my life. My kids and I are in harmony. We work together to make things happen and we help each other out. I don't feel resentful that my husband isn't always around. I just get on with my life and enjoy the time with my kids. Instead of feeling frustrated by my job, I realize that it truly is where I belong.

My life isn't perfect, but I'm beginning to find joy even in the moments that are imperfect. Hallelujah!

Day 31 - The Happiness Project

Check out Gretchen Rubin's blog:

http://www.happiness-project.com/

Very inspirational.

Day 30 - Gratitude check

It's day 30! Time for a gratitude check!


21. LOVE!
22. Michael Buble
23. sunshine
24. my pool
25. days when it is warm enough to sit outside
26. pizza
27. my truck
28. cookies
29. warm, fuzzy blankets
30. spring break

Day 28 & 29 - All You Need is Love

Happy Valentine's Day! I used to really hate Valentine's Day. Part of it could have been jealousy. My parents and boyfriends didn't turn it into some wild extravaganza. There were always the predictable token gestures, but nothing wildly romantic. I also felt that you should be showing your love for someone every day of the year - not just when commercialism tells you to. You know, the typical intellectual response for someone who just doesn't want to be disappointed.

But I love romance. I love surprises. I love presents. So why shouldn't I celebrate this day? Why should I let my sweetie off easy? We should do something for each other. Not to prove we love each other, but just because we do. I mean, I expect a token of affection for my birthday, why not for Valentine's day?

If you don't have a significant other the celebrate V-Day with, you can still celebrate it. Share it with your children, your friends, your pets. Whatever! Just bask in the glow of those who love you. Heck, celebrate yourself. Who says you can't buy a beautiful bouquet of flowers and give it to yourself? You're special and it's important that you recognize it. Better yet, write a letter to yourself talking about all the things you love about yourself.

Here's mine:

Dear Lynn,

You have had an amazing year. You are definitely carving a place for yourself and your profession in your new school. Everyone is so impressed with the work that you do. You are super smart. It amazes me that you know how to find so much information on almost any subject. You are such a kind and caring person. And your students are learning about making a difference in the world because you are teaching them about compassion and how to appreciate all the wonderful things they have. The Pennies for Peace campaign exceeded all your expectations and that is because you really are making a difference.

You are a wonderful mom and wife. Trying to juggle your needs with those of your family is always hard, but you manage to do it without sacrificing who you are.

Lynn, you are a phenomenal woman. I know you are going to continue to accomplish great things.

Love, Lynn

Day 27 - Great Quotes

Here are some of my favorite quotes:


"Most people are only as happy as they make up their minds to be." ~ Abraham Lincoln


“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” ~ Thomas A. Edison

"All that we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

"There is no such thing as the pursuit of happiness, but there is the discovery of joy." ~ Joyce Grenfell

"If you want to be happy, be." ~Leo Tolstoy

"Talk happiness. The world is sad enough without your woe. No path is wholly rough." ~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox

"Far away there is the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead." ~ Louisa May Alcott

Days 23, 24, 25, & 26

Blah.

Is anyone even reading this?

Then again, what should it matter? I'm supposed to be doing this for myself, not for others.

Haven't felt much joy lately. Frustration with my job, annoyed with ignorant people, sick of crazy drivers who will one day kill me and my kids, blah, blah, blah.

Good things right now:
1. I have a job
2. I have a house
3. I have a car
4. I'm going to San Antonio in April
5. I'm going to Washington DC in June
6. I'm going to a Michael Buble concert in July

Lot's to look forward to, but each day is a blur of normality and routine. blah

Day 22 - Winners and Losers

Right now the people of New Orleans are feeling really good, while the people of Indianapolis are not. For me, I would have to say I'm in the latter category since I was rooting for the Saints to win the Super Bowl. My dad has always been a fan and my friend Darla is a huge fan that kept us updated on the season whether we wanted to know about it or not.

It's a really good feeling to win. Even vicariously through a group of people you hardly know. Isn't it amazing how easily our emotions are affected by the successes and failures of a team we've taken on as our own? I wonder if all the positive energy really makes a difference? I know the other team is rooting equally hard for their team to be victorious, but what if your team just has a little more energy behind it? A lot is based on skill, but some things are really left to chance, luck, fate, or whatever you wish to call it. What if that is affected by the fans? Can positive fans push a team to the top? Hmmm...I think I'm thinking too hard.

Anyway - I'm finding great joy in the Saint's victory. What a wonderful thing for a city that has been through so much.

Day 21 - Make a Positive Impact

I just finished How Full is Your Bucket by Tom Rath and Donald D. Clifton. It is a very inspiring read and gives some very scientific evidence on how positive attitudes make a significant difference everywhere, especially in the workplace and at home. It really makes you wonder why more corporate executives (or school administrators) haven't tried this approach. Instead of focusing on the weaknesses of their employees, Rath suggests that managers need to focus on the strengths of their employees in order to increase productivity.

I decided to go to the companion website and take the positive impact test. This test shows how much of a positive impact your attitude has on those around you. On a scale of 1-100, I only scored a 14!!! WOW! What a wake-up call. I really need to change how I interact with people and make sure that I'm not dipping into buckets. I have to say, I'm pretty disappointed with myself. I really thought I was more of a bucket filler than that, but it goes to show that we are not always as good as we perceive ourselves to be.

Go to www.bucketbook.com and take the positive impact test to see if you're a bucket dipper or filler...

Day 20 - Gratitude Check!!!

It's day 20! Time to come up with 10 more things that I'm grateful for...

11. when my cat snuggles with me
12. a cold front (I like winter)
13. the internet
14. books
15. diet dr. pepper
16. diet coke with vanilla from Sonic
17. Sonic :-)
18. movie theater popcorn
19. mexican food
20. pedicures

Day 19 - Anticipation

Don't you just love it when you have something to look forward to? Even if it's far away, don't you get a little thrill of joy every time you think about it? It could be anything: getting to see your sweetheart, a night out with the girls, a trip to Disney World, or getting to watch your favorite TV show.

A key component to my depression was that I felt like I had nothing to look forward to. One part of the problem was that I was expecting for things to happen to me. Instead, I learned that I had to schedule things to look forward to because they don't just fall into your lap (I know - that's not a huge revelation for most people, but it was for me). The other part of my problem was that I wanted fantastic things to look forward to. Things like trips to Italy. Things that we couldn't afford. So I would get discouraged and depressed, and feel like my life was terrible because I couldn't do the things I wanted to do. Silly me, I had forgotten to look at all the small things that I could do.

Tomorrow I'm taking the kids to the movies, and I'm really looking forward to it. It's a small thing, but it is something out of the ordinary. We're going right after I get off from work. Just thinking about it makes my day seem brighter because I'm going to do something I enjoy with people I love.

I'll get to Italy eventually. For now, I'm going to enjoy anticipating the small things in life.

Day 17 - Random Moments of Joy

Today while driving home from work, I noticed something that made me laugh out loud. While waiting at a stop light, I noticed the man in front of me bobbing his head and waving his arms around to the beat of his music. Just seeing him have so much joy in such a random place made my day.

Don't you just love those moments? When a sudden feeling of happiness hits you so suddenly that you just have to laugh out loud? They aren't necessarily funny or comic moments, they are just moments that are so filled with happiness that you can't help but smile. You can't help but rejoice in the joy that is surrounding you.

Keep the joy going. Post some comments about moments of joy where you just had to laugh out loud.

Day 18 - Kindness

I'm beginning to feel like kindness is becoming extinct in our world. Think about it. How often do you see someone doing something kind for someone else? How often do you see someone doing something hurtful to someone else? Look at the trends on TV - more and more shows are popping up (espcially reality shows) where the characters thrive on being ugly to each other. We, as an audience, thrive on watching them be ugly to each other. Popular culture has become all about put-downs and one-upping another person. Now, there may be times when feelings of anger are justified, but it seems that our culture thrives on the negative treatment of others.


At what point will it stop?


With me, it stops right now. If there is a car waiting to merge, I'm going to let it in. If someone is behind me in line, I'm going to let them go ahead of me. If I'm in a drive-thru, I may even pay for the person behind me. Why not? Bringing a little random joy to others is the way to bring joy to myself.


I'm also going to have zero tolerance for unkind people. If you want to be rude, don't do it around me. I refuse to watch any TV that doesn't make me feel good about myself or the human race (not too hard since I hardly watch TV at all). I will defend those that aren't around to defend themselves. I will only surround myself with kind thoughts.


Now, I'm not saying that I plan to bury my head in the sand and pretend that there isn't any ugliness in this world. I know there are a lot of mean people out there who don't care anything about hurting others. What I'm saying is that I plan to battle the unkindness that surrounds me. Trust me, this is no easy task. I work with 10 to 13 year olds, a group that notoriously known for their bullying. But I'm done - I'm with Thumper's mama on this one (from Bambi), "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

Here's your challenge - compliment someone today that you normally wouldn't talk to.

Day 16 - I Think, Therefore I Am...

Hmmm, it's only day 16 and I've run out of things to write about. Maybe I'm just thinking about this too much. I'm supposed to be bringing joy into my life, not creating another thing on my to do list.

Do you ever wonder if we would find more joy if we just allowed ourselves to think less? Instead of worrying about all the things that need to get done in the evenings, wouldn't it be better if I just enjoyed the moments with my family? Instead of over-analyzing every situation, wouldn't it be better if I just relaxed and accepted it for what it is?

On a daily basis, I should just enjoy the blessings that my job brings me instead of always feeling like I have to do more or make things better. If I am reaching one student, why do I feel that I have to reach them all?

There are many fantastic, wonderful, super things about my life that I take for granted because I always feel that I should be pushing for more.

Including myself. Instead of always trying to be something more, I think I would find more joy if I could accept myself as I am. I am steady, dependable, kind, trustworthy, and introverted. Why have I always chaffed at those aspects of myself and labeled the being that is me as boring? WHY? There's nothing wrong with any of those qualities - and they aren't the whole picture of who I am.

I AM.

That's it - just me. I don't have to think - the energy that is me exists whether I think or not.

I AM and I AM GOOD. :-D