It's time to laugh. Unfortunately, I'm not a naturally funny person. So you're going to have to go elsewhere to find your humor, but I'll give you some ideas...
Watch a movie - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation always makes me laugh.
Listen to a comedian - I enjoy Bill Engvall.
Watch TV - 30 Rock is one that I will actually TiVo and watch.
Read a book - Meg Cabot's Boy Meets Girl made me laugh out loud.
The internet - lol cats is a favorite website for a quick pick me up.
Hang out with people. I have never laughed so hard as I did last week with my book club.
So go on, find something to laugh about. It'll definitely change your day.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Day 70 - Gratitude Check!
Ten MORE things I'm grateful for:
61. Spring!
62. waterfalls - so soothing
63. my gazebo - LOVE sitting out there on a beautiful day
64. magazines - so much fun to read
65. change - we need change to grow
66. routine - we need this too
67. my wisteria blooming for the first time
68. dirt - even though I don't really like to garden, I do appreciate the earth!
69. fashion
70. online quilt shops
61. Spring!
62. waterfalls - so soothing
63. my gazebo - LOVE sitting out there on a beautiful day
64. magazines - so much fun to read
65. change - we need change to grow
66. routine - we need this too
67. my wisteria blooming for the first time
68. dirt - even though I don't really like to garden, I do appreciate the earth!
69. fashion
70. online quilt shops
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Day 64 - Back to the Rat Race
Well, the kids are back from their grandparents and we all head back to school tomorrow. Spring break was lovely, but now it's time to get back into our routine for 11 more weeks (but only 10 more Mondays). I'm determined to find the joy in each day and not let little things drag me down. Even if I hate being a part of the rat race, I have to look at the good things that surround me or I will never be happy.
Here are my resolutions for the rest of March:
1. Avoid people with drama. Talk only health, wealth, and happiness. Eeyore - stay outta my way!
2. Do something fun everyday.
3. Count my blessings every night.
4. Keep an open mind and allow the universe to make my dreams a reality.
Shouldn't be too hard, there's only about a week left in this month.
Here are my resolutions for the rest of March:
1. Avoid people with drama. Talk only health, wealth, and happiness. Eeyore - stay outta my way!
2. Do something fun everyday.
3. Count my blessings every night.
4. Keep an open mind and allow the universe to make my dreams a reality.
Shouldn't be too hard, there's only about a week left in this month.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Day 63 - Letter to the Universe
The first rule of the Law of Attraction is that you have to ask for what you want. Here is my letter to the universe.
Dear Universe,
I would like the following:
1. For my family to remain healthy and to increase our healthiness through eating right and exercising together.
2. A Buick Enclave with sunroof and entertainment system.
3. More kindness in the world, and not just people to say they are kind, but for people to genuinely consider others before making a decision or saying something.
4. For people to be more careful when they are driving. Even the best of us forget that there are
human beings in the machines that surround us.
5. For Lynn's Little Book Shop (or Reader's Reservoir - can't make up my mind) to be so successful that I can quit my day job.
6. For Book Jubilee to be successful also. It's success is a step closer to my book shop.
Thank you,
Lynn
Alrighty then, now I just have to believe that it's gonna happen!
Dear Universe,
I would like the following:
1. For my family to remain healthy and to increase our healthiness through eating right and exercising together.
2. A Buick Enclave with sunroof and entertainment system.
3. More kindness in the world, and not just people to say they are kind, but for people to genuinely consider others before making a decision or saying something.
4. For people to be more careful when they are driving. Even the best of us forget that there are
human beings in the machines that surround us.
5. For Lynn's Little Book Shop (or Reader's Reservoir - can't make up my mind) to be so successful that I can quit my day job.
6. For Book Jubilee to be successful also. It's success is a step closer to my book shop.
Thank you,
Lynn
Alrighty then, now I just have to believe that it's gonna happen!
Friday, March 19, 2010
Day 62 - Going for It
A dream of mine has always been to own a cute little bookstore on the East Coast, preferably on an island. It's one of those dreams that you think about occasionally and think, "Gee that would be fun." But the reality is that I don't know anything about starting a business, nor do I live anywhere near the East Coast.
So I became a librarian.
Don't get me wrong, I love being a librarian. I feel truly blessed to have a job that I enjoy so much. However, being a bookstore owner still really appeals to me. For one, I'd be my own boss. I'd also be working with people who love to read versus forcing students to read when they hate it. If it were really successful, my husband could quit his job where he works crazy hours for a group of corporate people who care nothing about him. Not only that, but being a bookstore owner suits me. Getting to putter amongst the books without having to yell at students would be dreamy.
I have a vision for my store. It's not going to be just a shop that sells books. It will be a part of the community. I will participate in parades and events around the community. There will be events like story times, book clubs, and author visits. I will exchange used books for store credit. People won't just come for books, they will come for the atmosphere. It will be a community of it's own.
What a lovely dream...
but why does it have to be that way? (Well-other than my husband telling me I can't quit my day job) Why can't I start with something small and work my way up into having my own place? The bookstore doesn't have to be the beginning of my dream, it can be the realization of my dream. Something that I work toward a little at a time.
So I have set up a tiny shop on Amazon where I am selling some used books. I have a name that I love: The Reader's Reservoir. I'm working on some ideas for book themed events. I'm going for it. I'd rather say I tried and didn't like it, than to regret and wonder "what if".
Little Book Shop - here I come!
So I became a librarian.
Don't get me wrong, I love being a librarian. I feel truly blessed to have a job that I enjoy so much. However, being a bookstore owner still really appeals to me. For one, I'd be my own boss. I'd also be working with people who love to read versus forcing students to read when they hate it. If it were really successful, my husband could quit his job where he works crazy hours for a group of corporate people who care nothing about him. Not only that, but being a bookstore owner suits me. Getting to putter amongst the books without having to yell at students would be dreamy.
I have a vision for my store. It's not going to be just a shop that sells books. It will be a part of the community. I will participate in parades and events around the community. There will be events like story times, book clubs, and author visits. I will exchange used books for store credit. People won't just come for books, they will come for the atmosphere. It will be a community of it's own.
What a lovely dream...
but why does it have to be that way? (Well-other than my husband telling me I can't quit my day job) Why can't I start with something small and work my way up into having my own place? The bookstore doesn't have to be the beginning of my dream, it can be the realization of my dream. Something that I work toward a little at a time.
So I have set up a tiny shop on Amazon where I am selling some used books. I have a name that I love: The Reader's Reservoir. I'm working on some ideas for book themed events. I'm going for it. I'd rather say I tried and didn't like it, than to regret and wonder "what if".
Little Book Shop - here I come!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Day 61 - The Eeyore Syndrome
Pretty much everyone I know loves Winnie-the-Pooh. A.A. Milne created a special world of childish innocence that Disney took to a whole new level of saccharine. I really love the sweet cluelessness of Pooh Bear and the pure innocence of Piglet. What I have never cared for is Eeyore. His unending negativity has always gotten on my nerves. I could never understand how everyone in the Hundred Acre Wood tolerated his endless gloom.
Unfortunately, I have known several Eeyore's in my life. These are the people who walk around with a perpetual cloud over their head. They are the victims of everything: life, circumstance, and their own choices (which they never take responsibility for). They definitely see the glass as half-empty, if they can even see the glass at all through their self-absorption. No matter what the occasion, their conversations are always about them and their latest problems.
It seems that Eeyore's sole purpose is to bring everyone else down. He starts every interaction with an "Oh dear," followed by his latest complaint. The thing about Eeyore though, is that he isn't hateful. He isn't the type of person that we avoid just to save ourselves. Instead, he is the type that will slowly spiral into despair, dragging anyone down who feels mildly sympathetic. When we first meet Eeyore, we think we can help cheer him up by just listening or being cheerful. Unfortunately, Eeyore does not want to be cheered up. He thrives on the sympathy and attention that his sorry life brings, and he will continue to invent new sob stories to share with anyone who will listen.
The problem with Eeyore is that his constant steam of negativity can be very draining on a person that is trying to find joy in the world. "Oh dear, I've lost my tail." "Oh, dear, nobody loves me." "Oh dear, why does it always have to rain when I'm planning a picnic?" Not only that, but on some occasions, when you try to point out the positive things that surround them, they suddenly kick at you like a mule. "What do you know about it?" is a typical response. The fact is, they don't want your help, they just want your sympathy. Of course, when you are tired of listening to Eeyore and have been kicked for trying to help, your mood spirals into one of anger and frustration, leading your further from the path of happiness.
So what do you do? Cut the ties. Nothing says you have to listen. From this point on, I am done with Eeyore. I have enough in my life without letting others drag me down. If you need a sympathetic ear for a situation, I'm your gal, but if you just want to go on and on about how your life sucks, save it for someone else. I want to attract positive energy, and I need to surround myself with positive energy. On the same note, I will not let myself be an Eeyore either. There are so many good things to think about, and I don't have time to worry about my tail. ;-)
Unfortunately, I have known several Eeyore's in my life. These are the people who walk around with a perpetual cloud over their head. They are the victims of everything: life, circumstance, and their own choices (which they never take responsibility for). They definitely see the glass as half-empty, if they can even see the glass at all through their self-absorption. No matter what the occasion, their conversations are always about them and their latest problems.
It seems that Eeyore's sole purpose is to bring everyone else down. He starts every interaction with an "Oh dear," followed by his latest complaint. The thing about Eeyore though, is that he isn't hateful. He isn't the type of person that we avoid just to save ourselves. Instead, he is the type that will slowly spiral into despair, dragging anyone down who feels mildly sympathetic. When we first meet Eeyore, we think we can help cheer him up by just listening or being cheerful. Unfortunately, Eeyore does not want to be cheered up. He thrives on the sympathy and attention that his sorry life brings, and he will continue to invent new sob stories to share with anyone who will listen.
The problem with Eeyore is that his constant steam of negativity can be very draining on a person that is trying to find joy in the world. "Oh dear, I've lost my tail." "Oh, dear, nobody loves me." "Oh dear, why does it always have to rain when I'm planning a picnic?" Not only that, but on some occasions, when you try to point out the positive things that surround them, they suddenly kick at you like a mule. "What do you know about it?" is a typical response. The fact is, they don't want your help, they just want your sympathy. Of course, when you are tired of listening to Eeyore and have been kicked for trying to help, your mood spirals into one of anger and frustration, leading your further from the path of happiness.
So what do you do? Cut the ties. Nothing says you have to listen. From this point on, I am done with Eeyore. I have enough in my life without letting others drag me down. If you need a sympathetic ear for a situation, I'm your gal, but if you just want to go on and on about how your life sucks, save it for someone else. I want to attract positive energy, and I need to surround myself with positive energy. On the same note, I will not let myself be an Eeyore either. There are so many good things to think about, and I don't have time to worry about my tail. ;-)
Day 60 - Gratitude Check!
10 MORE things I'm gratful for:
51. Days at the park
52. A clean house that I didn't have to clean
53. The health of my family
54. Random conversations with my kids
55. Watching my daughter skip
56. Seeing my son laugh
57. Flip-flops
58. Massages
59. Cute new sandals
60. My little black dress!
There is so much to be grateful for. What a fantastic life I have!
51. Days at the park
52. A clean house that I didn't have to clean
53. The health of my family
54. Random conversations with my kids
55. Watching my daughter skip
56. Seeing my son laugh
57. Flip-flops
58. Massages
59. Cute new sandals
60. My little black dress!
There is so much to be grateful for. What a fantastic life I have!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Day 53 - The Secret
I feel good! You know why? Because I decided that enough was enough - if I'm supposed to be more joyful, then I need to stop wallowing and start being joyful. Bottom line - life isn't perfect and the people who surround me will not act the way I feel they should. I need to get over myself and change the way I think. In order to help me with this, I re-watched The Secret. I was first introduced to The Secret in January 2009. The Secret explains the Law of Attraction and how our thoughts attract things into our lives. So if we are always negative, then we attract negativity. If we are positive, we attract positivity. It's a fascinating concept and watching the video makes me feel that anything is possible.
Here are just a few things I learned:
1. In order to live a more abundant life, I simply have to follow these three steps:
Step 1 - Ask
Step 2 - Believe
Step 3 - Receive
The universe WILL bring me what I want, but I have to truly believe that it is possible. Any thought, negative or positive, will actualize into my life. If I constantly think about debt, the universe will bring me more debt. If I think about about love, it will bring me more love.
2. Appreciation brings support. - Being grateful for what you have will bring more abundance into your life. If you want nicer clothes, you have to the grateful for the clothes you have first. If you want people to support you, you must be grateful for the support they have already given you.
3. When you visualize, then you materialize. - Visualize the things you want. Actually picture yourself driving the new car or wearing the fancy clothes.
4. How can you expect anyone to enjoy your company when you don't enjoy your own company? - enough said.
5. Focus on what you appreciate about other people. - If someone is getting on your nerves, think about all the things you enjoy about them and write them down. Focus on them. Eventually, the negative feelings will dissolve.
6. Only one person can be in charge of your joy, and that's you. Your joy lies within you. - The point of this whole blog, finding the joy within myself. You are responsible for your own happiness, you shouldn't expect others to make you happy.
7. Being angry at something adds energy to it. "What you resist, persists." - Instead of being anti-war, be pro-peace.
8. Energy flows where attention goes. - If you are angry or upset about something all of your energy goes toward that object and brings more of it into your life. Focus your attention on the things you want more of. If you want more happiness, focus on being happy.
The Secret left me with this question: What are you going to do now? What are you going to choose now? Well, I choose joy. I choose to focus on writing about things that make me happy. I choose to focus on the smiles of my children and the love of my husband. I choose my friends and evenings filled with laughter. I choose to FEEL GOOD!
Here's a great quote that sums it all up:
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." - Henry Ford
And you absolutely must check out The Secret's website: http://www.thesecret.tv/
Here are just a few things I learned:
1. In order to live a more abundant life, I simply have to follow these three steps:
Step 1 - Ask
Step 2 - Believe
Step 3 - Receive
The universe WILL bring me what I want, but I have to truly believe that it is possible. Any thought, negative or positive, will actualize into my life. If I constantly think about debt, the universe will bring me more debt. If I think about about love, it will bring me more love.
2. Appreciation brings support. - Being grateful for what you have will bring more abundance into your life. If you want nicer clothes, you have to the grateful for the clothes you have first. If you want people to support you, you must be grateful for the support they have already given you.
3. When you visualize, then you materialize. - Visualize the things you want. Actually picture yourself driving the new car or wearing the fancy clothes.
4. How can you expect anyone to enjoy your company when you don't enjoy your own company? - enough said.
5. Focus on what you appreciate about other people. - If someone is getting on your nerves, think about all the things you enjoy about them and write them down. Focus on them. Eventually, the negative feelings will dissolve.
6. Only one person can be in charge of your joy, and that's you. Your joy lies within you. - The point of this whole blog, finding the joy within myself. You are responsible for your own happiness, you shouldn't expect others to make you happy.
7. Being angry at something adds energy to it. "What you resist, persists." - Instead of being anti-war, be pro-peace.
8. Energy flows where attention goes. - If you are angry or upset about something all of your energy goes toward that object and brings more of it into your life. Focus your attention on the things you want more of. If you want more happiness, focus on being happy.
The Secret left me with this question: What are you going to do now? What are you going to choose now? Well, I choose joy. I choose to focus on writing about things that make me happy. I choose to focus on the smiles of my children and the love of my husband. I choose my friends and evenings filled with laughter. I choose to FEEL GOOD!
Here's a great quote that sums it all up:
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." - Henry Ford
And you absolutely must check out The Secret's website: http://www.thesecret.tv/
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Day 52 - Truth and Little White Lies
Today I was honest.
Unfortunately, people don't appreciate it when you are honest.
Then again, I wasn't kind.
People really don't appreciate it when you are both honest and unkind.
But seriously, you can only bite your tongue for so long before it begins to bleed.
I've always wished I was better at confrontation. I tend to back away and smooth over any type of argument. I think that this is a very unhealthy habit. For one thing, I go around being angry while the person I'm annoyed with thinks everything is great, or worse - thinks that I approve.
Not that they need my approval, but shouldn't they know what I truly think? I mean, a real friend will tell you that yes, that dress does make your butt look big. At least, the friends that I value the most would. Who wants someone around who just tells you what you want to hear and then lets you make a fool of yourself?
Do I feel bad about being honest and unkind? Unkind - yes. Honest - no. Not to make an excuse, but all my buttons have been pushed and I am a stick of dynamite ready do explode. Ok, that's an excuse, but can I help it if a little steam escaped? Well, maybe I could have, but there's no point in crying over spilled milk. It is what it is. I'm not perfect and I'll make mistakes. Time to move on...
48 days to go.
Unfortunately, people don't appreciate it when you are honest.
Then again, I wasn't kind.
People really don't appreciate it when you are both honest and unkind.
But seriously, you can only bite your tongue for so long before it begins to bleed.
I've always wished I was better at confrontation. I tend to back away and smooth over any type of argument. I think that this is a very unhealthy habit. For one thing, I go around being angry while the person I'm annoyed with thinks everything is great, or worse - thinks that I approve.
Not that they need my approval, but shouldn't they know what I truly think? I mean, a real friend will tell you that yes, that dress does make your butt look big. At least, the friends that I value the most would. Who wants someone around who just tells you what you want to hear and then lets you make a fool of yourself?
Do I feel bad about being honest and unkind? Unkind - yes. Honest - no. Not to make an excuse, but all my buttons have been pushed and I am a stick of dynamite ready do explode. Ok, that's an excuse, but can I help it if a little steam escaped? Well, maybe I could have, but there's no point in crying over spilled milk. It is what it is. I'm not perfect and I'll make mistakes. Time to move on...
48 days to go.
Day 50 - Gratitude check
41. great teachers who work hard to reach their students
42. administrators that "get it"
43. quiet
44. girls night out
45. laughter
46. white fluffy clouds
47. puppies
48. Sandra Bullock winning the Oscar
49. great movies
50. having a fridge in my office
42. administrators that "get it"
43. quiet
44. girls night out
45. laughter
46. white fluffy clouds
47. puppies
48. Sandra Bullock winning the Oscar
49. great movies
50. having a fridge in my office
Friday, March 5, 2010
Day 48 - Denial
Sorry I haven't been writing, but I've been in denial for the last few days. The fact is, I've been pushing myself to find the joy around me, while ignoring the fact that I am basically feeling pretty blue.
As I've gone about my day, laughing and smiling, in the background of my mind is a lurking cloud of resentment, disappointment, and sadness. I don't know what to do about this cloud, so I've been trying to ignore it. In order to do that properly, I've had to fill my days and my mind with other things so I don't have to confront it. I haven't allowed myself much time for contemplation, because to do so might allow the cloud to swallow me up.
So I've been reading Gretchen Rubin's blog and doing other joyful things, while not really feeling joyful in my heart. "Fake it till you make it" is something we used to always say in dance team when we were struggling (although I know we did not invent this term). So I've been trying to "fake it till I make it" with my happiness. Which doesn't really work. Which only makes the cloud darken and grow. Which makes me feel even more unhappy than before, despite my appearance of happiness.
Let's see, in the past few days I've had a book club meeting, a night out with the girls, and dinner with my brother and his family. I spent time in creative solitude crafting and sewing. My daughter and I had a girls day with a tea party and shopping. My house is in order, my kids mostly listen, and I have managed to keep up with all the demands on my time. Nothing has worked. I can still feel the cloud hanging around in the background.
What to do, what to do...
As I've gone about my day, laughing and smiling, in the background of my mind is a lurking cloud of resentment, disappointment, and sadness. I don't know what to do about this cloud, so I've been trying to ignore it. In order to do that properly, I've had to fill my days and my mind with other things so I don't have to confront it. I haven't allowed myself much time for contemplation, because to do so might allow the cloud to swallow me up.
So I've been reading Gretchen Rubin's blog and doing other joyful things, while not really feeling joyful in my heart. "Fake it till you make it" is something we used to always say in dance team when we were struggling (although I know we did not invent this term). So I've been trying to "fake it till I make it" with my happiness. Which doesn't really work. Which only makes the cloud darken and grow. Which makes me feel even more unhappy than before, despite my appearance of happiness.
Let's see, in the past few days I've had a book club meeting, a night out with the girls, and dinner with my brother and his family. I spent time in creative solitude crafting and sewing. My daughter and I had a girls day with a tea party and shopping. My house is in order, my kids mostly listen, and I have managed to keep up with all the demands on my time. Nothing has worked. I can still feel the cloud hanging around in the background.
What to do, what to do...
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