I Better Get Moving …

 

🙂

 

I saw this and realized I definitely gotta get moving.

I got GPS and everything.

Step one, baby. Step one.

And if I fall, which will probably happen, there’s always room for a chocolate break.

Then I can continue steppin’.

 

 

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Reasons to Keep Going

Image via LiveLifeHappy.com

 

A good reason to keep your yearly goals, Bucket List items, promises, Happiness Projects, or resolutions.

 

Ready or Not Self-Improvement Projects, Bucket Lists, Yearly Goals, Plans, and Guidelines A.K.A. Resolutions … Here We Come

Deep thoughts, late nights, Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Cheesecake, bags of Pirate Booty Popcorn, and Hawaiian chocolate covered macadamia nuts.

What brought on this onslaught of high fat, high calorie salty and sweet food no-nos?

Resolutions.

I’m not a big fan of that word. Too much pressure. I like to call them plans, goals, life guidelines, hopes, self-improvements projects, or lists.

 

“I have now spent fifty-five years in resolving; having, from the earliest time almost that I can remember, been forming schemes of a better life. I have done nothing. The need of doing, therefore, is pressing, since the time of doing is short…” –Samuel Johnson

 

I was scanning the Word Press world and a lot of bloggers out there were talking about resolutions or plans for the new year. The thing is I already made plans, life guidelines, hopes, goals, self-improvements projects, and lists in the middle of the year and I’m rolling them over. I’m sticking to the completion of my Happiness Project and trying to scratch adventures off my Bucket List. But I can say that I am adding a few new goals and self-improvement projects in the hopes of continuing to add “life” to my life.

Time is short and although I can’t avoid all the crappiness that life throws at me, I want to be able to squeeze the juice out of all the lemons it throws my way. So I may have added a couple of other goals and life guidelines for 2013 … Plans to finish writing my second book, plans to continue participating in triathlons, and plans to participate in roller derby classes are among a few of them.

But making all these new 2013 guidelines, made me reflect on the two that I made last year. I didn’t announce them to the world, just to myself and two other friends. One: Start a blog. Write everyday. Two: Be happy for one day. All day. Not just bits and pieces  … but all day. Dusk ’til dawn. And I’m happy to say that both of these two resolutions were completed successfully. Well technically, I have a couple more days to go on one of the “resolutions,” but overall I’ve done well.

They sound pretty simple, but with all the craziness that comes with life it wasn’t that easy. But a couple of pieces of advice helped me out.

 

Image via happiness-project.com

 

Image via happiness-project.com

Small steps. Small steps everyday toward a big goal was the way to go for me, maybe not for everyone, but yes for me. And expectations … fun is better than stressing out over perfect outcome. I’m hoping I remember the same advice this year.

But in all this resolution, goal setting, self-improvement me, me, me talk I failed to think of my kids and what if any experiences or goals they might want in 2013. I mean I plan all kinds of adventures and activities for them, but hadn’t really asked what do you want? Other than LEGOLAND, of course. So I’ve added a 2013 “Sandbox List” for my kids this year. I’m sure my four-year old will speak for both of them. And although my daughter can’t really speak clearly and tell me what she wants,  considering that she’s only one, her smiles and laughter tell me she enjoys the ride.

So the Guats are off … Ready or not self-improvement projects, bucket lists, yearly goals, plans, or guidelines A.K.A. resolutions … 2013 here we come.

 

Happiness Project Update: Squeezing Every Drop of Juice Out of The Lemon

I couldn’t believe it when I read it. At first I was annoyed, then I was just angry, then I thought what the hell … why not?

This chick had everything she wanted and she was still not satisfied. What the hell is that? Why are you upset? Why are you having bouts of “midlife malaise”? What is your deal? If I was in your shoes … shit I’d be doing a cartwheels every day.

She had a great job, a good husband, a good home, and a nice kid. She traveled and she was passionate about something in her life, and it was paying off in all respects, so what was the problem? How could you not be ecstatic every day?

Only miserable people seek happiness right? Only people in states of depression want to get better, right? Only those with mediocre existences want to improve, right? You have a bad day, you want to turn it around. You have a bad life, you want to jump-start it in the opposite direction. Who’s happy now that seeks an even happier life? What kind of crazy person does that?

Image via Happiness-Project.com

Rubin. Crazy Gretchen Rubin.

After reading Rubin’s “Getting Started” section of The Happiness Project, I wondered why this chick even began a Happiness Project. I mean she wasn’t miserable. She was content with her life, but for some reason she was being sour. Not everyday all day, but apparently she wasn’t as happy as she thought she should be. She thought she was in danger of wasting her life, so she needed to make a change.

She was happy, but she wanted to be even happier.

I was irritated right off the bat.

But then my sports-minded side of the brain kicked it up a notch and help me understand. I realized, she’s like a professional athlete. Baseball player, football player, basketball player, cyclist … whatever. They know they’re good on the field or court, they just want to be better. They push. They just don’t play to win the game, they play to earn that championship trophy in the end. They’re good, they just want to be better.

They squeeze every drop of juice out of the lemon. She just wanted to do the same. She wanted to have that I’m-bungy-jumping-awesome feeling all the time.  She wanted to learn how to appreciate her good life, I guess.

Me, I just wanted to get there. I think people like myself who’ve gone through loads of crap on an ongoing basis, genuinely appreciate it when something awesome happens because it doesn’t happen everyday. If I got to where I was going, I’d stop off and have a drink to celebrate the awesomeness.

In any case I decided to forge on and create my own project. The only difference is I know I’m not happy, I’m just all right. I know I was meant for something better.

I mean c’mon … Is this it?

Shit, I hope not.

For the Happiness Project there are 12 resolutions. You work on one every month. But I was hoping to end the project in December so each resolution will be about three weeks. As she mentions, everyone’s project is different, but the aim is still the same.

This months resolution: Wellness. Rubin lists Energy/Vitality as her first basic stepping stone. However, I’m in a different boat. The Guat kind. So I figured wellness is a basic necessity for this project. Spiritually, Mentally, and Physically.

Humor is a key component for me. One of the tools in my box. It’s the stabilizing factor, and probably the reason why I haven’t jumped off a cliff. So it will probably be my wingman on this ride — on this adventure to squeeze every drop of juice out of the lemon.

Stay tuned.