Progress

Posted on by Sue

Two weeks into my happiness and project and it is time to self evaluate. Am I moving forward? Am I any happier? The answer is a resounding YES.

I have made small changes in my diet. Cutting down on my old nemesis french fries has made a big difference in me. I have decided if I am going to eat them they have to be awesome! Home made style … crispy and salty. Great thing for me is that is not the way they serve them in restaurants so it is easy to leave them on the plate.

I am failing on the exercise part but I did get up today and used the wii fit. I am only here another two weeks but I hope to swim most days. That will help me burn calories!

I did read a book to keep my brain active and blogged every day. I do want to add in doing my luminosity exercises every day. I forgot all about them once I stopped working at the office.

Now the more difficult area .. creativity. I did try to find something to make but so far have not completed anything. I will find something that I am good at again. I have decided to finally finish a Christmas stocking for my son over the next two weeks.

I do want to add some resolutions to my basic five now. My beginning five are:

1. Cook from scratch. Not just cook .. create meals. Create menus and feed my family good food.

2. Ignite my creative side.

3. Read more.

4. Exercise more.

5. Blog regularly.

New changes are as follows:

6. Eat 3 pieces of fruit or vegetables a day.

7. Create a daily schedule, weekly schedule and monthly schedule to help bring balance into my life.

8. Kiss or hug someone every day. Smile at strangers.

Step One

Posted on by Sue

So … where do I start?  I know the things that make me happy … how do I get back to them?  I have spent so much time at work I lost all my creative skills.  I don’t bake anymore, sew … create … I didn’t do anything but work for so long.  So … first resolutions are as follows:

1.  Once a week I will make a meal from scratch using a recipe book (or online recipe).  Something new, not just opening a can or a bag of frozen vegetables.  Eventually I would like to be making a real dinner 5 nights a week (leaving a night for my husband and son).  Believe it or not, I’m tired of eating fast food and restaurant meals.  Unfortunately this is going to be delayed a week or two while my kitchen is being renovated.  Right now, I have no cupboards, counters or lights in there!

2. I need to reignite my creative juices.  I used to love to sew, paint (folk art), decorate and bring that side out in me again.  I need to start taking chances ..  I will work out a specific plan shortly.

3.  I want to read more.  Not brain candy but good books.  Any suggestions are welcome.

4.  I want to move more.  My goal is some kind of exercise for half an hour a day to start.

5.  I am going to blog my progress daily.  It will help keep me on track.

Beginnings

Posted on by Sue

Before I can work on increasing my happiness I need to identify what makes me unhappy.  What causes me stress.  What things pull me down?  Who upsets me and fills me with negative feelings?  What am I missing in my life?

Stress in my life is caused by sneaky, lying people who smile and tell you one thing while they are doing something behind my back.  Problem is not much gets past me.  I don’t call these liars out … I just know what they are doing and let them continue lying to me.  This needs to change.

I worry about financial security.  Who knew the economy would tank?  The sale of the practice, the sale of the building all worry me.

I have only one close friend.  I have no girlfriends to go to the movies with, shopping with or to hang out.   I have one friend but she is extremely social and I am just one of her many friends. I would like to have a best friend that has time for me.

I am fat and unfit.  I need to change this so I can enjoy my life.  Garbage in … Garbage out.  I eat garbage.  I need to change this and I need to get fit.  I will never be pretty but I want to get to the point where I don’t minds having my photo taken.

As much as I love my husband I am worried we will have nothing in common once I stop working with him.  I want to develop common interests and work at strengthening our relationship as our work relationship ends.

I lost control of my life 10 years ago and I need to take charge again. I need to fix my house.

I love my children more than life itself but I feel I have short-changed them over the last several years. I want to change that and spend more quality time with them.

Lastly something that makes me very sad is how I let my father down. I will address this one later.