I've been wanting to really get in and clean and organize my house for a long time, and I've made fits and starts to it when I've had a free weekend here and there but never could quite get everything accomplished. Now since I'm not working I actually have the time to do it. I already cleaned out the coat closet at the bottom of stairs after putting Christmas to bed. There were certainly some interesting items in there, some I couldn't even identify. I do know that I really don't need 7 sweatshirts! There must be a support group for people like me. I feel compelled to buy a sweatshirt every time we go somewhere new. It's just sad.
I've also started reading the Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. The book has been out since 2009 and I happened to run across the desk calendar last year and was intrigued by her idea of increasing our happiness so I put the book on my Amazon Wish list for Christmas this year and Santa delivered!
So far I've really been enjoying her book. She has some great concrete ideas about ways to improve your life. Most all have been very practical..like getting rid of clutter - mental and material. Maybe that's what's prompted my cleaning "jones".
Quite a bit of what I've read so far are things that I've been thinking and feeling for a while now. Questions like...am I doing what I really was made to do? what I love? what do I love to do? what has eternal impact? how can I get my spices to stop falling out of the cabinet, and get my whites really white? You know big important life altering questions?!
One of my problems is something she addresses...I get overwhelmed by the magnitude of the tasks. That seems to cause a terrible case of constipation! I can't get anything to move. My mind, my body all freeze up and I can't get anything done. She shares some advice her mother gave her. " Make a list, do a little each day and stay calm." Seems pretty reasonable. So I've made my list and I will work on it a little each day over the next couple of weeks and hopefully by the end of January I will have one heck of a clean and organized home (and maybe still have a few strands of hair on my head)!
I've also been working on my resolutions - which I've added to and revised a bit:
1. Be in the Word daily
2. Express Gratitude
3. Figure out what I love to do and do it!
4. Stay physically active. DO something everyday.
5. Look for beauty in those around me - share what I see in them with them.
6. Live intentionally - in the moment. Stop worrying about the future.
7. Be aware of opportunities to help someone else
8. Make spending time with my family and friends a priority
9. Use my words wisely and in kindness - especially when speaking to my husband and family.
10. Love bigger - include more people in my circle of friends
11. Clean and organize my home.
12. Do something hard, outside my comfort zone.
Yesterday and today I worked on the physically active part. In fact I'm so sore today from my 20 minute Jillian Michales DVD workout that I can hardly move. I actually had to take some Advil this morning and go back to bed for a bit. My thighs are so angry today, they are making me pay every time I move. Forget about going to the bathroom. Someone must have lowered the toiled a good foot and a half! And that was on week one, day one! I don't even know her and yet somehow I hate her all the same! I did perserve and hit the treadmill for 30 minutes - 20 of which was running at over 4 mph which I know isn't all that impressive, but for this girl that is really an accomplishment.
Of all the things on my list above..figuring out what I love to do and doing it seems to be the hardest. I know I love people. I love being with them, talking to them, listening to them. I really enjoy just being around all different types of people. I also love to read....books are a serious addiction of mine. Much worse then sweatshirts or purses or bracelets. I have a lot of addictions as you can see, but by far books are the worse. There are books covering most surfaces in my house. Most have been read and re-read. I have stacks waiting for me to read (I did get 9 books for Christmas). I love the smell, the texture, and the excitement of opening that first page and being transported somewhere wonderful! I also have a Kindle so I have a book with me no matter where I am. I really need to find a support group....
So how do I take what I love and find a job doing that? Maybe I can just read to random people on the street and they will pay me...to stop.
The doing something hard is writing this blog. Opening myself up to criticism, failure, looking like an idiot, letting people see the real me...whoa not my idea of a good time. I mean I just figured out how to add a title to each post! I mean really, I need a ten year old around here sometimes. Yet there is something exciting about doing something hard, something that stretches me. Every time I write, I feel like I've really accomplished something. I feel bigger (no, not fatter) like I've discovered something new about myself I didn't realize was there. I can do hard things. I can do things that scare me. I can do NEW things.
So here's to doing something new. Who knows that tomorrow holds. Maybe another session with Jillian if I can get out of bed.
Blessings to you,
Shan
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7. Be aware of opportunities to help someone else
8. Make spending time with my family and friends a priority
9. Use my words wisely and in kindness - especially when speaking to my husband and family.
10. Love bigger - include more people in my circle of friends
11. Clean and organize my home.
12. Do something hard, outside my comfort zone.
Yesterday and today I worked on the physically active part. In fact I'm so sore today from my 20 minute Jillian Michales DVD workout that I can hardly move. I actually had to take some Advil this morning and go back to bed for a bit. My thighs are so angry today, they are making me pay every time I move. Forget about going to the bathroom. Someone must have lowered the toiled a good foot and a half! And that was on week one, day one! I don't even know her and yet somehow I hate her all the same! I did perserve and hit the treadmill for 30 minutes - 20 of which was running at over 4 mph which I know isn't all that impressive, but for this girl that is really an accomplishment.
Of all the things on my list above..figuring out what I love to do and doing it seems to be the hardest. I know I love people. I love being with them, talking to them, listening to them. I really enjoy just being around all different types of people. I also love to read....books are a serious addiction of mine. Much worse then sweatshirts or purses or bracelets. I have a lot of addictions as you can see, but by far books are the worse. There are books covering most surfaces in my house. Most have been read and re-read. I have stacks waiting for me to read (I did get 9 books for Christmas). I love the smell, the texture, and the excitement of opening that first page and being transported somewhere wonderful! I also have a Kindle so I have a book with me no matter where I am. I really need to find a support group....
So how do I take what I love and find a job doing that? Maybe I can just read to random people on the street and they will pay me...to stop.
The doing something hard is writing this blog. Opening myself up to criticism, failure, looking like an idiot, letting people see the real me...whoa not my idea of a good time. I mean I just figured out how to add a title to each post! I mean really, I need a ten year old around here sometimes. Yet there is something exciting about doing something hard, something that stretches me. Every time I write, I feel like I've really accomplished something. I feel bigger (no, not fatter) like I've discovered something new about myself I didn't realize was there. I can do hard things. I can do things that scare me. I can do NEW things.
So here's to doing something new. Who knows that tomorrow holds. Maybe another session with Jillian if I can get out of bed.
Blessings to you,
Shan
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