Small and Simple Things

I gave a talk in church earlier this year and referenced scripture that said" through small and simple things, great things come to pass" Little did I realize that this would become my motto.  The past few weeks I have been making small and simple changes.  Two thin mints rather than the serving size of four.  I get my sweet fix and don't miss the extra two.  Waking up at 6:30 and by 6:50 reading a little in bed.  After drying my hair mediating for 5 minutes.  After getting home from work, changing, listening to a pod cast and setting a timer for 10 minutes to walk one direction and then turn around and head back.  I will gradually add 1 minute. 5 small garden boxes rather than one large garden.  These are all small very simple changes that are producing huge benefits in my happiness and well being.  I have always been a go big or go home type of person, yielding very little in the way of result and commitment.  Go big is so overwhelming.  Small and simple is so doable and easily repeated.  I feel such a sense of accomplishment and the beginnings of a direction in my life.  It's a great feeling.

Do what works for me

I am a HUGE reader.  I love to read, I read magazines and books and articles.  One small downfall of reading so much is taking in all of the advice and information and making it work for me. I am currently reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin for the second time.  It speaks to me on a level I can't quite explain.  I believe that it is something that I have been searching for.  I wouldn't necessarily say that my life is unhappy, however the recognition of happiness has been minimal.  In the book she talks about her twelve commandments and secrets of adulthood.  I've been thinking in the 20 years I have been an adult, do I have any secrets of adulthood? I don't know quite yet, but through my reading I have come up with one.  Do what works for me.  Sounds simple right? Well I am not quite sure what works for me, so I am going to dedicate year one of my forties to finding out what works for me.  I already know one thing, getting up before the sun comes up doesn't really work for me :)

Monday

Monday can be a mixed bag of good and bad.  Monday generally sets the tone for the week if you let it, rough Monday can lead into a rough week, unless you are prepared.  I am choosing to approach every Monday as a fresh start, in fact I'm choosing to approach each day like that.  So what if yesterday wasn't what you had in mind, today is a fresh new day to try again.  I think often we get caught up in the hamster wheel spinning around and around and have no idea how to get off.  It's relatively simple slow down, stop the spinning and step off. From there regroup by figuring out what it is you are after, renew by expressing your commitment, refresh by giving yourself a break and taking care yourself and restructure by changing the things that are not working, then get back on with a new focus.  With excitement bring on the Monday's!!!

Rainy Days

Rainy days mean different things to different people.  To me a rainy day signifies cooking especially soups, no idea why but whenever it rains, soup is what comes to my mind.  A rainy day also means staying indoors wishing you could be outdoors, but if it were sunny you would be indoors anyhow.  Which leads me to being in the present and mindfulness.  I have read a lot about these two topics and know I would be much happier and balanced with enjoying what is right in front of me rather than worrying about what may or may not happen. Also taking the time to just breathe and slow down has been huge, its only 5 minutes but it seems to help me through out the day remain calm and focus.  Now to enjoy my rainy day!

Balance

I have a quote in the family room by President Gordon B. Hinckley " Life is meant to be enjoyed not just endured"  Just for anyone that reads this blogs information, President Hinckley is a genius.  His wisdom is truly amazing.  Anyway, I had a good visit with my boss about balance of family, religion, work etc... If you are not engaged in all aspects of your life, things slip through the cracks.  We were put on this earth to learn, live, love, enjoy, grow, explore, yet we spend so much time just enduring everything.  Getting through the day, just getting this project finished, waiting for the kids to grow up so we can do whatever.  Where did the idea come that our existence here on this earth was to just get to the next day? Why aren't we doing our best to enjoy each experience good or bad? Why do we tend to focus all of our energies on one or two aspects and let others go by the side? Looks like I have a few things to contemplate.

Problems and Issues

If one is always looking for a problem or an issue, isn't it most likely that they will find one?  I've just noticed that the world tends to focus on the things that are wrong, need to be fixed, could be better.  What happens to the things that are right, going well and pretty great.  Changing perspective as I approach the big four zero :)

Preparation to Procrastination

Over the years I have gone from a preparation princess to a procrastination queen. It seems as more days go by in my life, the more I put things off. Small things, large things, important things, insignificant things, I put them off.  Just today I renewed my drivers license that expires in 2 weeks, I've known for 3 months, but why do today what I can put off tomorrow.  I'm trying to figure out how to lessen the incidences of procrastination.  I haven't quite figured out how to add it to my 40 list either as it is an abstract goal.
Maybe I'll think about that tomorrow.  

Foreword

At the beginning of every book there is a foreword, so at the beginning of this blog is my foreword.  It is 2 weeks to my fortieth birthday.  I am approaching this milestone more focused as the first 40 years of my life have just flown by, I want to make the next 40 really count.  My hair dresser was talking about her 30 before 30 list and obviously doing 40 before 40 I had missed the bus on. But why not do a 40 for my 40's? A list of things I want to try or do over the next decade.  To make it on the list, it must be something that will enrich my life, push me out of my comfort zone and help me grow.  Having spent the last 40 years just existing I am ready to take control and make my life my own. A life that is fabulous, fearless, fit and fun!!!
#1 on my list, keep a journal or a blog, so here I go.