Ohhh my friends my friends my friends. I have been struggling with this Happiness Project business lately. So much so that I found myself falling back into my old routine every other day: me + bed right after school + hours of Revenge on Netflix.
I should also mention…dirty laundry piling up. Angry wrinkle lines back between my eyebrows. Skipping meals due to upset stomach due to anxiety/stress.
HOWEVER, for the sake of the project, I am pushing through the bad… and finding the good. I found some HAPPINESS in the things I’ve been doing as a result of this whole project thing.
*I have been forcing myself to stay after school (even after I’ve had an awful day) to get some extra work done, so that I am not rushing around in the mornings. My lessons are more put together and less stressful!
*I have been making dinner in the crock pot in the morning so Mr. Bear is not cranky, hungry, and asking me, “What’s there to eat in the house for dinner?” if I am not home at night. He and his stomach are now happy and full and hooray for dinner!
Channeling my inner Christmas Elf…in October
*I have been dressing up for school every day! The extra effort to look good makes me feel better about myself, even when I am in a bad mood. PLUS, my little chickadees compliment me on my various articles of clothing every day, and I find great humor in hearing what they come up with each day. “Mrs. Houston I like your boots.” “Mrs. Houston I like your buttons.” “Mrs. Houston I like your hair clip.”
*I try to BREATHE before I flip out ….. at least 7 out of 10 times a week. This means I have less explosions and have not lost my voice yet this school year! If you don’t know, I can be a very emotional/explosive person, so this is quite an accomplishment for me!
*Remember when I said I wanted to “fight right”?? Let’s just say, I think it’s been working…Mr. Bear loves me extra these days.
So I guess I haven’t been doing all that bad with my Happiness Project. It’s not like Rome was built in a day.
I do feel a little happier in my life than I was feeling before I started this project. I feel like I am walking with a little more pep in my step – that I am stopping to notice things that make me happy – and I am working on goals that will keep me happy. Granted there is a whole lot of crap going on in my job right now, a WHOLE LOT of stuff that I would love to dump alllll over this blog, I am keeping it to myself. Because happy people don’t rain all over other people’s parades. Right?
One last thing… if you still want to join in on my Confessions party today, PLEASE DO! We only had two guests link-up and 2 comments…and I am kinda bummed out…hopefully next week we will have a bigger turn out.
Great job – I’m adding that book to my reading list.
I know how hard it is to find the happiness when it seems like it’s buried in a pile of muck. I totally meant to blog and link up with my confessions, but I just didn’t find the time (I blame etsy and a rowdy 3 year old diva child). Pinky promise to link up next week!!
Girl, I don’t blame you at all for curling up on the couch and watching DVR all night long… Teaching is TOUGH! Especially in the fall when you are just settling into things and it’s time to send out progress reports and the kids are getting a bit whiney and there is just a million things to do. It is tiring stuff and I don’t think you should get down on yourself for taking some time to de-stress when you get home. I DO love your positivity and I should probably jump on your happy train and get motivated in the evenings too. I tend to be in sweat pants 5 minutes after I get home. (But I also got home from school at 6pm tonight-People don’t realize how hard teaching is) and while I don’t want to encourage the old routine (because I think your happy goals are awesome, I just want to say that I completely get it.
I love your blog! I am a stay at home mom, and you have inspired me to think more about what I wear and how I present myself each day. You are also so “real”–it is refreshing. I don’t usually comment, but I read your blog a couple of times a week!
Love the singing picture, you guys are too cute!
You and Mr. Bear are so cute. I’m happy to hear that you have a little more pep in your step. I completely sympathize with you. School was turning me into a VERY bitter person. I had to listen to the Positive radio station into AND out of work. At first I thought the Christian music was a little cheesy but it completely turned my life around, and saved my sanity as well! Any way that gets you happy is fine in my book. Keep chugging along, and don’t beat yourself up about the sweats and Netflix. We all need some comfort from time to time.