Did you know that January is Celebrate Life month? Makes sense I suppose, since many people view January as a fresh start, time to write New Year Resolutions and plan changes.  Instead of writing out how I plan to change this year or what New Year Resolutions I’ve written I wanted to take the time to reflect on the simple things I do in life to Celebrate Living!

This week on Twitter I asked the following question….

The question sparked, in my opinion, a great conversation.  It was amazing to compare the differences in how people celebrate their own lives.  Responses varied from simple daily tasks, giving to others, to reminding themselves what to be thankful for.  The most common answer was that most people Celebrate Life by taking a few moments each day to count their blessings.

I received humble responses from people like Veronica who said she celebrates life by helping others.  Also My Baby Clothes Boutique shared the simple things they do to help others which ultimately makes them feel blessed.

Dawn answered by saying:

When I asked her to elaborate on what kind of little things she meant, she responded with:

I loved Dawn’s response.  A good parking spot…  children who do what they are taught without having to be reminded… and even the important life luxuries we sometimes take for granted, like heat.  Reminding ourselves of all the things in life we have to be thankful for sounds like a great way to Celebrate Life, to me.

Bernice reminded us that sometimes we just need to take a moment to slow down and enjoy things.  I have ‘learn how to Meditate’ on my Life List and although I haven’t set New Year Resolutions, this is one that I want to accomplish this year.  I believe Bernice is on to something when she says:

Just reading her tweet made me smile, feel relaxed and remind me that I love life.  These things may sound simple but how long has it honestly been since you just sat peacefully outside to listen to the birds or slowed down for even a few moments each day?  We get so busy in our day to day lives that we let time slip by and forget to take time for these simple pleasures.

Everyone seems to have their own way to Celebrate Life.  Whether it’s singing and smiling or jumping for the stars.  Maybe you even write a daily grateful list to grow from each day.  Or how about a one sentence positive journal entry to remind you to smile.

How do you Celebrate Life?

As we are nearing another years end we start to reminisce and reflect on what we are most thankful for during this Holiday season.  In one simple word I am thankful for LIFE.  I love my life, which consists of a somewhat unconventional yet fabulous family, sometimes stubborn yet precious children, friends that might be spread across miles yet are true to my heart, a job that I love and am passionate about, a home that I may only be renting but is sweet never the less and a wonderful social network at my finger tips everyday all year long.

If you asked me last year what I was thankful for I probably would have said my children.  Maybe in particular I might have said I was thankful for spending the Holidays home with Gabby instead of in the hospital with her grasping at life.  This year I have learned a lot.  I may have learned more than I ever have in my 28 previous years.  Sometimes it takes time reflecting on past experiences to learn more from them than actually just living through them.  I learned this is my life.   It’s not my family’s life.  It’s not my children’s life.  It’s my life to appreciate and make the best of.  Happiness is, however, just a mood.  So as I continue to strive towards living in happiness I take a moment this Thanksgiving to acknowledge I am thankful for every single day I have in life and it’s whole entity.  I feel very blessed and happy!

~Cherish Today, For You Never Know What Tomorrow Brings~

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Table of contents for My Happiness Project

1. My Happiness Project – Life List Update
2. My Happiness Project – Week 2
3. What Makes Me Happy? – Week 3
4. Relaxing with Toes in Sand – Happiness Project

I haven’t blogged much lately and it’s been a month since I wrote an update on my Happiness Project.  However just because I’ve been busy doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about it and working towards it.  June 23rd I traveled to the Riviera Maya to stay for five nights at an all inclusive resort with a good friend of mine.  Staying at one of the most relaxing places I’ve ever been was a step in the right direction for my Happiness Project.  I needed it.

I learned to shut off the outside world.  I had no mobile service for five nights, gasp.  I didn’t check emails for the first two days and the remainder of the time I only briefly looked online.  I did no work and I even took an afternoon nap.  Part of my Happiness Project is to get my priorities in order, find ways to relieve stress and re-evaluate myself to find what it truly is I want out of life.   All in general to make myself happier.

Now I’m not going through a mid-life crisis, because let’s face it I’m not old enough.  I’m not depressed, actually I’m generally pretty happy.  I just feel like sometimes I’m going in a million different directions, I have a lot of stress in my life and several years ago my life changed that put me on a different path than what I had planned which ultimately changed all my goals.  It’s taken me several years to accept, embrace, enjoy and realize I’ve changed along the way.  This was the main reason I started my Happiness Project.

I’ve always considered myself a Multi-Tasker.  Sometimes I wonder if this title is better described as having Adult ADD.  I’m one of those people who always has a million things going on at once and double that amount in my thoughts.  It was hard to shut this off while relaxing in the Riviera Maya.  Matter of fact I took some time out to get a full body massage from the resort spa and realized my mind started drifting to all the things I needed to do instead of focusing on the relaxation from the massage.  Immediately I remembered what I read by Elizabeth Irvine about staying in the present moment.  That’s when I tried my best to clear my mind and started focusing on the pressure of the massage and how great it felt.  Although this didn’t come naturally to me, I know how important it is as a mother to take that step back and clear my mind.  It was exactly what I needed.

I did the same thing when laying on the beach.  There was a Tropical Storm that blew in two days before we headed home.  It didn’t honestly affect our trip very much.  We did experience some rain but we were able to enjoy our vacation still.  To be honest the storm caused the waves to be larger than I had ever witnessed which was pretty fascinating to me while a little scary at the same time.  However, laying on the beach with my toes in the sand watching these giant waves crash down was peaceful.  I loved every minute of it and wish I had more time to enjoy that scenery.

Happiness Project Lesson Learned:  How to take time for myself, stay in the present moment, relax and rest.  Traveling was just a bonus that made me even happier.

Confession: I have an obsession with flip flops.  Dressy flip flops, casual flip flops and even flip flop house shoes.  The above photo showing my flip flop tan line is not the result from an amazing tan I received while in the Riviera Maya.  I believe my feet are permanently this color and have looked this way for over a year now.

Table of contents for My Happiness Project

1. My Happiness Project – Life List Update
2. My Happiness Project – Week 2
3. What Makes Me Happy? – Week 3
4. Relaxing with Toes in Sand – Happiness Project

The task this week was to make a list of what truly makes me happy.  All week long I have thought about this list and every day came up with something new.  In order to become happier it is suggested that you evaluate what makes you happy and then try to increase those things or focus more on those areas in your life.  So here it goes…

• tickling Gabby until she is cracking up uncontrollably
• reading a great book {one that pulls me into the story}
• pinching Noah’s cheeks and kissing his face
• completely inappropriate comedies such as The Hangover {I’m literally laughing now while I think about several scenes that come to mind}
• Flip Flops
• getting a pedicure and acrylic nails
• bonding with T while watching some of our favorite television shows
• wearing a comfy sundress
• holding Noah’s hand
• traveling {anywhere}
• Butterflies
• swimming laps in a pool alone {no kids to bounce beach ball off my head}
• laying under the stars gazing
• laughing
• Broadway musicals
• watching a musician play live acoustic guitar
• writing a great blog post
• reading great blog posts, especially funny ones
• finishing a paragraph in my memoir
• acting completely silly with my kids
• mentoring teens
• volunteering
• making someone else smile
• having my back scratched
• getting a massage
• when T and I laugh out loud at something we do or say accidentally {being able to laugh at one another without harm is the best}
• great photography
• MUSIC {always say music is my mojo}

Although I’m sure I missed something and there is no rule I can’t add more later, I think this is a pretty good list to focus on.  Don’t you?  What makes you truly happy? Share with me in the comments.

Table of contents for My Happiness Project

1. My Happiness Project – Life List Update
2. My Happiness Project – Week 2
3. What Makes Me Happy? – Week 3
4. Relaxing with Toes in Sand – Happiness Project

Last week I discussed starting my Happiness Project and how I planned to keep a one sentence journal daily.  Well the journal has been mostly successful, out of 16 days I’ve only missed 5 days and several of those were because I fell asleep on the couch or cuddling with Gabby in the recliner which lead me to stumbling to bed bypassing my journal on the nightstand.

Gretchen Rubin asked ‘Is Happiness a Choice?’ on the Happiness Project Facebook Fan Page for all to chime in, the conversation was interesting.  My answer was yes, of course it is.  I truly believe that before we can be happy, we have to chose to allow ourselves to be happy.  I also believe that sometimes it takes work to become happier than what we are at any given moment.  If something negative is going on in our lives that makes us unhappy then we are the ones who have the choice to change it.  Of course that’s easier said than done.  Like those sayings ‘you want something out of life you have to go out and get it‘ and ‘take the bull by the horns‘ or how about ‘you can do anything or be anything that you set your mind to‘.  Well that’s exactly what I’m trying to accomplish here.  Just become happier….

When reading Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project a few of her quotes have stuck with me and been real eye openers.

“And — though I didn’t recognize this immediately — I started my happiness project because I wanted to prepare.  I was a very fortunate person, but the wheel could turn … One of my goals for the happiness project was to prepare for adversity — to develop the self-discipline and the mental habits to deal with a bad thing when it happens.” ~Gretchen Rubin

I will admit my project is the opposite.  Three years ago my life started turning upside down.  Gabby changed from the child I had known for over four years.  I lost control of our lives or honestly I just realized I didn’t have control and couldn’t always protect my child from life’s unfortunate events.  For the past three years I had remained strong for Gabby.  During her brain surgery, watching her on that hospital bed for so many months and now years worth of countless doctors visits.  Gabby has changed dramatically from the child she once was.  I think after three years I have let it all catch up with me, eat at me and change me.  Now it’s time I focus on acceptance and working towards happiness.

“The words of the writer Colette had haunted me for years: ‘What a wonderful life I’ve had!  I only wish I’d realized it sooner’.  I didn’t want to look back, at the end of my life or after some great catastrophe, and think, How happy I used to be then, if only I’d realized it.” ~Gretchen Rubin

That’s exactly what I’m doing now.  I look back, forward, present and all over again.  It’s like I’m lost and confused on what my life is now compared to what it is that I truly want.  I’m tired of thinking about ‘what could have been‘.
Every Wednesday Gretchen shares tips on the Happiness Project blog.  She also shares stories and other posts that you would enjoy while conducting your Happiness Project.

Table of contents for My Happiness Project

1. My Happiness Project – Life List Update
2. My Happiness Project – Week 2
3. What Makes Me Happy? – Week 3
4. Relaxing with Toes in Sand – Happiness Project

In February while attending the Mom 2.0 Summit conference I bought the book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and she even autographed it.

In March I read some of The Happiness Project.

In April I published my Life List with item number 54 being to complete my own Happiness Project.

Last week I took action to download Gretchen’s eBook on how to run a group with your Happiness Project.  I have read through her discussion tips and have decided to put some into action immediately.

1. I started an one sentence journal.  This is working great and although it’s sometimes two sentences a day, which is totally fine, I always find something positive from the day to write down.  Right after climbing into my bed for the night, I grab this journal off my night stand and write a quick note.  Great way to reflect on something positive and keep track.
2. I decided I will start blogging my progress with reading the book, actions I take and how I plan to make this reality of completing my own Happiness Project.  Not sure if you can actually complete the Happiness Project, it’s more of a work in progress… but you get the idea.
3. Create and run a group.  This is the tricky part.  I would love to have a group or weekly discussion with someone else who wants to take part in The Happiness Project with me.  I would love to reach out to some other bloggers who might want to blog once a week about our progress and maybe hold one another accountable.  Work on small steps together, even if it is as simple as keeping an one sentence journal.  I’d be happy to host a weekly Mr. Linky here so we could read each others posts and maybe we could follow along with Gretchen’s eBook layout for tips and suggestions.

So who’s with me?  If you are interested, leave me a comment or email me at djane (at) mommadjane (dot) com.  We could maybe even have a Skype discussion if you wanted.