These Are A Few of My Favorite Things.....

Thursday, September 25,  2014

This morning I did something completely out of character for me.  I got up before 7am.  Even more shocking?  I went walking....for a whole hour.  I met my new friend Barbara (we "met" on Facebook. We both have an affinity for piggies...all animals, really.  And we are both very passionate when it comes to animal cruelty.  Passionate, as in "if you choose to be cruel to animals, we may choose to rip your limbs off."  Nice passionate things like that.)

I am gearing up for my "31 Day Challenge" that begins on October 1st.  This is a challenge presented through another blog that I read.  It is simply a challenge to choose a subject, and write on it for 31 consecutive days.  I really don't think it's going to be extremely challenging.  The real challenge will lie in what I am writing about.  If you look to your right -------------> you will see that pretty circle that states my plan.  "Taking on the to-do list."  So, in order for me to write about it, I actually have to DO it.  I probably should have chosen "31 Days of Eating Bon-Bons and Watching Soap Operas."

Dammit.  Why do I always come up with brilliant ideas a little too late?!

Anyway.  The other night I sat in bed and made of list of 31 projects.  Most of them were house related.  A few were Beth related.  Such as "add exercise into daily routine."  I have ordered my "beginners yoga kit," which should arrive any day.  Gaiam was having a clearance sale.  Do you ever order from that company?  GREAT stuff...steep prices.  I want everything in the catalogue.  I think I own about three things from there. ( Speaking of which.....Lexie!  Did you take that cute green back pack I bought from Gaiam?!  I haven't seen it in a LONG time....and that usually means it is somewhere in YOUR room!!) Who am I kidding?  Like she would ever lower herself to reading her mother's blog.)  Anyway, my plan is to alternate walking and yoga and cardio.  (I ordered a 3-in-one video also...one of those "when you are done, you will want to die" workouts.  What the heck, it was "two DVD's for $16!  I figured I would get a little head start, rather than overwhelm myself when October arrives. 

I made a lap around our route before Barbara arrived, and had some time to really take everything in.

Hello, beautiful sunrise!

 It had been a really long time since I had been up early enough to watch the sunrise, or just be outside by myself, actually paying attention to everything around me.  The cool, fresh air, all of the sounds, scents...everything.  It occurred to me how much I have been missing by not forcing myself to just get out and enjoy being outside.  It really drove home the topic I wanted to write about today.....what makes me happy?  

This is a question that confounded me for a really long time.  I think when you are a person who is prone to depression, the idea of happiness can be just an illusion.  It's something that other people have, or something that you see in the movies, but not something that you will ever truly experience.  

Luckily, this is not the case.  We are all capable of happiness.  We just need to let go of our warped interpretation of what happiness is, or should be, and figure out what happiness means for us, because it will be something different for each person.

For me, I have found that it tends to be a lot of little things that bring me joy, and when I make a conscious effort to fill my life with the things that I know will feed my soul, that is when I feel content, which, to me, feels happy.  It is an ongoing process...trying to figure out what to add or delete from my life.  It involves taking risks and stepping outside of my comfort zone.  It involves bringing new people into my life, and potentially, parting ways with others.  The longer you live with yourself, the better you know yourself, and you begin to figure out what you really need to create an inner peace.  

I used to think that EVERYTHING had to be perfect in order for me to be "happy."  When I was: skinny, beautiful, rich, smart, tan, living in my dream house, driving the perfect car, working at my dream job (whatever the heck that would be?!) etc...etc....THEN, I would finally be happy.

Yeah.  Like any of that is ever going to happen.  I look at that and laugh, because when I think about what actually makes me feel blissful....it couldn't be any further from all of the things I just listed.  

Let me share some of my "happy" things with you. :)

BOOKS.

Decorating books, Self-help books,

Fiction, non-fiction, whatever....I LOVE BOOKS

and I have to have the REAL book.  Not the e-book.  Amazon.com makes a fortune off of me.

I am not going to go around the house and take pictures of all of my bookshelves and piles and stashes of books.  It is a little out of control.  And I think you get the picture.  

But they make me SOOOOOO happy!!

MY DOGS.

Cooper

 Riley

Both are my love bugs.  And they think they are real babies.  (cause they are)

White Chocolate Mocha (sometimes with mint)

Driving in my car.  I love my car.

Well, this...obviously.

My front stoop, when it's decked out for whatever season.  Just because it means I'm home.

Having a fireplace.  I <3 cozy.

This chair.  I have claimed it as my very own.  

Yep.  A paper wreath.  It makes me happy.

I love pretty things.  This part of my house makes me happy.  I actually will walk by and say "I love that" on a regular basis.  The buffet usually smiles back at me.

As does this.  It also houses all of my music.  Kind of important, and oh so pretty.

I have wanted this white slipcovered couch for YEARS.  I finally got it (on Craigslist!!) this summer

It is cushy heaven. (and the lighting of the pic is horrendous.)

So, those are just some of the THINGS that bring me joy.  I'm sure you noticed I did not include any people.  I will save that post for another day. :) 

I hope you are able to take some time today to enjoy the simple things that bring you joy.  It's so easy to take them for granted, so allow yourself a few minutes to really soak it all in!  I am thinking a bubble bath combined with a big mug of coffee might be calling my name right now!  I mean, come on...I DID walk for a whole hour today!  I deserve a long, soak, right? 

I think Cover Girl, or Loreal, or whatever company it is got it right....so everyone repeat after me:

"BECAUSE I'M WORTH IT!"

Have a great Thursday!