Valentine's Day inspiration...

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Happy February!!

I'm so glad the month of love is here.
I told you that January is always a hard month for me....but this year I wanted to do what I could to change that.

I went on a search for Happiness.
I consciously worked at getting myself out of the annual rut I find myself in come January 5th.

You can read about my search here:
Happiness Part I
Happiness Part II

Happiness Part III

Happiness Part IV

Happiness Part V

Happiness Part VI

Happiness Part VII

I hope you're cultivating some joy for yourself too!

Happiness Part VII

I've saved one of my favorite questions for last:

7. Are YOU striving to build up ALL others you come in contact with?
 
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If you are feeling down, in a slump, or you have not found happiness yet today....
go help someone else feel happiness.

Serve them.

Lift them up.

Help them.

Love them.

and you will find happiness too.
I PROMISE!!!

Happiness Part VI

6. What have you have left undone out of fear or it's level of difficulty?
I can't even count how many times I didn't accomplish something due to fear of the unknown or fear that it would be too hard.
A lifetime friend of mine once said to me....while I was in the midst of one of the scariest and most difficult times in my life:

"You CAN do hard things."


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I believe that.

I not only believe that, but I KNOW that to be true!

It's true for me....and true for YOU!

So, what have YOU left undone?

Make a decision today, right now... to just DO IT.
You are capable of so much more than you think you are!

Accomplishing that forgotten goal will bring you more true happiness.

Happiness Part V

Take a minute to think of all the relationships you have.

Are you a Daughter, Son, Wife, Husband, Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, Friend, Boyfriend, Girlfriend, Teacher, Employee, Employer, Neighbor, or Acquaintance to someone?
Probably so.
Out of all those people who are coming in and out of your life, are there any that make you feel uncomfortable or unhappy....for any reason?


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That's what today's question is all about.
5. Have you brought others into your life that build you up or tear you down?
If your answer is "yes" and the person you are thinking of is someone who is very important to you and who's relationship is worth trying to improve, let them know kindly that you are feeling unhappy or uncomfortable when they display certain attitudes, behaviors, and/or actions around you or toward you. 

If the relationship is important enough to the both of you....a resolution can be found.
If not, it's time to clean house and make room for some positive relationships.

I'm far from a relationship expert, but I do know that it's hard to feel true happiness when there is something or someone weighing you down.

How can we fix that?
Fill your life with people who emit joy and happiness....
People who rub wonderful habits and feelings off on you when you are around them.
Spend time with people who show you and tell you they love and appreciate you.
Spend time with people who treat you better than you think you should be treated.

If you don't have anyone in your life who comes to mind when you read the previous thoughts...find someone.
If you can't find someone....then BE that joyful emitting someone for others.
In doing so, I hope you will find the true happiness in your relationships you are looking for.

Happiness Part IV

I am first and foremost a Momma during this particular season in my life, but during one season in my life I was primarily a performing musician.

As a performing musician you learn first hand how important your thoughts are....whether conscious or subconscious.
You have to learn to control them completely or your subconscious self can take over and erase the hard earned memory of your musical score or destroy a performance by making you believe you aren't capable.

A while back, I was graduating with my Bachelor's degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy. I had spent countless hours and years even to audition for the next step in my education...the Masters program.

The day came for me to audition and I walked into the room feeling confident, excited and completely ready. I greeted my panel of judges who had become like family to me by then.
They knew me, my strengths and weaknesses.
They knew my musical voice.
They had already heard most of the performance I had prepared for this particular audition.
They were cheering for me....and I knew they were.



I began my performance and something crazy happened...My mind went completely and utterly blank.
I mean, pitch black.
The keys on my keyboard, that were so familiar to me suddenly looked foreign as if I had never even seen them before in my life.

I couldn't go any further and therefore, I failed my entrance exam.
I was devastated....to say the least.
The chance to fulfill my strongest desire was blown and the worst part was -
I did it to myself by failing to control my inner voice.

My subconscious thoughts of insecurity or any possible chance I would fail lead me to actually fail.

I know this experience applies first hand to our daily lives.

So here are our questions for today:
3. Do your thoughts make you happy?
4. Do you speak (whether aloud or silently) positive thoughts or negative thoughts?

You might find these questions to be silly, but have you truly listened to your inner voice and the things it says?
"I'm not skinny, thin, or fit enough"
"I wish I was as pretty as she is"
"I can't do that"
"That's too hard"
"I'm not smart enough to figure that out"
"I can't __________ like her."
(you fill in the blank)

Statements such as these are all lies.
Lies that keep us from succeeding.
Lies that keep us from being truly happy.

You can't allow these thoughts -or any like them -to exist and that's a hard task to achieve, but with practice we can all get closer to taking full control of our inner voice.

You are capable of succeeding whatever you put your mind to...
and that includes happiness.
When you hear negative thoughts begin, replace them with positive ones.
Come up with a positive mantra or saying that you can repeat out loud to yourself when these thoughts arise.
Write yourself positive notes reminding yourself of your strengths and talents.
YOU are the master of your own fate. 
Don't ever forget that!

And if you want to know the end of my story...
After LOTS of time studying the ins and outs of my inner voice and practice in controlling it, the panel of judges for my Masters entrance exam attended my final solo concert for my Bachelor's degree and counted that as my exam.

In the end I passed and became the Masters student I dreamed about!!!

Happiness Part III

Today's question today is the hardest for me.

2.  Is your overall daily attitude one that promotes happiness?
Let's be honest here...
Nobody is happy all the time even if some of us seem like we are on the outside.

I've decided that we all have our own basic level of happiness...like a happiness baseline. And some of us have a higher happiness baseline than others. No matter what happens to us...good or bad...in time, we all return to our baselines.

So the real question is - can we raise our happiness baseline?
I believe we can.

It's all about choice.

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It's so easy to let the things that go wrong in our lives affect our attitude and daily outlook on life, but we can choose to let go. We can choose to move on and we can choose to remain unaffected. It's hard...I will admit that I need a lot of practice here!

Here are some things I will be doing to practice:
- Take action...when feeling down, only YOU can make it better so make it better!
- Live in the moment and enjoy every one
-Avoid people that make you feel negative or unhappy
- Devote more time to family and friends
- Appreciate the people around you...and TELL them
- Count your blessings...each and every one
(that's what my "little things" search is all about)
I want to challenge you to practice these today....right now and let's see how it changes our day.

Happiness Part II

Are you waiting for true happiness to find you?
Sometimes I find myself in that pattern of thinking.
In those moments, I have to snap myself out of it and cultivate happiness.
Society teaches us that happiness comes from being rich and beautiful, living an easy and stress-free life, being famous, receiving praise from others, having the perfect body and working our dream job. But I know that while these things might bring temporary happiness, they won't bring lasting happiness.

Today I'm going to start going through the questions I posed HERE and some of the ways we can cultivate lasting happiness for ourselves.

1. Does your current lifestyle make you truly happy?

Are you including activities or choices in your daily life that bring feelings of stress, pain or guilt?
If so, get rid of them.

Yes, some levels of stress and pain are a part of life's ups and downs, but you can rid your life of the unnecessary amounts.

Next, make a list of the activities you really love to do.
I mean those things that make you feel ALIVE...
the things that make you feel most like YOU.

Go ahead and do it right now.
I can wait a second.

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 Then, brainstorm ways you can include these activities in your daily life. I know life is crazy busy, but there is DEFINITELY time to do what you feel you were born to do....plus, it will make you terribly happy!
You can't say "NO" that!

That might mean you have to go to bed earlier and set your alarm an hour earlier, or take a shorter lunch break. You can set one day aside a week to leave the dishes in the sink and the dirt on the floor to do what makes you feel alive.

You will thank your happy little self later... I'm sure your family will too.

And if you have children, that might mean you will have to brainstorm ways you can include your children in your favorite activities. This will help you feel you haven't lost any part of yourself in your role as a parent.

This is my first step in cultivating true and lasting happiness...I'll see you tomorrow for more.

Happiness Part I

Have YOU made any New Years resolutions? 

I've come to find that I'm not really into making New Years resolutions. 

I don't think anyone is wrong for making them, New Years resolutions are positive little beauties...
they just aren't for me.
Why? Well, here's why...

To me, resolutions are just goals with a fancy name...goals that seem to dissipate within the first few months of the year. They are goals I have or should be accomplishing throughout the whole year.

I don't always achieve the steps with perfection that lead to accomplishing those goals everyday, but I try.

Making healthy changes, bettering ourselves is ALWAYS something we should strive to do....everyday of the year. And the best part is, if I have a bad day - the slate is wiped clean the next morning and I can start again.

While we all have a long list of varied goals we want to pursue, I have found that there is usually an underlying theme to all those pursuits: 

To find more joy, more happiness and therefore...a better life.

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There are a million things we can do to find more DAILY happiness, but I'm going to share a few with you this week that have been on my mind.

I think the first step to finding true happiness involves taking a good look at ourselves and the lives we are living right now.

Asking specific questions, like some of the examples I have below, will help us all asses some of the factors that might be contributing to our overall happiness or unhappiness:
(grab a piece of paper and write down your initial thoughts to each of these questions)

1. Does your current lifestyle make you TRULY happy?

2. Is your overall daily attitude one that promotes happiness?
3. Do your thoughts make you happy?
4. Do you speak (whether aloud or silently) positive thoughts or negative thoughts?

5. Have you brought others into your life that build you up or tear you down?
6. What have you have left undone out of fear or it's level of difficulty?
7. Are YOU striving to build up ALL others you come in contact with?

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I know that if we face some of the answers to these questions head on we can find some REAL solutions to making our lives the BEST they can be.

Tomorrow I am going to start sharing some of the specific things I will be doing DAILY to invite more happiness and enjoy the journey to creating a better life and a better me.

I hope you join me.

Happy....

 January is always a hard time for me.

It feels very empty.
The decorations come down, the friends return home, the busy schedules return, and our focus turns from spreading joy and cheer to returning to life's next task at hand.

In the midst of these changes, there is still so much to be

happy about. That's why I want to talk about Happiness this week.

Are YOU happy?
I mean.....really happy?

There are a LOT of unhappy people in the world.
Look around and you will see them everywhere.

 Life is meant to be enjoyed.

It's not meant to be easy....

But one thing is sure - life should fill us with joy!

That is why I decided to share my search for the "little things" in life with you. In my opinion, we need as many people in this world as possible seeking joy and happiness.

So let's figure out how WE can be those people.

Merry Christmas!

genius

Gorgeous......no?!?!

It's a bookcase - no...it's wallpaper.

it's genius.

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Christmas Joy...

I've got a 'to-do' list that emulates the 5 inch wide Children's Dictionary sitting on my green boy's lap.

There is so much to do and even more to catch up on.
And I can't seem to keep up.

I decided to start whittling away my Christmas 'to-do' list months and months ago so that I could enjoy the season and not be scrambling around to keep up with the disappearing days of December.

Unfortunately, I'm still feeling increasingly uneasy with each day marked off the advent calendar.

A few days ago, I was running around the house desperately trying to get some things checked off my list when my little blue boy fell apart at the seams. In reality, the ugly meltdown only looked like a great big road block to accomplishing my goals for the day.

Then, with his head buried in the tear soaked carpet, he pointed his chubby finger into the carpet fibers and said "Mommy, here".

I knew in that moment, what he really wanted.
So....I put down my armfuls of cleaning supplies and sat down next to him.
He didn't look up, but I put my hand on his back and just sat with him.
Somehow that was enough.

In that moment, I felt a peace and calm wash over me.

I realized that in-spite of my endless daily lists and constant plans, what was most important was to let go of the schedule and just be. To feel peace and comfort in the moment together.

Those feelings are what this season is really about.

We should be feeling peace and comfort as we approach the day we celebrate the coming of our Savior to this Earth to atone and sacrifice His life for each of us.

In that exact spirit, we have started some new traditions for this little Wilson family. We have begun a seasonal project to shine the light of Christ....the light of love, appreciation, and service into the lives of those among us.

We have started with small things such as these:

- drawing a picture, writing a note of thanks, and leaving homemade cookies for the garbage man
(he LOVED that....and wrote back!)

- carrying candy canes and baggies of cookies with notes of thanks in our bag and giving them to those who serve us and often go unnoticed.
i.e. the gas station attendant, the janitor who cleans the bathroom stalls, the fun ladies at the gym who play with the boys while I work out, the man who fills my up water bottle during spin class, the disabled boy who bags my groceries, the parking garage attendant....etc.
The list goes on and on!


- cooking dinner for a new Mom or just a busy Mom, like myself, who would appreciate a little break.


- buying a couple balloons and handing them to someone who looks like they might need a smile.


- Bringing a plate of cookies and a note of thanks to the firestation


- tape a few quarters on the vending machine or soda machine with a note 


- hold the door for someone

It has been such a joy to serve those around us...in small and simple ways.
It has been an even greater joy to watch my little boys learn about thinking of others, serving others, and loving others...Just as their Savior, Jesus Christ would do.

 Even though we are ALL overloaded with constant lists of things to accomplish....there is a more important reason for the season.
Go spread some Christmas Joy...

Pretty Packages...

I've begun wrapping presents today.
None of them look as gorgeous as any of these, but boy....I wish they did.

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Thought for today....

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collecting...

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What are YOU going to collect today?
See you tomorrow for a new Christmas tutorial!

"little things" for Thanksgiving Part 3

I love Thanksgiving.
Not for the turkey or pumpkin pie, although enticing and delicious....I love Thanksgiving because it is a day set aside solely to give thanks.
I know we all have so much to be thankful for...even if things in our life aren't perfect.
There is ALWAYS something for which we can (and should) give thanks!

A piano in my home. It is a great blessing to be a professional musician. Music speaks from the soul things we are not capable of expressing with words and I'm so blessed to own my own piano not only for use in my profession, but for my own enjoyment.

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Beauty. I am inspired by beauty. It brings me joy....and beauty can be seen in everything!

Calluses. I know, a weird thing to be thankful for, but it shows hard work, dedication, love, and motivation. All of which are beautiful things!
Dancing. I'm not a very good dancer, but I love the way it feels when my favorite song is on and my body can't help but express joy through movement.

Education. I'm so grateful for a chance to get a great education and I'm grateful for all the people who helped make that happen.

Fall. The color of the leaves. The crunch of them beneath my toes. The crisp, cool air....all of it.
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Garbage trucks, and their drivers. Take a second and imagine life without them.....yeah, they are pretty great. You should sincerely thank one the next time they stop by your house! I have a Thank You note ready on our garbage can for ours tomorrow!

Healing. The ability to heal is incredible! I've watched - and worked terribly hard - as my knee has undergone surgery and 2 months of healing. It is a beautiful miracle to behold.

Illustrations done by my children. Not only can my Green boy draw me beautiful pictures, he can write me love notes which I treasure.

Jokes. I love a good joke. I don't think I'm all that funny or witty so I am really grateful for the people in my life who can make me laugh. Man....I love a good laugh.

Kicks. I'm so grateful for shoes. Have you stopped and thought about how blessed you are to be able to own a pair of shoes to protect your little feet? I have, and I'm sooo grateful.

Littlies. I am head over heels in love with my little miracles and my blue boy and green boy have stolen my heart.
Mr. Wilson. He's the number one boy around here and I am so grateful to be married to my best friend. He lifts me up and inspires me to be better. What an amazing blessing!

Noses. Without my nose I would miss out on so much joy. I mean, there are lots of things I would rather not smell, but the smell of cinnamon, freshly baked cookies, Mr.Wilson's cologne,  pumpkin pie, bonfire, apple cider, and freshly bathed babies brings bliss.

Other people. I am grateful for all the people in my life who encourage, support and love me. They inspire me to try harder, reach for my dreams and have greater love for those around me.

Pets. We love our little black Bella and the place she holds in our family.

Quilts. My angel Mother is a maker of beautiful quilts and not only do they offer warmth and comfort, they are special works of art.

Reading. I am so grateful for the ability to read and the joy that comes from comprehending and learning new things.

Scriptures. I love the truth found within their pages. I love the joy and knowledge that comes from reading them.
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Temples. 

 
Underwear. Well, it's true!

Vacuum. ugh. I really love what a fresh vacuuming job can do for my home.

Walls. Whether it's an apartment, duplex, condo or home....I've always felt so blessed to have a roof over my head and walls to bring me warmth and comfort.

Xyzal. My allergy pills. Soooo grateful for you!

You readers who come to my little space here at 'squeezing it all in'. I'm so grateful for you!

Zesty meals. Yes, I figured out a way to use the letter 'z'.

I hope you have all had a great Thanksgiving Day! 

Remember, we don't have to be grateful one day a year.
We can be searching for our beautiful little blessings everyday.
That's what my search for life's "little things" is all about!

"little things" for Thanksgiving Part II

How are YOU doing with your challenge?

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If you didn't see the challenge....look HERE.
Don't worry, you can start today.
The "little things" I am grateful for today...well, and everyday:

-bright, green grass

-dimples
-egg white omelet with sweet red peppers and spinach

-the color mustard yellow

-a stove and an oven

-a knee, newly operated upon, that can attack a spin bike again

-a tall glass of cold water
-a handwritten letter in the mail

-finishing a project

-finding a hot-wheel race car in the bottom of my date night purse
-a spontaneous night with a friend, being spit upon by Elphaba and Galinda (because we we were in the 7th row center)
-being married for all eternity to my best friend

Go on and take the challenge... write today's list right now.
Just take a minute to acknowledge the "little things" (and big things) in your life that make it beautiful.

Happy Thanksgiving preparation day!

"little things" for Thanksgiving Part I

With Thanksgiving coming in just a few days....I've decided to share with you a couple of my "little things" lists of gratitude.
I hope you have been making yours!

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Here's the "little things" I'm grateful for today:

good dreams

giggles

warm chubby cheeks

chocolate milk

clean carpets

flannel pillowcases

warm shower water

electricity

cinnamon

words of appreciation from Mr.Wilson

surprises

opportunities to serve

creating music

glitter

hot apple cider

hearing one of my best friends voice on the answering machine

I'll be sharing a list with you everyday from now through Thanksgiving day.

I want to challenge you to make a list everyday with me!

It will only take you a minute, but it will help brighten your days.

Take the challenge and I promise you will feel more focused and grateful on our upcoming day of Thanks.

Tuning your eyes and ears to noticing all the beautiful "little things" that make your life marvelous will help you savor YOUR Thanksgiving this year!

"Un-slumping yourself is not easily done"....

I haven't been feeling myself lately.

I've been in a funk, a rut, a slump...where the world around me turns a little grey, my purpose and importance in this world become blurry, and there isn't any big, horrible or profound thing from which to find the cause.

I hate feeling this way. 

It doesn't happen often, but it still happens.

This week one of my little men picked out a book for me to read at nap time which spoke directly to how I've been feeling lately.

Here are a couple excerpts...

"...You'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed. 

You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.

Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don't.

Because, sometimes, you won't.

I'm sorry to say so but, sadly it's true,

that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a pricke-ly perch.

And your gang will fly on. 

You'll be left in a Lurch.

You'll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump.

And the chances are, then, that you'll be in a Slump.

And when you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun.

Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.

...I'm afraid that some times you'll play lonely games too.

Games you can't win 'cause you'll play against you.

...But on you will go though the weather be foul.

On you will go though your enemies prowl.

On and on you will hike.

And I know you'll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.

...So be sure when you step, step with care and great tact

and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act.

...And will you succeed? 

Yes! You will, indeed!

Kid, you'll move mountains!

...Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So...get on your way!"

- Dr. Seuss

As I read this to my son, my eyes overflowed as I realized that it's ME I was reading about.

YES...I was feeling as though unslumping myself couldn't be done easily.
I felt as though I had been playing a game I had no chance of winning because I was playing against myself.

But not anymore.
I've picked myself up and I'm going to keep hiking.

Thank you, Dr.Seuss and thank you my sweet green boy for helping me clear the fog and see my mountain again.

We are all on different paths in life and we are all hiking at a different rate, but one thing is certain....we all find ourselves in a slump from time to time.
Don't sit down and lose the game...get up, and keep hiking.

You are capable of far more than you will ever know!
Now, go get on your way!