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?


source
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 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.

source

 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.

source

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?

source
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.

Thought for today....

source

collecting...

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

"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!

"little things" by Ginger

“I believe in living each day as it comes, to the best of my ability. When it`s done, I put it away, remembering that there will be a tomorrow to take it`s place.” - Ginger Rogers

I didn't live yesterday to the best of my ability.
And I'm not happy about it.
But, I decided to put it away last night and today I'm determined to replace it.
Replace it with a more patience, love, kindness, and service....

Maybe I won't ever be able to dance like Ginger, but I can sure think like her.
Thanks, pretty lady for being my best "little thing" today!

Smiles.

source

Something to think about today while you continue YOUR search for the "little things" in life....

You guys are AMAZING. Believe it.

sick day "little things"

Yesterday was a whirlwind of a day....

I think that might be a slight understatement, but it will work.

By 9:45 am I had already been up for a while and found myself half dressed for a workout that never happened with an Afro for a hairdo and no makeup attached to blue boy while he sobbed hysterically - and had already been doing so  for 2 hours straight. 

Then, I couldn't help it anymore and I started sobbing too. 

Just as we found ourselves in a tear-stained puddle on the floor the phone rang. 

It was the nurse from the doctors office telling me they had a cancellation.

I had only 12 minutes to get there to make the appointment, but I said I would take it and ran/hobbled quickly - looking just as I did (but now with red swollen eyes) - with my 37lb. blue boy still attached to my chest and my green boy running behind me closing all the doors I left open in my rush.

In the midst of this lovely start to a crazy day,

I began composing my "little things" list:

1. Cute headbands that tackle flyaways

2. A happy and helpful little green boy

3. Strangers holding elevators for you

4. Sick blue boy not flinching or crying AT ALL when the nurse taking his blood poked incessantly because she couldn't find a vein in his chubby arm

5. Teaching students who make me smile and laugh

6. Hearing "hungry" from my sick boy who wouldn't eat or talk all day

7. Chicken and Spinach pizza for dinner 

8. Snoring babies

9. Sinking into the couch with a cup of apple cider

What treasures have YOU been finding lately?

Don't forget to savor the happy "little things" in life...don't let them pass you by!

Stuck.

I have a four letter word stuck in my head.

It's not the kind you might be thinking...it's a good one.

source
I've found that for most of us, it's easy to be kind to others...
but have you ever though about what your self-talk sounds like? 

source
Try talking to a friend or loved one how you talk to yourself and I'm pretty sure you won't be fostering the kindest most loving relationship you could.
Over time, you'd probably kill their self-esteem and confidence.


In my job as a teacher, I am constantly building self-esteem and confidence. 
I am always trying to encourage and motivate my students to realize and therefore achieve their full potential. 
Which means I am always encouraging a positive self-talk.
 
Now, I'm not saying that my own self-talk is always something I want others to hear, but I am saying that I'm pretty sure it's something we can all to work on....including me.
We live in a society that sends us constant messages, telling us we are never good enough. 
Never smart enough, tall enough, skinny enough, fast enough, successful enough, rich enough...and the list goes on and on.

source

So the next time your self-talk gets out of hand...
which might be in the next few minutes....
rewind it and start over - thinking of this four letter word.
KIND

on my mind...

Welcome to the first week of OCTOBER....can you believe it's OCTOBER?!?! WOW.

 I had a great weekend....I hope you did too!

I played with my smart and handsome men, had fun on a double date with new friends, and ate dinner at one of my favorite little spots in this city. 

Most importantly, I had an uplifting weekend filled with inspiring words from leaders of my church.

I was taught and reminded of many things, but what is on my mind today is to "be more compassionate and patient with myself" and to always remember that "[I am] not forgotten wherever [I am], whatever the circumstances maybe, no matter how dark [my] days may seem or how insignificant [I] may feel, no matter how overshadowed [I] think [I] may be at times, [my] Heavenly Father has not forgotten [me]. He loves [me and] you with an infinite love."

You are not forgotten.
Let's have a really great week!

Trials...

It's easy to let stumbling blocks trip you...

it's easy to stay down after you get shoved...

it's easy to give up on a steep uphill battle when you can't see the end.

It's hard to stay strong sometimes.

It's hard to keep up the fight.

But we can't become who we are meant to be without life's battles.

source

Pick yourself up, Dust yourself off and NEVER give up...

Your not alone, I'll be doing the same.

mad "little things"

I was upset with someone today....no, not one of you.

Not even upset for a very good reason 

(yes, I will admit it...I do it too)

but nonetheless...quite upset.

Today's all time favorite moment was when that certain "someone" made me laugh until I cried...

 

while I was right in the middle of my heatedly mad moment and I felt all those ugly, awful feelings melt from my heart and evaporate away.

 

Perfect. Lovely. Moment.

What was your favorite "little thing" moment today?

Special Care Service Project

Today I'm SOOO excited to FINALLY tell you about my newest project! 

I've talked a little about my motivation for the project HERE and spoke a little cryptically HERE and HERE about my service project in the works...

but I couldn't give you the full rundown because I hadn't received approval yet.

But I have NOW!!!

And I can't tell you how EXCITED I am!!

I've been dreaming about this for a long time and I feel like I'm finally getting the right people on board and making it all come together. 

I hope you can all jump on board with me too because I know I can't do this alone!

"Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success."  ~Author Unknown

"No one can whistle a symphony.  It takes a whole orchestra to play it."  ~H.E. Luccock
 

Here are the details:

The Special Care and Obstetrics Unit at Good Samaritan Hospital specializes in caring for women with high-risk pregnancies who require additional care and may need to spend extra time or even live in the hospital. 

Depending on the circumstances, expecting mothers can be admitted into Special Care Obstetrics anywhere between six weeks and full term, making a typical stay range from hours to weeks. 

There is a long list of complications that could bring you into this unit - you can find them HERE.

This unit is a place I once called home. The doctors and nurses here saved my baby's life and I will forever be grateful! 

This is the one and only picture that was taken while I lived there. 

Since I have been one of their patients, I have experienced some of the same struggles their current patients are experiencing.

I know they are often forgotten in their struggles and grief…I felt the same and I want to change that. 

I want the patients to feel heard, understood and loved by someone who has been confined to the same bed and knows first hand the war that must be fought to save a life. 

I want to provide hope, motivation and encouragement to them in any way I can. 

I will be holding donation drives for books, puzzles, cards and envelopes, games, craft kits, etc. Anything and everything that these confined women can do to keep them busy, keep them learning and involved with their hobbies, families and other children. I will be organizing it all in a room that is easily accessible to the nurses to help serve the women.

·         I will put together a gift bag for each of the women who are required to stay for longer periods of time.

I would like them to receive a gift bag containing items that I treasured while I was battling for my baby’s life. 

They would include inexpensive items, but items that I know would be treasured....A shower loofa, body wash, manicure set, nail polish, ear plugs, eye mask, lip gloss, notebook and pen.

Each of the long-term patients as well as the short-term patients will also receive a card introducing them to a new way of seeing their world at this difficult time…a practice that was introduced to me when I was in the same situation. 

The same "little things" way of seeing the world that I have introduced to you HERE and a lot of you have shared with us HERE.

I'm SO excited to hit the ground running with this project ... I'm now on to planning book drives, fund-raising opportunities and possibly selling handmade items to benefit the cause.

I will be keeping you all updated ... I would LOVE to have you help out in any way you can! 

You will be blessing the lives of some REALLY special women!

you can contact me here:

squeezingitallin@gmail.com 
(please excuse all the weird font issues....not sure what's going on today!)

Fear and Courage

Happy Monday!

Starting this week has got me thinking a lot about fear and courage.

Friday morning I will be lying on the operating table to let my orthopedic surgeon enter the depths of my right knee.

I know it's what needs to be done.

I know it's the key to making me whole again...

but I'm still feeling a little uneasy and fearful as the day approaches.

Fear creeps up on us in many forms and for many reasons.

Does fear disable you? Does it discourage you?

What is fear holding you back from accomplishing right now in your life?

How are YOU going to fight it?

Let's take these words of inspiration and let them motivate us to dig deep and find that courage that lies within each of us!

  

source: my pinterest board "words with meaning"

change for CHANGE update #1

Good Morning my pretties! 
Ooh, that makes me sound like the wicked witch of the west! Haha!

I want to give you the status on our change for CHANGE project.

We've saved $50.00 even! 
WHAT?!?!
Yeah, that's right .... we're half way already with 2 more months to go!

I can't even tell you how EXCITED that makes me!

I can't thank those of you enough, who have made the choice to sacrifice just a dollar or two (or some of you more) to make a BIG difference in one young teenager's future!  

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!
MUAH!
(yes, I just kissed the screen ... it was meant for YOU!)

I know times are hard and budgets are tight ... really, I do know.

Since that's the case, here are a few ideas on how to contribute to changing someone's future for the better without hurting your wallet.

• empty out the change in your car, your couch or the bottom of your purse. Not only will it make your load lighter, that change has probably been sitting there untouched for quite sometime ... give it a purpose

• instead of making popcorn and going to redbox for your Friday night in, find something on Hulu, curl up with your computer and feel good knowing that redbox $1 went to better someone's life

• assemble a mean sandwich at home instead of hitting Wendy's $1 menu for lunch

• search here to find a super delicious meal to present to the fam instead of ordering take-out

not only will making these little choices save you some cash, some of them will save you some precious calories!
Who doesn't want some of that?!?!

Let's join together to show these inner city kids that they are of enormous worth,
they can dream BIG and shoot for the stars!

click on the change for CHANGE button on my sidebar to read more about the project.

for those of you inspired to make a difference ... that paypal button is calling YOUR name!

inspiring words:1

Inspiring words for you to ponder and apply...
I'll be doing the same.

source
"Never compare your journey with someone else's.
It's a marathon with no finish line.
Someone else may start out faster than you, may seem to progress more quickly than you, but every runner has his own pace.
Your journey is your journey, not a competition.
You will never 'arrive'.
No one ever does."

-Cheryl Jacobs Nicolai
found here.

"Conditions of Happiness"

"It is possible to live happily in the here and now.
So many conditions of happiness are available—

more than enough for you to be happy right now.
You don't have to run into the future in order to get more." 

 Thich Nhat Hanh

Lately I've been allowing myself to think things like...
"I'll be happier when the doctors find out how to fix my knee"
or
"I'll be happier when the head of Volunteer Resources at the hospital finally decide whether or not they will allow me to go through with my service project"

But NO MORE!

That kind of thinking isn't getting me anywhere...

I'm putting my foot down and making the choice today to give up those thoughts and savor all the

'conditions of happiness' I have available to me right now.

I KNOW we all have moments and thoughts similar to the ones I've shared with you ... take a minute and be honest with yourself.

Are you allowing yourself to live "happily in the here and now" or are you allowing your mind to "run into the future" to grab some more happiness?

If you are experiencing mind sprints toward the future ...
make the choice with me TODAY and destroy those thoughts.

 Find one of the many 'conditions of happiness' in YOUR life ... 

grab a hold, and don't let go!

I KNOW you can do it!

Change for CHANGE project

I have a new project to share with you today and I'm sooo excited,
but I'm going to need YOUR help to make it happen!

My friend, Ashley from The Shine Project, is raising money for a scholarship fund to award to 4 lucky inner city high school students who have great potential to succeed in this world, but need someone to see their potential and give them a little boost.

These amazing students are attending Cesar Chavez High School in Phoenix, Arizona and even though I'm miles and miles away I am absolutely THRILLED to have a chance to show them that there are people in this world who will band together to love and support a stranger in need.

Ashley has plans to raise $20,000 to split among these 4 students.

What is MY part in this project?
Ashley is looking for 100 people to pledge to raise $100 by October and I am one of those "pledgers".

this is how it works:
I have made a change jar and will fill it with my spare change for the next 85 days.
I know you can do the math, but that's $1.17 a day.
Here she is ...

How can YOU help?
You can visit Ashley at the Shine Project and pledge to start your own $100 change jar OR you can help me fill mine! 

If you (my beautiful readers) and I team up and give just $1 a person,
we could fill that change jar immediately! 
All you have to do is click on that little "DONATE" button under the change for change button on my sidebar.

 

Can you imagine what this will do for these high school students?

Receiving this gift will open a door for them that has been slammed shut, 
it will give them an extra boost to succeed ... 
it will be something they will NEVER forget ...
and I'm sure it will land on the top of their "little things" list for the rest of their lives!

If you feel inspired to motivate and pay it forward to one of these wonderful kids please email me at squeezingitallin@gmail.com and 

LET'S MAKE THIS HAPPEN!!!

I KNOW we can do it!

I can't wait to hear from you!