First off, I’m soooo super stoked to take over this week *happy dance*
I’m gonna keep it simple today, and roll with a list. Becuase I like lists. They make me happy :-)
A RANDOM LIST OF THINGS THAT HAS MADE MY LIFE SO MUCH HAPPIER
#1 You are the boss of you. Don’t let someone tell you that you’re doing something wrong, if you’re happy, you’re doin’ it right. I add, tweak, and change bits of exercies, recipes, rules...
This one comes with a story - I gained a LOT of weight with my son. I threw up for all nine months, and the only way to not throw up and stay off of liquid IVs, was to be STILL. When I was still, I didn’t throw up as often. ANYWAY. Nothing fit after he was born, of course, and so I told myself that I’d be allowed to get new clothes after I lost the weight. That was such a huge mistake. There is exactly zero motivation to lose weight when all you have are clothes you don’t like and don’t feel pretty in. Once I finally bought a few things that made me feel pretty, I found the motivation to get up and move again. #2 DO NOT WAIT UNTIL XXX BEFORE YOU DO SOMETHING NICE FOR YOURSELF.
Along with #2, #3 Don’t save your bigger clothes, just in case. Guess what? You’ll end up filling them again. And while we sometimes do gain weight back, don’t be prepared for it.
Because I live in Alaska, and we end up in the dark for so many months out of the year, I’m always looking for little tricks to make me feel happy when the world feels as if it’s trying to suffocate me. For me, that happy place is sometimes clothes, so just bear with me for a sec. Trade out your favorite hoodie with a killer cardigan. Trade out your worn running shoes for something with a teeny bit of style. #4 Just break outside of your norm dressing once in a while. Which goes with...
#5 Dress up to run errands once in a while. You know that skirt that makes you feel all sassy? Or those boots that make you feel like you could fight zombies? Or that blouse that makes you feel like Taylor Swift? (or something else that’s all yours). Just WEAR IT once in a while. You don’t need a purpose or a reason to dress up if you want to.
We need people. #6 FIND YOUR PEOPLE. Does this mean you have to put yourself out there? Yup. Is that terrifying? Definitely can be. Is it worth it? SO VERY WORTH IT. If you’re a knitter, there are a ton of knitters out there. Yoga your thing? SO many yoga groups. Sewing? Writing? Journaling? Genealogy? THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE FOR YOU. Local people. That you can meet with face to face. Find your people.
#7 Timers work wonders! I’m a weirdo about timers, but there’s a reason. A good friend of mine came to visit, and she was in the middle of setting timers for everything. I rolled my eyes, but we decided that we’d give ourselves 10 minutes to clean up my house. We seriously cleaned the main part of my tiny house in 10 minutes. Because we knew our time was limited, and because we knew we could just walk away when we finished, we hustled. I use timers for writing, and often, I still use timers for cleaning. Even when I’m miserably tired, I can usually manage 5 minutes. You’ll be amazed at how much you get done.
So many people don’t like this bit of advice, but I turn 40 this September, so I’m gonna give it to you anyway. #8 MOVE YOUR BODY. Yup. Exercise. BUT, do it your way. I used to do these really killer hard workouts. I was all about P90X, or Jillian Michaels or CrossFit. Some days I’d work out 3 times a day. At a certain point, I realized I wasn’t loving working out. Now I walk and I do yoga. And guess what? My body is stronger, and I’m happier than I’ve ever been. TRY a few things. If you’re happy, don’t be afraid of the rut. If you’re bored, try something new (and don’t be afraid to change it up for you).
Always remember that change can be a good thing.
#9 DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE WEIRD! I have people tell me ALL the time - I could never pull off those shoes, or I could never wear that haircut the way she does, or that outfit is too cool for me. STOP IT! If you love a haircut? DO IT! OWN IT! LOVE IT! And then someone else will look at you and say, I wish I could pull that off.
#10 TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF doing something you love. No mother or wife, or any person should feel guilty about taking time for herself, to do what she loves. I need my children to follow their passions, and I’d love for them to have less guilt about doing that than I sometimes do. It is important for your family to see you as a human, and not only MOM. Hey, don’t take that the wrong way - moms rock, we’re amazing, but we have things outside of being a mom that need to be part of our lives, for us, and for our family.
AND, that’s what I have today. Am I perfect? Nope. Do I take my own advice? Most of the time!! Can’t wait to see you all again Wednesday!!
Jolene Perry writes books for teens and lives in Alaska with her family, dog, cat, and tortoise.
A little frightening how much our minds are in sync, Jo! Not shocking is the love of lists (I like to keep mine in a notebook, so I could look back over the weeks and actually see what all I've gotten done.)
ReplyDeleteBut I am also just as addicted to my timer. Seeting a timer for cleaning stops me from getting sidetracked in each room. I make a list of what needs done, set the timer and go...if there is time left, I tidy the things distracting me. If the timer goes off, I put that to-do on the next day's list. I also time how long I'm on Facebook and writing time. Both are places I could spend a whole day and feel like it's only been a minute.
Lots of terrific tips here. I've always been a huge proponent of using timers, too. Knowing that the timer "has your back" allows you to concentrate on the task at hand, instead of watching the clock. A timer is also an excellent way to let kids know it's time to take a bath, or go to bed, or whatever. Mom doesn't have to nag... she just has to set the timer, and let the kids know what they have to do when it goes off. And for more "creative" kids, like one of my smartypants grandsons, it's best to place the timer out of reach... :)
ReplyDeleteYou have literally started my day!! I totally love you times a hundred. So much of a of this was perfectly what I needed reminders on. I could go on and on. I did crossfit for a year. As much as I loved getting grimy with the workouts, I hated that I was usually sore everywhere and hands torn open. So I know exactly what you mean about changing workouts to suits what YOU really want. I enjoy walks around playgrounds while my kids play. That's my elixir. Big hugs for this post!
ReplyDeleteOne thing mom always did was to dress nicely and put on her make up before doing errands. She set a high standard for me, and I still do try to look my best before subjecting the public to my errand-bound self. It lifts the spirits. Good advice.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely awesome advice. I'm much happier when I get time to follow my passions and don't worry about being the perfect in shape mom. Love the being weird one! We need more weird in this world. :)
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