Drops of Awesomeness

 My inspiration comes from a post on Daring Young Mom. You can find it here.

The problem with having goals and dreams is that you are forced to look inward and figure out what areas you struggle most in. What a hard thing to do! Then, as soon as you start to attempt to make progress you realize the difficulties you are facing and it is easy to turn into a Negative Nancy-putting yourself down without even realizing it. Our efforts are never enough, our mistakes are too detrimental.

Oh. You just folded the laundry that has been sitting in the dryer for 4 days? Wife of the year!

You're actually saying a sincere prayer....When was the last time this happened?

An 85% on that super easy assignment?! You're never going to get a scholarship at this rate. 

Pasta with Alfredo sauce?!!!? Why even try?

The list goes on, and on.

In the past 2 weeks I have realized that overcoming that inner voice is more challenging than any goal you could set for yourself. It talks you out of workouts and into pasta; out of homework and into Facebook....and then blames you.

I don't think that negative self-talk can ever be completely distinguished...we are conditioned to be critical of ourselves and others. However, we can make it quieter and less frequent.

The laundry is folded and put away!

I strengthened my relationship with God today.

I am so lucky to be getting an education. I can study harder next time.

I really enjoyed that pasta. I can make up for it tomorrow at the gym. 

Luckily, I happen to be married to the most positive/optimistic man I have ever met. It helps a lot to have someone who will celebrate your little triumphs, go to the gym with you at 5am, appreciate the clean kitchen and folded laundry...I am so lucky to have such a supportive person to help me on my quest for self improvement for the rest of my life. Single ladies-add it to your list, it is invaluable in a spouse.

 

Love Always, Monday

Mondays are hard. Let's be honest, we've all whined about it on Facebook.
I always felt picked on by Mondays, getting back into the weekly routine always felt like a slap in the face. Normally, my peak productivity kicks in about Wednesday-Thursdayish....just in time for the weekend to roll around and get me all out-of-whack again.
October 22 was nothing special- I went to the gym, worked, and did assignments. I was deliriously happy....and strangely productive.
I realized that I had made an accidental attitude change. I had been less than pleased with the past few weeks; I was excited to have a clean slate....a new week to be successful. I was driven by an obsession to improve and make this week better. 
I realized today that I had made it to the gym every morning this week at 5ish am.

Proof

(Ok, it's more like 5:30--but I wake up at 5!)

I made some diet changes and actually stuck to them and our apartment always seemed to be clean. Monday made a difference.

Snow didn't even phase me, I was secretly excited.

The cherry on top of my week? Hearing Chris express how proud of me he is.

Life is good!

Side Note: Anytime Fitness is great! I highly recommend it if you're looking for a gym membership.

Life Lately

"People say motivation doesn't last, but neither does bathing and that's why we need it daily."

Life lately has been a lot of the daily grind: going to work, finding time to work out, and squeezing some fun in there. Sometimes, it gets old and I have no motivation to do anything....and other times I find myself ridiculously happy for no reason; just loving life.

I've rediscovered my love for the little things; notes from my husband, sleeping in, cuddling, meeting a new person at work, or enjoying a piece of cheese cake- those are the things that make life good.

One of the best moments.

I need to invest more time and energy into the small things in life: more pillow talk, more "I love you's", more random acts of kindness. In the end, that's all that really matters anyway.

[Side Note: I have a new phone! If you want/need my new number- message me, I lost a lot of contacts!]

I read an article this morning from an amazing blog.

(If you don't want to read it, just know its all about not comparing your 

marriage (or your life) to other people or their relationship.)

It really hit home for me. I think as women, we all constantly do this with each other...but then we tend to take it one step further; comparing our husbands to other people's husbands. Which, if you think about it, isn't fair at all.

One thing I think we forget is we see (most) people at their best, while you and your spouse share the best and the worst. Why compare your "behind the scenes" with someones highlights?

Why base your happiness in something you can't control? If your wishing your husband/friends/family were a certain way, and you're not happy because of it- you aren't in control and you will never be happy. It's not your place to change people when you are imperfect yourself.

In summary, this is what I've learned and what I am going to work on: Focus on yourself. Learn from those you look up to and become better. Love the people in your life for who they are.

Does anybody have any thoughts?

Ode to Blogging

I love blogging.

I know that sounds lame and sort of obvious...but it's true. 

I love that I can write about myself and my life and that other people take interest in that. 

I love reading my stats and seeing which posts got the most response. 

I love checking my dashboard at the beginning of the day (and, lets be honest, several other times throughout the day) and getting to read all the new posts from other bloggers I follow. 

I love finding that "gem" that someone else has written that makes everything clear; even better when you write the gem yourself.

I love that I can whine about my weight, lack of work, and other woes and in return I receive support, even if I don't necessarily deserve it. 

I love that I can share my joys and triumphs and receive congratulations. 

I love that my life doesn't have to be perfect to be interesting.

The end.

Ramblings of the Exhausted

I realized something last night, as I crawled into bed after a very full day...it is so much more satisfying to go to bed after you've been busy and productive. You appreciate the sweet relief of being off your feet and sleep comes effortlessly.

I remember back when I was unemployed and would get home after 1-3 hours of school and spend the rest of the afternoon/evening on the couch. When I went to bed I didn't feel grateful for the time to rest; I didn't feel proud of the day's accomplishment...I was actually more stressed thinking about all the things I should have done that were going to carry over tomorrow.

Long story short: collapsing in bed, knowing you did everything that you could do that day is a very rewarding feeling.

20 Things...

On Sunday morning I happened upon this article; "20 Things to Start Doing in Your Relationships."
It was such a breath of fresh air and such a good reminder- I had to share!


"Remember, life is kind of like a party.  You invite a lot of people, some leave early, some stay all night, some laugh with you, some laugh at you, and some show up really late.  But in the end, after the fun, there are a few who stay to help you clean up the mess.  And most of the time, they aren’t even the ones who made the mess.  These people are your real friends in life.  They are the ones who matter most. "

Kicked to the Curb

We just kicked the Monday funk to the curb! I'd say a 4:10 showing at the $3 movie did the trick. Needless to say, I am feeling more optimistic about waking up tomorrow morning between 3:20 & 3:30 AM.
We went to see New Years Eve. It. Was. SO. Good. I had low expectations. But I loved every minute and found myself bawling about 3/4 of the way through (the good kind). I highly recommend it. Hilary Swank makes the whole movie, though, I am a little biased--being a die-hard P.S. I love you fan.

So, to share a valuable lesson learned: Monday funk doesn't go away if you whine about it or dread it. Do something you really enjoy and the Monday blues will be gone before you know it. Good times.
Does it bother you when people post multiple times in one day? Anyone out there feel that I am bipolar or hormonal? Just wondering. :)

Break

Christmas break is treating me really well. Chris and I have had time to rest and recover from the semester and have also been able to work and generate some income-- two crucial things! It is so nice to have a break from school. I can't wait to leave for Utah on Thursday. I am excited to see my family and to celebrate Christmas with them. We have a lot of fun plans; it will be a great few days. I am so grateful for all of the blessings I'm enjoying. I know that I am not responsible for all of these good things happening. Heavenly Father has been watching over me and is mindful of my wants and needs- I cannot even begin to list all of the prayers I have seen answered in the last little while, nor the amount of strength I have received. Life is good.

I hope that everyone else is enjoying the season and is as happy as I am!

Media Management

Well, my Media Management Unit in Family Foundations has come to a close. I thought you might be interested in the final result. I am proud to say that I have not logged into Facebook since October 26. I'm not particularly proud of the rest of the results, but I will definitely learn from them. Here is the finally tally of my media use in the last two weeks:

So...In the last two weeks I spent 42.1 hours watching TV or movies. That's a part-time job. Yikes. The thing is, 12.1 hours of TV is about 52 minutes a day- which equals one episode of a TV show. In the last two weeks I watched 8 movies. To me, that doesn't seem like an insane or unreasonable amount, but when you look at the actual number of hours it seems a whole lot worse. 42.1 hours is 8% of 14 days. Now I see that there is no excuse for me not to go to the gym, not go to the temple, not read my scriptures, not write in my journal...etc.

I also wanted to include a few quotes from my paper I submitted. I will keep it short so I don't lose you. :)

"I was the most surprised with how much I didn’t miss Facebook. Its amazing how something that was a part of my daily life really didn’t matter. I didn’t feel disconnected from my friends or family. I wasn’t dying to know what was going on in random "friends" lives. I was more productive and on my computer a lot less. I also found that I would be inclined to want to check my Facebook at school, usually during class. What a waste. I’m paying to be here and to get an education; no class is too boring or seemingly “unimportant” that Facebook should take precedence."

In closing...

"I plan to continue monitoring and minimizing unnecessary media use. I have too many things I want to do and more important things to do with my time. I have things I want to accomplish in my life; sitting on the couch fulfills none of them. I think if I can continue to improve, this “plan” will help me be better in all aspects of my life. I will get more done- helping me to achieve more goals. I will have real relationships that will develop and grow; relationships that exist and thrive on real communication, not cyber communication....I won’t be too caught up in that show or the “he said, she said” that goes on in the Facebook world."


OK, maybe not as short as I originally thought....I have a lot to say, I guess. Now, get off your computer and go read a book or something. :)

Effective Prayer

We had a lesson in Book of Mormon about effective prayer. I think a topic like this is such a great refresher. I can definitely improve the sincerity and the overall quality of my prayers. Our teacher made a list of 24 scriptures for us to look up that would teach us about effective prayer. The lesson hit me so hard, so I jotted down the list and typed it up.

{for those of you interested in reading them}

I'm working on marking all of them in my scriptures. Its been a really good experience for me.

Happy Weekend!

Elliptical Epiphany

Tonight at the gym, I was meditating on the Elliptical about several things,  some of which I would like to share. So, I present to you my "Elliptical Epiphanies"

#1. I've been on my Facebook fast for almost a week now. Prior to this project, I believed that Facebook was the way I "stayed connected" and "caught up" with my friends and family. Tonight I realized that this truly wasn't the case. I don't feel disconnected or out of the loop at all; the people who I am truly close with and who cared to know what was really going on in my life found a way to contact me other than FB. Also, I found that if I was thinking about someone, wondering what was going on with them, I found a way to contact them in a more meaningful way (via phone call, text message, or e-mail). I realize that texting or e-mailing aren't too different from some methods of communication used with Facebook, however it was genuinely more personal. I wasn't trying to decipher a status or photo to figure out the wellness of friend or family member or posting a public wall post to ask superficial questions that didn't really ask what I wanted to ask. In conclusion, I am going to have to find a new way to justify my use of Facebook or discontinue it. What do you think?

#2. The best time to go to the gym is after watching The Biggest Loser. Its so motivating to watch someone else lose weight and see the results. On this week's episode some of the contestants dropped 15 or 16 pounds. That is insane! If someone who is considered morbidly obese can work out every day, why can't I? In truth, its a lot easier for someone who is "average" or "normal" weight- though you aren't going to be dropping such big numbers. But I'll take what I can get.

#3 Listening to Josh Groban while working out can be more beneficial than the normal (slightly inappropriate) choices. I remember back when I was 16 or 17 there was a fireside given at girls camp. I don't remember the speakers name or what her topic was, but she did encourage us to listen to uplifting music while working out. She gave a specific example of running to "You Raise Me Up" and having it work wonders for her. I thought she was crazy. I continued listening to my upbeat (and slightly inappropriate) work out playlist; until tonight. Remembering this talk, I decided to give it a try. I set my iPod to only play Josh Groban songs (to be accurate). It worked. Something about the uplifting messages and raw talent coming from my headphones sustained me through my workout with little effort on my part. The question is, is it Josh Groban or the uplifting nature of his music. Or both?

Things As They Really Are

My Family Foundations class is divided into 6 two week units. Every two weeks we make a new "Provident Living Plan" to follow that coincides with the unit. The PLP for this unit is Media Management. I have to track all my usage of media outside of homework and work (all time spent listening to my iPod, watching TV or movies, or using my cell phone). In addition I am currently on a "Facebook Fast."
I had Chris change my Facebook password and log me out so that I am unable to log in. I have already noticed a change in my productivity. Instead of checking Facebook in between classes, I worked on some homework. There isn't really much for me to waste time on when I can't get on Facebook (except for blog stalking...but no new posts yet today). I have been kind of amazed how many times I usually get on Facebook during the day.
The above video was shown in class before we formulated our plans. It really made me think about my media usage and how it affects me, my relationship, and the companionship of the spirit. It is really scary how dependent we are on media and technology.
My hope is that at the end of the two weeks I won't really have a desire to get back into my Facebook habits. I haven't missed it so far...
Chris is also in the class with me. He doesn't really like Facebook and doesn't get on much, so he is on a "YouTube Fast" and is limiting time he watches TV. I have a feeling there are a lot of Battleship Tournaments in our future. :)
Wish us luck!

The Tongue of Angels

So, I was recently assigned to read Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's talk entitled The Tongue of Angels.
In reading it, I realized that this is something that I (and in my opinion everyone else in the world) can always be working on.

"The stroke of the whip maketh marks in the flesh: but the stroke of the tongue breaketh the bones." I don't think we can count the times someone has said something hurtful to us; nor can we erase the effect its had on us. I still remember in 7th grade TLC class when this boy (who will remain nameless, although I do remember his name) told me I was fat and had "kindergarten teacher hair." Now, know that I have forgiven this individual and have since moved on- but thinking back on it, it still stings.

How many times have I said something hurtful or mean, without even realizing it? This, to me, is a scary thought. I don't think anyone enjoys hurting peoples feelings or being blatantly mean, but often we are all insensitive without even realizing it. We have all heard the saying "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" countless times. Maybe its time to revisit this and think about what comes out of our mouths. I hope I'm not coming off as self righteous or like I'm attempting to passive-aggressively tell someone they've hurt my feelings. I'm really not. :)

Part two of the talk was my favorite, and also very applicable. "No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won't make it worse." My default to many unpleasant or inconvenient situations is just this (complaining/whining/being negative), just ask my husband. We are so accustomed to luxury and convenience that when something slightly unpleasant comes our way its the end of the world. Then we make it worse by complaining. Somehow this doesn't make sense to me.

So! I am trying to counteract my negativity with a gratitude section in my journal. Every day I'm going to write about 3 (specific) things I am grateful for. I did this over the summer when I was away from home and constantly struggling with homesickness and it worked wonders. Here is my gratitude list for today:

1. I am grateful for making productive use of my time. Being in the library and crossing off my To Do list items like mad is such a great feeling. So is knowing I will have more free time tonight.

2. I am grateful for Reese's Pumpkins (like Reese's Eggs). It was a perfect "pre-test" pick-me-up. Chocolate has that effect on me. :)

3. I am grateful for my husband. He drove me to yoga last night even when he had a lot of homework to do. He always makes time for me and for us even when he's crazy busy. 

What are you grateful for? 

Fake Happy VS Real Happy

This week I have been doing a little experiment. I like to call it; Fake Happy VS Real Happy. I realized last week that I was spending a lot of time doing "lazy things" (ie wasting a bunch of time doing NOTHING on Facebook, watching endless TV/Movies, taking long naps, eating junk food instead of real meals). I felt gross. Also, I was really overwhelmed with all of the school work, house work, and other "works" that had built up as a result of my laziness. So I thought of things that were the opposite of my lazy habits. I found that things that take more effort make you HAPPIER! Who would've thought....(thinking back now...that what I was saying in post #1. huh. guess I forgot). Anyway...so I mocked up this little chart and put it on the fridge and in my journal. My sweet, supportive husband said something like this, "Babe, that's pretty insightful...you should put it on your blog." Haha...so here is my little chart.

There it is folks. :)

Happy Conference Weekend!

I want to start a blog...

That was the title of my journal entry after setting a goal to "try something new." I then made a long Pro's & Con's list of why I should or shouldn't start a blog. For my faithful friends who know about my previous blog.....well I don't really consider that an attempt at all. I wasn't very good at it, nor did I post anything that anyone would actually like to read. So, I have erased that from my blogging history and am attempting to start fresh again.

I have to credit the source that resparked my interest in blogging and opened my eyes to all of the benefits blogging offers. Its thanks to this book:

Although I haven't read all of it yet (I can thank school and all the excessive excessive reading that comes with it)...but it is definitely worth the read; I mean that from the very middle of this book. Also, in the process of reading The Happiness Project I decided to try out my own version of Gretchen Rubin's project. Thus the extremely creative and unique name of this blog was born ;).

I realized that I have been just waiting for happiness to come my way; when in reality we have to make it happen for ourselves. Spontaneous happiness is, well, spontaneous....meaning it doesn't last and we have no control over it. Me, personally, I want to have happiness all the time---whenever I want it!

This is where the blog comes in: it is a proven fact that trying something new (and slightly scary and intimidating) makes you happy. The wise Gretchen Rubin says: "Challenge and novelty are key elements to happiness. The brain is stimulated by surprise, and successfully dealing with an unexpected situation gives a powerful sense of satisfaction."

Isn't that the truth? Think of how many days you've spend veggin' watching Netflix, eating junk food in your sweats...though that makes you feel temporarily satisfied, usually you end up feeling gross and useless. By the end of the day you have the "I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!" feeling. That desire comes from wanting to stimulate our brains and accomplish something. "Novelty requires more work from the brain, dealing with novel situations evokes more intense emotional responses and makes the passage of time seem slower and richer." Let that marinate in your brain for awhile.... 

So, even if my blog is terrible and nobody wants to read it....Trying something new will still reap its rewards. To all my blog-savvy friends- I welcome your advice and tips. Clearly, I am new at this. My blog probably looks boring and my colors don't match, I could probably use more graphics...etc.

So there you have it friends. Blog Entry #1.