Double Happiness...

I got this from Lee's Blog and I liked it so much, I decided to take it for my blog. =] Thanks for sharing, Lee. This is good stuff!

40 Keys to Happiness and it kind of sums up how I want to live my life.

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. Try to get enough sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to____ today.'

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Watch more movies, play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.

7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, or prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't mess up the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. Burn the candles, use the nice bed sheets, Don't save them for a special occasion. Today is special.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Forgive everyone for everything.

28. What other people think of you is none of your business.

29. Time heals almost everything. Give Time, time.

30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

32. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

33. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

34. The best is yet to come.

35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

36. Do the right thing!

37. Call your family often. Keep in touch with them.

38. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: 'I am thankful for ___.' Today I accomplished ____.

39. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

40. Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

SS Blog Challenge #5 Your Goals

This week's blog challenge was presented by Pamela in MA. Here it is:
As women we all spend time putting others first, worrying about them, taking care of their needs, scheduling their lives with little time left over for ourselves. For this week's challenge: What is your most important personal goal for the year? What are you doing that is just for you? How are you trying to improve yourself?

Wow. Why am I having such a hard time thinking of something for myself? I got this challenge on Monday and here it is, Thursday already, and I haven't completed it! I guess I feel the way that many mothers and wives feel - I live for my family. There's nothing wrong with that, right? What I have forgotten is all I learned from a book called - Woman First, Family Always by Kathryn Sansone This book does not teach you how to be a Supermom or Wonder Woman. This mother of 10 shares with us how she is able to raise these children, keep her home organized, prepare healthy meals for her family, be a loving wife and friend, and still take time out to take care of herself. If you aren't taking care of yourself, none of the other things are going to work. It makes total sense...so, why don't I have a goal? Well, I have things I want to accomplish this year, I know there's always need for improvement - I just never set an actual goal. So, thanks to Pamela, I will do it right now.

The things that I would like to achieve for myself are:
1. To get healthy. Not only to lose weight, but to actually get in shape enough to run again. I used to love playing sports and enjoyed sports. I still have that in me and I need to get to the point where I can do it without feeling like I'm going to kill over. Sometimes, I catch myself running or doing something and I realize that I probably look like the caterpillar from Bug's Life when he says, "I'm a Be-u-tiful butterfly!" He thinks he's flying when really, his friends are carrying his big 'ole body along.
2. To get organized. My family may laugh when they read this, because this has always been a quest of mine. It's just that I know what I want in that area and I haven't quite reached it yet. I want to be clutter free in ALL areas of my life. Many of you know that I lead a very busy and sometimes hectic life. Who doesn't, right? I need to clear my head. I want to feel like I am enjoying life, not zipping through it dropping papers and children along the way!
3. And finally, to be the mom, wife, teacher, and friend that I want to be. I think that I have the heart for it, I just need to refer back to number 2 and get it all together so that I may be a greater help to those around me.

I do have some things that I'd like to do for myself this year. There are the ever-present things that I've mentioned in the past such as losing some ton-age, catch up on my albums, paint and decorate the house and church (yes, those are for me) the way I'd like, but my biggest thing I'd like to do this year that I've never asked for is to go on a trip with a very close friend of mine. We've talked about going and leaving everyone behind to fend for themselves. No, not a Thelma and Louise type of trip, but just some college friends getting together without having to attend a conference, stick to an itinerary, and all that. We haven't said where or when, but it will happen in 2008.

There. Phew. That got kind of long, but you can't just wrap up your life goals with a snap, can you? That took some thinking. I had to really force myself to ask what I wanted for MYSELF. I think I still came close to wanting things that would also be for my family, but that is what I want. Nothing wrong with that, right?

It would of been easier to have goals like:

1. Finish off the 5 lb. burrito by myself for the prize at Burrito Grande

2. Let my hair grow out so that I could remember what my "natural" color really is.

3. Throw out all my skinny and "one day I'll get back into this" clothes and just wear pajamas every day. Of course I'd wear my matching sets to go out in public.

4. Buy matching sets of pajamas

and the list goes on...