Chapter 12: December-Reflections of Joy

December had a very simple Happiness goal. Spread Joy.  

When I decided that this would be a happiness goal for December I honestly thought it would be soooooo easy considering the holiday season throws the word joy around in advertisements, songs, even cards and wrapping paper sport the word in big flashy shiny holiday colors. It is much easier to tell if I am finding joy in my own life, but how do you ever really know if you have spread any of it?  Answer: I am not sure if you really can.  This is a strange joy conundrum that requires a bit of imagination and trust. My inspiration for this season of joy is not gift giving so much as it is this: " I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." -Maya Angelou

As for me...December had TONS of joy in it! I reconnected with a long time friend, tried new restaurants, directed a huge choir tour and concert series, make a point to take better care and pamper my body, welcomed home a soldier safely from Afghanistan, traveled, visited my family, connected with friends, was spoiled for my birthday, played games, played in the snow, played with friends, danced, sang, poured out all the love I have with as much energy as I could. December was happy and exhausting!

My experience with music has taught me something very important about directing musicians and leading my life.  A great director must give  their ALL, holding nothing back, because the response will be only a dim reflection of everything  they can offer.  Pour out all the passion, pain, love, joy, intensity you possibly can in those wonderful moments and see what little ripples come of it.  So where am I going with this?  Did I buy gifts to celebrate the holiday? Yes.  Did I chat and catch up with family and friends? Yes. Did I spread joy? Who knows.  I gave it my ALL and held nothing back. I can hope that somewhere there is a dim reflection of my own joy and the happiness I have been learning to pursue throughout this year. 

I still have plenty to learn about cultivating my own happiness, but I am very proud to have spent a year on this personal project.  I will continue the journey in the years to come and look forward to new adventures! 

"She danced. She sang. She took. She gave, served and loved. She dissented, grew and enlivened.  She saw, sweated, changed and learned.  She laughed.  She shed her skin.  She bled on the pages of her days.  She lived with intention."  - Mary Anne Radmacher

MY YEAR OF HAPPINESS:

• January: Be Sarah- I am already enough.  Smile when you wake up.  Keep on top of health, work, living arrangements, chores, activities, exercise and be grateful.
• February: Make mistakes. Do you best.  Be Generous.
• March: Be present. Be Patient. Don’t settle for “I am here…” go for “Here I am!”
• April: Go somewhere new! Make some “I was here” footprints. Life is full of setbacks.  Success is determined by how you handle your setbacks.
• May: Be loving and love will come looking for you. Get creative with your life.
• June: Keep in touch with friends. Get outside!
• July: Be Fearless
• August: Explore; find Joy!
• September: Create something that wasn't there before.  Learn to like something new.
• October: GO BIG!
• November:  Expect good things, worry less, love more.
• December:  Spread Joy.

Chapter 11: November - Kisses and Hugs

The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.
Henry Ward Beecher


This month's HAPPINESS goal was, "Expect good things, worry less, love more." 

Expecting goodness might seem, at first, an entitled attitude, but I believe we are all entitled to happiness.  Even the US declaration of independence gives us the well known phrase, "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."  I like to think that our expectation, and our hopefulness for good things is just a very simple form of pursuing our own happiness.  Good things for this month include:  Meeting not one, but two new friends, extraordinarily beautiful weather and extended outdoors time exercising, volunteering, seeing fun movies, good health, taking a trip to Florida and spending Thanksgiving among a wonderful family. I am so very grateful for all the many good things in my life.

Worry less. Easier said than done. I would say one of the greatest predators of happiness is worry.  We all fall into it.  It is such a waste of our most precious life currency---our time. Why spend time fretting over a problem that might not even come to be?  Three very basic ways to combat worry (especially during the busy holiday season) are:
 Focus on the short term rather than the long term - What is right here, right now that needs your attention?
Instead of worrying, prepare - Take time to plan ahead so that fears and "bumps in the road" won't derail you.
Acceptance is the ticket - Got a problem? Try accepting the situation and move forward to dealing with the aftermath.  This super simple shift in thinking is the difference between hazardous-to-your health worry and constructive-conscious problem solving.

Last,BUT NOT LEAST happiness goal for November was to LOVE MORE.  I remember as a little girl, saying goodbye to my grandfather and he asked me, "Do you have one more kiss and a squeeze (hug) for your Grandpa?" I remember thinking what an interesting question that was.  Do we ever run out of kisses?  Could it be that someday I wouldn't have enough hugs to give them out anymore?  I played along replying that I was all out of kisses and hugs, but when it came time to get in the car I ran back to him and shared all the hugs and kisses I had with me.  People who have even a modicum of happiness don't run out of love.  It doesn't dry up- go extinct - or get empty. Cultivating happiness in your personal life has plenty of wonderful side effects, but one of the best ones I have discovered is that you have an unending supply of love to offer the world.  Love your family, friends, home, lifestyle, love your morning cup of tea or how good it feels to get into a cozy bed at the end of a long day. There is plenty to love, so go ahead and try it with me. Love more. You won't run out. 

Next month completes a year of this happiness journey I have set out on. 
The goal for next month is simple: spread joy.  I can't wait! 


All happy people are grateful. Ungrateful people cannot be happy. We tend to think that being unhappy leads people to complain, but it’s truer to say that complaining leads to people becoming unhappy. -Dennis Prager

I wish you happiness!

Remember these are not just mini-month long experiments, but things that I will continue to carry throughout the year.  Next month I’ll continue to add to my growing list of ideas for how to live a happier life.  Feel free to try them out with me! 

• January: Be Sarah- I am already enough.  Smile when you wake up.  Keep on top of health, work, living arrangements, chores, activities, exercise and be grateful.
• February: Make mistakes. Do you best.  Be Generous.
• March: Be present. Be Patient. Don’t settle for “I am here…” go for “Here I am!”
• April: Go somewhere new! Make some “I was here” footprints. Life is full of setbacks.  Success is determined by how you handle your setbacks.
• May: Be loving and love will come looking for you. Get creative with your life.
• June: Keep in touch with friends. Get outside!
• July: Be Fearless
• August: Explore; find Joy!
• September: Create something that wasn't there before.  Learn to like something new.
• October: GO BIG!
• November:  Expect good things, worry less, love more.
• December:  Spread Joy.

Chapter 10: October's Big, Big Life

Travel is like love, mostly because it’s a heightened state of awareness, in which we are mindful, receptive, undimmed by familiarity and ready to be transformed. That is why the best trips, like the best love affairs, never really end. -Pico Iyer

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. -Winston Churchill


LOOK OUT!  October proved to be bigger than big...it was HUGE!
It started with a trip to the BIG Apple!  I have never been to New York, but have always dreamed of seeing the lights and theater and wondrous things I'd heard about the city that never sleeps.  It didn't disappoint.

Central Park

American Museum of Natural History

Lady Liberty

Riding the MTA

TA DAH!

Time Square

Broadway!

New York CHEESECAKE!

 I also had the pleasure of entertaining my first house guests! They flew in from Oregon on their way to even greater adventure on the east coast and it was WONDERFUL to share and discover great local things with them both!

Happy Times

Martini Time

Historic Collinsville

Last, but not least, I went camping during that ONE perfect fall weekend where there leaves are at their peak and the weather is sunny and crisp!  It was a beautiful trip and it gave me a chance to see even more of this lovely state as I drove east!  What a beautiful drive as well as fall hikes and bike rides!  

Snuggling in the hammock with Pearl

Campfire cooking

Beautiful FALL hiking!

I've heard it said, though I can't find who to credit, THE KEY TO HAPPINESS IS EXCITEMENT FOR THE FUTURE. Are you excited about your future?  I am.  There are so many reasons to be hopeful and full of anticipation for what may lay ahead of us.  If you find yourself this month stuck in a lull or getting bogged down with the drudgery of everyday happenings, plan something BIG. (Ok. .Even little things can give you something to look forward to.)  Give yourself a reason to be excited for your future.


All successful people, men and women, are big dreamers.  They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose. - Brian Tracy

Next Month's Goal: Expect good things, worry less, love more.

Remember these are not just mini-month long experiments, but things that I will continue to carry throughout the year.  Next month I’ll continue to add to my growing list of ideas for how to live a happier life.  Feel free to try them out with me! 

• January: Be Sarah- I am already enough.  Smile when you wake up.  Keep on top of health, work, living arrangements, chores, activities, exercise and be grateful.
• February: Make mistakes. Do you best.  Be Generous.
• March: Be present. Be Patient. Don’t settle for “I am here…” go for “Here I am!”
• April: Go somewhere new! Make some “I was here” footprints. Life is full of setbacks.  Success is determined by how you handle your setbacks.
• May: Be loving and love will come looking for you. Get creative with your life.
• June: Keep in touch with friends. Get outside!
• July: Be Fearless
• August: Explore; find Joy!
• September: Create something that wasn't there before.  Learn to like something new.
• October: GO BIG!
• November:  Expect good things, worry less, love more.

Chapter 9: September - Better Late than Never

True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new. - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

It is better to create than to learn!  Creating is the essence of life. - Julius Caesar

Success is getting what you want.  Happiness is liking what you get. - H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

September - My Happiness goals for this month were to create something that wasn't there before and to learn to like something new.
      How I've missed the opening of the "school season." The sharpening of pencils, posting of bulletin boards, fresh little faces, and lesson plan preparations.  I had an entire school year off to rest, recharge and re-start my life and something about this month clicked me into place. I felt like I knew all the steps and my feet happily obliged in the starting of this school year dance. One of the things my school has never had before is a choir!  I got to work advertizing, explaining, sending out permission slips and schedules, choosing music and preparing for this extra extra-curricular adventure to begin this month and was blown away with the response of over a hundred students signed up!  Our first rehearsals have been full of excitement and fun and I am very much looking forward to our performances in December!  
I have met a slew of new people, made some new friends this month and have also been more diligent about creating an exercise routine.  My adventure dog, Pearl, and I go for a morning bike ride at sunrise and then again in the evening. In total it is usually under five miles, but my body enjoys the challenge and the benefits of exercise seep into my attitude and outlook enormously. 
      I think everyone can benefit from creating something new - Make a card and send it to a friend, or better yet,  make a new friend, pot a happy plant inside or outside and enjoy its season, create a special time just for yourself, start a get together tradition or a game night. It doesn't have to be a huge undertaking or directing an elementary school choir for it to bring you great joy in the process of creating something new!
      My second goal was to learn to like something new.  I tried new kinds of wine at a Jazz on the Lawn festival and listened to new styles of music.  I went to community festivals, riverfests and farmers markets this month.  I met with all the new teachers at my school for a fun BBQ and established a new doctor in my local area.  I met with a new friend at a new restaurant and even had a chance to try catfish for the first time with a group of old and new friends.  I redeemed a gift certificate for an entire day at the dayspa and my body was so happy afterward!  Pushing the known boundaries of our lives and making room for things that are new and unknown is such a healthy way to move forward through life.  I hope that you will find something new to enjoy in the months ahead too!

Next month:  October- Go BIG. 

Remember these are not just mini-month long experiments, but things that I will continue to carry throughout the year.  Next month I’ll continue to add to my growing list of ideas for how to live a happier life.  Feel free to try them out with me! 

• January: Be Sarah- I am already enough.  Smile when you wake up.  Keep on top of health, work, living arrangements, chores, activities, exercise and be grateful.
• February: Make mistakes. Do you best.  Be Generous.
• March: Be present. Be Patient. Don’t settle for “I am here…” go for “Here I am!”
• April: Go somewhere new! Make some “I was here” footprints. Life is full of setbacks.  Success is determined by how you handle your setbacks.
• May: Be loving and love will come looking for you. Get creative with your life.
• June: Keep in touch with friends. Get outside!
• July: Be Fearless
• August: Explore; find Joy!
• September: Create something that wasn't there before.  Learn to like something new.
• October: GO BIG!

Chapter 8: Sarah the Explorer

A ship is safe in the harbor, but that's not what ships are built for.

Gael Attal

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

If at some point you don't ask yourself, 'What have I gotten myself into?' then you're not doing it right.

Roland Gau

When I'm old I'm never going to say "I didn't do this" or "I regret that." I'm going to say,  

"I don't regret a damn thing. I came, I went, and I did it all." 

Kim Basinger

OH! How I love to travel and explore!  My goal for August was to explore and find joy!  What a fun and incredible month it has been!  One of the best parts about moving to a new town is the opportunity to go explore all the things that are new!

Clarksville City Hall 

Beauty Barn Downtown!  Shabby Chic. Haha!

Roxy Live Theater 

Blackhorse Brewery. Yummy!

My very own Steakhouse!

A large local Amish population! Who knew?

I loved trying new things, meeting new people and collecting new memories!  August was full of fun events. I enjoyed wandering through the local farmer's market, meeting some new Italian neighbors, trying out new restaurants and churches.

Shooting sticks in the creek

Cloud 9 - New Restaurant!

Vanderbilt VS South Carolina FOOTBALL!

Jazz on the Lawn at Beachaven Winery

Pedal Tavern Nashville!

I am officially feeling settled into my new home and am happy and proud of the space I live in.  I found great joy in creating a cozy space and the creativity it required.  I would love for visitors to come explore with me, but if it is not in your budget consider this blog entry a mini-exploration, just for you, of my new home town. 

Next Month's Goals: Create something that wasn't there before. Learn to like something new.

Front porch cozy space

Happy Orchid decorating!

My favorite thing is to go where I've never been.

Diane Arbus

Remember these are not just mini-month long experiments, but things that I will continue to carry throughout the year.  Next month I’ll continue to add to my growing list of ideas for how to live a happier life.  Feel free to try them out with me! 

January: Be Sarah- I am already enough.  Smile when you wake up.  Keep on top of health, work, living arrangements, chores, activities, exercise and be grateful.
February: Make mistakes. Do you best.  Be Generous.
March: Be present. Be Patient. Don’t settle for “I am here…” go for “Here I am!”
April: Go somewhere new! Make some “I was here” footprints. Life is full of setbacks.  Success is determined by how you handle your setbacks.
May: Be loving and love will come looking for you. Get creative with your life.
June: Keep in touch with friends. Get outside!

July: Be Fearless

August: Explore; find Joy!

September: Create something that wasn't there before.  Learn to like something new.

Chapter 7: Owning My Fearlessness

July. Oh, July!  What gifts you have brought to me!  This month, in addition to all the other goals from this year, I added "Be Fearless."

Fate loves the fearless. 

James Russell Lowell

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.  You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.

Dale Carnegie

People living deeply have no fear of death.

Anais Nin

Fears are educated into us, and can, if we wish, be educated out.

Karl Augustus Menninger

 Let me clarify a few points.  First, I am not talking about fearlessness in the sense that I am hoping everyone will go out and conquer their phobias or try an extreme experience like skydiving, bungee jumping, para-sailing, or zip-lining. Second, I am also not talking about seeking out danger like cliff diving or suddenly becoming a motorcycle stunt man.  What I am pointing to is a simple, everyday, thrilling fearlessness that changes the outcome of a person's life in significant ways.
It just so happens that this month was a game changer for me.  I interviewed, and accepted a job on the other side of the country.  Said goodbye to the comfort and beauty of the people and places I know in Oregon and took a huge leap into the unknown.  Letting go of three jobs for one was not very hard, but leaving the security of a place I grew up and the people I love for an adventure across the country to a state I had never even visited and didn't know a single person...that called upon my fearless spirit.  Luckily I am familiar with the logistics necessary when changing your address in a big way, so the hum of last minute appointments  arrangements, and squishing in as many last visits was comforting and left little time to wonder about the unknown too deeply.  Only a few days later , and with the help of many people, I was setting off on my adventure driving across the country. I took it as a good sign that I had Sacajawea on the side of my UHAUL. Who wouldn't want a great navigator for inspiration when setting off into your own personal unknown?

                         

Along the way I found many happy moments and treasures.  Here is a visit with a friend and a trip to the horse races! I made a bet and won! 

                                  

                    

I drove through miles and miles of beautiful countryside and farmland. Through  different states my trusty adventure dog loved getting out at stops to smell everything new! 

Who knew there was an Oregon, Missouri?

        

 I finally arrived in Tennessee and found a great place to live!  I am enjoying getting ready for teaching and preparing my classroom and can't wait to feel settled into this next new adventure!

I have made some great new friends and took a quick trip to Atlanta, Georgia for a Braves game! Exploring Nashville and my new home town is so exciting! 

Next Month's Goal: Explore; find joy around you.

Remember these are not just mini-month long experiments, but things that I will continue to carry throughout the year.  Next month I’ll continue to add to my growing list of ideas for how to live a happier life.  Feel free to try them out with me! 

January: Be Sarah- I am already enough.  Smile when you wake up.  Keep on top of health, work, living arrangements, chores, activities, exercise and be grateful.

February: Make mistakes. Do you best.  Be Generous.

March: Be present. Be Patient. Don’t settle for “I am here…” go for “Here I am!”

April: Go somewhere new! Make some “I was here” footprints. Life is full of setbacks.  Success is determined by how you handle your setbacks.

May: Be loving and love will come looking for you. Get creative with your life.

June: Keep in touch with friends. Get outside!

July: Be Fearless

August: Explore; find Joy!

Chapter 6: June - Playing Hard and Working Harder.

June flew by this year! Probably because I was so very, very busy.  I think we can be TOO busy sometimes. I noticed that I was getting lost in the daily tasks a little bit and tried to add a bit more play into my day. Some days this made for a happy balance, but others it just made busier.

My goals for June were: Keep in touch with friends and get outside!  It was a wonderful month of seeing friends I hadn't seen in a while!  Going to lunch, grabbing a quick breakfast, a birthday party, meeting up for a relaxing chat in the evening sun, seeing family for games and sharing a meal and some laughter made for exciting things to look forward to. Seeing everyone added so many great memories as well. Two friends I saw this month were from out of the country, two were from out of state, one was a brand new person, and a few were from out of town. Regardless if they live down the street or just a few minutes away, it takes attention and intention to tend to lasting friendships. It was so rewarding to connect with the amazing people I care so much about.
Getting outdoors was the other happiness goal I had this month. I have to say whether it was a walk, a bike ride, practicing my swing at the driving range, taking a day trip to the beach, or gearing up for a fun family camping trip, I ALWAYS look forward to being outdoors!  My adventure dog keeps me actively seeking new ways to be outside and I love that I have that daily motivation to move and explore.  My favorite happiness addition this month was a second hand hammock.  After a long day of work, I could lay in my hammock and read a book, take a quick nap, or just enjoy the feeling of swaying in the breeze! I felt more peaceful, relaxed and happy just sitting and enjoying the moment.  Hammocks make me happy. :)  Next month I will add a new goal to my happiness project.

July: Be Fearless.

Remember these are not just mini-month long experiments, but things that I will continue to carry throughout the year.  Next month I’ll continue to add to my growing list of ideas for how to live a happier life.  Feel free to try them out with me! 

January: Be Sarah- I am already enough.  Smile when you wake up.  Keep on top of health, work, living arrangements, chores, activities, exercise and be grateful.

February: Make mistakes. Do you best.  Be Generous.

March: Be present. Be Patient. Don’t settle for “I am here…” go for “Here I am!”

April: Go somewhere new! Make some “I was here” footprints. Life is full of setbacks.  Success is determined by how you handle your setbacks.

May: Be loving and love will come looking for you. Get creative with your life.

June: Keep in touch with friends. Get outside!

July: Be Fearless

Chapter 5: Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, this ship’s not goin’ down!

 May proved to be full of little happiness experiments.  My happiness goals for May were: Be loving and love will come looking for you. &  Get creative with your life. 

I mean “loving” in the broadest sense of the word.  Examples are helping strangers, being more patient with irritating individuals, in general upping my social skills when itcomes to being a loving, caring person. You might say I made a conscious effort to be a better social version of myself. I don’t know anyone who has too many friends, so being present, open, and kind to others paid off in the making of some great new friends!  Having fun events to look forward to lifts the spirits.  The brighter and warmer weather also brings along more outdoor opportunities, so getting out and being active has become much easier to do!  I love the outdoors and just being outside more often is having a great positive effect on my body and spirit. 

As far as getting creative with my life…where to start?  I added a third part-time job and creatively fit it into my other work schedules.  I took some pictures of the biggest-brightest moon I’ve ever seen.  I hiked in the Oregon gorge with my adventure dog. I took a poll from some friends on things that make them happy. Some ofthe results were: Traveling - A full tummy - A full tank of gas - Feeling rested - Sleeping in - Sunshine - Massage - Finding something lost - Getting mail - Swinging in a hammock -Dancing - A glass of wine - the smell of coffee - summer breeze - children laughing – friends – sleeping kids – cuddling with soft dogs – air conditioning in the desert - plane tickets - fresh baked cookies -  holding hands - the sound of the ocean -  the smell of a campfire – Savasana after a good yoga practice - banana bread -  a family secret apple pie recipe -  sailing on the lake -  shell hunting at the beach– the smell of fresh cut grass – bubble baths. I have been listening to some amazing music and finding ways to laugh more and worry less. I organized a few areas of my life and have been trying new foods and looking for new experiences.  Maybe more than any other month this one has brought more happiness to my life.  The last five months of this project are paying off and I am looking forward to seeing what happens in the rest of this year! Next month’s goal is: Keep in touch with friends. & Get outdoors!

Rememberthese are not just mini-month long experiments, but things that I will continueto carry throughout the year.  Next month I’ll continue to add to mygrowing list of ideas for how to live a happier life.  Feel free to trythem out with me! 

“But out of limitations comes creativity.” – Debbie Allen

January: Be Sarah- I am already enough.  Smile when you wake up.  Keep on top of health, work, living arrangements,chores, activities, exercise and be grateful.

February: Make mistakes. Do you best.  Be Generous.

March: Be present. Be Patient. Don’t settle for “Iam here…” go for “Here I am!”

April: Go somewhere new! Make some “I was here”footprints. Life is full of setbacks.  Success is determined by how you handle your setbacks.

May: Be loving and love will come looking for you. Get creative with your life.

June: Keep in touch with friends. Get outside!

Chapter 4: April showers, wild flowers and BIG, BIG trees!

 Welcome back to my little Happiness Project.

January: Be Sarah- I am already enough.  Smile when you wake up.  Keep on top of health, work, living arrangements, chores, activities, exercise and be grateful.

February: Make mistakes. Do you best.  Be Generous.

March: Be present. Be Patient. Don’t settle for “I am here…” go for “Here I am!”

April: Go somewhere new! Make some “I was here” footprints. Life is full of setbacks.  Success is determined by how you handle your setbacks.

April has whirled by! I really enjoy travel and adventure, so part of my April goal was to go somewhere new and make some “I was here” footprints.  I decided it was time to see the Redwood trees and took a road trip to check them out. There is something exhilarating about traveling down roads you have never journeyed on before. I love the way you can never tell what is coming up around the next bend in the road and the great surprise when you find something beautiful and new.  It was amazing to camp at the base of trees big enough to drive a car through and enjoy the soft misty mornings and rich, foresty smell.  Pearl, my adventure dog, came along and loved fetching sticks in the rivers and playing in the ocean surf along the coast. If anyone has a lead on a job that includes travel and adventure and a dog…please let me know so I can apply! 

The second part of my April project was about setbacks.  Success is determined by how you handle your setbacks.  I can’t say I know many people who don’t want to be successful.  I believe it is part of human nature and also engrained in my generation to be as successful as early in life as possible. What “success” looks like for each person can be drastically different.  I also believe there is a big difference between being perceived as successful and actually FEELING successful.  Setback: my car needed three major repairs all at once. Success: car repairs were under warranty (just barely).  Setback: rejected for a few jobs. Success: applied for more than a dozen other jobs and tried networking like crazy. Setback: unexpected bills. Success: took on extra work. I tend to look my setbacks straight on and with as much confidence as I can muster say, “You won’t beat me. I will find a way to overcome this.” And if that doesn’t work there is always chocolate, a good laugh and a chance to try again tomorrow.

Remember these are not just mini-month long experiments, but things that I will continue to carry throughout the year.  Next month I’ll continue to add to my growing list of ideas for how to live a happier life.  Feel free to try them out with me! 

May: Be loving and love will come looking for you. Get creative with your life.

 

"Creativity can be described as letting go of certainties." – Gail Sheehy

Chapter 3: March, March, March!

If you don’t know what my Happiness Project is about be sure to catch up on January and February’s Blogs because March is come and gone and we are already into April! 

January: Be Sarah- I am already enough.  Smile when you wake up.  Keep on top of health, work, living arrangements, chores, activities, exercise and be grateful.

February: Make mistakes. Do you best.  Be Generous.

March: Be present. Be Patient. Don’t settle for “I am here…” go for “Here I am!”

Be present: I started March off with something very new and different. It is called a Novena of Grace and is a nine day journey of community prayer and liturgy humbly asking God to shine clear and deep insight into those earnest questions we bring for our lives and our world. It is meant as a way to be present in the moment, to look at your circumstances with a fresh perspective and practice listening with your heart to what God desires for us.  I still am working out the details, but I like that this was an intentional way to call to mind both the issues I need help with and the areas where I can give gratitude.  This brings me to my next goal…

Be Patient:  Patience is a virtue, right? Ah this one is so hard at times!  Isn’t just about EVERYONE tested in their patience on a daily basis?  I am no different and working to become extra patient within the boundaries of my life is a great challenge for me right now.  I feel sometimes like I am running an endurance race and at the end will be some great payoff for all of the patience I can muster right now…or maybe not the big payoff I am hoping for, but the nice consolation prize of being a more patient person in general through the practice.  Thomas Carlyle once said, “Endurance is patience concentrated.”  I agree.

Last but not least on March’s list of goals was; don’t settle for “I am here”…go for “Here I am!” (Picture an Eeyore voice saying the first one and Susie Sunshine saying the second! Haha) If Skiing, field trips with college students, learning to love trail running, getting a second part-time job, remembering my Dad by sharing photos, going wine tasting with friends, taking on big projects, going to concerts, spending time with family, taking a great trip to the beach with my friend, getting my teeth cleaned, and meeting new people and pets are any indication that I am pushing out on the edges of my life and working to make it bigger and better with each new experience then I am succeeding. 

Remember these are not just mini-month long experiments, but things that I will continue to carry throughout the year.  Next month I’ll continue to add to my growing list of ideas for how to live a happier life.  Feel free to try them out with me! 

April: Go somewhere new! Make some “I was here” footprints.  Life is full of setbacks.  Success is determined by how you handle your setbacks.

 Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”