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.
