catching up

remember the post i made recently about being happier in your home? turns out that it works! well, the parts of it i have tried so far anyway. i made my bed today, did some light cleaning, cooked a fabulous dinner, and i am now relaxing on my couch with my Angry Orchard hard cider and some yummy pretzel crisps while my hubby sleeps on the couch, because he is lazy. just kidding, babe! sheesh.

i have been trying to remember the "bring the room back to ready" tip from my earlier post. i have noticed a significant difference in my happiness and stress level. it is quite surprising. i have been doing the dinner dishes right away, cleaning the counter, and throwing away trash/putting away plates, etc immediately instead of leaving it in whatever room i am in. since i am off work it has been pretty easy. the real task will be doing it when i get back in the regular routine. the thought of juggling school, work, working out, keeping my new diet, and keeping the house clean on a daily basis is daunting.

welcome to adulthood, jess.

so far i love my new diet. i never have been much of a meat eater anyway so losing it from my diet isnt hard. what i love is that i have found new recipes that are very healthy and do not lack flavor. i have also been more creative with what i make for david. it is so nice to have a good variety in the daily meals.

here's to a new year. lets make this the year we actually follow through with whatever we want to accomplish. for me....i will accomplish better health: physically, mentally, emotionally.

New Year Resolution?

pssht. i gave up on that a long time ago. the typical i want to lose weight resolution that i have made year and year, month after month, week after week. i am truly seeking not just to lose weight, but to become healthy. i don't need january 1 to start that. however, it seems i am still lacking the motivation i need to really do it and stick with it. that new year resolution kick doesn't do it for me. i need to focus on other things that push me to succeed. this is what i have come up with so far:

1. don't focus on what the scale says, even though the lose of pounds makes you feel great. that is NOT the focus of this life change.

2. you are doing this to feel better. not just emotionally, but physically. getting in shape will give you confidence. make you feel pretty again. make you feel happy. give you energy. rid you of many ailments you feel are derived from, or at least worsened by, the extra weight and lack of good health.

3. you cant "just" work out or "just" eat healthy. this isn't a diet in the sense that people use that word. this is a life change. a permanent diet. a way of life.

4. how can you have children if you are not healthy? an unhealthy body has more difficulty reproducing. if you want to start a family you have to start with yourself. plus, you can't be a hypocrite. you cant expect your children to eat health if you do not. monkey see, monkey do.

those things should be more than enough inspiration to make the changes in my life that i want. however, when you are as fucked up in the head as i am, somehow there are still (many) days where it isnt enough. you struggle to even start the day. so not only am i battling the ever daunting task of beginning a healthy food and exercise regimen, i am battling with my mentality.

i am working on remembering to take my medicine everyday. i "forget" sometimes. i know its stupid to do so. i know this is medication that will keep me stable and happy. but i hate medication. i hate pumping my body with synthetic drugs. why cant i be normal? my poor children are screwed.

i want to end this blog on a positive, uplifting note.

i am still purchasing mostly preservative free, natural, fresh foods. i cannot force david to change his diet so i am trying to find middle ground. my goal is to become a pescetarian. that means i only eat seafood. i want to eliminate all other meats like poultry, red meat, and pork. i am not doing this for animal-rights reasons or religious beliefs. i am doing this because i have read articles and stories and heard personal experiences from friends whose lives changed for the better by becoming vegetarian. i am convinced my elimination of meat will help my aches and pains go away. eventually i may become vegetarian, but for now i will still eat fish.  this may or may not become a permanent change. i may or may not occasionally indulge myself in a nice cheeseburger. but this is something i want to try. this includes watching what i buy as far as what is made with animal by-products, etc. i will still provide david with his usual meat-filled meals, of course :) his diet needs are much different than mine.

also, i have been telling myself lately, "it only takes 20 minutes of my day to go around the block. that is enough for now to work up a sweat and has been proven before to make significant changes in my health and weight. why is it so difficult to take those 20 minutes to do something good for yourself?" and so, samsam and i went for a jog today. we made it 1.3 miles in under 15 minutes. i am VERY proud of myself. :)

be happier in your home

in my quest for happiness, i would like to share something i just found on pinterest that i love!  my comments are added in red :)




Found this list on apartmenttherapy.com and was inspired! Hopefully it will inspire you t00!

1. Make your bed.

The book The Happiness Project, explains that this three minute task is one of the simplest habits you can adopt to positively impact your happiness.

good point. i need to start doing this. i wonder how much of a difference it will really make. i am easily entertained.

2. Bring every room back to “ready.”

I learned this trick from Marilyn Paul’s clever book, It’s Hard to Make a Difference When You Can’t Find Your Keys. It’s a known fact: Clutter causes stress; order creates a haven from it. This mood-boosting routine is simple: Take about three minutes to bring each room back to “ready” before you depart it. (Unless you have a toddler, or a partner who likes to simulate earthquakes, three minutes should be sufficient.)

this is something i have been wanting to do for a long time. i suspected it would bring happiness in my life. my laziness has overcome. i must start this habit. ASAP.

3. Display sentimental items around your home.

One reason that experiences (and memories of those experiences) make us happier than material things is due to the entire cycle of enjoyment that experiences provide: planning the experience, looking forward to the experience, enjoying the experience, and then remembering the experience. Make your home a gallery of positive memories.

you know those people whose homes are overloaded with photos of themselves and you wonder, WTF is wrong with you people? well, maybe that is their key to happiness.  dont judge me if next time you visit i have all new photos of me, david, and the "kids".

4. Start a one-line-a-day gratitude journal.

Before bed, simply jot down one happy memory from that day. (If you have kids, you can ask them, “What was the best part of today?”) Reflection is an important part of happiness, and pausing to reflect on a positive event from each day cultivates gratitude. (An added bonus: Later, when your memory is defunct, you will already have all of your meaningful adventures recorded!) If you have trouble getting started with journaling, consider buying a book to guide you. Simple Abundance, by Sarah Ban Breathnach, is a great one.

this is a great idea. i think i will put pen and paper on my nightstand for this.

5. If you can’t get out of it, get into it.

This tip comes from The Happiness Project. I love the message: The dishes are not going to clean themselves, so you will do it, and you will like it! (Unless, of course, you can outsource this job, in which case I say: Nice work!) Otherwise, get into doing the dishes. Feel the soothing warm water on your hands. Enjoy the tickle of the tiny bubbles. Crank your favorite album at an unusually loud volume, do a couple fist-pumps while shouting “Can I get a hell yeah for the dishes? Hell! Yeah!” and pretend you love it.

i cant help but laugh. i am so terrible about not cleaning up after myself. every time my mother-in-law visits she inspires me to do this very thing: clean the dishes as they go in the sink, etc. not long after she leaves that habit quickly fades. i need to keep on it. *key to happiness*

6. Before you get up each morning, set an intent for the day.

In The Art of Happiness, the Dali Lama says “”Every day, think as you wake up: today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.” Wow. What a wise man. I tend to wake up with a strong visceral reaction that says, “Attention human beings: Be afraid of me before coffee. Be very afraid!” Setting a daily intent makes a huge difference. Your daily intent could be something like “be productive” or “enjoy today’s delicious moments” or it could be something more specific like “say thank you to my loved ones today.” But it should not be another “to do” item on your list.

i've tried this in the past. it works. i tell myself, "today WILL be a good day". it makes a difference. when i have one of my mini, mid-day meltdowns i remind myself of the promise i made myself that morning. it really helps.

7. Do small favors for your housemates, expecting nothing in return (not even a thank you!).

(That’s right, I said it: nothing!) Mow the lawn for your husband, but don’t expect him to pat you on the back. Make the bed for your wife, but don’t try to get bonus points for it. Take the trash out for your roommate, just because. The ability to cultivate strong, healthy relationships is one of the biggest contributors to health and happiness, but when you start to keep score, the benefit is lost. (No! It’s YOUR turn to clean up the dog poop!) It’s a well-known fact: When you do good, you feel good.

*HGM HGM*COUGH COUGH* Babe ;) this is another key to my happiness.

8. Call at least one friend or family member a day.

You can do this while you clean, while you make the bed, or while you walk the dog. Texts and emails do not count! Make an actual phone call to a loved one, just to chat and catch up. We humans are social beings and studies show that even when we don’t feel like it, even if we are naturally introverted, socializing with our loved ones makes us feel better.

im good at this, haha. i have always been one for calling people on the regular. if one person doesn't answer i call someone else. i need that companionship. shit, am i a dog? 

9. Spend money on things that cultivate experiences at home.

Save money for a new grill for parties or a new DVD for family movie night — something that will encourage you to have people over and entertain. Plan a summer barbeque, invite your closest friends, kick back and relax. (And don’t forget to print out the pictures to remember the good times.)

another thing i am good at! my next purchase will be a dance game for the kinect. who wants to play? 

10. Spend a few minutes each day connecting with something greater than yourself.

Whatever your spiritual beliefs — or non-beliefs — may be, studies show that connecting to a high power is correlated with happiness. Just stepping back to realize that we are part of an enormous universe can put some perspective on your annoyance with the those-are-definitely-not-mine-and-they-are-abso-fricking-lutely-repulsive socks under the coffee table. Before bed, spend just a few minutes contemplating something larger than yourself. Take a walk in nature. Write in a journal. Create a sacred space in your home. (Or if spirituality is really not your thing, create a home spa: light some candles, soak in a hot bath, delve into a good book… are you feeling better yet?)

true story.