Week Three Progress Report

My goals for January and I did not have a good week together this week:

1. Blog regularly - 5 or 6 times a week
PROGRESS - I only blogged three times all week long.  But hey,  I've blogged twice today!  I will be back on track this week.

2. Read Daily
PROGRESS - I am still working on this goal.  When I don't get home until later, trying to have it all done by 9 is hard.  Then I started late and actually stayed up later than I should have.  But I am determined tonight to get back on track and make it work for this week.  It's a short week, so I should be able to make my goal.

3. Book Club
PROGRESS - All is good until our next meeting on February 21.

4. Gratitude Journal
PROGRESS - I did a great job of doing my gratitude journal until Saturday.  Since Sarah came into town, we've been going until late and then I crash.  So tonight I'm going to get it all caught up (I know what I wanted to say, just haven't had a chance to write it) and get back on track again for the week.

5. Movies
PROGRESS - No movies this week, but I did see a musical.  Can that count instead?  I really want to see "Zero Dark Thirty" - that is my goal for this week!

6. Social Outings
PROGRESS - I had two outings this week (wine with some friends one night and breakfast with my friend Terrell).  This week I've already done stuff with Sarah, so I'm doing really well in this area.  As a matter of fact, there are talks of a trip to Las Vegas later this year.  I haven't been in twenty years, so that would be AWESOME!!

This week wasn't my best week, but you know, I'm going to have good weeks and bad weeks.  Even though this wasn't my best week, I am committed to my goals and will keep working hard to meet them.

Are you trying to get happy or being satisfied with the same old, same old?
:) Mo

Warning: Purging Can Be Addictive!!

I believe that sometimes we can feel burdened by all of the physical possessions that we have.  And people, I have a lot of stuff.  Crap, actually.  Junk, even.

During the Christmas break, I went through my bedroom closet and purged 8 trash bags - some was trash, some was Goodwill donations and one bag was consignment.  It felt good to clear that crap out.  I had a shirt that was 20 years old and I probably haven't worn it in like 10 years.  Why do I have it? 

My sister is on her way to visit for the weekend.  My guest room hasn't been used for guests in a while, so it had become a crap repository.  Christmas crap, bag of books to sell at Half Price Books, and empty gift bags and tissue paper.  I cleaned out this guest room closet - I got about 3 trash bags full of stuff.  I went through a soap making phase..... and a phase where I put buttons on EVERYTHING.  All of it - now GONE.

With each bag I dump, I feel a little lighter.  I like throwing stuff away - it's like a little high each time I filled a bag.  It's kind of addictive....

My next project is to clean out my drawers, but that may have to wait for Spring Break.  By the end of the year, I'm hoping to have shed all of my extra crap so that whatever life has in store for me, I'm ready.

Stay happy - and start purging all of your crap - physical and mental!
:) Mo

Week Two Progress Report

Okay, let's see how week two is going......

1. Blog regularly - 5 or 6 times a week
PROGRESS - Last week I blogged 5 times - goal met!!  However, I hadn't blogged for two days and I got a FB message from a friend letting me know how much she appreciates my posts and that she missed them.  Thanks, Emily, for holding me accountable!!  I appreciate it!!

2. Read Daily
PROGRESS - I did not read daily.  But I did do my 9 PM DEAR time on Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday.  Tuesday I didn't get home until too late.  Thursday, I chose to use my time to watch Beyond Scared Straight, one of my favorite TV shows.  Friday, I was too tired.  So I can see that my goal this week is to work on this daily reading time.  I really enjoy it, I just have to make it a habit and that takes time.

3. Book Club
PROGRESS - We had book club this week and it was great.  We've got our next story and five weeks until we meet again.  I already have my next month of books queued up!

4. Gratitude Journal
PROGRESS - I've continued my goal to journal daily in my Gratitude journal.  I've found myself journalling in the morning as much as the evening.  Sometimes it's a nice way to wake up, think and journal about something you are grateful for, then start your day.

5. Movies
PROGRESS - Yesterday I saw "Gangster Squad" (see blog).  I was going to watch a movie this afternoon, but I've got too many little things going on to do that.  Next weekend?

6. Social Outings
PROGRESS - Five outings this week (lunch on Sunday, dinner with Dad on Tuesday & Wednesday, Book Club on Thursday and the movies with Lisa & Kelly on Saturday).  I also had a few other offers that I couldn't make.  It's so great to reach out and spend time with old and new friends.

All in all, things are progressing nicely.  I can tell a difference in my energy level, my attitude and my outlook.  I'm finalizing my plan for February.  I can't wait!!

What have you done this week to make you happy?
:) Mo

I Woke Up This Morning

One thing that I've noticed as I am working my Happiness Project is what people say when I ask them questions.  I noticed this week that from 4:01 PM until 6:59 AM I am super positive and pumped.  I am working each day to incorporate those changes I've committed to for this month.  I feel happier, am sleeping more, and I think that I just overall feel better.

But from 7 AM until 4 PM, I am fighting the positivity.  I noticed it this week while listening to how I was interacting with my admin team.  In the best of circumstances, there is a lot of negativity being a school principal (parents yelling at you, central office dumping on you, trying to keep your teachers motivated, trying to keep the students focused on learning, etc.) - but there is a difference when you are actively bringing the negativity with you.

It made me think of an employee of our after school program.  Every day when I greet her, I ask her how she is doing.  She always has the same answer: "I woke up this morning."  I never really thought about until one day I asked her why she always says that.  She told me that she had been diagnosed with lupus and other ailments, that she would never walk again, nor have children.  Well, she walks everywhere and has eight children.  She really focuses on the positive.  When I was telling her about my Dad and that we were waiting to hear if he was going to be in remission, she told me to pray and believe that he will be in remission and he will.

So now when I hear someone ask her how she is doing and she says, "I woke up this morning," I think about it differently.  It really is a gift to wake up each morning.  At any moment, our life can be altered dramatically or even be taken away.  It is a gift to see each day, connect to the people that you care about, and have a chance to make a difference for yourself and others.

I choose to be glad that I woke up each morning.  I choose to be positive all day long and make a difference.  I want to be happy.

Stay happy!
:) Mo

Week One of the Positivity Challenge - How Am I Doing?

Last Monday, I embarked upon my own personal "Happiness Project."  I set 6 goals for the month of January.  Let's see how I'm doing.....

1.  Blog regularly - 5 or 6 times a week
          PROGRESS - Last week I blogged 5 times - goal met!!

2.  Read Daily
          PROGRESS  - I read daily, but tonight is going to be my first night with my 9 PM DEAR (drop everything and read time).  I'm excited!!

3.  Book Club
          PROGRESS - I am finishing up my book and we meet on Thursday night. Can't wait to see what we chose to read next!

4.  Gratitude Journal
          PROGRESS - I've journalled daily in my gratitude journal - it's been a great way to either start or end the day.  I like finding something positive and reflecting on it.  I think this will be really helpful when the stress and disillusionment of work tries to creep into my life.

5.  Movies
          PROGRESS - Last Sunday I saw "Django Unchained" and today I curled up on the couch and watched "10 Years."  Both were good movies - but very different.....

6.  Social Outings
          PROGRESS - I had two outings this week, dinner on Thursday night and lunch on Friday.  Both with friends and both a lot of fun.  (I already have one down for this week as I had lunch with a friend today.)

I think I can say that the first week was a success!!  Tomorrow I go back to work and the challenge begins - how to balance my job with ME.  I hope that when I report in next week I can be as successful as I've been this week.

So what have you done this past week to make your life a happier place?  It's not too late to make a change!

Stay happy!
:) Mo

I'm still drinking the positivity juice!!

So, it's Day 3 of the Mo Happiness Project!  And I'm still super pumped about it!

It's really true - if you put  it out there - it'll come back to you.  In sharing my project, I've reconnected with people and had some great conversations.  I've also talked to some of my other blogging friends in the last two days - having them link to my blog and me linking to their blog.  I want to share them with you - stop by their blogs - read and support them!!

1. The Grammar Belle - This blog is written by my friend Brandy.  We went to high school together and then lost touch during the college years.  But thanks to our 20th reunion and Facebook, we've been connected for the last several years.  It's been to great to keep up with people and celebrate their lives with them.  Her blog is HILARIOUS!! 
2. In That Room - One of my former coworkers, Heidi, is the author of this blog.  It's a great resource for teaching ideas and all education talk.  I knew she was a talented teacher when she worked for me, but seriously?  The stuff she has done on this blog is A-MA-ZING!!  Check it out!!
3. T-Lady - Tracey and I go way, way back - even if we didn't always know it!  I student taught and later worked with her Mom back in Richardson.  Later, when I became an administrator in Little Elm, her husband was a principal there too.  We connected and have kept in touch.  Her husband, Jason, was a blogger too (I still have the link to his JDH Teach blog).  He passed away in April 2010, but he was such a positive, caring influence.  Tracey has done a great job of moving forward and has found a new love.  Anyways, you can read her blog - she's a teacher too and has great insight about the profession!
4. Real Fat Blog - Keelie and I worked together for 2 years when I was teaching in Frisco.  She's open about her struggle with weight.  Her blog is honest, thoughtful and has great recipes and ideas.  She looks great and is an inspiration to me.  You go, girl!!

Any of these blogs would be worth your time - so check them out - and tell 'em that Mo sent ya!!

Keep finding your happiness!!
:) Mo

January Goals for my Happiness Project

So, I'm sitting here... drinking freshly brewed ice tea from my Keurig in my Jimmy Buffett "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" cup...  thankful for another day of vacation to be lazy, relax and enjoy the simple things in life.

This morning I planned the first six months of my Happiness Project.  I could barely write fast enough to keep up with my head.  I'm sure that I'll continue to develop the remaining months as well as expand on what I've done so far.  The more I work on this, the more excited I am.

So...... here we go!!

January is:

BE ME!!

Do What I Love & Love What I Do

 

In the past year, I've kind of lost sight of me and some of the things that I really love and want to do.  So I've picked six things to focus on this month to help me get back in touch with me.  (I could have picked a gazillion, but six seems a more manageable number.)

1. Blog Regularly - at least 5-6 times a week.  This week so far, I've done three entries and I still have three days left.  Just renewing the blog this week has energized me and gotten me excited about the upcoming month and year.
2. Read Daily - I love to read.  I am a true bibliophile - as my sister says, I devour books!!  My goal each year is to read 50 books.  I did it for the first time in 2012 - but only because with my parents' illnesses, I found myself with a lot of sitting and waiting on my hands.  My goal for this year is to turn the TV and the phone off at 9 PM on school nights.... make some herbal tea, light a favorite candle, and give myself the gift of an hour to read.  I think this will also help me relax, calm down from the day, and prepare for bed.  I'm excited about this - I have so many books on my to-read list, I'm hoping this will help me achieve my goal!
3. Book Club - several friends (and new friends) have started a book club.  I'm excited to be a part of this for the social aspect as well as the sharing and discussion of good books.  We've met twice and our next meeting is next week - I've got some reading to do!!  What I like is that this group often picks books that I might not pick for myself - so I'm expanding my reading horizons!
4. Gratitude Journal - In 2010, I started a gratitude journal.  It was one of my favorite things to do as I got ready for bed - to reflect on my day and find something to be thankful for.  When I moved to Bastrop, I quit doing it.  Today, I'm going to start it up again.  I bought a cute notebook and a fun pen.  I'm ready to go!!  I may even share some of these on my blog too!
5. Movies - I love to watch movies.  All kinds.  At the theatre, on Netflix, on cable.  My inner nerd craves a good documentary! I don't ever block out time to do it, then I go to Dallas for a week and glutton on movies.  So my commitment is to sit down to one movie a week - whether I go out to a theatre or see it at home.  Again, I may share some of my favorites on here with you.  This should also solve my dilemma of having Netflix movies for 6 months on my counter bc I never have time to watch any of them.
6. Social Outings - When I lived in Frisco, I had a busy, active calendar full of events (lunches, dinners, musicals, etc.).  That slowed down when I moved here, then I just kind of even gave up and quit trying.  I'm going to commit to once a week having some kind of social outing - coffee, movie, lunch, dinner or some other event.  This is going to require me to come out of my shell and make connections with people.  Maybe all of those people that I've kept at arms length - it's time to take them up on their offers.  My goal for now is one outing a week, but I'd like to work it to two as the year goes on.  Austin and Central Texas is such an amazing area with so much to see and explore, so it's time for me to get out there and see and explore!

So that's it.  Not very earth shattering, huh?  But thinking about making these activities an important part of my life excites me, energizes me, and makes me want to keep pushing myself.

 

I will be holding myself accountable for these goals - but friends, feel free to check me on them and hold me accountable as well.  My biggest challenge will be letting work take over my life - I will fight this battle weekly, but I just have to remind myself that I am important and it's worth it to put me FIRST.

 

I'm always open for comments and feedback.....  let's make it a great January!!

2013 - the year of ME!!

Rarely does a book make such an impact on me like "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin.  A writer who wanted to focus on making the most of her time - not letting life pass her by.  How many of us think of that, but never do anything about it?

She created a monthly plan to focus on different areas of her life, creating resolutions and refocusing her priorities.  Her ideas were so simple, yet are things that we overlook when getting caught up with how busy our lives become.  Whether it was going to bed an hour early, not nagging as much, keeping a gratitude journal or not worrying about results, you could see how these simple tasks made her life more rich and meaningful.

As I was driving in Dallas over break, thinking about this book, it hit me.  HARD.  Like a two by four upside my head.....

I'm not living my life.  I'm just getting by, getting through, moving on the next event.  I look at this past couple of years.  I've really put my life on hold - not developing new friendships, not being open to love or relationships, because I've been focused on my job.  My job and the promise of hard work being rewarded.  Giving 150% when others are rewarded for giving much, much less.

So what happens when your hard work isn't rewarded?  You are disillusioned with your job and you look around and realize two years have passed?  I should know better than putting all of my eggs into one basket, but I did it.  And now, I'm holding a basket full of busted eggs.  I realized that I haven't made any good friends here - partly because of what I learned at my previous job, partly because I thought of my time here as a temporary stop on the way to bigger and better.

And it's shame, because I think many have tried to reach out to me, but I've kept myself at arms length, but why?

God, I'm stupid......

So this year is the YEAR OF ME.  I'm going to take the time to stop and smell the roses.  I'm going to make friends, build relationships, and maybe put myself out there for love - note that I said maybe.  My job is going to be a way to finance my living - I am going to work to live rather than live to work.  Now that my parents are well, I want to resume my travelling.

Each month I'm going to focus on different areas of my life - some just like Rubin did in "The Happiness Project," but some will be unique and tailored to my life.  I'll share my progress on here so that I can hold myself accountable and reflect upon what I learn.

I'm not going to live in the past - harboring anger and resentment over what has happened (or didn't happen) in the past.  Instead, I'm going to focus on the promise of the future - what can and will happen if I make ME my priority.

So come along for the ride....  it's probably gonna be a bumpy one.

Happy 2013 to all!!