Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘happiness’

18 for 2018: A Happiness Project

Posted in Happiness Project 2018, Positive Living, tagged , , , , , on January 3, 2018| Leave a Comment »

My happiness project this year is to simply complete 18 objectives throughout 2018. I’ll keep you posted as I cross them off my list. Here is my 18 for 2018 list:

  1. Order two birth certificates for myself (contact vital records in California).
  2. Figure out Instagram.
  3. Create a Google Photo account.
  4. Lose 18 pounds.
  5. Blog at least once per month (of course, more would be better).
  6. Plan a trip to New York City with Andrew for 2019.
  7. Interact with a sloth.
  8. Buy Andrew a reasonably priced and reliable used car.
  9. Visit a museum.
  10. Try a voice (singing) lesson.
  11. Update my LinkedIn account.
  12. Organize my master bedroom closet.
  13. Make an appointment with my eye doctor.
  14. Watch Stranger Things.
  15. Complete a 5K.
  16. Read Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days by Chris Guillebeau.
  17. Keep track of my time.
  18. Plan my 50th birthday celebration.

Other Plans for 2018:

  1. On Goodreads I joined the Reading Challenge, and my goal is to read 50 books. I surpassed my goal of 50 books in 2017 by reading 55 books.
  2. Andrew and I will be attending Comic Con in New Orleans this weekend, so he can meet Stan Lee.
  3. I will be attending my annual scrapbooking convention with my gal pals May 31st-June 3rd.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Fleetwood Mac will come to New Orleans this year for their farewell tour. Seeing them perform again would be awesome and a giant boost to my happiness. So, dear reader…how about you? Have you made resolutions or have goals you would like to complete in 2018? If so, please share. Happiness!

“Clear visions and positive goals, leads to positive actions and purposeful life.”     ~ Lailah Gifty Akita, Pearls of Wisdom: Great mind

 

 

Read Full Post »

RE-ENERGIZE: My Theme for 2018

Posted in Holidays, Inspiration, tagged , , , on January 1, 2018| 2 Comments »

2018Happy New Year’s Day, dear readers! 2018 is a new year, and I am feeling optimistic about it. RE-ENERGIZE. That is the one-word theme I have chosen for this year. Since this is my last year in my 40s, I want to complete this decade of my life on a high note. I have also decided to attempt another happiness project even though I failed miserably last year. It will look a little differently from the one I’ve done in the past; however, the goal is the same…to increase my happiness. I am looking forward to a new year with new possibilities and opportunities. New Year’s Blessings to you, dear readers. Happiness!

If you could choose a one-word theme for this year, what word would you choose?

“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

 

Read Full Post »

HELP!

Posted in Happiness Project 2017, Inspiration, tagged , , , , , on January 22, 2017| Leave a Comment »

helpTwenty days have passed since I started my year-long journey of RENEWAL. Until today, it has been slow going, uninspiring, and almost coming to a screeching halt. I have not accomplished anything much regarding my health and fitness goals for this month, and I was having a hard time deciding how to write about it. I’m stuck! Then two occurrences took place earlier today that has prompted me to move forward. The first was watching a brief video that popped up in my Facebook news feed, and the second was an unexpected phone call from someone  I adore but had not talked to in quite a while.

This morning, while scrolling through my Facebook news feed, I came across a short video of an interview between Oprah and spiritual teacher Michael Bernard Beckwith. They were having a discussion about being stuck (coincidence). His recommendation is going beyond your “little mind” to awaken you: prayer, meditation, life visioning. And, the prayer could be as simple as HELP. For him, HELP means Hello Eternal Loving Presence. I like that! That short exchange between Oprah and Beckwith gave me the nudge that I needed to get started with today’s post.

Shortly afterwards, as I sat down to start writing this post, my Uncle Robert called me (coincidence). My Uncle Robert is awesome! He is intelligent, kind, hard-working, inspiring, and entertaining. We talked and laughed for over an hour. By the time our conversation was winding down, I was feeling less stuck and eager to start writing.

So, between the video pep talk and the phone conversation with my uncle, I am taking the first step to getting unstuck. I’m writing about it. The second step is acknowledging the obstacles that are making me stuck, whether they are physical obstacles or mental obstacles.  Then I need to figure out a way to remove those obstacles, shed those limitations, and release whatever it is that is keeping me stuck. My weight is definitely one of the obstacles. And, that dear reader, is one reason why I want to focus on health and fitness first. I truly believe that if I can shed these unwanted pounds, I will be free to work on other areas of my life and increase my happiness and productivity. I may not have reached all of my health and fitness goals these past couple of weeks (no functional exercises; lousy eating habits); however, I am not giving up. In fact, Andrew and I are heading to the gym right after I publish this post. Happiness!

Do you feel stuck? If so, what do you feel is causing you to feel stuck? What is one action step you can take today to get unstuck?

“Getting stuck is reactive, getting unstuck is proactive.” ~ Sherene McHenry 

 

Read Full Post »

RENEWAL: My Theme for 2017

Posted in Happiness Project 2017, Health and Fitness, tagged , , , , , on January 2, 2017| Leave a Comment »

A few months ago I purchased A Happier 2017 Page-A-Day Calendar. I’ve always been a bit fascinated with these kinds of calendars, but never wanted to spend the money on one because I already have a wall calendar, a dry erase calendar, and a planner. What would be the point of owning another calendar? Well, I bought this one since I’m a fan of Gretchen Rubin, and I want to be happier.

renewal-christian

The first page of the calendar suggested choosing a one-word theme to guide your thoughts and actions throughout the year. I chose RENEWAL. I want to resume some of the activities that I enjoy participating in to improve my overall physical and mental health. I also want to raise my level of happiness and change my perspective on life to a more positive one. Therefore, I am going to attempt another happiness project (my last attempt was in 08/2011).  Each month I will designate some area in my life where I want to experience a renewal. Of course, I am probably biting off more than I can chew, so to speak; however, I want to try. It should be fun!

Naturally, day 2 of my happier calendar pertains to happiness and habits and focuses on healthy eating. As a result, I choose renewing healthy habits for January of my happiness project. I have not ironed out all of the details, yet. I just made the decision to do my happiness project after listening to Gretchen’s podcast episode on Friday. However, it will involve steps to eating better and exercising more regularly. In order for changes to be successful, they cannot be made too quickly or all at once.

My resolutions for this week are simple:

  • Move more
  • Think about food and drink choices
  • Incorporate some functional exercises – at least 3 days (flexibility exercises-stretches, abdominal crunches, back and shoulder exercises, lower leg exercise)

Today was just the first day; however, I drank more water and Andrew and I went to the gym. I walked for 35 minutes on the treadmill while listening to another podcast episode, did some strength training (legs), and stretched. We’ll see how the rest of the week goes since I return to school tomorrow after being off for two weeks. It will be tough, especially with having to get up so early. I am more of a night owl than a lark. Nonetheless, dear reader, I’m excited about a new year and its possibilities. I hope you are, too. Happiness!

If you could choose a one-word theme for this year, what word would you choose? 

“Renewal requires opening yourself up to new ways of thinking and feeling.” ~ Deborah Day

Read Full Post »

Happy New Year

Posted in Happiness Project, Holidays, tagged , , , , on January 1, 2017| 2 Comments »

Happy 2017, dear readers! I am back for a new year. It has been quite some time since my last blog post. I am planning to strive to do better this year with my writing, as well as in other areas of my life. RENEWAL. That is the one-word theme I have chosen for this year. I have also decided to attempt another happiness project. Years ago after reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, I participated in my own happiness project and had a fabulous year. I am looking forward to a new year with new possibilities and opportunities. New Year’s Blessings to you, dear readers. Happiness!

“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, ‘It will be happier.'” ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson

Read Full Post »

When Nature Speaks, Linger More

Posted in Positive Living, tagged , , , on January 17, 2016| Leave a Comment »

IMG_0600What an absolutely gorgeous day! The sun is out, the temperature is cool, and the air is crisp. I took my little dog out to do his business before starting my business of writing and soon found myself sitting on my front porch basking in the sunshine and watching the birds and squirrels. I closed my eyes, listened, and felt peace. It only lasted a few minutes. However, it inspired me to write outside today. Thus, I am now writing this post outside on the deck in the backyard while enjoying a cup of hot green tea with honey. It is cooler than I expected since I am more in the shade than in the sun; however, it feels wonderful, and I am PRESENT. Nature has that effect.

Linger more. This was my challenge action this week for The Busy Boycott. While I wish I could report that I lingered more throughout the week, I pretty much saved it for today. I woke up at 7:00 this morning, made a quick trip to the bathroom, and climbed right back into bed where I snuggled some more under the blankets until 8:00. Feeling like I loitered long enough, I got up and wandered into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee and check my cell phone for any messages. I had an email from mon frere (Simon), so I replied, hit send, and brought my coffee along with my I-Pad back to the bedroom. Plopping back into bed, I caught up on reading a few blog posts, as well as my devotion for the day. Therefore, I lingered over my cup of coffee and took my time reading. Now I am up and ready to live the day.

Since the new year has started, Sundays have become a retreat of self-care. It seems as if each Saturday of January has entailed some type of activity outside the home. Friday afternoons before dinner have become the designated grocery shopping day which allows for Sunday to be sacred. I still have chores to do, the checkbook to balance, and clothes to wash; however, I have allowed myself to linger over that cup of coffee or actually read a blog post instead of skimming through it for the highlights. Having a day to just BE at home with nowhere to go has been pure delight. No one should have to wait for a vacation to practice self-care, savor a cup of coffee, or admire the beauty of nature on a day like today.

I know it does not appear on the surface that I have been doing much to change; however, the changes are happening, just slowly. Cutting back on my school hours, allowing myself a day to practice self-care, writing more, evaluating the “busyness” of my life are just a few ways I am laying the foundation to achieve my goals for this year. I’m opting to be the tortoise instead of the hare.

Throughout the next week, I will be thinking about my perfect day. This exercise was mentioned during the Smart Cookies webinar I participated in last week and as a reflection question for The Busy Boycott. This exercise is meant to help inspire you to work on goals that will help you attain what really matters to you for your life. I’ll share my perfect day with you when I get it figured out. In the meantime, enjoy your day. Try to get outside today if the day is beautiful and soak up not only the sun, but also the sights and sounds of nature. Happiness!

“Stop and unplug,” say I; “look around you, at the vastness and greatness of the natural world.” Some stop. Others need binoculars to tie their shoelaces.” ~ Fennel Hudson, A Waterside Year-Fennel’s Journal-No.2 

Read Full Post »

Happy Birthday to ME!

Posted in Life, Positive Living, tagged , , on January 11, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Kat @ 47

Happy Birthday to ME! Today, 47 years ago, I arrived on the planet. Even though I had to work today, I had a wonderful birthday. I received emails, texts, Facebook messages, birthday cards in the mail, phone calls, as well as hugs, kisses, and well wishes. My sister and her family even sang “Happy Birthday” to me over the phone. All day I have felt the love, and I am extremely grateful. I have some amazing family, friends, co-workers, and students.

Andrew and I took a celebratory picture early this morning; hence, the half-opened eyes. I opted for Raising Cane’s for dinner. Simple! All I plan on doing for the rest of the evening is READ! I desperately want to finish Duma Key by Stephen King. I only have forty pages left. Therefore, dear readers, I bid thee a good-night! Happiness!

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.” ~ Maya Angelou

 

Read Full Post »

Acceptance! Thanks, Alexander Graham Bell.

Posted in Health and Fitness, Motivation, Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , , , on April 1, 2013| Leave a Comment »

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”             ~ Alexander Graham Bell

I discovered the above quote this morning, and it spoke to me loudly and clearly. For the last few months since I started my new job, I’ve been looking back longingly upon the closed door. On the surface, I’m grateful to have a job; however, when I delve deeper, I must admit I have not fully accepted some of the changes the job has made in my life. I miss my flexibility. And, by focusing on what I’ve lost by taking this job instead of what I’ve gained has put me in an underlying funk. Sure, it has presented some challenges, but it also has provided some opportunities. So starting today, my goal is to at least “accept” where I’m at on my life journey right NOW, in the present. Not where I was a few months ago or where I think I’ll be in a few months down the road. According to Eckhart Tolle, “Acceptance means: For now, this is what this situation, this moment, requires me to do, and so I do it MH900441932willingly….Performing an action in the state of acceptance means you are at peace while you do it.”  I have to adjust my attitude. Tolle says, “The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it.” Whew! I’m happy I spotted the open door before it was too late.

I’m off work today, and that’s no April Fool’s joke.  My little guy and I are going to the movies this afternoon to see The Croods. Afterwards, we plan to work out at the gym. He’ll go to the Fit Kids class and I’ll run/walk. Yep, after two weeks of doing absolutely nothing but exercising my jaw, I’m getting back on the program. This morning I pulled out the scale, my food journal & training log, the club’s exercise schedule, as well as my health & fitness goals. The bad news: I weighed in this morning at 138.5 pounds (gained back 12.5 pounds since December). The good news: I’m getting back on track TODAY.

Two interesting blog posts pertaining to health & fitness: Fool Proof Diet Reboot by Yvette Quantz of Food Therapy and The 38 Best Methods of Successful Exercisers by Leo Babauta of zenhabits.

Whatever the day brings, approach it with the right attitude. In my opinion, this is easier said than done. Remember, I just discovered the open door today. However, strive for acceptance of the situation and don’t let your thoughts about the situation dictate how you will feel. Happiness!

“Breaking old habits and forming new ones always takes time, but it is worth it in the end.” ~ Joyce Meyer 

Read Full Post »

An Unexpected Gift

Posted in Family, Health and Fitness, Life, Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , on December 31, 2012| 2 Comments »

A few weeks ago, I received an unexpected gift in the mail. It was a postcard from a local health club offering two free memberships for one month. The offer seemed too good to be true. Curiously, I called the health club to see just what the “catch” was for this unbelievable offer. Surprisingly, there were NO strings attached, NO credit card numbers given, and NO contracts signed. My hubby, Andrew, and I were all given a one month pass for full access to the club. And, they included a pass for Barry, Jr. since he would be home on leave. What an awesome gift! We had been interested in joining this club ever since it opened a few years ago, so this was the perfect way to try it out.

Shortly after we received our passes, we received another unexpected gift in the mail from the health club. This time we received a credit card waiving the enrollment fee, as well as giving us the entire month of January free if we decided we would like to become full-time members of their club. Unlike our first gift, this one had strings attached; however, they weren’t unreasonable. We just had to decide if we wanted to become full-time members by the end of the year. Thankfully, we had a couple of weeks to make that decision.

Since then, Andrew and I have been using the free membership with much enthusiasm. He has been taking a Kid Fit class which is offered four days a week. He absolutely loves the class activities, as well as going to Kid’s Club afterwards. He is making new friends and getting fit at the same time. And, he has even had the opportunity to swim in the heated pool. I have taken a couple of Body Pump classes, run on the treadmill several times (either raining or too cold to run outside), and met with a personal trainer to talk about my fitness goals, learn some core exercises, and learn how to use some of the cardio machines besides the treadmill. I get two more sessions to learn about the weight machines and reevaluate my progress after six weeks. Andrew and I love it! So, we signed up on Sunday to become members for one year. Unfortunately, my hubby did not sign up with us. He hasn’t used his free pass since he received it. He tells me he will attempt to visit the club before his pass expires. The good news is he can join if he decides he loves it as much as Andrew and I do.

What a wonderful way for my family and I to end 2012 and begin the new year! And, what a terrific way for me to continue improving the health and fitness area of my life. However, I must confess I’ve allowed myself to be overly indulgent this Christmas season, somewhat lax on my exercise schedule, and have eaten more sugar than veggies lately. I’m WEAK when it comes to all the goodies you receive during the Christmas holidays! The silver lining….all the bad stuff will be out of my house and out of the church office by the end of this week. The dust will settle, rather the needle on the scale will swivel uncontrollably for a moment adjusting to my slight weight gain, and I WILL vow to redeem myself and get back on track. However, for the time being I cannot and will not get on that damn scale.

This has been a terrific year for me and my family. My hubby and I both got new jobs, we are all in good health, and we receive so much love and joy from our family and friends. We have been blessed in many, many ways. And while we did have to say good-bye to Ming, we are grateful and celebrate the nineteen years she was a part of our family. We continue to cherish those who are so special to us and look forward to a new year of possibilities. And, let me not forget my dear readers. YOU ARE AWESOME! Thank you for your support and encouragement. Wishing you much love, joy, and happiness! ~ Kat

“And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Read Full Post »

Busy Weekend Despite the Rain

Posted in Family, Health and Fitness, Life, Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on October 1, 2012| Leave a Comment »

I had a busy weekend despite the rain. Barry and I attended a wedding Saturday night in Mandeville. My hubby is friends with the groom. I should have taken a picture of myself. I wore a dress and heels. It is rare for me to wear a dress. I don’t even own the dress I wore. Thank goodness my BFF from the 3rd grade has a well-stocked wardrobe. And, since I have lost weight, I can actually fit in more of her clothes. Hee Hee! As for the heels, they actually do belong to me. I bought them for a scene I did for a showcase for one of my acting classes. I managed to not break an ankle. Anyway, we had a terrific time socializing. The bride was gorgeous, the music was rockin’, and the food was yummy. I did eat a little something healthy before the wedding, so I would not be tempted to overeat. It also allowed me to eat the delicious wedding cake cupcake. The bride and groom did not have a traditional wedding cake with multiple tiers. They had one standard size cake at the top followed by four to five steps lined with giant cupcakes to make it look like a huge wedding cake.  They were so big, Barry and I had to split one. YUM!

On Sunday, I spent the day with my parents. We went to the movies to see End of Watch. It’s a movie about two young cops whose lives are changed after making a bust involving money and guns belonging to a notorious cartel. The three of us enjoyed it. Afterwards, we had lunch at Applebee’s. Before leaving my house that morning, I made a list of acceptable dishes I could eat to stay on the right course. I ordered the Weight Watchers Cabernet Mushroom Sirloin. It included steamed broccoli and new potatoes (15g fat/460 calories).  If I wasn’t so disciplined and could afford to SUPER splurge, I would have ordered the Oriental Chicken Salad. Ready for this…the regular (crispy chicken) with salad dressing is 98g fat and 1,390 calories. OOOF! Now, you can order a half-size, which would bring it down to 49g fat and 690 calories. Unfortunately, that is still too much, especially for a salad.

I have completed my 11th week of eating clean and exercising on a regular basis. Due to eating salty fried appetizers and a bowl of gumbo at the wedding, as well as nature NOT calling before my weekly weigh-in, I am back to 136 pounds. I know it is just a pound, and I know it isn’t a fat pound; however, I dislike not seeing a loss. It’s expectation. I’ve only had one other time on my weight loss journey where I gained, and again it was water weight. Never fear, I’m already over it. It’s a new week with lots of potential. My run/walk schedule for this week: Walk 10 minutes, run 9 minutes. Walk 1 minute, run 9 minutes (repeat twice). I’m so close to running a full 30 minutes.

Hope you have many wonderful blessings this week. Try to be as PRESENT as possible. It helps to keep stress away, and allows more room for happiness. Currently, I’m reading Gretchen Rubin’s new book called Happier at Home. Rubin decided to dedicate a year to another happiness project, but this time focused on her home. I have a feeling my happiness project will be resurfacing after reading this book. Happiness!

“The ship of my life may or may not be sailing on calm and amiable seas. The challenging days of my existence may or may not be bright and promising. Stormy or sunny days, glorious or lonely nights, I maintain an attitude of gratitude. If I insist on being pessimistic, there is always tomorrow. Today I am blessed.”            ~ Maya Angelou

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Mybookworld24

My Life And Everything Within It

www.marcelooleas.com/

The Cozy Burrow

Books, Writing, & The Cozy Life

In Dianes Kitchen

Recipes showing step by step directions with pictures and a printable recipe card.

Grace Thoroughgoods life musings

Mostly Theatre, Books and Travel

Edge of Humanity Magazine

An Independent Nondiscriminatory Platform With No Religious, Political, Financial, or Social Affiliations - FOUNDED 2014

Wandering Ambivert

HappierHealthier.Blog

Creative personal growth toward better health and happiness

Keto Zeal

Movy - Best Movie News

Finger Lakes Connected

Eat Think Wellness

Health Matters

The Kat Files

Finding Adventure in Everyday Life

The Dave Cave

empoweringoneselfblog.wordpress.com/

Get On With It

Writing and drawings by Nick.

theleadlesspencil

Doing the best that I can, at writing, running and living

Brewing Coffee, Twisting Words & Breaking Pencils

Writing Sparkle Books

Li. A. Wake

Author and Screenwriter

dastardly.reads

procrastination.queen

This West London Life

Attempting to live a better story ... and scrapbooking it.

Ask Dr S.

Lifestyle, Performance, Physical Medicine

ilovemyhomebusiness.wordpress.com/

Helping families one family at a time.