Yesterday was a bit rough. I still wasn't feeling well and that meant I was not able to be as productive as I would have liked. Today I feel better, happier and even more motivated to finish a couple of the tasks I began before I started to feel sick. For instance, this morning I plan to finish tackling the guest room filled with all of my useless crap. Seriously, there are plastic containers in there just filled with things that I will never use. So, I will finish going through each container and make a donation pile. Nick is going to have to help me with the donation though. There's a lot to donate. But I'm feeling very good about it.
Last night was a little rough, but Nick and I managed to finish a few more wedding tasks and were able to cross them off our to-do list. That made the day seem a little better. And I tell you what, crossing items off a to-do list can be oh-so satisfying. Furthermore, I am pleased to announce that we have officially booked our honeymoon to Asheville. I may have talked about this before, but we decided to visit a place that was special to us, since we are on a tight budget for the wedding. I'm quite excited about going back to Asheville. We will get to visit our favorite spots and hopefully discover a little more this time. It isn't a luscious, tropical vacation like most honeymoons usually are, but after we've saved some money, we will do plan to go somewhere more tropical. It was our compromise for the time being and a good one at that.
So, I talked about my adventures in the bookstore in my last few posts and I have confession to make. Well, a confession of sorts. I am a sucker for journals and notebooks. Who isn't though? They are just so lovely and inviting, just waiting for you to fill their blank pages with words of wisdom and special moments. Ok, I'm exaggerating a bit. As usual though, I browsed the selection at the bookstore, where the best ones seem to be these days, and came across a journal about gratitude. It's one of those daily journals with prompts (total suck for prompts, right here). It intrigued me, so I picked it up and read through a few of them. The prompts weren't mind-blowing or earth-shattering, but there was something to the idea of expressing what you are grateful for each day. It makes you reflect on your day and the good moments. For instance, the last one I reflected on was about savoring the little moments in your day. Those few extra moments you spend in the shower, sipping your coffee a little more slowly, or lingering in the car to finish singing along with one of your favorite songs (which I do a lot). Needless to say, I bought the journal. Each night I've tried to make a habit of writing in it. It seems to calm me down and let me release the bad moments from my day, in addition to relieving a little stress about tasks that still need to be done. I mention the journal and the prompts because you will most likely hear about them in the future. I'm bound to want to share all of the really good ones with all of you.
I've been reading a little slowly, I admit it. I tend to read about a chapter a day from the Happiness Project, not because I can't read more than that, but I like to really reflect upon each discovery that Gretchen makes. Yesterday was about the novelty of a new activity or purchase, as well as happiness as it relates to work. In order to feel happier, some of us feel the need to buy things. This seems to help in the short-term, but long-term it only makes you feel worse. I mean you are left with less money, a pile of things you didn't actually need, and a soon-to-be-spouse who is less than thrilled about the bedspread you picked out. I've experienced this first hand and it's one of the reasons that I've chosen to de-clutter my life and hold myself more accountable for the things that I purchase. It makes me reflect on the things that I would really want to have (mostly books, food or new music), especially since Nick and I are on a tight budget as soon-to-be newlyweds. I ask myself, "do I really need this?" It doesn't always work as well as I intend for it to, but it does help. Determining what you value most seems to be a recurring theme for my happiness project. Does that mean I've reached a truth, much like Gretchen did in the second chapter? I'm not sure, but the novelty of this project hasn't worn off yet and actually seems to be working, even though I've only just begun.
Work. Hmm, how do I approach this subject? It's a tough one for me because I don't currently have a full-time job. Gretchen talks about the importance of loving what you do and the idea of personal or professional growth. We love to tackle challenges and get upset when we become complacent in a job. She thinks this stems from the fact that we are no longer growing when we become comfortable. I don't know about you, but I do love to be challenged. But I kind of wish that she had applied this in the broader sense, because I believe this applies to the unemployed as well. I am thrilled to be able to spend my time as I see fit during the day, but at the same time I miss having a daily routine or regimen, which often comes with having a job. So it's like being caught in this little whirlpool of not knowing how to feel. I've applied for so many jobs that I've lost count at this point. I have also had a few interviews, but none of them have resulted in an actual job. That's a daunting and depressing realization right there. Just last night, I found out that I wasn't selected for a job that I really wanted. It was disheartening to say the least. I was over-qualified for the position, which I was aware of, and the employer thought I would leave after just a short period of time. It's not what I would have done, but I understand the employer not wanting to take that risk, not really knowing me very well. It forced me to dust my shoulders off and begin the search once more. Just one more task that needs to be done, but I'm hoping I find the right job when the time comes. This could simply be a lesson in not settling.
No comments:
Post a Comment