For July I chose to focus my Happiness Project on "Mindfulness".
July is probably the least stressful month of my year, where I get to sit back and truly enjoy life. With that in mind, I set out to make some goals with the intention of improving my ability to be in the moment.
If you recall, April's goal was Energy; May's was Parenthood; and June's was Friendship. And if you have no idea what I'm talking about (What is a Happiness Project? How can I create one?) I suggest you purchase Gretchen Rubin's book. It is so inspiring.
So, on to this months' goals:
1) Pay Attention to my Body
-breathe
-keep my shoulders down
-eat
-pee
-be warm enough
Funny as some of those may be, I find that when I listen to my body's cues, I am a much happier girl! And when you are chasing three littles around, finding time to eat and pee can sometimes be a challenge!
2) Take Time to Listen to my Instincts
There have been times where I haven't trusted my gut and later I regretted not listening to my inner voice. This month I hope to slow down enough to hear my own thoughts and follow my instincts.
3) Meditate :: Relax :: Do nothing
To put it simply, I want to enjoy life!
I love this quote from One Thousand Gifts (another great read):
"Every time I surrender to stress aren't I advertising the unreliability of God?"
-Ann Voskamp
I want to trust in the goodness and the happy times. I want to enjoy the beauty around me.
4) Practice Self Appreciation
Last month I worked on extending grace to my friends, and this month I want to do the same for myself. I will be keeping a "Good job Journal" in which I can record things I have accomplished or overcome. I think it will help to quiet my inner critic.
5) Allow Myself to Feel How I Feel
It's important that I let my feelings exist without censoring them in any way. Generally that means sharing them with my husband or writing them in my journal. Once I feel them, I can let them go. And that's the quickest route to peace.
6) Be Present, Slowly
Most of all this month, I want to stay in the moment. I want to worry not about the past, nor about the future. I want to be right where I am, as I am, experiencing life to the fullest.
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2 comments:
Thank you for this! For me, preparing for our big move has made this a very stressful month, so I appreciate the reminder to slow down and enjoy the journey!
I love this post! Inspiring!
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