Earlier this year I read The Happiness Project, a wonderful book that has had a way of sticking with me. In the book, author Gretchen Rubin embarks on a year long project to explore happiness. She wants to better understand the concept of happiness, and wants to learn how to be more happy herself. I thought it was fascinating.
I found that she and I have very similar ways of thinking. There were lots of little things she said, or observations she had that really resonated with me. It was one of those books where you catch yourself reading and rereading lines. Rubin had SO many little things to think about, that really changed the way I view things.
The book/her project broke down into lots of resolutions (things to do to improve yourself or your happiness) and commandments (general rules that she lives by). One commandment that struck me, and continues to make me think is "Be Gretchen." (or in my case, obviously, "Be Becky.")
What Rubin said is that you are naturally going to be happiest when you are being most YOU...being true to yourself. It's so simple...but so easy to forget. I feel like we live in a world where people want to fit in...they want to have what everyone else has and do what everyone else does. But does that really make any of us happy?
Since reading the book I've tried to be hyper aware of what it means to "Be Becky." I realize I know more about myself than I thought I did. Although some of the things I know about myself I'm not super proud of...or maybe a little embarrassed by...but I've realized that being true to myself does, in fact, make me a lot happier.
Here are a few random things that I know about "Being Becky":
1. I like alcoholic drinks, but it's hardly ever worth it to me to pay for one. If I'm out with someone who's covering the tab, or something, I'll have a drink...but if I have to pay $5 for a glass of wine or a beer, I'll just have water. If I'm going to buy a drink, I'll probably just get a pop. It's cheaper and I think it tastes better. It makes me happier to save money then to spend money on alcohol.
2. I am a rule follwer. I wait for the walk sign to cross the street. I never broke curfew... and when I wanted to/was going to, I cleared it with my mom. At least to a certain degree, I think rules are there for a reason, and it makes me happy to follow them. **Note: I suppose this would not include any ridiculous rules...but at the moment, I can't think of any**
3. I'm a homebody. Generally I am happier at home with my family or friends, then out and about in a large crowd.
So I realize the above make me sound a little (or a lot) lame, which I suppose is the struggle that Rubin is talking about. We need to let go of the desires to fit in, or please other people, or etc., and just be ourselves. Accept it. Embrace it. And we will likely be happier.
I'm still in the process of letting what I read in The Happiness Project sink in. "Being Becky" is something I work on on a daily basis. And the crazy thing is that at 29 I'm still learning things about who I am, and what I actually like and enjoy, and what ultimately makes me happy.
If you are looking for a thought-provoking, interesting book, check out The Happiness Project.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Saturday, September 15, 2012
13 Months
Linnea,
You are 13 months old! Crazy talk! You fill our lives and our hearts with joy, and amaze us each day by showing us the sweet, loving, smart, silly little person you have become. Here is an update on what you are doing these days:
Eating and Sleeping:
We are feeding you "big person" food more and more, and you continue to be a good eater...but you are starting to become a bit picky! You are definitely developing opinions about what you like...and don't like. You continue to have three full meals with a sippy cup of milk/water at each, and an afternoon snack after your nap. We are finding more and more that you are driven by your tummy. You can be CRANKY one minute, and then you get a little food in you and you're okay.
At the beginning on Sept. we introduced you to whole milk. For now, we mix the whole milk with frozen breast milk, but soon you'll just have whole milk. You're doing great with it!
Right after you turned one we started reducing the time of your morning nap. You sleep just 20 minutes or so in the morning, and then have a nice long nap in the afternoon. You are adjusting pretty well. We look forward to the flexibility that one nap will bring! Early September you naturally pushed your bedtime a little later, which we love. We get to have more dinners as a family of three, and we get to spend a little more time with you in the evenings. Dinner is now at 6:00, with bedtime routine starting at 7:00.
Likes and Dislikes:
Likes:
Talking: Hi is still your only "real" word, but you continue to be quite the chatterbox. Whatever you are saying, it is clearly pretty important. :-)
Other Happenings:
Love,
Mama and Daddy
You are 13 months old! Crazy talk! You fill our lives and our hearts with joy, and amaze us each day by showing us the sweet, loving, smart, silly little person you have become. Here is an update on what you are doing these days:
Eating and Sleeping:
We are feeding you "big person" food more and more, and you continue to be a good eater...but you are starting to become a bit picky! You are definitely developing opinions about what you like...and don't like. You continue to have three full meals with a sippy cup of milk/water at each, and an afternoon snack after your nap. We are finding more and more that you are driven by your tummy. You can be CRANKY one minute, and then you get a little food in you and you're okay.
At the beginning on Sept. we introduced you to whole milk. For now, we mix the whole milk with frozen breast milk, but soon you'll just have whole milk. You're doing great with it!
Right after you turned one we started reducing the time of your morning nap. You sleep just 20 minutes or so in the morning, and then have a nice long nap in the afternoon. You are adjusting pretty well. We look forward to the flexibility that one nap will bring! Early September you naturally pushed your bedtime a little later, which we love. We get to have more dinners as a family of three, and we get to spend a little more time with you in the evenings. Dinner is now at 6:00, with bedtime routine starting at 7:00.
Likes and Dislikes:
Likes:
- Your "stack-a-doo" toys from the Getchi - you got them for your birthday and they've been non-stop fun ever since.
- Being busy busy busy busy - up and down stairs, walking around everywhere, getting into anything and everything.
- Peek-A-Boo
- Carrying around "preschi" (our plural for "precious"). You love finding little trinkets and toys and carrying them with you. You pick the most funny, random things!
- Books - you have started to bring them to us to read - so fun!
- Animals - Luther, animals at the State Fair, Bob the Cat...you love them all!
- Favorite foods: fruit (bananas, strawberries, blueberries), toast/bread, cheese.
- Being independent.
- Playing "bonk" (doing head butts)
- Getting up in the morning - you have been so cranky lately! You are slow to wake up, and fussy as all get out sometimes, but slowly come around to your happy self.
- Not getting what you want. :-)
- Being set down by mama/not getting to be by mama all the time. I love you very much, but you are sometimes SO clingy these days. I work hard at not giving into you, because I know you need to learn that you don't need mama all the time (**tear**)
Talking: Hi is still your only "real" word, but you continue to be quite the chatterbox. Whatever you are saying, it is clearly pretty important. :-)
Other Happenings:
- Your birthday party on 8/18.
- Our family trip to the State Fair - the second time you've been, but what a difference from last year! You had a great time - you got a few bites of mama and daddy's food, got to "drive a tractor," and pet lots of animals (your favorite!)
- A trip to Grand Marais over Labor Day weekend- we stayed with your great aunt Barbie and had a wonderful time. We did a little caching, some shopping downtown, and relaxed.
Love,
Mama and Daddy
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
30 Before 30 - Month 3
August was a fun, busy month for my 30 Before 30 project!! I had SUCH a good time crossing things off my list, and experiencing all the fun those things had to offer. :-)
The month started with a HUGE weekend - something every day!! That Friday started with a trip to Mall of America to get my eyebrows threaded. A week or so before I had done some very scientific research (read: polled my Facebook friends and did some web browsing) to find out if I wanted to thread or wax, and where I wanted to go.
The overwhelming opinion of my wise and well-informed Facebook friends was that threading was the way to go - less damaging in the long run to the sensitive skin around your eyes. A place at Mall of America was recommended. It's close, and inexpensive, and comes recommended - how could I go wrong?
After a bit of a wait at the salon, it was my turn. I was surprisingly nervous, because people warned me that it hurt quite a bit. However, it wasn't as bad as I thought! It was like tweezing on steroids. Uncomfortable for sure, but fleeting. In the spirit of the project, and letting myself splurge I decided to get my lip done too (okay, that's a bit embarrassing...but the little baby hairs there were really getting to me!). Overall I was pleased with the results. (See before and after shots to see for yourself). I had to do a bit of clean up with some stray hairs, but it wasn't bad, especially given the price. I think that this is something I can maintain with tweezing, and maybe just get them threading occasionally. I don't know why, but I always feel better about myself when my eyebrows look good. :-) I'm not really a girly girl (understatement), but I guess this is where a bit of that side comes out.
The next day (Saturday), Jackie, Sarah, and I participated in the Dirty Girl mud run at Welch Village. It was SO much fun. The race was a little tougher than I expected - not the obstacles or the distance, but the hills. UFFFDA.
Throughout the 5K route, we climbed through mud pits, scaled walls and cargo nets, stepped through tires, and got really, really dirty. It was nice, because the race was a woman's race, which made for a very supportive and fun environment. Strangers cheered and encouraged each other, apologized for missteps, and aided each other down scary obstacles (the wall and the cargo net).
The three of us had a GREAT time. This is one item on my 30 Before 30 list that has been something I've really wanted to do for a long time. It lived up to (and perhaps even exceeded expectations). I would definitely do a race like this again!
The next day (Sunday) was a TWO ITEM kind of day! In the morning, I decided to mix things up from the previous months, and try my hand at making breakfast. I've really been getting into some recipe blogs lately, and found the recipe on one of the new blogs I started following (http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/). The recipe was for Strawberry Chocolate Banana Baked Oatmeal. Uhhh...yum!
The recipe was easy - oats, some sugar, cinnamon, etc., along with strawberries, bananas, and chocolate chips. Yum! The consistency was a bit different than I was expecting. I thought that it would be a bit firmer - like a soft cookie or granola bar, but it was more like thick oatmeal. Either way, it was super delicious.
I made that, along with a side of bacon (my first time making bacon) and some strawberries. We got to enjoy the meal as a family (which is a treat these days because of schedule coordination). It was really wonderful, all the way around. :-)
The breakfast fueled me up for the event of the afternoon - water skiing! The weekend before we had gone to Jeromy's family's cabin, with hopes of going water skiing. Unfortunately, because of issues with the boat it was not in the water, and thus not able to be used for water skiing. So upon our return, I somewhat frantically looked for another alternative. Luckily, it didn't take too long of a search. Thanks to my well-connected Pastor Mom, I discovered that the Minister of Music at our church (Gary) is a boat owner, avid water skiier, and enthusiastic teacher! AWESOME.
Lucky for us, the weather was PERFECT. So out we headed onto Lake Riley in Eden Prairie (with my parents, for moral support). Our afternoon started with a skiing lesson on land, which I thought was kind of funny (at first). But when I gave it a chance I realized the land lesson really helped me get the feel of what it's supposed to feel like. Gary had me do it the right way a couple times (using your core strength to get you up) and then the wrong way a couple times (using your arms and upper body to pull you up). After running through that, we were ready to get into the water.
After a little bit of awkwardness on my part (getting the skis on, and then in the right position is harder than it might seem), I was ready to go. The land lesson paid off because I got up on the skis on the very first try!!! This was much improved from the first and only other time I've gone water skiing, when I spent all afternoon trying to get up on the skis with no long. This time it felt AWESOME. I was so proud of myself, and I'm sure I was grinning from ear to ear.
With a bit more practice I was riding over the wakes, and skiing one handed! I had so much fun.
Oh! I forgot! I also watched Good Will Hunting. Like I said, it was a big weekend! The movie was great...and not just because it stars my biggest celebrity crush (Matt Damon). Clearly, it deserved all the acclaim it's received...well written, good acting, interesting story. A good choice for my list. :-)
The final item crossed off the list this month was a trip to the Blue Door Pub. Blue Door Pub is a well known and popular burger joint in St. Paul. The restaurant is famous for their specialty juicy lucys. Jeromy and I decided to bring our friend Deb to join in the fun. Deb had taken family pictures for us a few weeks before, and lives in the area.
We started the meal with "Latin Kisses" - cream-cheese filled jalapenos, wrapped in bacon - delish! Next - the burgers! I had a Hawaiian style burger - filled with mozzarella cheese and Canadian bacon, and topped with pineapple and a sweet chili sauce. Add in a side of fries, and you've got one delicious, list worthy meal!
I had SUCH a fun month, and have been having such a good time with my 30 Before 30 challenge. I've done so many things I've wanted to do for a long time. I've gotten some good practice at letting go, and learning how to enjoy myself a bit. I've got a ways to go on the list, but I look forward to every bit of it!
The month started with a HUGE weekend - something every day!! That Friday started with a trip to Mall of America to get my eyebrows threaded. A week or so before I had done some very scientific research (read: polled my Facebook friends and did some web browsing) to find out if I wanted to thread or wax, and where I wanted to go.
The overwhelming opinion of my wise and well-informed Facebook friends was that threading was the way to go - less damaging in the long run to the sensitive skin around your eyes. A place at Mall of America was recommended. It's close, and inexpensive, and comes recommended - how could I go wrong?
After a bit of a wait at the salon, it was my turn. I was surprisingly nervous, because people warned me that it hurt quite a bit. However, it wasn't as bad as I thought! It was like tweezing on steroids. Uncomfortable for sure, but fleeting. In the spirit of the project, and letting myself splurge I decided to get my lip done too (okay, that's a bit embarrassing...but the little baby hairs there were really getting to me!). Overall I was pleased with the results. (See before and after shots to see for yourself). I had to do a bit of clean up with some stray hairs, but it wasn't bad, especially given the price. I think that this is something I can maintain with tweezing, and maybe just get them threading occasionally. I don't know why, but I always feel better about myself when my eyebrows look good. :-) I'm not really a girly girl (understatement), but I guess this is where a bit of that side comes out.
The next day (Saturday), Jackie, Sarah, and I participated in the Dirty Girl mud run at Welch Village. It was SO much fun. The race was a little tougher than I expected - not the obstacles or the distance, but the hills. UFFFDA.
Throughout the 5K route, we climbed through mud pits, scaled walls and cargo nets, stepped through tires, and got really, really dirty. It was nice, because the race was a woman's race, which made for a very supportive and fun environment. Strangers cheered and encouraged each other, apologized for missteps, and aided each other down scary obstacles (the wall and the cargo net).The three of us had a GREAT time. This is one item on my 30 Before 30 list that has been something I've really wanted to do for a long time. It lived up to (and perhaps even exceeded expectations). I would definitely do a race like this again!
The next day (Sunday) was a TWO ITEM kind of day! In the morning, I decided to mix things up from the previous months, and try my hand at making breakfast. I've really been getting into some recipe blogs lately, and found the recipe on one of the new blogs I started following (http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/). The recipe was for Strawberry Chocolate Banana Baked Oatmeal. Uhhh...yum!
The recipe was easy - oats, some sugar, cinnamon, etc., along with strawberries, bananas, and chocolate chips. Yum! The consistency was a bit different than I was expecting. I thought that it would be a bit firmer - like a soft cookie or granola bar, but it was more like thick oatmeal. Either way, it was super delicious.
The breakfast fueled me up for the event of the afternoon - water skiing! The weekend before we had gone to Jeromy's family's cabin, with hopes of going water skiing. Unfortunately, because of issues with the boat it was not in the water, and thus not able to be used for water skiing. So upon our return, I somewhat frantically looked for another alternative. Luckily, it didn't take too long of a search. Thanks to my well-connected Pastor Mom, I discovered that the Minister of Music at our church (Gary) is a boat owner, avid water skiier, and enthusiastic teacher! AWESOME.
Lucky for us, the weather was PERFECT. So out we headed onto Lake Riley in Eden Prairie (with my parents, for moral support). Our afternoon started with a skiing lesson on land, which I thought was kind of funny (at first). But when I gave it a chance I realized the land lesson really helped me get the feel of what it's supposed to feel like. Gary had me do it the right way a couple times (using your core strength to get you up) and then the wrong way a couple times (using your arms and upper body to pull you up). After running through that, we were ready to get into the water.After a little bit of awkwardness on my part (getting the skis on, and then in the right position is harder than it might seem), I was ready to go. The land lesson paid off because I got up on the skis on the very first try!!! This was much improved from the first and only other time I've gone water skiing, when I spent all afternoon trying to get up on the skis with no long. This time it felt AWESOME. I was so proud of myself, and I'm sure I was grinning from ear to ear.
With a bit more practice I was riding over the wakes, and skiing one handed! I had so much fun.Oh! I forgot! I also watched Good Will Hunting. Like I said, it was a big weekend! The movie was great...and not just because it stars my biggest celebrity crush (Matt Damon). Clearly, it deserved all the acclaim it's received...well written, good acting, interesting story. A good choice for my list. :-)
The final item crossed off the list this month was a trip to the Blue Door Pub. Blue Door Pub is a well known and popular burger joint in St. Paul. The restaurant is famous for their specialty juicy lucys. Jeromy and I decided to bring our friend Deb to join in the fun. Deb had taken family pictures for us a few weeks before, and lives in the area.
We started the meal with "Latin Kisses" - cream-cheese filled jalapenos, wrapped in bacon - delish! Next - the burgers! I had a Hawaiian style burger - filled with mozzarella cheese and Canadian bacon, and topped with pineapple and a sweet chili sauce. Add in a side of fries, and you've got one delicious, list worthy meal!
I had SUCH a fun month, and have been having such a good time with my 30 Before 30 challenge. I've done so many things I've wanted to do for a long time. I've gotten some good practice at letting go, and learning how to enjoy myself a bit. I've got a ways to go on the list, but I look forward to every bit of it!
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