Anyone else see Alyssa’s prompt “what you hope people receive from you” and suck in some air? This is one that really gets deep and gets your gears turning, am I right? All at once everything and nothing came to me. We all want to be that cool person that says “I don’t care what people think of me.” But let’s be honest with ourselves, shall we? We do in some way, at least a little. Not everyone is going to like you, and that is cool I get that. And you shouldn’t live your life tip-toeing around to please other people or getting them to like you. At the end of the day though, whether you like me or not…what I want you to take away is that I am Nadine. I want people to at least say, well at least she is genuine and true to herself.
Because I am here to tell you, I am the same person no matter what situation I am in or who I am with. Sure, I might be more reserved in a professional group or around people I don’t know…but I am still Nadine. I might filter my use of cuss words around elders and children…..but I am still Nadine. I might not express my views of politics, religion, or what football team I root for to every person I encounter…but I am still Nadine.
And honestly, I really want people to just think I am kind and clever. Because when it comes down to it, I honestly do have good intentions. I want people to feel like I listen, respect their opinions (even if they are wrong) and just feel comfortable around me. Even if I am awkward sometimes.
I want to be a place for laughter and support. Where you know you are going to get an honest answer. I am nothing if not honest.
So I did it. I read The Happiness Project. I am going to be completely honest with you, I am not a self-help book kind of person. I think more often or not they are a bit hokey to me and I just don’t enjoy or take much from them. However, I have heard so many people say that The Happiness Project really did change their entire outlook on life or really gave them insight. I figured, why not? I am not going to go in to a whole review of the book or anything like that, but I do want to share a few things that I have really taken from the book that are already improving my life.
Be Nadine – There are several references in the book where Gretchen tries something new or feels forced to do something and then she asks if this is something Gretchen would do or like. I am a people-pleaser. I know this about myself. Sometimes I will do something I don’t enjoy or act like I agree with someone just to please. Here’s the thing though, I am not being Nadine. Obviously there are compromises in life. I am talking about forcing yourself to do things you don’t like because you feel like you should like it or other people like it so maybe if you keep trying you will too. Enough!!! Just be yourself. Be true to yourself and you will find that you are a lot happier!!! Now, I was never one to be fake. I am the same Nadine in any situation, just sometimes if I am in a more professional setting or around people I don’t know I might be a more conservative version of myself but I will never pretend to be someone I am not. This is more about not forcing myself to like or want to do things that aren’t me.
Do It Now – I can procrastinate about things. It is one of my flaws. I work much better when I am under a time crunch. One of Gretchen’s things is if a task takes a minute or less to do….do it now. How simple is that?!?!? All of the one minute tasks can add up really quickly if you let them slide. I am putting this to practice in my life right now and it is making such a difference in my productivity!!!
Letting go of things that don’t bring you joy. I know I read Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, but it really did nothing for me. Listening to Gretchen talk about her organizing was much more motivational and I related to it much more. Basically you want to let go of things that don’t bring you joy. She made the point that your closet will have more room and be much more organized with less items. And while you have less clothes, it will feel like you have more because you literally love everything you have. It just clicked and I let go of two huge trash bags full of items after reading this book.
Identify the problem, find a solution. This is another simple concept but makes so much sense. Gretchen’s example was that there were these tiny little trinket toys that her kids loved and wanted to keep. The problem? There was no where to store them and having them all over the house drove Gretchen nuts. The solution? She went to The Container Store and bought beautiful glass jars to store them in and she put them on a shelf so not only do they have a home, but they look cute with her decor. If there is something in your life, home or work that isn’t making you happy, identify what the problem is and come up with a solution. Chances are you can only benefit from this!
Needing gold stars. There is a section of the book where Gretchen talks about her relationship with her husband. It really hit home for me because it reminds me of how I can be. Gretchen admitted that she needs “gold stars” of recognition for things that she is constantly doing around the house and she feels like maybe her husband takes it for granted. I personally take on most of our household cleaning. While most days I go about my business and think nothing of it, some days I will come home and just be irritated that there is a pile of laundry on Chris’s side of the bed or he left a stack of dishes in the sink that I need to put in the dishwasher. Gretchen says that instead of being irritated that you are now having to do that task…think more of the fact that you are doing it for yourself because you cant stand to have the mess or clutter. This way, you can’t be let down when you don’t receive recognition or appreciation for these tasks. Mind. Blown.
There is so much more that I took away from the book, like simply waking up and choosing to be happy. But these are the top five things that I have put into practice and am happier for it. Have you read The Happiness Project or ever worked on a happiness project of your own? Jenn has her own Happiness Project that you could read about too if you are looking for ideas! her talking about the book and her own project was actually the final push for me to read this for myself so thanks Jenn!
One year from now I want to remember the nervous burst of excitement I had taking that first pregnancy test. I want to remember the immense amount of happiness that flooded me when I saw that faint pink second line. I want to remember that when I told Chris, Smashing Pumpkin’s 1979 was playing in the background. I want to remember hearing my sister squeal with shock and delight when I told her she was going to be an aunt. I want to remember that first time I heard that quick baby heart beat and felt her move in my belly. I want to remember how incredible it felt when we were told “it’s a girl!”
I want to remember all the conversations that Chris and I have had during this pregnancy about how excited we are, things that we want to do to prep for baby, the great debate over names. How many times we had to paint the nursery to get it right. And most importantly, I just want to remember how incredible it feels to have a life growing inside of me and how much I love someone I haven’t even met yet.
Let’s face it, pregnancy isn’t a cake walk, there are a lot of unpleasant moments. But in the end, you get a beautiful baby! That is pretty magical.
Alyssa’s Prompt “one thing about today you want to make sure you remember in one year from now.”
When I think of the word peace, I automatically picture myself sitting on the beach in the early morning as the sun is rising and no one is around. The waves are crashing in to the shore, you can hear the birds above out in search for their breakfast. Sitting next to the ocean just brings this inner peace like nothing else.
I also like to think about all the other every day comforts that bring peace to my life.
Peace is….
The sounds and smells of a fire place crackling on a crisp winter night.
Listening to the rain fall from under your blankets.
Doggie snuggles after a long day.
A day of shopping with my mom or a phone conversation with my sister.
Lunch with your bestie on a Wednesday.
Looking at the stars on a clear night.
Freshly cleaned sheets.
A candle burning.
A hot bath filled with eucalyptus scented salts.
A familiar old song on a bad day.
The sound of falling snow.
The first morning you step out and smell fall in the air.
When Alyssa came up with a Blogging Non-Challenge Challenge, I thought….I’m in!!! To get the prompts and details, you can check out her post on that here. The very first prompt was songs that define your life and why. Music has always been important to me throughout my life. I am one of those people that has about a million different favorite songs for different reasons. And if you looked through my Spotify playlists you would never guess that they all belonged to one person, as I like so many different genres of music.
There is just something special about certain songs for me. They spark a memory or certain time in my life. A certain lyric reminds me of where I was or my potential to be where I want to be.
Here I Go Again by Whitesnake
I don’t know where I’m goin’
But I sure know where I’ve been
Hanging on the promises in songs of yesterday
An’ I’ve made up my mind, I ain’t wasting no more time
Here I go again, here I go again
We moved several times when I was younger, but our very first big move was from Pennsylvania to Missouri. I will never forget the day we backed out of my grandmother’s driveway and this song came on. I remember looking back with tears rolling down my face knowing that we may never move back “home.” Here I am, 23 years later and I was right. I never did move back home. In fact, we moved from Missouri to Georgia, and then when I was in college….my family left me and moved to Alabama. I moved around different areas of Georgia for 13 years before I landed myself in Alabama. If you would have told 1993 Nadine that she would be living in Alabama and starting her family there….she wouldn’t have believed it!
Glycerine by Bush
Don’t let the days go by
Glycerin
I heard this song for the first time the transition summer between 8th grade and my freshman year of high school. We were moving from one area of Missouri to the next and I was upset because I felt like I had finally gotten settled in to my life and who I was at one school and now I was being uprooted right before…what I thought at the time…was one of my most important transitions in to high school. I can’t tell you how many times this song has been played by me.
All I Have to Give by The Backstreet Boys
But my love is all I have to give
Without you I don’t think I can live
I wish I could give the world to you
But love is all I have to give
I couldn’t make a soundtrack to my life without including at least one song from Backstreet Boys or NSYNC. I think I liked NSYNC a little more but this is my absolute favorite song out of all of them.
My Way by Butch Walker
So you grew up in a town where everybody’s all the same.
Like a city full of zombies going by the same name.
Saying “Eat this”, “Wear that,” Think ya know just where it’s at,
when everybody’s just alike, Now tell me how you deal with that!
This much is true, So here’s the finger let me say it.
There’s the right way, then there’s my way
there’s a highway, if you don’t like it you can take it.
So just talk away, I don’t hear a word you say.
I’ll be my way. If you don’t like it you can take it.
I can’t tell you how many times I have seen Butch Walker in concert, alone and with Marvelous Three. This song reminds me of high school and college. I can be in the worst of a mood and as soon as I hear this song it just cheers me up!!! Same goes for this next song….
Pursuit of Happiness by Kid Cudi
People told me slow my roll
I’m screaming out fuck that
I’m a do just what I want
Looking ahead no turning back
If I fall if I die
Know I lived it to the fullest
If I fall if I die
Know I lived and missed some bullets
I’m on the pursuit of happiness and I know
Everything that’s shine ain’t always gonna be gold (hey)
I’ll be fine once I get it, get it in, I’ll be good
Who isn’t in the pursuit of happiness in life? Life moves so fast and sometimes you get down but you have to get back up again. I think so many people can relate to this song.
Meet Me Halfway by The Black Eyed Peas
Meet me half way, right at the borderline
That’s where I’m gonna wait, for you
I’ll be looking out, night n’ day
Took my heart to the limit, and this is where I’ll stay
This song came out around the time that Chris and I started dating. I lived in Atlanta and he lived in Birmingham. Every single weekend one of us would travel to the other, usually it was Chris coming to Atlanta. We always joked that this was our song during our long distance part of our relationship.
First Dance by Corey Smith
I see heaven in your eyes
And feel god movin in this room
Ain’t love the greatest gift of all
Ain’t it amazing what desire can do
This is the first dance
But it won’t be the last
Timeless moments like this
They won’t ever be a thing of the past
We’ll spark a candle tonight
An eternal flame of romance
When the honeymoon is over baby
I’ll still move you like the first dance
Yeah I’ll always turn you on
And move you like the first dance
If Chris and I would have had a traditional wedding and reception, I would have wanted this song to play at some point. The lyrics are so beautiful and it is how I feel about marriage. You should always still want to move like the first dance.
XXX XXXX
I have one more song that I would like to add to the soundtrack of my life, but I wont be sharing that for about 7-8 more weeks. When I finally do share it, you will know why!
Just for funnsies, here is a quiz to help you find a song lyric that describes your life right now. I for FM Static Hey Now.
“Every minute I’m not with you
I hope I’ll see you soon,
There’s just something that happens
When you walk into the room
And instantly I feel so complete
It hits me right about the time you kiss my cheek
And you give me this feeling
It’s like no other feeling
But it knocks me off my feet”
You’re either in love, or crushing hard, and very happy. Maybe you have an amazing bf/gf who knocks you off your feet, or maybe you just have a crush
I am in love and happy 🙂 Tell me what you got if you took the quiz!
