Mission: THRIVE I

2010 Goals

To thrive, I need to feel fit. I need to feel connected to kindred spirits. I need to be close to my family. I need to enjoy my marriage. I need to create. And, most of all, I need to be close to my Creator.

This year, I want to move to the next level in all of those areas. For many of my needs, there is no objective measure . They are subjective... subject to my interpretation.
I have the freedom to choose. I am going to start simple. I hope to dig deeper and work harder as we go along... but, for now... for today... this is it.

For the month of January 2010 I commit to:

• MOVE five days a week.
• Sit with God five days a week.
• Pay attention to five things a day that make me smile... that I am grateful for... write 'em down... SEEK those things, if necessary!
• Read the rest of How We Choose to be Happy
• Keep this Mission: THRIVE working for one more month
• Keep my intention focused on thriving

Seems simple enough.

I'll be reporting back on how this goes.


This is my first attempt at a McLinky List. Amanda, you will just love the fact that I am having to use the html version. =)

This list will stay open until January 15, 2010. Please feel free to join at any time. I will be doing the Mission: THRIVE the last Thursday of every month. Twelve times we can check in and see how each of us are doing on our missions to THRIVE.

I am excited to see a progress of souls seeking to make it to the next level. Some of you may already be thriving... Some may be just trying to climb out of the pit... For all of us, there is a next level... Join us this year... Let's make it better than it has been.

The Intention

For the past three years, I've been swimming in a little pond of grief... fluctuating between denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. I lost my Dad, my youth (actually happened awhile ago... just now facing that), my period, our dog, and, in many ways, my daughter and grandson. I've given up on some "dreams" or "ideals" of family and friendships. I've drifted from God. I've let my health level fall. Now, don't let this sound like my life is all pitiful. It is, most certainly, not. I am very blessed and enjoy a good life with a wonderful husband. I just haven't been thriving in the way that I have enjoyed in the past. I have struggled... with the grief. I'm ready to move on.

I think I am to a place of acceptance (something in me just rejected that... that's a little worrisome).

I could list a million things that I "should" work on. I need to lose weight, get my cholesterol lower, organize my closets, clean out the cluttered laundry room, organize my desk, work in the yard, get the house power washed, finish the living room make-over, mail thank you notes, etc... etc... But, I need goals to hit closer to the center. Goals to bring joy to every day living. Tammy from Timeless and Tattered made this comment earlier on my blog: I want to make my life mean more. Not just the big picture but I want to see the worth in the small things. I want to do more things with my family - not planned big events but just "live" with my family. Enjoy the moments. I want to breathe them in so as not to let all the good stuff slip away. Basically to quote Tim McGraw- I want to live like there is no tomorrow- EVERY DAY. tammy

I bought a book last year entitled How We Choose To Be Happy by Rick Foster and Greg Hicks. According to their studies: there are nine choices that happy people make; the biochemistry of healthy people and happy people is close to the same; and, we can all improve on our level of contentment, capability and centeredness.

The first of these nine choices is: "Intention --the active desire and commitment to be happy and the decision to consciously choose attitudes and behaviors that lead to happiness over unhappiness." That's where I am. I have an intent to THRIVE.

Mission: THRIVE

Thursday, I'm kicking off the Mission: THRIVE. Between now and then, I am going to be doing some introspection and consideration of goals I am going to set for this coming year. I haven't done resolutions in years... but, I am ready to set some goals; to choose my direction; to move toward something instead of drifting along. I am always struck by the saying that: to not choose, you are choosing. So true.

I am going to investigate the "Mr. Linky" gadget so that if any of you would like to join me, you can. I would love to have some company, some encouragement, some accountability, some fresh insights. What do you think it will take for you to thrive? How do you see thriving? What do you have to let go of, embrace, change, move through? I imagine that thriving will have a different look for everyone of us. Our lives are different; we are different. But, we are alot alike, too. Be thinking. Check back Thursday for Mission: THRIVE.

Heading back to Virginia...

Santa came to see Little Man at Noni and Pop-Pop's this year!! He didn't really get what all the big deal was about this time. Still, Christmas was so special with him around.



Our annual porch steps shot...




Little Man, with Mom and Dad, modeling his Penguin Pal.



Sweet little angel about to take a nap...

And, so very sad for Noni... loading up for his trip home... It is empty here without my Little Man and his folks. They accidentally left a burp cloth behind... I keep breathing in his little scent and crying... and breathing in his little scent and crying... but, I am only going to give myself one day to mope. One day to whine and feel sorry for myself. Then I'm starting to work on the thriving plan... I have so very much to be grateful for. I am so blessed to have my family. Even if some of them are far away, we have a deep love for each other and a great joy in spending time together... that is so very much to be grateful for. So very much. And, that is what I am going to focus on!! (After I have whined today... ) ;)

Penguin Pal

Just finished this little penguin toboggan in the nick of time to get it wrapped and under the tree for Little Man!



I had such fun knitting this little guy!!! I cannot wait to see it on Little Man... I'm thinking it may be a bit big... but, then again... maybe not! He grows SO much between times that I get to see him.



Now that the fun knitting is over... back to the afghan that I started (to go with the new color scheme)... and may have jumped in over my head. The line in the pattern book is this: "Repeat after me: I can do this! And, you can, too!" No lie. That is verbatum. We'll see.




It is supposed to end up 54 inches long... man, I have a long way to go! And, it is a booger (at least for me)! Well, I have used up all my spare lunch moments playing on this blog. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas filled with lots of love, peace, joy, comfort and fun! And, food! ;-) Merry Christmas to all!

Birthday Run

Just got home from a nice wintery night's run. I loved coming home to the lights... kind of like my own personal lighted runway (no pun intended... or well, okay, maybe it was intended... lol... I do amuse easily). My dear friend, Troy, had another birthday today. We try to start those celebrations with a morning run. I didn't make the early venture. But, it turned out to be a fine night for a birthday run. The air was heavy and wet. Very quiet. Only soft footfalls and rainfall. Christmas lights. And, I swear... the sound of jingle bells... Happy Birthday, Troy!

Striving to Thrive...

I'm feelin' a bit overwhelmed. I jumped off into the "change the decor" mode... and, the full implications of that are hitting home. Truth is, it's not just the decor that I'm working to change. There are some things I need to change about my life.

While I've been clicking along on these little projects, I've been thinking about the subjects of surviving, striving and thriving. I'm a big believer in thriving. I do belive life throws us some curves... some bumps in the road... some roadblocks... and, sometimes, even a few dead ends. We may have to work to keep putting one foot in front of the other while we survive these times.

Sooner or later, we get our feet back under ourselves... then, it becomes a choice... to continue to just get by... to survive. Or, to choose to thrive. When we choose to thrive, it requires striving sometimes... Striving to make the changes, do the deeds, dig deeper, move ahead.

Whatever the effort involved in the striving... it's always worth it when we are finally thriving...

So, the question is: What would it take in your life for you to thrive? What is it taking? I am thinking after the first of the year we need to have a day we post about this... a Thriving Day... a Striving to Thrive Day... We could encourage each other. Have some accountability. Hmmmm... Well, that's what I've been thinking while I've been clicking away... Any takers???

Inspiration Pieces

After a really tough week... Tess getting really sick again... knowing it was time to let go... Getting the call from my favorite painter on Thursday morning 15 minutes before I was leaving for a meeting that he could get to my living room and dining room NOW, if I wanted. I wanted. What I didn't want was to have to decide on colors without time to really live with samples on the wall for a day or two. Sleepless nights. Two of 'em.



I thought it was going to be in January before he could get to me... Temperatures of 24 degrees stopped the exterior painting on the job they were doing... leaving me a shot to squeeze in... I took it. After one disastrous choice of Silver Sage, which ended up looking like Frankenstein on my ceiling, it is done. Ultimately I chose a color that flew in the face of every bit of advice I solicited. I like it. BIG change... but, it is time for that in my life... LOTS of work to do on making this new color/look complete... but, I love a good challenge... and, I think I've got one!

Today, I found these two mercury glass urns in a 75% off sale!!! I was sooooooooo excited to find them! They are PERFECT inspiration pieces for my new look... They are perfect inspiration pieces for me... Unexpected... Just Right... Almost a Gift... Love 'em!!




The Bungalow 's a changin'...

It was sure quiet coming home to no little greeter tonight... We miss you, Tess.

Tess

We said Goodbye to Tess today.



It's never easy letting go...



We will miss her...

Thank you for all the joy you gave us...

I hope you rest well sweet Tessie... just as you used to piled up in our bed.