Ok....so I think I have found my problem, thanks to
Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project....Yes it's a book, but thankfully for me it is also a
blog. In fact, the blog inspired the book. And every time I get on there to read it, I think, "I want to read this book!!" The funny part is, the last time I was in Pitt, I saw the book when Mom and I went shopping at Barnes and Noble, and something told me to get it then. But did I listen?!
....No, of course not, you'd think I would be like amazing at this "When you have an inspired thought, follow it no matter what thing, but I end up second guessing myself more often than you would probably think.
For me to say that this second guessing is definitely over, well--
To be honest, I know life gets better every day, but it also presents us all with challenges. And a lot of mine have been emotional challenges. But, lately those are converging with my logistical challenges and both are getting to a high level mountain-climbing type form. Not saying that life is beating me up. In fact, thinking about it now, the truth is quite the opposite of a life-size-universal-beating.
Seeing what it is like to live on my own without classes has only set a fire under me to continue. So many people don't think they have what it takes to live the life they dream about. People will say things like, "Having a dream is great, but dreams don't pay the bills." Or, "I can't do that because...(enter any string of excuses you usually use that stop you from living life that you imagine)."
Well, here is the newsflash that has been keeping me up at night over the past week.
No one else I am the one--the only one--that has to live with the choices I make. To me this means a number of things:
Negatives:
- If I make excuses, I am the one that is going to pay for those excuses...
- If I tell myself that I can't do something, I am inevitably closing myself off from opportunities, most of which I will probably never get again.
- If I resign to that, I will be miserable and it will be me I have to thank for it.
Positives:
- Like a wise woman once told me, "The only one stopping you is you."
- I can pursue what brings me joy without feeling the least bit regretful about it.
- My joy is my business, and my business is my joy.
- I can be who I am, without feeling like I have to apologize for being that person.
- My dreams can be and must become my reality.
Life is meant to be joyful and abundant, and so, essentially, everyone is here to find the things that make them smile and the things they love and follow to wherever those things take them. And that is what I am doing for myself.
One resolution that Rubin recommends her reader's take heed to is to .
"Do something every day" Basically, it is just that straight forward. If you want to get yourself to do something, do it every day. This way you don't debate with yourself about whether to do it or not. These are the
four things I am going to commit to do every day:
- Walk
- Write an Examiner article and promote it
- Scrap!!!
- Blog
This is my "Happiness Project." Penny Jenny Designs is my Happiness Project. Or, rather, the journey that the dream of love and Penny Jenny Designs has built for me is my Happiness Project. What's yours? Feel free to share with me below this post : )
Jen
