Personally, I can look at my kids and feel overwhelming joy.  Every once in a while I can be caught off guard when the stress of the moment suddenly gives way to a moment’s peace and I can clearly remember what is was like as a child to be filled with joy and peacefulness.  Sometimes the day will look brighter, the smells stronger and the wind bringing me back sweet memories of happiness.  But, these are only glimpses of joy and they pass swiftly.

Bills, school, work, kids, unexpected health issues, traffic, everyday strain…these can sometimes dominate our world and suck out the joy.  But, I want that joy back.  Yes, I know life can be hard.  I know that there are days when I simply can’t see past the many challenges and hurdles.  Yet, I still want to find a way to be happy.  I want my kids to appreciate and find all the beauty of life.

In order to teach my kids how to truly embrace happiness, I have a lot of changing to do myself.  I did a bit of research to see how I can try to be truly happy even if I feel like my life is sometimes spinning out of control.  I found some really good ideas on how to change my life for the better:

1. Happy people define success through their own parameters.  They don’t feel the need to live in society’s narrow views of what success should be.  If you don’t think success is wearing a business suit and making lots of money but you do it anyway because that is what is expected of you, it can lead to frustration and disillusionment.  There is no quicker way to unhappiness than that.  Success means living a happy life, so try to do what you love.  Find what makes you happy and you’ll be successful.

2. Happy people are positive thinkers.  Some may come by it  more naturally but others have to really work at it.  I know I do.  However, it is our decision to choose how we react to things.  Happy people make it a priority to see the silver lining in all things, even when no one else can.  Positive thinking can be a powerful tool towards personal happiness.

3. Happy people get things done. They don’t sit around and complain that things aren’t going their way, instead they do what they can to fix the situation and understand that sometimes things simply don’t work out the way we want them to.   Happy people choose to find a way to live with the results and make the best they can out of the situation.

4. Happy people make it a point to be grateful. How many times have you stopped during the day and mentally listed all the things you are grateful for?  Not as often as you list all the things that are negative in your life, right?  Being grateful can make you feel much more positive and happy about life in general.

5. Happy people enjoy life. They really do stop to smell the roses!  They are not so busy that their days go by in a blur.  Instead they infuse their life with a bit of silliness and fun.  Why is it that children are encouraged to play but adults are not?  So play, or just take time to sit peacefully and enjoy the world around you.

6. Finally, and I think this is a biggie. Happy people don’t live in the past.  They don’t let regret and guilt weigh them down.  Happy people tend to live in the here and now and enjoy it.

I know changing my attitude and perceptions will require time and work.  Today’s society is so steeped in instant gratification that it is easy to blow working towards happiness off and try to pop a pill for it instead.  Personally, I want a true personality overhaul.  I tend to be a pessimist and get easily swayed by the negative things in my life.  I really want to enjoy my life and all of the positive things I have.

To start, when I really think about it, I have way more positive things in my life than negative, but it is so easy to forget that.  So I am going to work at this happy thing.  I know it won’t be easy, but I know it will be worth it.

Resources

www.dumblittleman.com/2009/09/9-secrets-of-truly-happy-people.html

www.icnc.org/scratchpad/a153.htm

 

You impatiently wait a few moments before reading that exciting word, PREGNANT, on the test.  Your heart races.  Images of walking a carriage on a nice spring day start to play in your mind.  You tell your husband and you’re both thrilled to be starting your family.  But, wait.  Not so fast.  There are nine months to get through before baby arrives.  Your journey between now and then will be long and winding and filled with a ton of surprises.  What kind of surprises you ask?  Well, these are the things that surprised me when I was pregnant!

 

 

 

• Morning Sickness is not confined to the morning hours.  I was sick from dinner until the wee hours of the morning and completely devoid of heartburn and nausea during the day.  Some women are sick 24/7 and others don’t get sick at all.  It’s all individual.
• Your areolas turn into a mood ring.  As the pregnancy progresses, hormones cause a darkening of not only your nipples but your nether areas, stomach and face as well. While chloasma, the brown spots appearing on the skin, cannot be prevented, after child birth it usually fades over time.
• It’s okay to not love being pregnant.  Movies portray pregnant women as thrilled to be in the condition they are, happy and completely content.  However, not every woman wakes up every day loving the journey she’s on.  While we may fall head over heels the moment we see the positive sign on the stick, the changes that occur in our bodies can make us feel out of control and sometimes, depressed.  If you are experiencing symptoms of depression, such as uncommon sleep patterns, loss of appetite, inability to stop eating, exaggerated and uncontrollable mood swings, talk to your doctor immediately.
• It might be 40 degrees outside, but to you it’s 80. Because your blood flow increases to support your body as well as your baby’s, increased sweating is common during pregnancy.  Feeling excessively warm is not out of the ordinary for most pregnant women so dress in layers so that you can remove clothing if you become hot.  Also, having a cold bottle of water handy at all times can help keep the body cool. 
• The glow everyone talks about… might be acne. While some women are relishing the radiance that their pregnancy has given them, others are battling acne the way they did in high school.  Because pregnancy hormones increase oil production, sebaceous glands can become clogged causing cystic acne to occur.  While pregnancy acne cannot be avoided there are ways to help combat it.  Wash your face religiously in the morning and before bed with a mild, detergent-free cleanser.  Make sure your moisturizers are oil-free. Do not squeeze or pop your pimples no matter how tempting it might be.  Before using any pimple creams, talk to your doctor first.  Some ingredients in zit zappers, over the counter and prescription, are not safe for pregnant women to use.

No matter the symptoms you are experiencing, try to enjoy every moment.  Whether you’re jolly and in love with the amazing feat your body is accomplishing or cursing every second, this is the most amazing experience you will ever have.  Even if you’re frustrated, bloated and completely uncomfortable during your pregnancy, the moment the baby arrives safely in your arms, you’ll experience pure joy.