My own happiness project

I was on amazon the other day and found a book called The Happiness Project.  I read a snippet and decided that I needed to work on my own happiness project.  Now, I am not the type to make big resolutions at the start of a new year, because I used to make a big list and then give up after a few days  weeks..  Rather I like to focus on one new thing, big or small, each month.  January was a small start - washing my face every night before bed.  Doesn't seem like a big deal, but I wear make-up on most days so my co-workers can't see how exhausted I really am.  At night, I was getting quite lazy about removing my make-up, so I made it my January resolution.  February was a bad month with the kids being sick quite literally everyday, so nothing really got done.  I did however attempt to get more sleep.  Most nights I am in bed by 10.  Still no where close to 8 hours a night, but it's a start.  March was used to focus on unpacking boxes and organizing our newly remodeled family room and office space.  (Office could still use a little work, but oh well.)  April was supposed to be my month to focus on my body, but Colin chose that month to be my bedtime buddy and required my presence in his room most of the night.  We are slowly stopping that fun game, so now it's time to focus on ME.

May will be my body happiness project.  I said in an earlier post that I actually weigh less than I did when I got married five and a half years ago (has it really been that long???).  Anyway, that's what lack of sleep, running in 3 directions after 3 kids, and sharing my meals - because why eat off your own plate when you can eat off mommy's - will do to you.  But I'm not all toned and pretty yet.  I've got my Self magazine exercises.  I'm focusing on my arms - last night, Keith said they were Santa Claus arms because I was calling them jiggly - and my thighs because I just don't like them.  If I could really add cardio, and if I liked to run or something, then maybe this twin belly thing I've got going on would also go away, but I kind of have a feeling that's the one thing I'm stuck with.  Well that, and those lovely stretchmarks that run rampant...

But I'm not just going to focus on the outside, but the inside as well.  I drink too much pop, eat too much junk, and just don't pay attention to the food I eat.  So starting on Sunday - because I'm weird like that and like to start things on the first day of the week - I'm cutting out pop and coffee.  Well, maybe not coffee.  I mean, I am still a mom of multiples, with one kid who gets up at least 1-2 times a night, and I get up between 5 and 5:30 a.m., and I work full-time... yeah, maybe I will keep the coffee for now.  Ok, so no pop.  And what I'd really like to do is quit the pre-packaged, processed stuff that I usually eat.  Replace it with healthier things like nuts, and fruit and veggies. 

Right now, I am not setting my goal for the whole month, but rather for the first two weeks of May.  Because I know if I set the goal for the entire month, I won't make it.  Two weeks will be my start.  And because I know myself, I will allow one day a week as a free day, because everybody deserves a break.

I have a few other ideas for my body happiness project, as well as what my goal for June is going to be, but I will save those for later and just focus on these few things for now.  Wish me luck!