I love the quotes and photos posted on icanread. I find them inspiring. I printed a few and laminated them and placed them around my classroom. Everyone needs a reminder of happy things.

• I ran a 10k! I’m actually still surprised I did this.
• Tranee and I took a girl trip to Fredericksburg.
• JMO and I took a cooking class, which he gave me for Christmas.
• I went to visit Mike in Orlando for Spring Break.
• I was named rookie teacher of the year for my school district.
• My family and I spent a week at the beach in Florida visiting with my relatives.
• I travelled to Honduras for my first mission trip.
• I enjoyed karaoke with my pal.
• JMO and I have been dating for five years!
• My cousin got married in New Orleans, not only did I get a mini vacation, but I got lots of family time!
• I completed a year long Happiness Project

Next year….

In 2012 I have a few broad plans. I’d like to save more money. At my age, I feel like I should have a little more in the bank. That means only buying things I truly want and having a plan. I quit my gym this week. The monthly amount I paid for my gym fee will now automatically go into savings. I’ve really enjoyed doing bootcamps, zumba classes, and whatever else I find a Groupon for. Indpendent studios are more motivating to me. I’m doing the Rodeo Run again in February, so that will motivate me to get outside and run a little more. Next year I want to continue to spend time with people and make sure they know what they mean to me. Life has been good to me, and I hope it continues to be!

• Spending time with loved ones. I love people, and those that are my closest friends and family mean the world to me. I made it a monthly goal to have a “friend night.” On this night, I would have to make plans to hang out with my college gals. My family and I some great visits, I spent a great deal of time with JMO, and I strengthened friendships with some new work pals.
• Mini-adventures. There is a lot to do in the Houston area, in Texas, and in general. On the weekends I am tired, and don’t often push myself. I made it a priority to get out of the house and go to a museum, go out of town for a weekend, or just do something. Activities rock and I did them with people (who I love) so of course this contributed to my happiness.
• Sleep. My mood varies greatly depending on how well I rested. Getting sleep is important!
• Positivity. It is a struggle for me to remain positive. One month I recorded one positive thing from everyday. The negative things come up quicker, but they are best forgotten. Being positive had such an impact on my great year.
• Creating goals and sticking to them. A sense of accomplishment goes a long way. I was really proud of myself for working out more, praying more, being more positive, getting more sleep, and spending quality time with people. Although I never managed to do it at the same time, I did do all of those things!

Tracking behavior was such a great learning tool for me. I know that pursuing happiness never truly ends, and I look forward to making that journey. Next year I probably won’t make a goal for every month, but I’d like to make goals in months where I notice something slipping. I don’t have to wait till New Years to start fresh, I can start on the first of the month or any Monday. Change can happen and I’ve grown A LOT this year trying to get happier!

Most native Texans I know have been to Enchanted Rock. In college, I was interested in checking it out, but no on was ever interested in accompanying me. Mike and Tranee went three years ago while I was working, and I was jealous. Then, last Spring, Tranee and I went on a girls trip to Fredericksberg. We were so close! But we already had planned out our whole weekend. So, I added hiking Enchanted Rock to my life list. Yesterday, we did it! It wasn’t a very long hike, but fairly steep. It was great to spend the day with Mike and Tranee! And… I get to mark something on my list as completed, which just feels really good!

]]> http://pickmeg.com/2011/12/enchantedrock/feed/ 0 http://pickmeg.com/2011/12/in-constant-pursuit-of-happiness/ http://pickmeg.com/2011/12/in-constant-pursuit-of-happiness/#comments Sun, 18 Dec 2011 21:45:48 +0000 meg http://pickmeg.com/?p=1381 JMO got me an UP band for Christmas, and I have already opened it. I am absolutely fascinated by the sleep graphs and how many steps I’ve taken. Last year, I made it a goal to become happier in 2011. Every month I’ve made goals, and struggled to stick with them. But, I have stuck with them. A year later, I am very proud of all I have done. The biggest key in the search for happiness, is knowing myself. Before, I’ve been concerned about what others are doing, what works for them. Cool trips? Cool clothes? Interesting life? These things have made me envious. This year, I’ve learned a great deal about what I want. Knowing what makes me happy is key. The way to know? TRACK THINGS! Printed plain calendars were great tools for me in 2011. I’m really excited about tracking activity as a way to inspire more movement. I also know, I am a million times happier and more pleasant to be around if I’ve had a good night’s sleep. So as I wrap I up my 2011 happiness project, I am beginning a new path of tracking. For the final two weeks of the year, I SHALL MOVE MORE and SLEEP MORE. I will not bother with the food tracking, because it is the holidays. Food becomes a priority again in 2012! The pursuit of happiness never ends, but I’ve found great satisfaction in the pursuit.

Read more on In constant pursuit of happiness……

In October, I finally settled into the routines of school. It takes awhile to get to know new kids. It is a struggle to realize that what worked last year, may not work this year. Honestly I spent August to October as a giant ball of stress. Giant balls of stress aren’t not part of happiness projects. Who can be happy when you are constantly worried about lessons, behaviors, and feedback?

In school, when we have problems we are asked to collect data. This is time consuming and often a nuisance. But, after the data has been collected, clear patterns emerge. This month, I suppose journaling allowed me to collect data on myself. Here is what I realized – I AM ALLOWING MY JOB TO OWN ME. I love teaching, and feel I am very dedicated to my class and kids (if you haven’t checked out my glorious classroom blog- do so here. I’ll share my enthusiasm about the site at a later time). But, arriving at 7:00am and leaving after 6:00pm and taking home work is not healthy. I do realize people do this everyday, but it is a quick way to become unhappy. I need to separate my personal life from my work life. I need to stop answering emails at 10:00pm. The answers can wait till the morning (although I know that to be true, I probably won’t stop). 

So, here is the November plan: MAKE AN EFFORT TO LEAVE IT AT WORK. On Wednesday and Thursday evenings, I have commitments near school. So, it makes sense to stay and get things done before I have to be somewhere else at 6:00. That means, on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays I need to leave. My goal: before 5:00pm. This is not drastic, but a friend told me that when she made that rule for herself, she was much more productive. I chat and piddle around. I check on things, and organize. I procrastinate on things that really need to get done. If I know I have to get out by 5:00pm, I’m hoping it will trick me into working harder and staying focused. When I leave at 5:00pm, I can work out (which I’ve been missing actually),  I can spend time with JMO (he’s a pretty swell dude), or just relax.

Tracking is kind of difficult for this one. I’m just going to give myself a sticker on my calendar when I leave work, make an effort, and enjoy my day. Even grown ups like stickers for good work.

Also-

Friend Night October: Awesome game night, had a blast.

Mini Adventure: Didn’t do it, but I did go to a bridal Shower for an old friend, go to an awesome wedding, and start Spanish classes.