A New Perspective

In this post I mentioned The Happiness Project and how it had started to affect me in so many good ways.  For me, my own happiness project could only be started by completing things that I had put off for a long time.  In the beginning, it was small, simple things that I could do on a daily basis.  Things like sorting the mail or immediately folding the clothes out of the dryer.  Those little things helped me feel great once they were accomplished, but I knew that eventually I'd have to really rid myself of nagging tasks.

One huge thing on that mental list was going to see someone about my vision.  Despite the fact that I come from a family of optometrists, I've never really treated my poor eyesight.  I've always been extremely embarrassed and insecure about not being able to see.  As a child, I had a lazy eye.  It troubled me to no end.  Wearing eye patches and glasses never really fostered self confidence.  So unfortunately, I've never actually had proper corrective lenses.  Ever.  I always tried to squint and see things in my exams.  I would memorize the chart.  I was hurting myself.  But I didn't know that I was.  I was just ashamed.  I think internally, I didn't realize what "seeing" actually was.  I didn't know what it was, so I didn't know that it was possible.  It sounds crazy, but it's true.

This afternoon, I went to an appointment and was fitted with contact lenses.  In twenty minutes my life, really, as cheesy as it sounds, changed.  I could see.

As I drove home, I looked at the sky, the buildings, the street signs.  It was all so vivid.  It seemed surreal.

As I parked on my tree lined street, I became overwhelmed with emotion.  I started sobbing.  Happy sobbing.  I could see how beautiful the trees were.  I could see the birds and the small details of the plants around me.  As I walked into the apartment, I noticed how bright it was.  I looked at myself in a full length mirror, and for the first time in 27 years, I could see my actual face from a distance.  I wasn't squinting.  It was me, Rebecca, looking back at myself.  I'd only seen that in pictures.

If I knew Gretchen Rubin, I'd hug her for giving me this boost of confidence.  I am truly much happier each day.  But especially this day.

And on a lighter note, my husband is hilarious.

They've grown!

I mentioned The Happiness Project a while back and how it has really helped me to achieve daily happiness.  The thing that has helped me the most is writing down daily goals as well as long term goals.  It's amazing the changing of perspective I have had.  Instead of looking at my daily tasks as daily chores, I look at them when they are completed as little successes.

One of my long term goals was to plant a little herb garden.  One of my daily goals was to actually plant the thing!  So a little over two weeks ago I planted the seeds in pots while on the phone with my mom.  She's a seasoned gardener and thought it was hilarious that I didn't know how to do anything.  (I didn't know that you weren't supposed to put all of the packaged seeds in one pot.  Oops)

My little plant babies have started sprouting up.  We thought they might like some company aka I'm actually keeping stuff alive so we added three more potted plants.

Now I actually wish I had more space to plant a real garden.  Someday, I guess.  The fact that I would like a little plot of land to plant things shocks me.  I've always been a hardcore city girl.  I moved there as fast as I could. Ha!  How things can change.

From this...

To this!

Tomato

Spearmint

More tomato

Vitamin C

Unfortunately, I've woken up with a nasty cold.  I'm going to lay in bed and read these lovely things.

I hope it goes away by Tuesday because we are going to see a Rangers vs Yankee's game.  I am so excited.  And I'm going to be so disappointed if I still have this nasty cough.  I sneezed seven times last night! Straight in a row!  Who does that?  (My mom and evidently me, too)

Regularly scheduled programming will resume tomorrow...

Happiness

Lately I've started so many of my sentences with, "I'm reading this book, "The Happiness Project." And then I explain the wonders of this book and how it has helped me. I guess as I become happier, I can't help but want to talk about it. Happiness is a state in which so many of us want to be. And for me, I never realized that the simplest things achieve the greatest results.

I will say, I haven't finished the entire book. I am almost finished with just a few more chapters left. I'll be sad when I've finished the whole thing because each time I read a sentence, a paragraph or a whole chapter I'm left feeling invigorated and a little bit more wise.

In the beginning of the book, the author lays out simple commandments for herself. For each reader, these commandments will vary. I have taken a few of hers and used them as my own. Certain commandments like, "Do it now," or "Act the ay I want to feel" have inspired me to begin my own happiness project.

"Do it now" is where I've begun. I am an endless procrastinator. Whether its doing my taxes by April 15th, putting away that last dish, or avoiding a heaping pile of laundry (altogether, honestly), I seem to put things off. "Do it now" has such an amazing effect. I do one thing and enjoy the reward of literally crossing it off my list (I have to do this!) that I end up doing another and another. As the very last item has been checked, I'm left feeling so accomplished. Accomplishments make me happy.

I actively try to "Act the way I want to feel." Positive thoughts, forcing a smile, or looking for good in a not so stellar situation lead you to feeling better. It's amazing and so simple. Instead of saying to my inner self, "Oh I can't do xyz." I stop myself and say "Yes, I can do this!" And then of course, I think back to my completed goal list.

Here are some things that have been making me happy lately...


Zucchini and onion tart. So easy, healthy, and delicious.


Chopped salad with leftover roasted mushrooms and carrots.




Herb Garden


And of course, this guy...