Good Thursday morning! It seems that all of my vaccine side effects have subsided (thankfully) and I am feeling great! Although I do blame anything out of sorts on the vaccine this week - headaches that have popped up, struggling to do my usual walking route, body pains, etc. The nurse who gave me my 2nd dose told me that I could experience these for up to two weeks.
Because I was down for a couple of days, I have to play catch up with projects and things around the house. I have also been bad with the 2021 Vision book club reading. I am behind for the reading schedule but on track if you go month by month! I just finished reading the goals for the month of April and about to start May. I am really enjoying this book. I really enjoy this book! I feel like I am doing a decent job with these monthly goals. But it is difficult at times.
The title of Chapter 4 is called - April Lighten Up (Parenthood) and here are the goals for the month...
- Sing in the morning.
- Acknowledge the reality of peoples feelings.
- Be a treasure house of happy memories.
- Take time for Projects.
I did dog ear a few pages in this chapter because some of the things that were discussed really hit home. I have debated if I want to photocopy these passages for my kids/husband...not really sure if I will but I will share them here...
One piece of wisdom that didn't resonate with me initially was the importance of keeping happy memories vivid. But as I mulled over this principle. I realized the tremendous value of mementos that help prompt positive memories. Studies show that recalling happy times helps boost happiness in the present. When people reminisce, they focus on positive and minimizes the negative. However, because people remember events better if they fit their present mood, happy people remember happy events better and depressed people remember sad events better. Depressed people have as many nice experiences as other people - they just don't recall them as well.
And then this one...
I cold tell that my happier mood effected the household atmosphere. It's true that "if Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" and that "if Daddy ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" and that "you're only as happy as your least happy child". Each member of the family picks up and reflects everyone else's emotions - but of course I could change no one's actions except my own.
I guess with the past year (plus) with the pandemic and being quarantined (especially in a small house) this is so accurate. The beginning of it all - we were all scared and only had each other. We are a high risk household so we took the guidelines seriously and didn't go anywhere except for absolute necessities. As time had gone on, boredom set in....crabbiness of being around each other 24/7 really wore on us ll. At times, things got really hard. So much that we all focused on negative stuff and then nothing was ever good...especially in the eyes of two teenagers. And if even one of us was/is in a bad mood, the rest of us soon follow suit. Reading this book, I am taking what I am learning and trying to make a happier environment. I have some ideas to bring back the happier/fun times back into focus...but first I have some projects to work on and finish up!
Today I am starting Chapter 5 - May - Be Serious About Play (Leisure) and here are the goals for the month...
- Find more fun.
- Take time to be silly.
- Go off the path.
- Start a collection.
I am not sure if my husband will agree with the "start a collection" since I already collect too much stuff but we will see. :) I am hoping to read this chapter today...we are supposed to get some serious rain later today so it will be nice to have some hot tea later and get cozy with the book.
I hope you have a wonderful Thursday!
~Shannon
