Tag Archives: Holidays

It’s Friday

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I hope your Valentine’s Day was wonderful–single or taken. Instead of wasting money on flowers and chocolate, Sean took me to my favorite Thai place for dinner. Then we decided not to do laundry and went to bed early. The best Valentine’s Day present is a full belly and an extra hour of sleep. Also, I’m as easy to please as a 5-year-old.

In other news, it’s Friday, which is worth celebration in itself! To help, I’ve found this:

Let’s all agree Rebel Wilson is the bomb. Also, I still need to see this movie.

 

5 Ways to Be Happier in 2013

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Prepare yourself for a slew of news articles about how to do this and that during the new year. Let’s face it, a fresh start (whether it’s literal or figurative) is a welcome way to wipe the slate clean and say, “Ok, I’m choosing to forget the past (or embrace it) and try, try again!”

Resolutions are all good and well if you keep track of them. Sometimes that’s more work than we want to put forward (or than we have the time to put forward). So here are some simple thoughts about making yourself (and maybe even those around you) happier in 2013.

1. Make more of your own fun instead of buying it.

Sure buying new things is fun and thrilling. I love it. It makes me happy. But just as with any addiction, I feel like I need more and more new stuff to feel truly satisfied. I need fashionable outfits. I need pretty furniture. I need a lot of things, right? The truth is, I don’t need any more than I already have. I just WANT things. Encouraging yourself to get by on less can help you focus on what you truly need: more time with those you love, a job that is fulfilling, stronger relationships, etc. Play board games. Go for a hike. Hold hands in silence. Spend time sitting on the floor petting your cats.

Twister

2. Take more pictures.

I have a really bad habit of not taking pictures during events and parties and family get-togethers. Sure I remember having all that fun, but it’s always nice to look back and remember the looks on their faces when grandma cracked that joke or share memories online with others who were there. I always think people look ridiculous taking so many pictures, and then look back and ask myself, “Why didn’t I take more pictures while I was there?!”

Bag Cat

3. Tell people how you feel.

I’m terrible at this. I expect people into read my mind, my voice, my mannerisms, my text messages and decipher how I’m feeling. That’s expecting too much! People aren’t all movie psychologists who can tell by the quiver of your lip or the flit of your eyes if you’re mad or sad or mischievous. Do yourself and the people you’re with a favor and just tell them how you feel. I feel unprepared. I’m a little frustrated. I feel upset. I feel blah. This makes me so happy. People will really appreciate your honesty and feel more comfortable returning the favor.

What a grump

4. Write someone important a letter.

Have you ever gotten a heartfelt letter from someone important to you? Or even just a letter with regular old details about someone’s life at that moment in time? In the age of emails and text messages and Twitter and Facebook, stop and take the time to write someone a letter. Strike up conversation about how your life is, maybe risk a little and get philosophical. I love getting real life (non-bills) mail. Wouldn’t you? Get a pen pal!

Write a Letter

5. Spend more time helping other people/animals.

I have a bleeding heart when it comes to animals, but I’m encouraging you to get out into your community and volunteer! Though you may feel like you’re making just a small difference, it can be a big deal for someone whose life you’re touching. Then they’ll go out and pay it forward!

Sean and Pudge

How do you plan on making 2013 the best year ever?

2013 New Year’s Resolutions

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Hooray! It’s almost 2013. Sean thinks it’s a bad omen to end the year in 13, but it’s gotta happen at least once every century! Why not make the most of it?

I recently posted about how well I did on my 2012 resolutions. Overall, I’d say I stuck with the program (for the most part, anyway). This year, I’m working on many goals–health and fitness, money, and personal. Wanna get started?

Ok, here we go:

1. Run 520 miles. This seems like a lot at first glance. Whoa! 520 miles? But I’m splitting that up over the year, so it’s only 10 miles a week. Not bad at all, actually. I have a hard time running when I’m not training for anything, so having a goal like this will hopefully keep me on track. And I’m hoping to build up for a larger goal in 2014! Maybe 1000 miles!

Cold weather running

2. Write a novel. This past year, I tried to make this goal really specific–writing 4 pages of non-work, non-blog anything a week. Well, I definitely didn’t even do this the first week of 2012. So I’m trying a less specific and more create way of making myself write for me as opposed to writing because I feel obligated.

3. Read a new book every month. This isn’t new. I pretty much make this resolution every year. 12 books a year is pretty much nothing. Remember when we were in college and read 12 books before the semester even started? When did I become so literarily lazy? (Maybe when  decided to start making up words like “literarily…”)

4. Save $2000+ dollars. I really did myself a disservice and drained my bank accounts this Christmas. It’s a horrible disease I have that I really like getting people a lot for the holidays just because I like feeling like I “nailed it” when they open their gifts. I need to plump back up my emergency fund, because I can’t really afford for anything out of line to happen right now, and that’s not a good feeling!

5. Stop biting my nails. This is a pretty disgusting habit that I’ve had since I can remember. Sean says my fingers look like little round alien digits because I’ve been without nails for my whole life. think about all the germs that are going in my mouth when I bite my nails. I do attribute my awesome immune system to this childhood habit, but it’s time for me to grow up and stop this unprofessional little mannerism. Plus, it annoys the bejesus out of Sean.

6. Get a tattoo. I’ve been really non-committal about getting a tattoo, but I’ve been wanting to do it for a while now. I have a whole board on Pinterest dedicated to the tattoos I like. I’m not going to go all out and get a huge sleeve or something, but I don’t think a little tattoo ever hurt anybody… Figuratively, of course.

Cat Tattoo

(source)

7. Buy no new clothes in 2013. This one is a big one. I think clothes are one of my biggest money-sucks of all time. There’s really no need for me to have 5 black skirts. I have 5 pairs of jeans. Why do I keep buying more? I get tons of pairs of socks for Christmas. I have a thousand t-shirts. You get the picture. Exceptions to this resolution include gift cards which are not my money and can therefore be spent on clothes. I haven’t decided if I’ll let myself buy used clothes yet (like from a thrift store or the Goodwill).

8. Eat out only 1 time a month. Sean and I used to be pretty good about NOT eating out, but sometimes life gets busy. We resorted to eating out WAY too much in 2012. What’s especially bad is when you have the groceries to make the dishes you’re choosing to go somewhere else to pay to eat. I want to keep this down to 1 time a month.

What are your 2013 New Year’s resolutions?