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To our family blog! We love having a spot to record the Grand and not so Grand events in our lives! Thanks for keeping track of us and for tagging along! And don't forget to check out my photography blog!

THE MAGIC OF A NEW YEAR {Part 2}

I realize that my tittle is the same as a couple of posts ago but this time I truly will write about it. Last time I got carried away with the catching up that by the time I was through with it I had forgotten the main reason for the post.
So, where is the magic? Well, it's no secret, really. I love new beginnings! I love starting anew! A clean slate sort of thing. 365 more days to work on the things that matter most. To make a conscious effort to be happier. There is true happiness in growing and knowing that you are trying.
Every year I go through my planning and setting goals {I love that part!} and I try to make a plan of action, which usually fails by the end of a month or two if I'm lucky, and it fails mostly because I put my plan away, I forget to constantly remind myself of the blessings that I will receive for doing it and it also fails because I forget to adapt my lofty goals to my changing circumstances.
When I was a missionary we worked based on six-week period goals and focused our efforts towards achieving those goals. President Wappett would give us a new set of goals every transfer. One time he taught us about Benjamin Franklin's thirteen virtues to moral perfection. He would work on these thirteen items every day and then would check them off on his chart if he had done his job that day. Well, President Wappett asked us to work on one virtue for six weeks and at the end of the day we needed to check it off if we had done it. The virtue was Honesty. It was a real task to remember to be honest every day, from waking up on time to getting your personal and companionship study done to working every second of the day on finding and teaching the gospel. I remember President Wappett telling us that he was pleased because we had tried really hard as a mission and he could see it in our countenances and the achievement of our teaching goals. I have from time to time tried to do that. To check things off my chart and it's kept me on track when I actually do it.
Now, a few weeks ago my sister in law, Gillian, told me about a book {The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin} that described what she was going to work on for this new year {she loves new year's resolutions as well! Yay for kindred spirits!}. I requested it from the library. I love it! I can totally relate to the author's experiences. I do feel though, that as LDS I feel that I have an advantage in the sense that many of the things she has learned through reading and much thinking, I have learned through gospel learning and through the Spirit.
Needless to say, I have started my own project. Twelve months to happiness awareness! I feel that when I think about my blessings and when I truly make an effort to see that I am happy, I feel happier.
January is a month of Energy Boosting! Purging is one of my energy boosters. I have been going through closets and drawers and getting rid of extra things that only overwhelm me and that have already served their purpose and it's time for them to go to a better place. I have also been finding homes for things that we still use and love. It has been quite liberating and it has allowed me to maintain a clean home since the last Clean House Day {I have a little helper come clean my house from time to time when things get out of control}. Speaking of Clean House Day which was two Mondays ago, Ryan brought me a chocolate rose to celebrate it! How sweet is that?! He gets excited for Clean House Days! Hopefully we'll be able to have a Clean House Year through our own efforts!
Even the kids were excited! They thought it was "Toy Day"! We only have about fifty percent of these toys in our closet now!
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I read this verse this morning and it truly motivated me.
"But behold I said unto them that: As the Lord liveth, and as we live, we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath commanded us." {1 Nefi 3:15}

6 comments:

Ace said...

Love it! I also get really excited about goal-setting, change, and "purging," as you called it lol. Good luck on your goals! Looks like you're off to a great start. Hope I get to see you soon. :)
~ac

Amy Rose said...

Love this post Rigel! I also love going through closets and drawers and tidying out spaces. It just makes me feel like I can breathe easier in my own home if I am not stuffed with "things". Good luck with your year of goals!

Jacob J said...

Good post. There is nothing liking cleaning out our houses or apartments in my case. I just feel cleaner as well as I find it very hard to be happy in a mess of a house. I love that your three kids are all looking down in the picture because they are all so caught up in "toy day." :)

Gillian said...

So glad you are enjoying the book. I can't wait to come and see all of your hard work.

Nataly Harris said...

I'm a New Year's Resolution lover too and I'll definitely look into that book! :)

Esther said...

I'm intrigued by the book...I'll be getting it from the library next. Yay for purging toys!