happiness project: THRIVE

Christmas is over and I’ve made plans on how to make it less stressful for myself next year. I managed to get myself into the doctor for my first wellness visit in years and even had my first mammogram (oh the anxiety over the three different appointments!). We’ve gotten a first draft of our will signed and notarized. I have started to have Rob explain our different accounts, home loans, etc.

So now that these more urgent issues in my “happiness project” are moving forward or done and things are starting to settle down a little as we move into the new year, I’ve been giving some thought to a single-word goal for myself for this year. And what I’ve settled on is THRIVE. I no longer want to be in a constant “survival” mode as I have been for the past decade or longer. I want to THRIVE.

Easier said than done. I’ve already had setbacks, what with school being canceled for two days; I’m quite behind at work now. I’ve had a medical bill that I don’t understand and don’t want to pay; I spent an hour dealing with it today, and I can foresee that I will be putting in more hours in resolving it, which frustrates me to no end. Both girls had anxiety over returning to school today, which makes me sad and also depletes my own energy stores as I try to listen, give encouragement and advice, and support them.

But I want to THRIVE! So What did I do? I took an early afternoon nap. What? I don’t have TIME for that. But, once up from my nap, my energy levels had tripled. I was thinking much clearer with much less anxiety. Tasks are taking so much less time that they would if I tried to do them in my pre-nap state.

I don’t think NAPS are the answer to me reaching my goal to THRIVE, but certainly paying attention to myself is going to be a key part of what I need to do in order to THRIVE this year.

flowers – 7 jan 2014