PadawanOfHappiness

 First of all DO NOT PANIC!  Nothing good ever comes from panicking. Second, take a deep breath and then say a prayer, then count your blessings.  People that lean into their faith are happier.  Here and here Third, focus on your small circle what is going on there and focus on that.  So the stock market is crashing you really can't do a how heck of a lot about that other than don't panic.  So focus on what you have been doing to care for yourself and your family, use this time to identify an area or two to be frugal.  Being wise with your money is always a good thing, and this is a way to make lemonade. Fourth, largely ignore the news especially that of overseas tragedies.  Humanity sucks, but it is also beautiful.  We were not designed to have all of this information especially horrific information coming at us 24/7/365.  There is absolutely nothing I can do about some far off place to make it better, if I focus on those areas I feel ...

I have been pondering the different chapters of my life.  What I wanted when I was a teen is different than what I wanted in my 20s and so on.  I am very happy that what I wanted and pursued then worked for me then and I have very few regrets, however I don't want relive those years nor do I want those things now. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time ...

Do you ever get stressed and can't figure out what the problem is?  Over the past 4 years, I have noticed the sign of stress is found in my shoulders I get so tense it is like a ball of fire. Yesterday I woke up and all is good. I have a house and it is safe and we can afford it.  My family is good.  I don't need to work financially but I think I do for emotional and mental reasons.   Yet as the day wore on I just got tighter and tighter and my tricks are not as effective as they used to be. I honestly think I might be fighting the feeling that I am not enough which is crazy right?  I know I am in my head and my kids and husband frequently tell me that I am the best.  So why can't I believe it?  Why can't I let it go and rejoice in being wife and mother? I keep taking these moments to myself and I pray for help to just let it go and to be able to feel confident that I am in the right place and I am doing the right thing.   I have to wond...

  2020 has pretty much sucked, but one thing I keep reminding myself is that as much as I value traditions this has proven to be a great year to evaluate them to see if they still are of value.  I am sure that there have been things that your family has done over the years and you do them because it is TRADITION but no one really likes them.  The gift 2020 has given us is the permission (which we didn't need) to stop those things that no one likes, or simply let them change a bit to keep the spirit of them but in a new way that works for us now. Last night I watched one of my all time favorite Christmas movies/shows with my family.  It was Dr Suess' How The Grinch Stole Christmas, the classic animated cartoon from 1966 and it struck me that it is a very fitting movie for 2020. The Whos in Whooville  love their decorations and toys which I think we can all relate to.  Their Christmas was not normal that year, all their stuff was taken away from them by the ...