It's the Little Things...

{This post is 5% information, 95% therapeutic}

I have to admit. Lately life has been a little hard. Well, rather, I'm making life a little hard. I always tend to get the winter blahs, but this year it just been...a little more than that. I have just felt a little unsettled and unsatisfied with me.

At a low point, recently, a very wise person (who I just happen to be married to) said something to the effect that sometimes you just have to play the cards that are dealt to you.

So I have been trying to do just that.

I am making myself keep up on my goals I set:

• I've read four books in two months.
• I've been getting myself prepared to start my outdoor morning runs again (I'm not at all hardcore. I refuse to run outside in the cold. That's what treadmills in the basement are for.) I even went and bought this DVD to increase my strength and endurance (it works!! Try it!!)
• I've found that I can actually follow a pattern and sew a dress. I put the elastic in the back of this dress last night and I was unbelievably proud of myself!
• I randomly found myself with S at a peewee hockey game on date night (when we realized open skate didn't begin until 8:00--way too close to Bean's bedtime) and we had a lot of fun cheering on kids we didn't even know.

I am finding the things at work that make work fun. Read my work friend's post on our random parties we've had lately. I've also discovered I really, really love working weekends. I actually really look forward to it.

I am getting to know people in my ward and neighborhood and feel that they are actually going to be a real part of my life, as opposed to people I just see on Sunday. I never ever had that feeling in my old neighborhood. Maybe because I always knew in the back of my mind it was temporary (which, looking back, is no excuse.) Also, I have always struggled really hard with wanting to be a social person. My idea of a great night is being home absolutely alone and working on some stichery (S lovingly calls me a senior citizen at heart.) However, I realize it isn't exactly the healthiest ideology--and let's face it, I'm never absolutely alone anymore, so I am finding myself stepping out of my inner shell and wanting to get to know people on my own.

I am making concrete plans to travel this year. And it is very liberating. I love my home but sometimes I just need to get away. We are going far away on a few occasions and staying close to home on several occasions. We have a camping trailer that just sits in our driveway. This year we are going to use it often. I am very excited.

And I am going to give myself a break. I know in my heart that nothing comes without a challenge every once in awhile, as much as I wish it wouldn't. S is right. These are the opportunities that I have in front of me. It's time to start being mindful and living with gratitude in my heart for the good life I've been given.