11 Months and Counting!

This last day of January, I took a moment to recap some of the things I've accomplished so far.
I started a new job. These are tough times in our economy and so many are unemployed, including people I know. The fact that I was able to get a job is an amazing blessing. I feel very grateful.

I signed up for voice-over classes.  They begin next week.  It's something I've been wanting to try for many years now.  I'm looking forward to learning something new and fun.

I'm socializing more and enjoying it. I've been to several great events with good friends and I'm looking forward to many more planned outings in the coming months.

Although I was supposed to start exercising the beginning of this month, a few days ago I managed to finally drag myself to the gym... and live!  I'm looking forward to getting healthier and back in shape.

It feels good to embark on a few personal goals I set for myself this year.  I'm not sure why, but 2010 feels different to me. I feel the need to accomplish many things this year... and my list is pretty long. Hopefully, I  will achieve most of it.   I'm definitely going to give it my best shot.  1 down... 11 to go!

Stay tuned. :-)

Love Connection

Ah, technology.   My mom and I were texting each other throughout the day, today.  We don't normally do that but she has an Iphone now and she's really using that new fangled thing. LOL.

In one text, she said one of her favorite old movies, "Wuthering Heights", was coming on and to watch it. I responded and told her that I would. The movie centers around a passionate love triangle, starring, Laurence Olivier, Merle Oberon and David Niven  It's a sweet and sad love story.  My mom has seen it countless times.  A couple of years ago, while home for a visit, I finally had an opportunity to see it for the first time, with her. We both love old movies and enjoyed watching it together. 

My mom sent me another text as the ending credits of the movie rolled.  Her text said, "Thank you for watching the movie with me. Maybe one day we can watch it again, together.  Love you."

My mom lives in North Carolina. I live in California. It was interesting watching the same movie at the same time with her, but in different places.  It was also funny to chat with her about it through texts.  The best part was realizing that even though we were apart, watching it in our different time zones, we could still share a mother-daughter moment. Her text told me that it meant a lot to her that I watched it.  It meant a lot to me to know that.

It doesn't matter how we connect with the ones we love, as long as we do.  Love you, too, Mom!

Stay tuned :-)

Joy and Pain

Heading to the gym with a friend.  It will be my first time going in a year, maybe more. Yikes!
Not particularly looking forward to it, but my entire closet is boycotting me. LOL.  I'm hoping I don't embarrass myself, my friend, or anyone else who happens to witnesses my initial workout.  :-)

Expecting Joy and Pain, from this experience.  Joy... for FINALLY going and for my  friend agreeing to join me.  Pain... You can guess how that part comes in. LOL.

We'll see how it goes... Recap to come.

Stay tuned :-)

Rough Day

I didn't have a good day today. It started off hectic and stressful and stayed consistent throughout. By the time the end of the day came, I was spent.

My ride home was filled with bumper to bumper traffic, so I had all the time in the world to recap the emotional day.  Not good.  I felt myself getting upset and everything I was holding in started brimming to the top.  I had let little things... actually a LOT of little (and aggravating) things get the best of me.  A few moderate stressors fell into the mix, as well. Narly traffic the entire way home was the topper.

I thought, how are you gonna find your "joy moment" in this day?   I had no idea. I couldn't fake the funk... and never would.   An hour and a half later, I was finally home but my mood wasn't much better.

So I went in my room,  got comfortable, and kept it completely silent to really reflect on my day.  I thought about what I could've done differently to make it a better day. Even though I couldn't control the things that happened, I could control how I reacted to them. I needed to remember that. Then I prayed.  I prayed for future strength, courage and wisdom in all that I said and did.   And then, I let it go... for real this time. God's got it, I thought, 'nuff said.  Did I feel better?  Yes.  Was I joyous...  I wouldn't have described it that way but I definitely felt back on track.  A little house cleaning is necessary and always a good thing.

Stay Tuned. :-)

Just Jump!

Today was my middle brother's birthday. During my birthday call to him, he told me he decided to do something different to celebrate this year... he jumped out of a plane.                        (That's him in the pic!)

I couldn't believe it! It was only noon and he'd already been dropped from the sky.  It was so unexpected of him... and crazy! LOL.

He said it was an exhilarating experience and promised to share the amazing  pics with me.  He added that he made a list of fun and rewarding things he wanted to do this year, like, volunteering, organizing blood drives, and lending time and service to a third world country... I felt so proud. He's a good person with a good heart.  I enjoyed hearing the excitement in his voice as he shared his ideas and plans. It was also nice to learn he had a passion for volunteering, as I do.

What I admired the most is that he just jumped... literally, and did something exciting and different... and planned to add even more adventure to his life.  Sometimes we just have to take a leap and do the things that make us feel good.  It brought me back to the reason I started this blog in the first place.

My "joy moment" today was hearing the joy in my brother's voice as he recapped his big jump and his big plans for his future.

Joy is contagious and thank goodness there's no cure.

Stay tuned. :-)

Rhythm Night

I had the pleasure of attending the musical, Stomp tonight. The percussion musical that uses unconventional objects as instruments.  What a great show!

The members of this energetic troupe use everything from brooms to cans to hubcaps to make wonderful  beats and rhythms. It was funny and engaging and they never even uttered a word.

I organized the outing about two weeks ago and attended with two girlfriends of mine.  After the show, they both kept telling me how much they enjoyed the show and repeatedly thanked me for suggesting it. Added bonus, although I purchased discount tickets, we had great seats, too!

It feels good when you make someone's day... and that made mine!

Stay tuned :-)

One Week In!

One week into my joy journey and I'm feeling good about it.   I should hope so, right?!

It's actually not an easy mission, I can tell you that, but it's super-rewarding.  What I enjoy most is how I feel afterwards... always better, always a measure of peace and comfort, no matter how small the experience. It feels good to nurture my spirit each day and the best part is when I share the moment with others.

As I've previously mentioned, I try to pre-plan my "joy moment" so I never let the day go by without the experience. But at times, on a busy day like today, it comes from brief contemplation. I'm always inspired pretty quickly when I think of my friends and family.

Today I decided to check on a friend who was laid off from work.  I sat and talked with her and tried to give her words of encouragement and support.  I could tell she needed to talk but had been holding it in.  I know what's it's like to be in-between jobs and sometimes it helps to talk to someone who's been in your shoes.  She felt better after our chat and it showed in her smile. I pray she finds employment soon but in the meantime, I'll try to be there for her as much as I can.

Stay tuned :-)

Thankful!

Today I started my day by giving thanks.  I went to church to give praise and thanks for many things in my life.  

I'm thankful to be employed again. Thankful for good friends, family, and health. Thankful for having a roof over my head, food to eat and a place to lay my head every night. Thankful for the inspiration to begin writing again. Thankful for this blog and thankful that God led me to start one.

Taking a moment to reflect on the things I'm grateful for is good for my spirit and good for my soul. Life's not easy in the world we live in today... not by any means.  Watching the news is evidence of that. Yet, even with everything that could happen, I'm still here and okay, and for that I'm very grateful.

Taking stock of the good things in my small corner of the world reminds me of how blessed I am... and keeps life's crazy times in perspective.

Today my "joy moment" was in church among many others giving thanks and praise. I'm thankful for that and for this day.

Be blessed.

Stay tuned :-)

Lounge Act

Ah, Saturday!  I had three things on my to do list. I wanted to sleep in very late. Didn't happen.  For some reason I popped up early when I didn't have to. Drat! 

I wanted to run errands and get other weekend stuff done. Didn't happen. Wrestled with it for a moment but my lazy butt nixed the idea.

I wanted to catch up on all my taped shows and relax around the house. Did that one!  Whoo-hoo!

Spent the day in p.j.'s, couch-bound, catching up on TV shows and movies.  Oh, yeah, sweets and junk food were included, too... living up to my very stereo-typical couch potato look.  Soon followed by lengthy phone calls with my mom and close girl friend. I don't know about you but that's a good Saturday!  A joyous one.

Stay tuned :-)

TGIF!

My Friday joy moment was spent socializing with old and new friends. We attended a mixer/music event that featured an amazing up an coming songstress.  Her passion and bold sound resonated with everyone present. Ms. N'Dambi is one to watch.

The people watching at the establishment was great, too.  It  was a pretty eclectic hollywood group.  I think Angelinos were happy the weeklong rain had ended and were excited to get out...  colorful and uniquely attired people were mingling at every turn.

Funny... just before I left for the event... a small part of me heard my couch and fav TV shows calling my name, LOL.  Ah, routines... hard to break.  But it's a New Year, baby!  Time for something new.

Good chats, great music and lots of laughs!   A good time was had... so good, I neglected to make my blog entry at the end of the late night.   Ms. Girl will do better!

Hope you had a pleasant one!

Stay tuned. :-)

In Sync

Today a conversation with a friend named Joyce was my joy moment.    
How appropriate. :-)

I was at work and literally about to call her to to see if she wanted to check out a concert the next day, when she contacted me. What's funny is that we've been trying to get together for the last nine months but it's never worked out. Making it even more complicated, we never actually spoke to one another.

You know how it is these days, all our correspondence was through texts, emails and a mean game of telephone tag. Yet, today, at the same moment I was getting ready to call her, she was calling me... to invite me out the next day, too.

Shortly into our call, we then discovered that due to recent events, we were now located only ten minutes away from each other!  We laughed at the oddness of it all and finally set a time to meet.
Oh, Joy!  LOL.

Stay tuned :-)

Making Each Day Count

Life can get pretty hectic and it's easy for the days, weeks, and months to fly by in a blur. Case in point, it's almost February! Weren't we just celebrating New Years?!  As the saying goes, "time waits for no one".

When I first decided to take this journey, I was a little concerned about how I would actually find the joy in each day. Each day is a gift and my new mission was to make sure that each one was appreciated and meaningful (even if in a small way)... making it, for me,  a true gift.   But I worried if it was too much pressure.... would it begin to seem like a chore?  Wouldn't that be the opposite of my true intention?  After some brief contemplation, my answer... "no".

We live in a fast paced, busy world.... Work, kids, family, obligations, appointments, bills, etc.  How do we fit it all in and include the fun stuff, like vacations, parties, and anniversaries?  We plan for it. We schedule it. We make time for it.  If I wanted to experience joy in my life, each and every day, that is just what I needed to do.  Otherwise, I would miss the moments.  Scheduling, planning and devoting time to having "joy moments" meant it had an important place in my life... just like anything else I cared about.

Don't get me wrong, surprises and last minute occurrences are wonderful and I welcome them. But coming up with ideas for each day keeps me honest.  Bottom line, I want to make sure I meet my mission every, single day.

Today, my "joy moment" was writing a check to the Red Cross for the Haiti Relief Fund... giving me some satisfaction that I would be helping needy families who were experiencing devastating loss.  Thanks to the Red Cross, my donation will hopefully make a difference for many.

It feels good when a plan comes together.

Stay tuned :-)

Joy Ride

Started a new gig today. Yay!  It was a busy first day as my co-workers and I jumped right into our new project with meetings, first day setups, emails, etc.  Not much time to ponder my "joy moment" (Not counting the amazing joy I felt from having a job!) Next thing I knew, it was 7pm and I had no idea what it would be.                                                                                                                           

The mission - to do something that gives me joy and try to include another. I decided to give it my full attention during my long ride home, but first I made a phone call to my brother who lives out of state.  I wanted to follow up on a text he sent me the previous day.  Before I knew it, we were laughing out loud, catching up on each other's lives and joking around like we were little kids again.

Even before we said our "goodbyes" and "I love you's", I realized our phone conversation was my joy moment. I was glad to hear his voice, to know he was happy and doing well, and hearing his familiar, hearty laugh filled up my spirit.  I knew he enjoyed our chat just as much.

Joy came to me this evening on my ride home from work during a phone call with my little brother. Lesson learned... joy can come at unexpected times and in unexpected ways.   It's always nice to be surprised.

Stay tuned :-)

Not Feeling Blue!

First  day of the happy hunt.  My mission... to do something fun and include another. 

Rainy day outside... actually, it was pouring!  And it was Monday... here we go!  Almost decided to just stay inside but where was the fun in that?   Decided to keep it simple and treated myself and an out of work friend to the movie, Avatar.  At first, my friend was reluctant to go out in the rain for a movie about blue people that was well over 2 1/2 hours.

But it was so worth it and we both really enjoyed it.  Great movie with amazing effects. We saw it in 3D which was an added treat... the technology was incredible!    It was just what we needed to take our mind off things for a moment and kick those Monday blues to the curb. That small outing made a difference in his day and mine.  My friend was appreciative and upbeat and that made me feel great. Sometimes it really is the little things that can do the trick.

Good deed and good times... Day's mission accomplished.     We're off and running.  Stay tuned! :-)

The Yellow Brick Road- My Journey Begins.

As the first day of my self-appointed journey begins, I am both excited and nervous.

This is my very first blog, my first time making a year long commitment to do something (anything for that matter!) and my first time putting emotions to paper... in such a public way. Scary stuff!

I feel if I really want to make changes to my life and my attitude, I have to get radical. I'm hoping this blog will keep me organized, focused and accountable, to myself, friends and readers along the way.

My goal: to do something each and every day, for one year (365 days!), that will bring me happiness. (Before you think I'm totally self-indulgent, please reference my previous entry for backstory). Whether big or small, a few minutes or a few hours... I will participate in some action, event or activity, that will bring a smile to my face and joy to my spirit.  And... I will try to include someone else in the happy journey.... All in an effort to gain new perspective, appreciation and lessons for leading a better life.

Hopefully, as you join me on my "hunt for happy", you will be motivated to do the same, if you haven't already. At the very least, I hope you'll be entertained by a funny, blogger chick looking for her yellow brick road.

I know... get a life, right?!  I'm trying!  LOL.

Stay tuned. :-)

365 Smiles?!

It was a private decision I made suddenly on New Years day. Resolution? Epiphany? Breakthrough? Couldn't tell ya, but it just felt right.

My family was staying with me for the holidays and we were all having a great time during their visit. I was happy and enjoying their company. But as the day neared for them to return home, I could feel the ever-present gloom creeping back in. I knew I would fall right back into the same old rut. The same old lackluster routine... and attitude. I wasn't happy with the way I've been living and hadn't been for a long time.

I am not a depressed person. I have a good family, wonderful friends and my freelance work in TV production keeps me creative and busy... although, a bit more fickle these days.

Yet, overall joy and happiness seem to elude me. Don't get me wrong, they make appearances from time to time but they weren't getting any starring roles. If I had to guess, I'd say it was the culmination of the passings of a few of my loved ones, some medical issues and stressful family issues in previous years, had left me more than a little underwhelmed. Go figure, right?! 

The old me... vibrant, outgoing, upbeat and fun. The present me... low key, reclusive and lackluster! It was time for a change... and a big one. Life is short.

Instead of waking up each day feeling stressed, discontent, and just going through the motions, I wanted to wake up feeling happy, motivated and grateful... as much as possible! I am not living my best life, and I know it. Oprah would be appalled. :-)

It was time to live. Time to find the happy. Time to find joy.

Each day is a gift, right? So how do you live a joyous life each and every day? I don't know, but I'm on a mission to make it happen.

The countdown begins... 365 days of smiles. Stay tuned. :-)