So begins the 2nd month of 2018. I will admit I did not do a lot of exciting things in January. It seems I did a lot of toting Mom to and from the doctor and did my best to avoid the flu.
Funny, a couple of Mom's docs are in the professional building that is part of the hospital and every single floor and hall had signs begging people with flu to stay out of the emergency room, and go to a primary care doc or free standing clinic. It seems that because the flu vaccine is not working well this year and the flu is airborne, the hospitals are having a hard time keeping the emergency rooms staffed with healthy workers. Well this begins a new month and hopefully the flu will move on quickly.
Each month for the year I am going to post a list of things that should bring me joy. I am going to keep up with what I did and this month I am going to keep a daily (maybe) list of unexpected joys. I am not an optimist, but I am also not a pessimist. However, I have become keenly aware that by focusing on what is good rather than what is not so great, really nice things happen every single day. I have just been too busy, or too distracted, or too self-absorbed to notice them. The Unexpected Joys list will be mainly for me, so I will have something to look over at the year's end and see all the small and not so small wonders that fill my life daily.
Before I begin my joy list I am sharing today's small joy. Spotify compiles a list based of what I have been listening to recently. Well the last month I have been listening to a lot of everything so my Discover Weekly list is a baffling assortment of joys for my ears. I have never heard of Gypsy Swing Revue before and am thrilled to have found such happy sounds. I am sharing this joy and sharing their version of Puttin on the Ritz. I hope you enjoy it too.
February Joy List
1. Continue to expand my horizons.
a. Keep listening to different genres of music weekly (The daily thing was hard some days)
b. Try a new beverage or adult drink every week.
c. Try a new to me recipe weekly
d. Continue learning a new odd fact weekly
e. Read a new to me magazine each week (DIL gave me a subscription to Texture for Christmas so it is doable)
f. Read a self help book (I do not like these at all so this is a real challenge)
2. Volunteer somewhere
3. Do something expecting nothing in return (Anonymous is best)
4. Try to start each day with something spiritual and good for my soul.
5. Movie, with or without popcorn
6. Take Mom somewhere fun.
7. Have people over for a meal.
8. Have a game night. (Thanks Anna for the idea. If you do not read her blog, pop over. She does fun things and goes interesting places.)
9. Contact a long neglected friend.
10. Contact a neglected relative.
11. Listen to others more intently
12. Make something for Christmas. Can be a craft or gift
13. See a play, show or some kind of concert
14. Spend at least one weekend at the lake place
15. Plan a special Valentine's Dinner at home
16. Hand make Valentine's cards
17. Bake Mom tea cakes for Valentine's Day (She loves them)
18. Organize my DayTimer (It is beyond time to replace and update the address section) and reflect on the fun things that were recorded for the prior year.
19. Find somewhere to people watch.
20. Invest time for writing.
21. Give away a minimum of 28 items
22. Keep a daily unexpected joy list
23. On a warmish day go outside and listen to all the song birds.
24. Since the sun rises each day, watch at least one.
25. Find some local live music and enjoy it.
26. Have lunch with friends
27. Paint or draw
28. Organize the laundry room (It will truly give me great joy to have it organized)
29. Be grateful for everything.
I will probably add more as the month goes on and I find more things that will bring me joy. Meanwhile here is wishing each and every one of you much February joy!
Funny, a couple of Mom's docs are in the professional building that is part of the hospital and every single floor and hall had signs begging people with flu to stay out of the emergency room, and go to a primary care doc or free standing clinic. It seems that because the flu vaccine is not working well this year and the flu is airborne, the hospitals are having a hard time keeping the emergency rooms staffed with healthy workers. Well this begins a new month and hopefully the flu will move on quickly.
Each month for the year I am going to post a list of things that should bring me joy. I am going to keep up with what I did and this month I am going to keep a daily (maybe) list of unexpected joys. I am not an optimist, but I am also not a pessimist. However, I have become keenly aware that by focusing on what is good rather than what is not so great, really nice things happen every single day. I have just been too busy, or too distracted, or too self-absorbed to notice them. The Unexpected Joys list will be mainly for me, so I will have something to look over at the year's end and see all the small and not so small wonders that fill my life daily.
Before I begin my joy list I am sharing today's small joy. Spotify compiles a list based of what I have been listening to recently. Well the last month I have been listening to a lot of everything so my Discover Weekly list is a baffling assortment of joys for my ears. I have never heard of Gypsy Swing Revue before and am thrilled to have found such happy sounds. I am sharing this joy and sharing their version of Puttin on the Ritz. I hope you enjoy it too.
February Joy List
1. Continue to expand my horizons.
a. Keep listening to different genres of music weekly (The daily thing was hard some days)
b. Try a new beverage or adult drink every week.
c. Try a new to me recipe weekly
d. Continue learning a new odd fact weekly
e. Read a new to me magazine each week (DIL gave me a subscription to Texture for Christmas so it is doable)
f. Read a self help book (I do not like these at all so this is a real challenge)
2. Volunteer somewhere
3. Do something expecting nothing in return (Anonymous is best)
4. Try to start each day with something spiritual and good for my soul.
5. Movie, with or without popcorn
6. Take Mom somewhere fun.
7. Have people over for a meal.
8. Have a game night. (Thanks Anna for the idea. If you do not read her blog, pop over. She does fun things and goes interesting places.)
9. Contact a long neglected friend.
10. Contact a neglected relative.
11. Listen to others more intently
12. Make something for Christmas. Can be a craft or gift
13. See a play, show or some kind of concert
14. Spend at least one weekend at the lake place
15. Plan a special Valentine's Dinner at home
16. Hand make Valentine's cards
17. Bake Mom tea cakes for Valentine's Day (She loves them)
18. Organize my DayTimer (It is beyond time to replace and update the address section) and reflect on the fun things that were recorded for the prior year.
19. Find somewhere to people watch.
20. Invest time for writing.
21. Give away a minimum of 28 items
22. Keep a daily unexpected joy list
23. On a warmish day go outside and listen to all the song birds.
24. Since the sun rises each day, watch at least one.
25. Find some local live music and enjoy it.
26. Have lunch with friends
27. Paint or draw
28. Organize the laundry room (It will truly give me great joy to have it organized)
29. Be grateful for everything.
I will probably add more as the month goes on and I find more things that will bring me joy. Meanwhile here is wishing each and every one of you much February joy!
It's easy to see that the arts bring you joy with music, crafts, shows, etc. on you list. Enjoyed the Ritz link, thanks.
ReplyDeleteI love the sound of that group. I will listen to them more often. And yes I do fancy the arts, observing rather than performing though.
DeleteI have not heard that version of Putting on the Ritz. I do many of things anyway that you are going to do, so I could copy your list and be ahead of the game. I, too, really hate self-help books. Sometimes, I inadvertently see a sunrise and feel not joy at all. lol Well, that is an impressive list. I need to go in for a blood test and really don't want to be in a dr office.
ReplyDeleteI see so few sunrises that I am generally blown away by how beautiful they are.
DeleteThat is a lovely list of joyful pursuits! Thank you for the link to the music! Enjoyed listening to it. :)
ReplyDeleteI liked it too, so I thought I would share
DeleteI do not touch or read the magazines in a doctor's office. I need to listen to more music.
ReplyDeleteI take my iPad to read while waiting. I prefer to not touch the magazines either.
DeleteI enjoyed your list and hope to take time to realize the things that bring me joy. I'm with you on hiding from the flu!!! I refused to go to a potluck dinner at church today because of the risks! :-))
ReplyDeleteI have never been fearful of the flu before but this year's is a doozy.
DeleteI really need to do this as I have so much negative with mom some times.
ReplyDeleteYou are preaching to the choir! We need to meet and compare notes on how to deal with the negativity!
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