Remember LOVE

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So month one down, and a personal success much acheived and a happiness that is starting to even affect my husband- he too seems more pleasant!

What a better way to get into the Chapter of February than that...

This month to be honest gave me slight heart palpitations. I am a stubborn soul, and a righteous one at that. All those who are extremely close would no I am not the one to put up a fight with. Quiet demeanour, loud and fun... exuberant and smiley, I don't like to be crossed or taken for granted because I truly love to give of myself. It's a personal satisfaction that I don't know many who feel the same when they do it.

So next level of the Happiness Project is upon me... and my DEAR husband wants to tag along and came up with a cute idea to write our objectives on the fridge for the both of us to follow along.

Let's see what we have to get through... or even what I have to get through, if he follows along that would be FANTASTIC, but this is my mission and I want to know that I am doing this for my overall happiness!

Quit Nagging: I am not sure that I do this or not. I wouldn't call myself a naggy person, but I know I repeat myself a hundred times in a day, pick up your toys, come in the kitchen to eat, get off your sister, pick up your toys.... I even do it to my husband- get the laundry, get the girls, change her diaper... I will try and not ask of many people to do things and if ask of something it will be done once and expected so. Not sure how far this might go with my daughters who are 2 and 3; so can I ask much of their attention spans. As for Gretchen's recommendations to create antinagging techniques one word signs to me isn't really a positive- it would feel a bit more like a bark or an order and I don't think M will take to it very well. I am goign to take time to appreciate the tasks that M does for me also.

Don't Expect Praise or Appreciation: I didn't realise this was something I suffered from til I read this part of this chapter. I guess it is nice to have people tell you how fabulous you are doing or how great something is. I wouldn't say I am a needy person and I definitely don't come off as one, but I think this is maybe where my source of irritation comes from, I get very scorned when I am not appreciated. And I am realising that I need to let go of that expectation from others, if I am to do something I want to it's because it's what I want to do. I am not doing it for them but for myself. So for me this is about my actions are my satisfactions and I am to do it for my personal need!

Fight Right: Ohhh this daring task... I find I am far more snappy since having kids, I am sleep deprived, time deprived, organised deprived and definitely not properly fed. All adding to my personal aggravation. I am going to eliminate conversations that might stir up an argument, cool a conversation I might see going into the wrong direction and just realise when something may turn into a heated discussion and BACK OUT! Now this will be a task for me, I love a good sparring match, a great debate... some friends of mine might find me highly boring because well we both enjoy a great debate every once and a while. But I am not going to get into anything heated with someone who I know won't be able to understand it's only a friendly debate and not all out war!

No Dumpping: Ohhh this one is going to be hard on me... but I can see why this might be fantastic way of lightening the mood in our household. I dump all of my problems, my worries and my concerns on my husband. Only because I want to get it off my chest, he is my best friend... but he doesn't deal half as well with the problems that I complain about as well as I do. I don't like how closed off he becomes, I don't like how mute and unhelpful his attention to the situation becomes and well it iritates me and makes things far worse. If I needed to vent I could find a shoulder to lean on or atleast a fantastic ear from a great friend who would be willing to listen. Or my new found best friend my diary. I wrote about it before, but I really am finding a great solice in writing into it every night when I am not exhausted. It really has brought me perspective!

Give Proofs of Love: If I ever wanted to bore you or really just make you nauseous with the romantic behaviour that was the courtship me and my husband had it was much, but it makes sense for why this is on the list of things to do. We were in such love with each other we showed each other constantly. And this is something that we should do to everyone. Small little things that show people you love them little events, little tasks and little gestures to show someone that you thought about them for that moment and that day. But I think this will be an easy task for me as long as I am not expect appreciation or praise for it in the end.

So jump in and tag along with the process, let me know how you are showing a bit more love around your household. Or even share a way that you ease tension around your neck of the woods, we all need to be reminded that the loving relationships are the most important ones that we have and they need to be nourished and fed like our plants, our working relationship and even bellies. So take time to show people they are loved and DON"T expect praise for it!