What do you want from life?

Last summer I read a book called, "The Happiness Project."  Although I don't agree with everything that Gretchen Rubin writes, I found that her book makes me reflect on my own happiness.

I think one of the reasons that I am re-reading this book is because although I am very satisfied with my life, sometimes I find myself restless.  This is due-in large part-to the unsettled feeling that Austin and I share as we continue to try to get our house sold.  We were listed with a realtor for 5 months and although we had lots of traffic through, we didn't get any offers.  Those five months were like a roller coaster.  We had lots of last minute showings which required me to clean the house all day and then vacate the house and sit in the car for an hour with two smelly dogs and a crying infant.  We had plenty of "no shows," late shows and a week where one family came to our house for 6 showings..but still no offer!  Urgh!  So now we are listed FSBO, which is considerably less stressful since we kind of "run the show."  With a realtor it's basically like you are living in someone elses' house and you have to clean when they say "clean," and leave when they say "leave."  It stinks

Anyways...in reflecting on happiness and my own life, I have come up with "rules to live by" (Gretchen Rubin calls them "personal commandments") and thought that I'd share them with you.  I developed my rules to live by from my answer to this question:

What do I want from life?  I want to live with passion and purpose.  I want to feel alive.  I want to be confident that I am living out God’s purpose for my life.

My rules to live by:

Be Cailey.  God created me unique and I want to embrace my God-given uniqueness and live life fully alive. 

Let it go. Things aren’t always going to be perfect.  I can either decide to be happy in my circumstances today or I can decide that I can’t find happiness today.  Either way, it’s my choice.

Enjoy the adventure.  God has a plan for me and my family and, as much as I wish that I can, I can’t see his plan for my life.  Sometimes things don’t seem to make sense to me, but I have to choose to trust that the Lord is in control and that his plan is perfect for me.

Be all there.  It’s easy to find myself pulled in so many directions that I have a hard time focusing on the present.  The present is a present and I need to embrace it.  I need to give my full attention to the day and the situation I am currently in.

Give it your all.  It’s easy to “get things done,” but it takes effort to “get things done right” and give it your all.  And there is a noticeable difference.  Work hard as working for the Lord!

And then give yourself a break.  No one is perfect.  Be the best you can be, give it your all, but don’t drive yourself crazy striving for some unattainable ideal.  

Listen more, talk less.  Instead of thinking about what I should say in response to someone, I should focus more attention on really understanding what others are saying.  Many times I have been too quick to speak and miss what others are really saying.  Seek not just to listen, but to understand.

Lighten up.  Laugh more.  Make a mess and don’t worry about having to clean it up.  Sometimes you just need to take fun seriously. 

Hope you enjoyed my rules!  Now for an update on Nate:

First time Nate got to sit in his big boy highchair!  He loved it!

We went to the park for a play date.

Going bananas for smashed bananas!

Must be all those protein shakes...

Well, that's it for now.  Hopefully I will get better about posting!