Working on balance in May was a lot harder than I originally thought. May is a crazy month for any teacher. The last couple weeks of work were so crazy, and I had to breathe and just tackle one task at a time. I would definitely say that my work consumed much more of my time that I would have liked, but at the end of the year things just pile up.
Now, is a completely different story. For the first time in my life I am a stay at home mom, for the next 10 weeks. It has been amazing to see all the little moments I would normally be missing throughout the day. But, to be fair there is a lot of things I will not miss when I go back to work in August. Things like trying to put my 4 year old to nap everyday. Some days he goes straight to nap without complaint. The next its like his bed is on fire. He won't stay in it for more than 5 seconds.
Z has been teething the last couple of weeks, so I am so glad I was the one home with him to comfort and soothe him.
I think the goal for May was a good effort, but I think this is going to be my hardest challenge. I have to passions in my life : 1.) My family and 2.) Teaching -- And sometimes they compete for my attention. I just need to learn how to balance the two.
This next "month's" (I am already half way through June) resolution is to work on Health. I have started working on some areas of this, I just now need to keep motivated and continue working to find my bliss.. Stay tuned !!
Trying to find my Bliss...
My name is Mandy Zabel I am a wife, mother and teacher. I am passionate about all these areas in my life I just don't seem to do any of them as well as I would like to. I have two amazing sons, ages 9 months and 4 years old. I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 7 years. I am a teacher and principal at a small rural school, which I adore. All things make up the framework for an amazing life, now all I have to do is... find MY bliss.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
April - Recap
As previously stated in April,( an entire month ago) I was working on my energy level. I have to say I need notice an improvement. The main change that I tried to make ( some days better than others) was drinking more fluid. The days where I was really good about drinking a lot, I could notice I didn't have the 5:30pm drag. I wasn't bouncing off the walls with energy or anything. It just didn't feel like I was carrying around a boulder around with me all day. I did take vitamins, but I didn't take them consistently enough to really notice.
May's Goal:
The end of April and the Beginning of May I have been working on BALANCE. Since I have had children I feel that I don't balance my life well. I feel that I am either being a good mom, and my work and students suffer OR I am being a great teacher, and an awful mom. There doesn't ever seem to be enough time to be both a good mom, and a good employee.
So, Eric and I have been trying to change our routine around a little. He has been picking up the kids more and trying to help me out. I have really felt the difference. I have a crazy two weeks at school coming up, and then I have the whole summer with the boys. I am excited about it, I just hope I don't like it too much I want to stay at home. I am sure by Aug. I will be ready to come back to school. I love planning for a new school year :)
So here's to the month of May being in balance.
Here goes...
May's Goal:
The end of April and the Beginning of May I have been working on BALANCE. Since I have had children I feel that I don't balance my life well. I feel that I am either being a good mom, and my work and students suffer OR I am being a great teacher, and an awful mom. There doesn't ever seem to be enough time to be both a good mom, and a good employee.
So, Eric and I have been trying to change our routine around a little. He has been picking up the kids more and trying to help me out. I have really felt the difference. I have a crazy two weeks at school coming up, and then I have the whole summer with the boys. I am excited about it, I just hope I don't like it too much I want to stay at home. I am sure by Aug. I will be ready to come back to school. I love planning for a new school year :)
So here's to the month of May being in balance.
Here goes...
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Day 1
I decided that I am going to try the following to try and get more energy. If anyone has any suggestion to other ways that I should try, I am completely open to them !!!
Energy Goals :
Drink more water/fluid.
Take vitamins
Get more sleep
Get Breakfast
So far so good. I drank a ton of water today ( technically it was Diet Peach Snapple), and I think I can really feel the difference. It could completely be the placebo effect - but at this point I don't really care. Energy is energy. Took my vitamin, and had to force myself to eat breakfast this morning. I can't tell which is going to be harder - the water or eating breakfast. I love to sleep, I just need to convince the boys they love it too :)
It's a start.....
Energy Goals :
Drink more water/fluid.
Take vitamins
Get more sleep
Get Breakfast
So far so good. I drank a ton of water today ( technically it was Diet Peach Snapple), and I think I can really feel the difference. It could completely be the placebo effect - but at this point I don't really care. Energy is energy. Took my vitamin, and had to force myself to eat breakfast this morning. I can't tell which is going to be harder - the water or eating breakfast. I love to sleep, I just need to convince the boys they love it too :)
It's a start.....
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Starting my Happiness Project...
I wanted to start my goals right on April 1st. But, just like everything in life, life got in the way. I have a lot of goals that I am continuously working on, some days I work harder at them than others.
Here are my 12 goals: ( in no particular order)
Organization
Energy
Health
Spirituality
Balance
Family
Fun
Love
Friends
Money
Hobbies
Work
I know these "goals" seem very general, but as I have one each month there will be specific goals within the monthly target.
So April's Target: ENERGY
Just like in the "The Happiness Project" the author chose energy because without energy all of the other goals seem way too overwhelming.
Any ideas for obtaining energy please comment..
Thanks!!
Here are my 12 goals: ( in no particular order)
Organization
Energy
Health
Spirituality
Balance
Family
Fun
Love
Friends
Money
Hobbies
Work
I know these "goals" seem very general, but as I have one each month there will be specific goals within the monthly target.
So April's Target: ENERGY
Just like in the "The Happiness Project" the author chose energy because without energy all of the other goals seem way too overwhelming.
Any ideas for obtaining energy please comment..
Thanks!!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
What a Happiness Project Is...
From what I understand, ( I am only 4 chapters into "The Happiness Project") You list at least 12 items that you would like to work on and each month you really work on that month's goal. After the month is over you can see if that goal made you happier or just made you miserable. Every month you have a new goal, and you continue to work on the goals from the past month(s). I am still trying to come up with my 12 things that I going to work on. It's not a hard list, but I want to make sure and make them important and meaningful to me. So my first goal is to come up with my 12 goals by tomorrow night so I can start my first goal in April. Nice day to start my Happiness Project... April Fool's Day !! Is this irony or what ??
Sunday, March 27, 2011
It's not a coincidence....
I have these moments of pure clarity where I can see what I want my life to be, and how I am going to feel within that life. It will happen when I least expect it. Teaching a math lesson, unloading the dishwasher or singing along to my favorite Sugarland song. The moment I snap back to reality I feel this sense of longing and regret for the things I know I want to change, but don't seem to be able to. I do have an amazing life, filled with amazing people that I can't live without. I have two amazing sons that shock me everyday ( some good , some bad). I married my high school sweetheart who supports me and makes me a better person. I have a teaching career which I am completely passionate about, and family and friends that make life interesting. Some nights I will check on the boys right before I go to bed, see their sleeping faces and crawl into bed with my husband and feel great appreciation for everything. But, I don't want to take these great days for granted. I don't want something horrible to happen and look back and say, "What a great life I had, I wish I would have realized it." I want to be present in my life, and I now I feel like a spectator. I want to be playing with my sons, and not have my mind preoccupied with the load of darks that need to be folded in the dryer before they wrinkle. One of my friends once told me that she sees her life as always being mediocre. I died a little on the inside because my whole goal in life is to have an extraordinary life. This does not mean I need to climb Mt. Everest or make a billion dollars. I just want to look back on my life and I know that I was engaged and present for the millions of memories that I made, good and bad. I want to feel like my life is not just passing me by, but that I meet my passions head on with energy and enthusiasm. So why have a blog about find my bliss? I feel like I have all of these goals or resolutions, that I start but I don't seem to fall through on them or I don't keep it going. I feel like I know what areas I need to change in order to find my bliss - I am just not sure where to start and I don't want to fail again. I feel like a lot of mom's have the same problems that I have, but no one says anything. It seems like a constant competition to see who SEEMS like they have it all together. I will begin right here and now acknowledging that I don't pretend to have it all together, and I am learning everyday how to balance it all. I started designing this blog and wanting to bring my life into a space of reflection and understanding. But, not really knowing what to do with all of these thoughts and feelings. Until I was at my favorite place ( Barnes and Noble) - I picked up this book called the Happiness Project. I opened it up and read a couple of sentences and instantly knew this book was the key to organize my mission to try and find my bliss.... I will begin my own Happiness Project.
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