Hello and happy Tuesday!
I hope you’re doing well this morning! My morning began with an early workout at the gym with Ryan. I warmed up with 20 minutes of intervals on the elliptical before I did three sets of 12 reps of leg extensions and hamstring curls. Then it was time to get really sweaty!
I used the Nike Training Club app on my phone to go through an advanced 15 minute Get Focused lean legs workout. It seems like I’m breathing heavy and dripping sweat after only five minutes of any NTC workout. They’re legit!
Breakfast
Breakfast was similar to yesterday’s morning meal.
More overnight oats!
I topped today’s oats with banana slices. That did the trick!
Habits of Happy People
As I was drinking my coffee this morning, I stumbled upon an article on the Huffington Post’s website about the Habits of Supremely Happy People. I thought the article was really interesting!
According to the article “joyful folk have certain inclinations,” including the following habits:
- They surround themselves with other happy people
- They smile when they mean it
- They cultivate resilience
- They try to be happy
- They are mindful of the good
- They appreciate simple pleasures
- They devote some of their time to giving
- They let themselves lose track of time (and sometimes they can’t help it)
- They nix small talk for deeper conversation
- They spend money on other people
- They make a point to listen
- They uphold in-person conversation
- They look on the bright side
- They value music
- They unplug
- They get spiritual
- They make exercise a priority
- They get outside
- They sleep
- They laugh
- They walk the walk
As I read this list, I found myself agreeing with nearly every single point. It also made me think about a few additions I would add to the list that contribute to my overall happiness on a regular basis:
- Owning a pet: You guys knew this was coming. Before I owned a dog, I didn’t really understand how people could be so crazy over their dogs. Now I totally get it. Sadie makes me laugh every single day and she truly is part of our family. I’m also fairly certain that even if we saw Sadie as “just a dog,” she wouldn’t tolerate this and would wiggle her way onto our laps every single night until we viewed her as a family member.
- Reading: Reading is something that calms me down and transports me to another world. If I’m stressed out, curling up with a book at the end of the day is a great way for me to relax and get lost in a story.
- Appreciate time with my husband: Since I’ve started working in the evenings at work a few days a week, I’m beginning to value my nights at home with Ryan even more. I’m so grateful that I have a husband who makes me feel supported and adored every single day. Of course we both have our “off days” on occasion but we make it a point to get outside and spend uninterrupted time together nearly every day. It’s always a highlight!
- Schedule time with faraway friends: I feel lucky that the plethora of weddings we had on our calendar this year have allowed me to stay connected to my long-term friends who live far away, but now that wedding season is over, we’re still trying to make it a point to plan events (Friendsgiving!) or special visits (SantaCon!) so we can all stay connected and spend time together in person. I value my friendships with my college and high school friends so much and will gladly save money in other areas so we can travel and be together when all of our schedules align.
- Connect with family: Ryan and I recognize how lucky we are to live within two hours of our families and we try to spend time with them regularly and keep communication constant. Regular phone calls, text messages (I really need to do a blog post dedicated to Ryan’s dad’s texts because they are the best) and visits are a priority for both of us. I’m already counting down the days until Thanksgiving with my in-laws!
Question of the Morning
- What habits in your life regularly contribute to your happiness?
In addition to the bullets listed above, being outside, surrounding myself with positive people, attending church, leading my LiveSTRONG group, jamming to upbeat music on Pandora, exercising and truly believing that everything will always work out for the best are key factors that contribute to my overall happiness.
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