I led spirituality night last week, and in the spirit of the new year, focused on positive changes to make in our lives. As part of my 50 books I read last year, I read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. I was inspired by her book to begin my own happiness project, by focusing on what makes me happy. I decided to share a lot of what I learned from the book with my community.
The idea behind the happiness project is to approach happiness as a journey instead of a goal. Change habits so that you can focus on being happy. In our society, success is measured by wealth and not happiness. Happiness is viewed as a luxury that we can only afford if we purchase it. With that mindset, we will never find happiness, because it involves trying to get to a certain point of, "oh, if XYZ happens, THEN I'll be happy." But why wait? Happiness is available to all of us now if we look at things differently.
After first explaining what the Happiness Project was, I read some of the commandments/tips/"secrets of adulthood" for happiness from the book that I thought were useful.
A sampling:
One minute rule: If you can do it in a minute, get it done
Let it go
Forgive
Just because someone else enjoys something doesn't mean you will, and vice versa
Sing in the morning
Spend ten minutes before you go to bed cleaning
The days are long but the years are short
It's okay to ask for help
Be nice
Always say 'thank you'
You can choose what you do, you can't choose what you LIKE to do
You can do ANYTHING you want, but you can't do EVERYTHING you want
If you're not failing, you're not trying hard enough
Don't keep score
One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make others happy; one of the best ways to make others happy is to be happy yourself
Enjoy the process
Act the way you want to feel
The best resolutions take vague statements like "I want to be a better friend" or "I want to exercise more" or "I want to meet new people," and turn them into concrete goals, like "I will call a friend at least once a week" and "I am going to go to the gym every day" and "I am going to join an organization so I meet people with similar interests."
I then invited my community to reflect on their own about what their own mini happiness project would look like/their own resolutions for 2012. I also wanted everyone to think about happiness and its connection to spirituality (this was spirituality night after all...), and also how they might want to explore their spirituality in the coming year. We journaled for a little while and then came back together for a short discussion. I had everyone share at least one "resolution," because we need to hold each other accountable. I wrapped up with this quote:
Happiness is the spiritual experience of love, grace and gratitude.
For more on the Happiness Project, visit Gretchen Rubin's website.
Soundtrack to the evening:
Surely We Can Change-David Crowder Band
Better Get to Livin'-Dolly Parton
I Was Here-Beyoncé
Be Happy-Mary Mary
Come Awake-David Crowder Band
Let Go-Frou Frou
Turntable-TLC
Shining Like the Sun-Kate Campbell
It's A New Day-will.i.am
Monday, January 9, 2012
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
2011 Retrospective (Part 2)
As the year wraps up, I am spending a lot of time reflecting on what this year has brought to my life. This is the second in a series of these posts. See also Part 1.
Come August 6th, I was on a plane to California. I officially started JVC that day with orientation in Aptos, CA. It was a gorgeous place, but also so cold. Especially for me--it was 60 degrees and I had been dealing with 107 all summer in Austin. It was an interesting, fascinating week learning all about living in JVC and getting to know my housemates. On the way down from orientation in NorCal, we drove aways on the coast and then went to (most of us at least) our first In-N-Out experience!
The next week came my first week at Urban Compass. The kids didn't start school for almost a month after I began work, so it was mostly a lot of prep work and getting to know the ropes on the admin stuff. And then come September, the kids came back to school and though I may not have fallen in love immediately--I have now, and there's no going back. Read all Urban Compass related posts here.
At the same time, it has been a wonderful challenge to live in intentional community. My house-mates are all incredible people individually as well as a collective blessing to my life. We've had some wonderful times exploring LA and spirituality. These people help keeps me going in the foreign land that is Los Angeles. It's overwhelming at times, and we are all thankful for each other to work through the hard times together.
I have been working on driving again, and I have now officially failed the test three times. And I still hate driving, but doing my best to get my license.
It's a fascinating experience being part of JVC. We are put in such unique positions in many aspects of our lives and made to make the best of it. It's difficult, but especially with the support of my house-mates, church families, family and friends, it is do-able. As readers of my blog, you are part of my journey, and I appreciate each and every one of you. Blessings to you in 2012!
Come August 6th, I was on a plane to California. I officially started JVC that day with orientation in Aptos, CA. It was a gorgeous place, but also so cold. Especially for me--it was 60 degrees and I had been dealing with 107 all summer in Austin. It was an interesting, fascinating week learning all about living in JVC and getting to know my housemates. On the way down from orientation in NorCal, we drove aways on the coast and then went to (most of us at least) our first In-N-Out experience!
The next week came my first week at Urban Compass. The kids didn't start school for almost a month after I began work, so it was mostly a lot of prep work and getting to know the ropes on the admin stuff. And then come September, the kids came back to school and though I may not have fallen in love immediately--I have now, and there's no going back. Read all Urban Compass related posts here.
At the same time, it has been a wonderful challenge to live in intentional community. My house-mates are all incredible people individually as well as a collective blessing to my life. We've had some wonderful times exploring LA and spirituality. These people help keeps me going in the foreign land that is Los Angeles. It's overwhelming at times, and we are all thankful for each other to work through the hard times together.
I have been working on driving again, and I have now officially failed the test three times. And I still hate driving, but doing my best to get my license.
It's a fascinating experience being part of JVC. We are put in such unique positions in many aspects of our lives and made to make the best of it. It's difficult, but especially with the support of my house-mates, church families, family and friends, it is do-able. As readers of my blog, you are part of my journey, and I appreciate each and every one of you. Blessings to you in 2012!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
2011 Retrospective (Part 1)
As the year wraps up, I am spending a lot of time reflecting on what this year has brought to my life. This is the first in a series of these posts.
This has been an interesting year.
I would never have imagined on 1/1/11 that I would be living in Los Angeles.
I embarked on this year as a fresh college graduate joining the ranks of everyone else, trying to find a job and figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I spent about two months applying to jobs, interviewing for some, exploring post-graduate service programs and working on those applications. And a lot, a LOT of folklórico. I went to practice every day to have a concrete reason to get out of the house, and since I didn't really have much else to keep me from going. I also started going to zumba at St. Ed's pretty often (blending in with the students...). In January, I had started Weight Watchers, so the exercise went along with my eating better, and in the first half of 2011, I lost 15 lbs! (It has stagnated since then since I haven't been keeping up with as good exercise/eating habits, but I haven't gained it back either...)
Then came March, and I was hired as a temp at the IRS. One of the most interesting two months of my life. The job was... pretty boring. (I say that if my most boring job of my life is at age 21, then I'm doing pretty good). It was tedious work of opening envelopes, restapling, stamping, paperclipping and filing tax returns. That's what I did for 8 hours a day. And I also worked nights. But it paid well, and it was two blocks from my apartment so I could walk there. (David picked me up at night since it was 12:30 when I got off). And the people I worked with were really, really amazing. Don't miss the job itself, but I do miss those people.
In April, I also participated in the Relay for Life at St. Ed's, especially in honor of my friend Madeleine, whose seventh anniversary of her death passed on on April 28th.
This has been an interesting year.
I would never have imagined on 1/1/11 that I would be living in Los Angeles.
I embarked on this year as a fresh college graduate joining the ranks of everyone else, trying to find a job and figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I spent about two months applying to jobs, interviewing for some, exploring post-graduate service programs and working on those applications. And a lot, a LOT of folklórico. I went to practice every day to have a concrete reason to get out of the house, and since I didn't really have much else to keep me from going. I also started going to zumba at St. Ed's pretty often (blending in with the students...). In January, I had started Weight Watchers, so the exercise went along with my eating better, and in the first half of 2011, I lost 15 lbs! (It has stagnated since then since I haven't been keeping up with as good exercise/eating habits, but I haven't gained it back either...)
Then came March, and I was hired as a temp at the IRS. One of the most interesting two months of my life. The job was... pretty boring. (I say that if my most boring job of my life is at age 21, then I'm doing pretty good). It was tedious work of opening envelopes, restapling, stamping, paperclipping and filing tax returns. That's what I did for 8 hours a day. And I also worked nights. But it paid well, and it was two blocks from my apartment so I could walk there. (David picked me up at night since it was 12:30 when I got off). And the people I worked with were really, really amazing. Don't miss the job itself, but I do miss those people.
In April, I also participated in the Relay for Life at St. Ed's, especially in honor of my friend Madeleine, whose seventh anniversary of her death passed on on April 28th.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Looking for the Light
When a classmate of mine died in tenth grade, a good friend told me to look for the light in my life. I have received a lot of good advice in my life, but this is something I try to always remember when the times are dark.
And tomorrow always comes. There's always a new, fresh day to start over with. There's a lot of things I would change about my life and many that I plan to work on now that I have the time. But there are so many more things that I wouldn't change for anything. I keep looking for the light. And I can always find it if I look hard enough and if I'm not afraid of what I'll see in the process.
It's something I've been trying to remind myself in the last few weeks, where there has seemingly been a lot of darkness in people that surround me. This darkness could affect any of us in a particular circumstance, and it is especially hard to see the young ones of Urban Compass have to deal with some of the struggles that they do. I remember at the beginning of this job, I would mostly just have fun with the kids and then something would remind me of the lives they live outside of us. Lately, I can't seem to forget.
With the stories these kids tell us, it puts a whole new perspective for me on what it means to have a good childhood. I didn't grow up oblivious to the world's problems but most of them weren't at my house. My home was a safe space, my neighborhood was pretty safe. I had parents that were around and made enough money for us to live comfortably. So many of the kids we work with in Urban Compass are missing out on one or more of those things--some even, all of the above.
So it's been harder for me to look for the light, but each one of these kids is a blessing. I learn from them each day. I hope that we at Urban Compass serve as a light in their lives, which is absolutely what we strive to do.
There's one particular Urban Compass student that has shown a lot of light to me recently. She and I butted heads a lot at the beginning, and she was the one I struggled with working with the most. But she has made so much improvement in the last 8 weeks, and then still seems to like me. And she made me this picture. On the back it also said "Ms B and me are special. Ms B is nice. I am nice. We are best friends."
And I feel like I must be doing something right.
There's the light.
It's something I've been trying to remind myself in the last few weeks, where there has seemingly been a lot of darkness in people that surround me. This darkness could affect any of us in a particular circumstance, and it is especially hard to see the young ones of Urban Compass have to deal with some of the struggles that they do. I remember at the beginning of this job, I would mostly just have fun with the kids and then something would remind me of the lives they live outside of us. Lately, I can't seem to forget.
With the stories these kids tell us, it puts a whole new perspective for me on what it means to have a good childhood. I didn't grow up oblivious to the world's problems but most of them weren't at my house. My home was a safe space, my neighborhood was pretty safe. I had parents that were around and made enough money for us to live comfortably. So many of the kids we work with in Urban Compass are missing out on one or more of those things--some even, all of the above.
So it's been harder for me to look for the light, but each one of these kids is a blessing. I learn from them each day. I hope that we at Urban Compass serve as a light in their lives, which is absolutely what we strive to do.
There's one particular Urban Compass student that has shown a lot of light to me recently. She and I butted heads a lot at the beginning, and she was the one I struggled with working with the most. But she has made so much improvement in the last 8 weeks, and then still seems to like me. And she made me this picture. On the back it also said "Ms B and me are special. Ms B is nice. I am nice. We are best friends."
 |
| "Ms B and me" |
And I feel like I must be doing something right.
There's the light.
Monday, December 5, 2011
California Roses: Photo Post
I've been enjoying roses in the fall/winter and wanted to share some of the photos I've taken recently.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Honoring Dorothy Kazel, Ita Ford, Maura Clarke and Jean Donovan
On December 2nd, it was the anniversary of the murders of Dorothy Kazel, Ita Ford, Maura Clarke and Jean Donovan by the Salvadoran military in 1980. These four women are the namesakes of the JV Casas in Los Angeles--I live in Casa Dorothy Kazel.
On Friday night, Mount St. Mary's College held a memorial service for the churchwomen, as they have done for 31 years. For 31 years, they've decried violence and injustice. For 31 years, many sisters have come to this service memorializing the deaths of women they knew, women that were their friends. 31 years, they have bought roses in December and placed them on the altar.
We had people attend the service from each JV house in LA. My dad and brother are in town, so they came as well. There were many sisters that came to the service, and it was fascinating to hear from these women about their connections to the churchwomen. It was such a blessing to be among them.
On Friday night, Mount St. Mary's College held a memorial service for the churchwomen, as they have done for 31 years. For 31 years, they've decried violence and injustice. For 31 years, many sisters have come to this service memorializing the deaths of women they knew, women that were their friends. 31 years, they have bought roses in December and placed them on the altar.
We had people attend the service from each JV house in LA. My dad and brother are in town, so they came as well. There were many sisters that came to the service, and it was fascinating to hear from these women about their connections to the churchwomen. It was such a blessing to be among them.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hello all, I hope you are enjoying your post turkey hangovers, or waiting in anticipation for dinner start. I find myself in the latter group, as the turkey still has about another hour to cook, and then the feast will begin. We are in Phoenix; there are about 30 or so of us here, and all is set for a wonderful dinner--thanks to our fabulous hosts!! Best pre-dinner appetizer has been pumpkin dip. I had to move to the other side of the room to stop eating all of it...
Today I am thankful for many things and I am feeling incredibly blessed. I have such an amazing family and amazing friends, I cannot believe how lucky I am sometimes. I am grateful for the opportunity to do JVC, and really explore myself and the world for a year. I am grateful for my health. I am grateful for the children at Urban Compass, who teach me something new every day. I am thankful for my community, who are incredibly supportive and encourage me to be the best version of myself. And I am thankful that I feel like I am becoming that person.
Today I am thankful for many things and I am feeling incredibly blessed. I have such an amazing family and amazing friends, I cannot believe how lucky I am sometimes. I am grateful for the opportunity to do JVC, and really explore myself and the world for a year. I am grateful for my health. I am grateful for the children at Urban Compass, who teach me something new every day. I am thankful for my community, who are incredibly supportive and encourage me to be the best version of myself. And I am thankful that I feel like I am becoming that person.
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