If you're a bird, I'm a bird

I am reading a book called Happy Women Live Better . Valarie Burton is a motivational speaker I heard on the Christian radio I listen to. I just read the chapter on Gratitude, being thankful. A way to activate your Happiness trigger is to keep a gratitude journal of things you are thankful for. Before you go to bed, you can write three things you were thankful for that day. Also, you can write a thank-you letter to someone. I am going to make an effort to recognize things and people I am thankful for. On another note, the next chapter is on fakebook or facebook , which leads into Connection (which was my weakest area) so I am taking a hiatus from facebook for 1 week. I have deleted the app off my phone. No comparisons, no connecting with people that aren't in the room with me, no wasting time on things that are not important, no bragging or sharing with people that do not need to know my business. I bought a new book Summer Rental so I am going to read that this week. R Upd...

Motivational Speaker, Valerie Burton Anticipation. In Happy Women Live Better , Valerie Burton says when we have something to look forward to, our happiness improves. If you do not have something to anticipate on your calendar, you need to put something on it. We need something to look forward to everyday. Even planning a trip can be more satisfying than actually taking the trip. She said to make a list of simple pleasures and when you need something on your calendar, choose one of the simple pleasures. You can even put them on papers in a jar and draw them randomly.   When Joe and I went on our mountain trip, we made lists of simple pleasures. Here are some of mine: 1) Parenthood episode, 2) fire in the pit on the patio, 3) movie night, 4) flea markets/consignments, 5) a bath, 6) spinning, 7) writing a letter, 8) blogging, 9) jazz bar, 10) open mic night, 11) date night, 12) adventure with the kids, 13) Sudoku puzzles, 14) random act of kindness, 15) have a dinner gu...

Readers, I just ordered three books from Amazon. So recently that they haven't even been shipped yet. Happy Women Live Better by Valerie Burton Married to Distraction: How to Restore Intimacy and Strengthen Your Partnership in an Age of Interruption  by Edward Hallowell, MD The Well-Behaved Child: Discipline that REALLY Works! by John Rosemond I used to be BIG on self-help. That was all I read for a while. Then I moved away from it and started reading stories, love stories, fiction. I used it to escape; get away; take a vacation. I have a couple fiction books on my bookcase waiting to read now. The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks and Love Letters by Debbie Macomber. Joe and I were talking about doing some studies together in the evenings and I could see us doing any of these. Burton and Rosemond had segments on the 91.9 HIS Radio. One book is about overall happiness and well-being, one is about improving marriage, and the last one is focused on parenting. We could b...