I am finally making headway on my Happiness Project. Mister Nomer and I decided to cut costs and move into a studio apt. I figured it was the perfect time to take care of my clutter issues. If not to begin my project... for practical reasons. My shoe loving purse crazed stuffed animal harboring self was just not going to fit. I went through the closet and assessed each piece of clothing in it. There were things I loved... THAT STILL HAD TAGS ON THEM. If I have not found the perfect shirt to go with that skirt in YEARS.... It went into the garbage bag. Old dresses from school dances? Gone. T-shirts with stupid ass slogans on them that used to make me, like, soooo cool? In the garbage bag. Shoes I had been meaning to repair or was saving for when I needed a 'practical heel' soon occupied an entire garbage bag on their own. What the hell is a practical heel anyway?? I will live and die by stilettos, bitches. In the end I was really proud of my progress. I managed to fill 5 big trash bags and donated them all to St. Vincent de Paul. I was proud of me. However, the aforementioned boa... still resides on the top shelf of the closet. The person that gave it to me means just to much to me to give it away... that and my inner glamour puss just couldn't bare giving it away. Along with the clothes went oodles of nick nacks and old picture frames...the love letters from old flames... old cards I had held onto... I thought I would miss them all, but surprise surprise out of sight out of mind. Mental decluttering to match my physical decluttering. Now eventually I will gt around to the four years of dry cleaning and hand washing I've been hoarding for years. YEARS (what is wrong with me?!).
Another part of my life that was really concerning me was my relationships. Developing relationships is really hard for me...then you add maintaining them and I need an 'Idiots Guide to..." I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt, even when they don't deserve it. I give people a chance when no one else will and it tends to get me hurt in the long run. I've been avoiding forming bonds with people that put up all those red flags,which is hard for me... but seems to be removing the stress from my personal life nicely. I also sat down and assessed where I was going wrong in the relationships I did have or used to have. While doing this, I realized that some bridges had been burned or relationships had fizzled for the best and others had not. I realized that I had been asking friends for years to give me benefits, that I had not given them. I have always asked that if they have a problem with something I'm doing... they tell me and just talk to me about it. I realized that that was not something I had necessarily done for them and was disappointed in myself. I assessed whether it was for better or worse that those people were not in my life... and am trying to repair friendships, with the ones that I am the better for knowing. I have also been making a point of reconnecting with the people I used to be close with, which has been both rewarding and a little bit bizarre. I think I am making a lot of progress and I am really happy about it.
I have also been... dare I say... exercising. Our move to Nomer Manor came complete with a gym. It comes included with rent...and I don't even have to leave my building. I am rapidly running out of excuses to get off my ass. So...we're exercising now and eating a healthier diet. The Mister keeps trying to bring home tofu and lentils...but he is barking up the wrong damn tree. I'm keeping it lean, eating tons of veggies, and omitting the customary stick of butter in every meal. Then he tries comin at me with tofu. WHAT IS THAT?! :p
One part of my project that I have utterly failed at? Avoiding the traps at work. I have now been riding the unemployment train for a while in search of a job that will not drive me nuts. I quit the last one shouting obscenities and left the business in a tough spot. Really don't want a repeat on that. I think beginning my own business is increasingly looking like the best way for me to remain employed, but that is a post for another day.
Overall... my Happiness Project is going really well. Gonna keep on keepin on :D
