Finding my Happy Place

I don't have anything to complain about. I really, really don't. I have a healthy, and usually happy family. I have a new - much bigger than the old- house with a pool and nice yard. I live in the most abundantly blessed country in the world. I really don't have anything to complain about.

However, for the past 2 months I feel like I've been really stressed and really grumpy. Buying a house and moving is just so stressful - even when it's a happy move. I feel like I've let it get the best of me and I need to make a change - not only for myself but for my kids. I can tell my grumpiness has worn off on them and it's just an ugly vicious cycle.

Last week I came down with a horrrrrrible flu. I was knocked flat for a few days (well, as much as a mom with 3 kids,and a husband in tax season, and a house needing lots of unpacking and TLC can be knocked flat). This weekend when I finally got some extra sleep I started to feel a little better and I realized I needed to make some changes in my life.

I need to find my Happy Place and stick with it! Stop letting the little things get me down. Stop letting the house needs, the kid needs, the husband needs and every other kind of needs get me down. Slow down, just breathe, and enjoy. I haven't been doing enough of that. I haven't enjoyed my new house really at all because I've been focusing on the negatives about it. I knew the negatives were here before I bought it but I want them all fixed like - yesterday. So today I took a look around my place - even in the state it's in - and just felt so blessed to have a beautiful home with such potential.

I haven't been enjoying my kids because I've been focusing on the negative behaviors, which as moms we all know just somehow brings out more negative behaviors! When I slow down and enjoy the fun and exciting things I love about being a mom - it's so much better! So the last couple of days I've been reading a ton to them. Slowing down with them , listening to what they have to say, snuggling a little bit more and punishing a little bit less.

I haven't been enjoying my husband much because I do have the uncanny knack for looking at the bad behaviors in my husband and trying to fix them instead of focusing on his good qualities. Does anyone else do this or is it just me? I'm really good at finding the moat in my husbands eye. The other day I was watching him playing with the kids and thought to myself - "man, he is handsome " and remembering all the things I love him for. That felt really good. I need to work on more of that and less of the negativity. One of my favorite stories about marriage is here.

Anyway, it was the pits to be sick but I think I needed it so I could remember how good it feels to be well. Sometimes you forget how good you have it until a little bit of it gets taken away. It gave me time to slow down, think, and reassess myself and where I'm at. I'm at my Happy Place now and I want to stay here!