Top 20 for a Happier Life ~ Rhonda style

 

As the calendar year comes to a close we start pondering all the things we would like to do better in the coming year. When I was young and foolish I thought the best way to accomplish my plethora of items was to write myself a list and tick things off one at a time.

I was a habitual list maker, buying beautiful notebooks and fine-tipped pens as if writing supplies would somehow move me to action and get the job done. I filled up book after book with journaling, poetry, exercise/calorie counting and yes...lists.

Yesterday I cleaned out my Cedar chest which is the mother lode of Rhonda-mobilia and found all my old journals. I sat for a few hours reading through some of the entries and was struck by the profoundness of the passage of time.

My struggles seem to have had common themes, finding purpose, longing to live passionately, perpetual weight issues and exercise horrors and yes...many lists. My joys have had common themes as well...an overwhelming thankfulness for my family and friends, and the richness of God's provision and blessing in my life.

I cried my way through the cedar chest contents. I found baby blankets that my Grandma crocheted for me when my kids were born, velvety soft to the touch. My beloved Grandpa Posein's handkerchiefs that I remember having been stowed in his suit pockets for an emergency sniffle, beautiful antique linens from my Grandma Lang given to her by her parents. Favorite pictures of our children when their youthful energy radiated from every pore. Cards from my wonderful husband declaring his love for me and dried roses from an anniversary bouquet.

All of a sudden I was stone cold...I realized my days had been slipping away from me so fast, soon to become items in my cedar chest. The biggest question loomed over my thoughts~

have I been making good use of my time?

I sat down to create one more list...not a New Year's resolution list, but a list of things I have been putting off. Things that have been niggling at me for attention that somehow I buried under the blankets of "not enough time" "not enough money" "not enough patience" "too old" "too young" "not my problem" "maybe someday"...so here it is~

20 Ways I want to enjoy my life to the fullest:

1. "LIKE" myself, be ok with who I am today
2. Throw away my granny panties (the childrens song "Deep and Wide"  with the actions comes to mind), com'on girls if I can...you can too
3. In each day, find something spectacular to enjoy, even if it's the sun shining through my doggie-snotted up window
4. Give gifts with no expectation of anything in return and not because of what it makes ME feel like, but what it will make someone else understand~ that I am thinking about them and I care 
5. Praise my children for the exceptional human beings they have become
6. Meditate on the God in my life who fills me with peace
7. Smell the fresh coffee grounds every morning before brewing the pot...ahhhh
8. Decorate my home in a reflection of my need for peace and harmony, safety and belonging...beauty
9. Love, appreciate and respect my husband at every opportunity afforded to me...I don't know how many days I will be blessed to do this
10. Wear black nail polish once in awhile with a little black dress
11. Stop being afraid of failure, and just.start.already
12. Speak words of life and not death
13. Read many books
14. Do crazy things just for the fun of it, preferably before I need a hip replaced
15. Stop looking over my shoulder in fear of losing it all
16. Cry on a friend's shoulder and when done, offer them mine
17. Toss my razors...yah you read that right but no worries I won't be going European au natural, there are alternatives out there 
18. Learn something new each day
19. Remember what I just learned
20. Do~ it

The calendar at the top is from 1967, the year I was born. Many, many, many (you get the idea) days have passed since I arrived on this planet. How many more do I have? I don't know, but I intend to make the most of each one I am blessed with. Although my Top 20 list is by no means exhaustive it's a good starting place, a kick in the keester, a means of identifying the things that are important to me and goading myself into action.

I hope you make your own list, be creative and crazy. It's all good.
Love and peace to each of you during this Christmas Season!!