I am curious if anyone has read “The Happiness Project“
by Gretchen Rubin? If so I would love to
hear your comments.
I somehow found this book at the King County Library website
and I have just checked it out for the second time. It is one of those reads I
want to take slowly and savor every chapter.
I am only on March and the book chronicles an entire year of one woman’s
journey to become truly happy.
I know I have been offered wonderful opportunity and I don’t
want this time to go to waste. I don’t
want to live my life with regrets. Such as, why didn’t I take opportunities, or
spend more time with kids, or laugh with my parents, travel with my
sisters. Why don’t I enjoy every day
instead of trying so hard to fit everything into my schedule. For years I haven’t been able to find the
time to do things I need and want to do.
Now I have time. I
can read a book (and I am reading several – and not just fiction this
time). I can look up all those movies we
have missed over the years and download them.
I can finally watch Call the
Midwife and I can take long walks. I
have time to think and to plan.
Before I left the states I spent several weeks with a life coach and
now I get weekly emails which somehow always seem to answer the question I am
asking myself that week. The last
newsletter she wrote about taking September as a time to relax or ‘Dolce far niente’ which is Italian for ‘sweet doing nothing.’ The deliciousness of
doing nothing and saying yes to life! It sounds so simple, right? With a life of living running on high speed
it is so hard to slow down. I am hard
wired (as are my sisters, although they much more then I am, especially now) to work hard, all the time. We don’t know how to just sit. If we have
spare time we go for hike, or plant a garden, or cook.
Having so much time on my hands is interesting. I find I
have been here almost two months now and haven’t even tried to find a job,
although it is always on my mind. I want to find something that I can continue
to use when we return because we are a part of the growing number of boomers
that will always need an income to help supplement their retirement. Which is ok because I am happiest when I am
working, especially if it is something I am passionate about, I just don’t want
to work too hard anymore.
Of course all that time on my hands makes me dread the big
D. When I find myself lacking, and by
lacking I mean not trying hard to help others; I tend to start sliding into
depression and wondering if I have value, or something worthwhile to
offer.
To keep myself busy I am going to take the month of
September to plan my year of finding happiness.
What one change can I make each month that will help me become a happier
person? I only need to come up with 12 things to work on, it won’t be too hard
I hope.
You can find Etka’s blog at this link: http://www.i-dci.com/blog/. If you think #18 on Dolce far niente is good be sure to check out #17.
What is happening in Hai Phong this month? Typhoon Kalmaegi landed and besides keeping us locked in the house for a couple of days we were OK. There were some trees down and power outages but Hai Phong was OK. Other area's, not so much. We are settling in, gaining back the weight we lost while I was struggling with cooking. I am getting more comfortable with the lack of everything we take for granted in the US. We have found some OK wine and a place where we feel comfortable buying meat. We are settling in and becoming more comfortable in our surroundings. I am volunteering to help teach two English classes, one a group of women expats and another is a business college. It sounds like I might get to plan a couple of fund raisers, one for a blind school and one for a music class at an orphanage. But really, most of time I am learning how to have peace with dolce far niente.
Below are pictures from the storm and one of me shopping in the local IKEA. I was so excited to see it listed by google as a home goods shop. What you see is the entire store.
Below are pictures from the storm and one of me shopping in the local IKEA. I was so excited to see it listed by google as a home goods shop. What you see is the entire store.
I so relate to what you are saying. I too have dramatically slowed down since moving to Bellingham. Although my change isn't nearly as dramatic as your change has been, it still involves an uprooting and a settling in process. I am not willing to get back into the a jamming schedule and want to take the time to decide what I passionately want to do and how I can contribute the most here. Luckily I have been kept busy with unpacking and scheduling repairs that need to be done so I can ward away the occasional head voice that says I should be doing more. I salute you. No one I know works harder and more efficiently than you. Even when you feel like you aren't doing anything you are- simply by being you. It is impossible for someone as powerful as you not to influence your surroundings. This is your 'be' time, not your 'do' time. I send you a heart full of love.
ReplyDeleteglad to hear you are taking some time also and taking care of yourself. What a beautiful summer to have "off".
DeleteWait, no Swedish meatballs at IKEA?! I feel cheated...
ReplyDeleteha ha!. We get a German TV channel here. I thought of you when they were highlighting the beer box racing. The beer boxes looked like our milk cartons and the kids had made all kinds of race carts out of them. The parents were of course drinking beer and watching the racing.
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