Mike over at Four Pillars pointed out (quite correctly) that I haven’t actually made a public declaration myself. I didn’t want anything I said to give anyone any ideas, so I was holding off, but fair enough!
Mine is simple but difficult: always think positively.
I have struggled with this recently. I’ve been in what I call a blap period, struggling with a lot of minor problems. Nothing terrible, but a lot of small stuff adds up. I’ve been eating poorly and gained some weight. My exercise program is really hitting the skids. I’ve been tired a lot as my son’s been teething and sleeping very poorly for several weeks, keeping me from getting a solid night’s sleep for a while. My commute isn’t bad, but it’s long and it’s taking hours out of my day. My client is a nice place to work but the actual job duties are boring. Cold weather is arriving and I’m not a cold weather fan, at all.
So I have been using my Vulcanized Rubber Happy Thoughts Maker and reading (and re-reading) one of my favorite inspirational books, Think and Grow Rich. You might think that’s just about money from first glance, but it’s not. Napoleon Hill has a lot to say about attitude and desire and focus, and I find it very uplifting.
My goal, therefore, is to keep this up and not let small things get me down! We found out recently that baby #2 is on the way so we’ve got all the happiness (but nervousness and stress) that come with thinking another Little Buddy (or Buddette) is fast approaching. The challenges will double but so will the baby energy – and that’s a good thing, and worth staying positive about. I will avoid moping, or dwelling on negatives, and try to maintain a positive outlook – because life is generally pretty good any way you look at it, but at a minimum, it’s the only one we have. The only thing we truly control in this life are our own thoughts, and I will make sure I control mine.
(the picture is my feet, standing on the Tsar’s mark at the entrance to Red Square. The point? Wherever you are, that’s where you are – that’s always been a strangely deep thought for me).
Congrats on the new baby…any due date estimate?
Mike
Congratulations on the baby! I wish you the best with the whole thing…. And cool picture.
Bas
BuildAndSucceed.com
Mazel tov! How exciting!
Congratulations on number 2 coming along. Even if it involves twice as much hypervigilance, it also involves twice as much love, twice as much fun, twice as many happy giggles… you get the idea.
(I have to think that since I’m expecting number 2 as well.)
Congrats on baby #2!
Two is fun, I promise. You may get less sleep, you may get more. My two have been so vastly different from each other I can’t even begin to guess. Everything difficult about one is easy with the other… and vice versa
Congrats congrats congrats!
Don’t sweat the small things, a very noble declararion. Also, congrats on the pending arrival. Your life is about to completely change once again, for the better of course!!!
Thank you everyone! We’re very excited and I’m sure I will have tons more to post about on this subject. Mike (Four Pillars) asked the $10,000 question: early May. We heard May 7, but it’s probably going to be earlier than that if this baby is anything approaching the size of our son
Congrats on baby #2!! Also, is it weird that I always though it was brip-brap until I saw the blap in this post? This is where speed reading really fails me.
Congratulations!
May I suggest that along with your Vulcanized Rubber Happy Thoughts Maker, you practice happy thoughts? Here’s how I do it:
http://millionairemommynextdoor.blogspot.com/2007/09/i-choose-happiness-what-about-you.html
It works like a charm for me. Oh, and make sure you take adequate blogging breaks to soak up some sun every day. I think the sun soaking thing could be my new public declaration…
Congratulations on the new baby!
Thinking positive thoughts is extremely hard! I’m feeling a little defeated right now…
I agree with MMND…. SUNTHERAPY during winter months for those who hate cold weather and feel blue like BB. I heard that’s how they cure depression in Scandinavian countries where there’s not much sunlight year-round. Sun lamps?
Perhaps snuggle a stuffed bear? That helps me feel better.
Or look at sketches/CGIs of how #2 would look right about now. That’s very exciting stuff!
(And while embryos and fetuses can look funny, it’s in a cute way.)
Thanks again for the comments and good wishes, everyone! Yeah, sun therapy is something I might actually look into if I can bear to drop the money on the light box – those things are pricey. And Mrs Micah, we’ve already seen the little 3D ultrasounds – very odd looking but very cute in a fetal way. Amazing to imagine that our hulking 19 month old toddler son was that little a mere 2 years ago!