Life Well Lived...Getting Happy

I was selected to answer another Life Well Lived Getting Happy question. The question is:

How do you put yourself first? How does taking time for yourself help make you happier?

I think as a Mom the whole concept of putting myself first was a hard one to grasp. I think so often we are made to feel guilty or selfish if we put ourselves first. The fact of the matter is we often need to, it's really the only way to stay sane.

My dear friend Elizabeth Lyons said it best when she said, "What do you do when your car is on E? You go to the gas station and fill up, right? So what do you do when you are running on E? You need to fill up on whatever it is that makes you happy."

I think that statement says it all. If we are putting everyone else first and not taking any time for ourselves unhappiness/resentment is sure to follow. The thing is, what you do does not have to be some big extravagant thing. I'm not saying make a daily spa appointment or anything like that. What I'm saying is, do something that makes you happy and do it alone. It can be something as simple as taking a bubble bath at the end of the night, or going for a pedicure. Sometimes, for me, it's going to the grocery store sans kids. Seriously, it's like a vacation.

I'm going to leave you with one last quote, and it's one my very Southern husband says all the time, "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy".

Be sure to check out all the other Life Well Lived Getting Happy discussions over at BlogHer and while you're there enter the Live Well Lived Sweepstakes!

Thanksgiving Thursday

This week I am thankful for:

• Scott making my coffee (he reminds me at least once a day that he makes me my coffee...every day). It is some pretty good stuff though.

• Moments like this:
• Aaron telling me he loves me too every time I say "I love you Aaron!"

• Jill learning to just go ahead and put herself in time out. Seriously. Yesterday she did something (probably to Aaron) and when I went to tell her "no" she walked over to the corner and stood there.
  

• Morning tea time:
• Phone conversations with my MOM when she's still coming out of anesthesia. Hilarious, seriously hilarious.

• Phone conversations with my MOM when she's on pain pills, equally hilarious.

• Fantastic family and friends that surround us!

• A great dinner with my brother Chris and sister in law Pam last night:
• Our upcoming Greek dinner with the B6. I'm equally thankful that I'm just in charge of the salad :) oh and dessert.

• Acing my first college paper in years (seriously, years). I got a 90%, hollar!

• The fabulous Liz Lyons, for being, well fabulous.

• The west coast feed of the Disney Channel, it's awesome.
  

What are you thankful for this week?

Thanksgiving Thursday

This week I am thankful for:

• Scott and everything that he does, especially when he plays catch with Aaron.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

• Aaron saying the phrase "my butt stinks". I wish I could have heard it, Scott said it was hilarious.

• Jill's attempt at break dancing. If you have ever seen the Fresh Beat Band on Nick Jr, they have a kid that break dances during the last song, Jill attempts to copy him every time.

• Family that I can call for any reason at any time.

• Surviving 10 minutes of storytime and not being banned from the library.

• All the rain we've had in the afternoon, it knocks one "to-do" off my list every night (watering the garden).

• The abundance of Roma tomatoes and green peppers we have, it's nice to knock that off my grocery list every week.

• My helper Aaron that helps pick up the playroom with me at the end of the night. I think, maybe, he does a better job than I do.

• This video, it makes me smile every time I watch it:

• Elizabeth Lyons introducing me to that video that makes me smile every time I watch it. (It also inspired me to create my own "inspirational/really awesome" video page on here, check it out!)

• Having only one post at Multiples and More this week, it's been strange, but has helped me get ahead on other areas. Thanks Lani!

• 25 cent Crayola crayons at Walmart, you my friends are awesome (the crayons, not Walmart).

What are you thankful for this week? Link up and let me know!