Experiments In Happiness: The Vision Board

Earlier this year, Red Lotus Mama Nicole and I took a wonderful workshop aptly titled "Happiness Bootcamp: How to do a Vision Board and Keep Resolutions." I took away so much from this 2-hour class, but one of the things that stuck with me is this idea of putting together a mass vision board that includes hopes, thoughts, goals and ideas for ALL of us. 

But instead of listing out traditional resolutions, coach Stacie Somers suggested finding a THEME for the year. Words or a simple phrase that you will strive to achieve, and build your vision board around them. I loved this idea. Resolutions are so finite... and so breakable. But a THEME can grow and change over the year. 

But how do you FIND your theme? Here is an exercise that we did with Stacie to figure it out. 

Rules:

1- Re-Write these questions down using your dominant hand (your normal writing hand - for most of us, the right hand.)

2) Answer the questions writing with your SUB-dominant hand (for most, the left hand)

Crazy, huh? But using your "other hand" triggers parts of your brain that you normally are not using and really helps with figuring these things out. 

Questions:

1) How do I want to experience the world this year?

2) What do I yearn to have more of in my life?

3) What do I need in my life?

4) What was missing from my life last year?

5) What would it feel like to have these missing things in my life this year?

Now, did you notice something in your answers? A recurring theme or words that stick out more than others? Use those to create your personal theme. It can be one or two words, it can be a phrase... but use that to build your vision board and guide your year. 

Without getting too personal, for this year I chose two key words: Energy and Clarity. Two things I'm striving for and working to achieve in many different aspects of my life this year. As far as my actual vision board is concerned, I will admit that just like me,  it's still a work in progress....

Staci's Happiness Bootcamp was a free event held at Bliss 101 in Encinitas, CA. If you are local I highly suggest "liking" thier Facebook page for more information on upcoming events.  

Get Ready For Valentine's Day! Professional Pictures Celebrating the Day!

I know that normally one wouldn't think of getting "Valentine's Day" pictures taken, right? But why not? 

Since we didn't do pictures for our holiday cards this year, I decided to take the kids to one of our local photographers, Baby Dream Photography, for a Valentine's Day "mini-session." Mini-sessions are perfect for kids - 15 minutes in-and-out. That's about {my kids} can stand before they start wigging out. You would think our overly photographed kids would be used to getting pictures taken by now... 

I'm really happy I did these, as looking at these pictures I worry that by next year Lucas will have outgrown his tolerance for things like this. Zoe, in her red Jason Wu (just like FLOTUS on inauguration night!) will still pose and smile (with some bribing), but Lucas is getting to this "really Mom?" stage now that he's almost 9. Thankfully, he still relishes in his "class clown" status...

The other wonderful thing that I'm happy was captured was just how much Zoe LOVES Lucas. She wants to do what he does, she wants to pose like him (with her feminine twist - she was NOT going to have a mustache!) and she just can't keep her hands off him. While that makes for cute pictures, I will admit that this love-of-Lucas can be rather annoying around 7:45 AM on school days when we are trying to get ready to go. 

But I'm happy to have these moments captured today. They are both changing so rapidly that I love having these memories of them at different ages and stages.