More Joy in the New Year

This year I want to find more Joy in life. I want to do more of the things that actually make me happier. Less of the things that are easy at the moment but make me feel lousy later. I find the most joy in life through my relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and God. It is sometimes hard to balance this with my need to be alone and have my "quality me time. " I think I can improve my relationship with myself by spending my time in better ways.

I want to spend less time sitting in front of the computer, more time keeping my house in good order, so it is more pleasant to be in. I always feel so much more at peace when my home is clean. Work is one of the other sources of great joy in life. The things that bring most happiness in the long run require work now.

I want to spend less time reading to myself when I should be spending more time reading to my kids. I feel content when I know I am spending time with my kids. Granted, I don 't plant on dropping computer time and reading from my life, it brings me a lot of joy, but I need to keep my priorities in order and only do them when I don't have other things that are more important at the time. The days I have spent just reading or in front of a computer , therefore ignoring my house and family are always followed by a feeling of remorse. A feeling I missed out on something important that day.

I want to spend more fun time with my family. Playing games, doing fun activities, talking and working together. It feels like we spend a lot of time together doing the day to day stuff but it is the fun times that seem to really strengthen our relationships. The week between Christmas and New Years day is a special time for our family. Tim takes the week off of work and we dedicate our days to playing games with each other and with friends. This year in particular I came from this so rejuvenated rather than worn from spending so much time with my kids. I think I can take something from this and apply it to the rest of the year. I can't play all day of course but I can play more with my family on a regular basis.

My "me time" could be better spent improving upon myself, reading scriptures, more prayer and meditation. I will come to terms with myself better by coming to my Savior.

I want to improve my relationships with my neighbors. We get along but I am quite the hermit and really don't put myself out there and allow them to get to know who I am. I want to make a greater effort to get to know my friends and neighbors and bless their lives the way they have blessed mine.

It isn't in the "me time" that I will find most joy in life, it is in the "we time" (no not Wii time, although that is a great way to spend "We time" :). . . ) Quiet alone time is important for me, but it is not what is going to bring me happiness in this life.