Luck/Risks

I recently read in Psychology Today that there are actually "Lucky" people. Well, kinda.

I'll explain.

The article is called Make Your Own Luck by Rebecca Webber. Just a quick excerpt. "People who spot and seize opportunity are different. They are more open to life's forking paths, so they see possibilities others miss. And  if things don't work out the way they'd hoped, they brush off disappointment and launch themselves headlong toward the next fortunate circumstance. As a result, they are happier and more likely to achieve their goal."

Enough said right? No?

I am "lucky" to have these types of people in my life. I have them in my life because I am not one and want to be one. If that makes sense. (Side note: I think we make better friends with people who are compatible to us and offer something we don't, of course we bring something to them that may be needed also.) I have a friend who has had many jobs and tons of friends. There is never a closed door or window at the same time for her. There is always an opportunity waiting to be taken and she seems to have a sixth sense for them.

Me? Because I am the previously mentioned procrastinator, I have to think a while before making decisions. My mother recently asked me to go to a certain church group at a church we have never been to. It was four days away. We were both ready to go up until about fifteen minutes prior. I called her and told her I just couldn't bring my self to go. My excuse? I haven't had time to think about it. Yeah.

I'm sure it is much more than I can see myself and one day a therapist can tell me what my real problem is, but for now ...

So surely, you can see why this article has me motivated. If I were open to more ideas, then I think I would definitely have better "luck", karma, blessings, whatever. I might see what it is that's right in front of my face and not wait around. I come from a family of planners and so it is very hard to be spontaneous or take risks, because really that's what this article is about to me. Taking a risk. Getting out of my comfort zone. Not looking before jumping. I just don't do those things. I am a known researcher before doing anything. (Yeah, I checked out every little detail about that church...So?  Tis what I do.) 

There are a ton of things I want to do and at this point I need to start taking the opportunities instead of thinking 'it will never happen to me'. We all do this right? No matter what it is. We don't bother putting our names in the drawing box at the grocery store because we're already sure we've lost the case of Pepsi and a cooler. We don't bother going to a function where it is 90% people we don't know because we're too worried about what they might think. So we don't even give ourselves a chance. It's Ridiculous! And, frankly, I'm done with it. I want to try to win the Pepsi and a cooler. I want to put myself out there and make a new group of friends.

I'm motivated people!!

So, throw it my way. Give me something to do. Give me some suggestions for my first steps. I also want to hear how you deal with risks/"luck". Are you open minded? Do you seize opportunities at hand? Do you have issues taking risks and if so what kind?


(I keep typing "luck" because I don't really think there is luck, more of a state of mind, if you will.)

God Showed Up

A couple months ago I was trying to simplify my kid’s room. Background story: We live in a 1000 sq ft apartment. Two bedrooms. We have enough stuff in our home for six – ten people. Four kids worth of stuff is jammed into one room. Craziness? Yeah. We are officially on the road to buying our first home.

Anyway, all I have for the kids in their room is a dresser and a small side table (Along with the beds, of course.) I decide I must have a small bookshelf and a small dresser. I go to Walmart and Target to price some, then start thinking about the plastic roll around dresser that people usually use for their crafts and such. Within the next couple days I hit up the flea market and find this bookcase priced at $25. It’s a pale yellow and is missing a shelf. A guy comes over to help me and says, ‘I’ll take $15 since it’s missing the shelf.’ I didn’t really want the shelf anyway! ‘I’ll take it!’I exclaimed in my head.

So that night I’m still worrying about what I’m going to do for a dresser. I had set this day up for organizing and felt like I hadn’t accomplished it. My mother in law then shows up at the door with this.

She said she found it by the dumpster. It still had the sticker on it, it was so like new! I couldn’t believe it! After cleaning it I loaded it up and set it in the kids’ room very satisfied. It was just what I needed…and FREE!

I know this may seem small, but to me it was huge. At this point I didn’t really have a lot of money to spend on something like these two items. I guess you could say it wasn’t in the budget. I really needed to do something about these kids’ room so that they had access to play with their things without it becoming a danger zone. Then when I least expect it…God showed up. He provided for me. For anybody else it would not have meant as much as it did to me right then. And only I would be able to see it for what it really was.

I am so thankful for a loving God who knows that nothing is too small to show me that He cares, that He hears me, and that He wants for me too. I have kept this little picture on my phone just as a reminder that he cares even about the small things.

My question to you: How does God remind you that you matter to Him? Any testimonies? 

UGH!

Well, yesterday was completely unproductive. I had one of those days where I literally did not get out of my house/pajamas/comfort zone ALL DAY. I like the beginning of those days but hate the ending. At first I always say to myself, 'You deserve a day off. You deserve not to do anything for a full day.' By the end of it I'm thinking, 'You are SO lazy! You didn't get anything accomplished and you had all day.' It's kind of how I feel when I miss work.....guilty.

So, to make up for it I became very productive today. First off, I got out of bed and got dressed. That was just the start I needed. I got my kids up, took them to school, and went to work. Whew! I did have to fight with myself not to call in.

After work I cooked dinner, folded/hung/ironed all the mountains that were piling up and danced to my Pandora radio station while doing so. Then I fixed my girls beds. (It seems that they do not like sheets. Am I the only one who has to reapply sheets every morning/night?) Read them some bedtime stories and now I am off to bed. I feel so much better. I feel like I have justified my day of being a sloth.

At work in the quiet moments where I am thinking I came to some realizations.

The main reason I have chosen the title of my blog is because I am.....a procrastinator. There. I said it. The first step is admitting it right? I need motivation to keep going sometimes, but then...who doesn't? Unfortunately being a procrastinator I need a LOT.

So some key things that I am wanting to change/do is:
Lose weight - Which means exercising and eating right. Sorry Sonic, our friendship has run it's course.
Spend more time with my husband - We need that connection that six years and four kids can sometimes take away.
Spend more time with my kids - Taking on this great job I have of teaching and helping their minds grow and enjoying the little things they bring to MY life.
Keep my house organized - I was always very organized when I was younger, but somehow it's gotten away from me. I also have a tendency to hold on to things longer than needed. Such as my high school journals.
Get closer to God - I have only really been on this path with Him for the past six years. I feel I have the potential to do more.

There it is. My list. In no certain order. This really doesn't contain ALL the things I have conjured up in my head to do before I die, but they are the most important. When talking to my mom about some of the things I've been getting frustrated with she said, "Delaina, you have all these dreams. First, start with your home." I think she meant I needed to clean, but it means something different to me.

My first realization is that I CAN LOSE WEIGHT. If I want to. I've been kind of hitting my head on the metaphorical wall thinking that I really can't. Then I see all these old friends of mine or even just acquaintances that used to be bigger and now they are all skinny. If they can do it, I CAN TOO! Why not? So, I'm starting there. We'll see where it takes me (hopefully out of the plus size section at all the clothing stores).

Another thing my mother said was that I should start going to bed when my husband does and wake up when he does. I am going to do that starting tomorrow. This will give me the time I need to get my chores done so I have time to spend with my family. I am also hoping going to take the time to be with God.

Wish me luck and please, any motivational stories you may have....send them my way. Remember I need a LOT.