A Better Life, Every Day

Happy New Year 2010!

 

I hope everyone had a great New Years Eve!  2009 is now behind us, and I am looking forward to making 2010 my best year yet!

What are you doing to make 2010 your best year ever?

Photo courtesy of:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seattleye/ / CC BY 2.0

I'm Getting Married...Today!

Talk about a Better Life day! Today has to be the best example yet. It's early in the morning as I sit in my hotel room just hours before I get married, and all I can think about is how truly lucky I am to be marrying such an all-around beautiful woman with two amazing daughters. As I think about my good fortune, I am reflecting on my Better Life commandments. While each of the twelve apply, three in particular are standing out:

1. Be healthy
I've known that I've needed to lead a healthier lifestyle, but I have never really followed through on this. Thinking about this today, I know the stakes are now raised. I need to take care of myself better so that I can have more time with my wife and my girls. The other day, my very-soon-to-be step-dauhter J told me that she wanted to be with me forever. She then added, "You're not going to die on me, are you?" You've got to love the minds of six year olds, don't you? While I know anything can happen to anyone at anytime, I can decrease my chances by eating better and exercising more. So, that is exactly what I am going to do.

2. Be a role model for the girls
Being healthy is one area I can do this, but I also want them to see all that is possible in life. I want them to grow into happy, confident women. So, I hope that by living each day to be better than the day before, I can be a positive example for them.

3. Smell the roses, hear the music
Even more than before, I need to become more aware of the "little" things in life. For awhile, I was writing down in my Moleskine funny or amazing (to me at least) things the girls would say. I haven't been doing that lately because I have been "too busy", and think I have really missed out on some things as a result. I also really want to be aware of this today for my wedding and on my upcoming honeymoon. I want to be sure I am open to and aware of everything that happens as I spend this time with my new wife.

I know that today is going to be an incredible day for me. It is the start of a new life with the woman and two little girls who are my world. This day has highlighted the importance of following my Better Life commandments, and as a result, has made me even more committed to them.

Note: I have typed this post out on my Palm Treo, so I apologize for any spelling or formattin errors.

Have You Created Your Better Life Commandments Yet?

If not, why not?  If you have, I would love to hear what they are, so please share.

My Better Life Commandments have already helped guide me in certain situations.  I have been more aware of my responses to people and things, and I have found that I am enjoying my life more as a result. 

The past few weeks have been extremely hectic for me as I have been trying to complete wedding plans (I get married exactly one week from today), complete honeymoon plans, get the twins ready for first grade, soccer, and dance, keep up with my regular job duties at work, and do what is needed at home too.  Thankfully my fiancee is very patient with me!

The two biggest things that I have done to help keep me sane during these hectic times is I have written just about everything down in my Moleskine and I have reviewed my Better Life Commandments regularly. 

If you have not already done so, I encourage you to develop your own Better Life Commandments.

Stay tuned for why I chose the commandments I chose and how being aware them during my honeymoon worked out.

12 Better Life Commandments - Do You Have Yours?

One of my favorite blogs to read is Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project.  As part of her Happiness Project, Gretchen developed twelve happiness commandments (you can read hers just under her picture on her blog), and I thought that this was a great idea, so I came up with my own "Better Life Commandments":

1. Live my own life
2. Believe
3. Accept my imperfections
4. Spend more time with family and friends
5. Be healthy
6. Do the right thing
7. Continuously learn
8. Embrace healthy confrontation
9. Be a role model for the girls
10. Live within my means
11. Smell the roses, hear the music
12. Do it now!

While the list may change as the days pass, I think this is a great starting point.  I know that my life will be better every day if I follow these twelve commandments.  In a future post, I will explain what these commandments mean to me and why I chose them.

I recommend developing your own happiness or better life commandments.  What commandments do you follow?