I've mentioned how much I've learned from Gretchen Rubin's writing and podcast. So today I want to tell you about what first got me interested in and reading/listening to her work. I took the Four Tendencies Quiz. In this quiz, you answer questions and then it determines whether you are an upholder, an obliger, a questioner, or a rebel. The difference between the four has to do with how you best meet expectations (whether outer or inner). I learned I was an obliger, which means I tend to do great at meeting outer expectations, but struggle with meeting inner expectations. So in order to help myself meet inner expectations, it's helpful to create some kind of outer accountability (which I've done with this blog and posting on Facebook). The framework is really interesting and I strongly encourage everyone to take the quiz and learn more about the Four Tendencies. Once you take the quiz, come back and let us know what your tendency is!

You can take the quiz here: https://quiz.gretchenrubin.com/

Saturday's seem to be my day to get over 10,000 steps! I did it again yesterday! Not only that, I was active for 9 hours (which means I did over 250 steps for 9 hours of the day). 

I got to the place and got my class set up early yesterday and did my 25 minutes of walking before any of the participants arrived. I walked around the inside and the outside of the building. It felt great to have it done and not have to worry about it later in the day!

I didn't have time to walk at home before we left for McAlester this weekend yesterday. I planned on walking on the treadmill when I got to the hotel, but it was out of order. So...I put on my headphones and just took off walking. In front of the hotel is a very busy highway and I didn't want to walk there so I went behind the hotel and walked down a side street to a couple of shopping center parking lots. Not going to lie, I felt pretty adventurous doing that lol. But most of all, I felt proud of myself for not letting the broken down treadmill keep me from my walking goals. 

 Earlier this week, Tom wasn't feeling very well and so I didn't want to go out on a 25 minute walk, so I decided to pull out one of my Leslie Sansone Walk at Home DVD's for the first time in quite a while. Since I'd been doing 25 minute walks, I decided to go for the Walk Away the Pounds two mile 30 minute walk. Phew! It was quite obvious that it had been a long time, but I made it through. 

If you haven't checked out Leslie's DVD's and videos, she has a lot of different versions available and they are a great workout. Her website is: https://walkathome.com/. She also has a few workouts available for free on YouTube. 

Today I went to a training in Moore. I left at 6:00 this morning and got home around 7:00. I was tired, but I still did a yoga workout when I got home. I also drank all my water for the day (plus some). Not sure I'm going to be able to muster the energy to de-clutter today. 

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Yesterday marked the end of 7 weeks of my 2020 Happines Project. Here's how things are going:

Walking/Movement: I've walked or moved every day so far this year!

Water: I met my five 16 oz bottles of water all days but one this past week (and I got 4 that day). 

De-cluttering: On days I was home, I worked on sorting papers and receipts from 2019 everyday and one of the days I was gone I worked on deleting some electronic clutter. Missed two other days though. 

Acts of love for Tom: doing that everyday and will post a picture at the end of the month.

Reaching out to friend/family each day: I've done this everyday.

Blog and book: I've been writing on my blog everyday and also in my book. 

Recording food and blood sugar: I've done that everyday. 

Overall, I'm very pleased with how things are going!

How are your goals/resolutions for 2020 coming along? 

Let's go back to our childhood today and think about our favorite children's book. It can be one from your childhood or one you loved reading to your children. 

I don't actually remember any early childhood books from my childhood. Maybe because I started reading chapter books so early? I loved The Bobsey Twins and Nancy Drew was my absolute favorite. I remember we used to go to the library in Mangum during the summer and I'd check out books and bring them home and read them all that day. My mom would get so annoyed and remind me that we weren't going back for 2 weeks. I'd just say "It's okay, I can read them again". 

I remember my second grade teacher Mrs. Denney reading a chapter book to us about a dinosaur; seems like the dinosaur's name was Denny? I'll have to ask her what the book was because now it's bugging me that I can't remember lol. 

From my own children (and child care); I remember enjoying Green Eggs and Ham and The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss, Are you my Mother by P.D. Eastman, Berenstein Bears books, and Love you Forever by Robert Munsch. 

When our kids were younger, we had a family game night on Sunday evenings. We took turns choosing games each week and played them together. I have so may good memories of those evenings. 

What are your favorite games? One of our family favorites is a dice game called Farkle. We also had a Disney trivia game that was a lot of fun and then of course there were the classics like Monopoly.

​Share in the comments some of your favorite board games are!

After driving home from our weekend, I still needed to get out and walk when we got home. It was hard to make myself get out and do it, but I did it! Yay me! 

Yesterday marked 45 days of movement for me in 2020. I set a goal at the first of the year to walk/move at least 20 minutes a day this year. Every single day. And I've done it. So how do I feel?

Well...

i feel strong.

I feel determined.

I feel energetic.

I feel healthy.

Most of all...I feel thankful. 

​Here's to the next 45 days!