August Happiness Project - Buy Some Happiness

August is all about buying some happiness.
Money doesn't always buy happiness, true deep and meaningful happiness. The kind that warms your heart for years and you can relive through memories. Money can buy vacations and excursions and those memories are definitely worth buying. Money can buy you temporary happiness in the form of a new object, clothes, etc.

Frenchie and I like to save our money and spend it when it means something. We saved for a long time to go to France and make memories. Do we never buy anything that is just a big expense for a temporary elation? Of course we do! And this month is a great one for me to "buy some happiness"

Indulge in a modest splurge

• Buy something that is just for me. 
• Spend a little on upgrading my pens, highlighters and study area. 
• Buy pictures from the photographer we had done of our family.

Buy needful things

• Am I an overbuyer or an underbuyer?
• I'm in the middle. But there are some things that would be nice to have and make life a little easier or a little more enjoyable

Spend Out

• Use up those things I've been saving for a "rainy day"
• Start using the nicer things

Give something up

• I haven't decided what to give up just yet. Because I don't overbuy, I don't tend to make those purchases I will regret as soon as I'm home. 

July 2013

July! I feel like July came, went and never really happened

Highlights of the Month

Back to teaching piano.
A few life decisions made (you'll have to wait for those until things are official)

My Happiness Project for July was to "Make Time for Friends"
Another successful month

Book Recap

What I Read
With extra time on my hands, I spent July reading and studying. No "fun" books in the usual sense, but I really enjoyed reading all of these.

Eating Alive: Prevention Thru Good Digestion by John Matsen (review here)
Healing Arthritis by Penny Kendall-Reed (review here)
The Metabolic Typing Diet by William Linz Wolcott (review here)
Diabetes & Hypoglycemia by Michael T. Murray (review here)
The Nutritional Bypass by David W. Rowland (review here)

What I'm Currently Reading

New Optimum Nutrition for the Mind by Patrick Holford

Monthly Book Spending:

Spent: $0.00*
Saved: $0.00

*textbook costs are excluded

July Happiness Project - Complete!

July is about Make Time for Friends
I'm terrible at keeping in touch with people and what better time than summer to get together with friends.

Bring People Together

• Summer BBQ
• Spent a lovely Saturday afternoon/evening with a bunch of friends I haven't seen in a while. It has to happen again before the snow comes!
• After work drinks

Cut people some slack

• Everyone has their own problems to deal with. 
• I've been in my own world for the past month dealing with my own stuff. It's hard to remember that other people are also dealing with their own stuff. 

No Gossip

• Stop joining in gossipy conversations. Keep things private
• I think I've done a good job at this. I've kept myself out of conversations ABOUT people. 

Remember Birthdays

• compile a list and wish people a happy birthday, not just when Facebook says it's their birthday
• I have put the most important people to me in my calendar. Hopefully when their birthdays roll around next year I'll be more on the ball and be able to send a card or something.