Welcome to Share the Joy Monthly Linkup for February. Thank you for everyone that joined us in December 2017. If you this is your first time visiting this linkup, Share the Joy is the happiness-focused linky. Bloggers, writers, artists, poets, if creating something made you laugh out loud, opened your heart, raised your spirits or just made you smile – you’re welcome here.
A huge 'Thank You' to Lizzie and Carol for hosting the last couple month of 2017. They have decided to focus on other projects in 2018 but I am sure will be linking up in the future. Amanda from The Family Patch and I have made the decision that this linky will be monthly instead of the weekly as previously. This will allow us to spend more time focusing on reading the linked up blogs posts and sharing with our readers or followers on social media. On the 1st of every month, please stop by here at LadyBug Home to linkup.
January was a month filled with lots of small moments of joy and taking the time to think about what myself and family focus will be in 2018. My family goals still need a new defining but I decided on January 1st that I wanted to be more focused and productive this year. I often find my thoughts bouncing from one goal or project to other without making proactive progress on any goal or not recognising the progress.
There is two ways that I have changed my mindset about my goals this month. The first way was to use my new 2018 diary to record every day moments of joy or thoughts of gratefulness but also to make notes of small tasks that I accomplished each day. Some days it could be big accomplishments like completely my taxes but other days just something as simple as a load of laundry. Most of big goals for this year will take hundreds of small tasks to completely and sometimes hard to see if any progress was being made. By making sure to write down small accomplishments, I found that I would wake up the morning filled with more positivity about the previous day and motivated to keep moving forward of goals or life projects. I would also make notes of ways I was grateful or moments of joy that happened during the day. One of my favourite moments of joy was when I walked home one night in the dark holding my youngest hand and listening as he talked way about all kinds of topics. I captured those moments that I want to remember in the future and on those days when life seemed to hard to keep moving forward.
The second way that I made to my goals mindset was to decided that I need to focus on ONE big goal or life project each month. We all have limitation on time but I find that spend lots of time bouncing from one life project to another and never feeling that I am accomplishing anything. I gave myself permission to focus on one project and move other projects to another month.
I decided that January would be focused on "Project Declutter". I truly believe that I spend too much time cleaning and searching for needed items in my home due to the disorganisation and clutter in my home. The first week of January, I started with unpacking boxes and sorting through my craft supplies. The next big project was the children's room. I spent 4 days sorting through toys and rearranging the room. I created an artwork display and reinstated books areas. The result is that my children are able to find their favourite toys easier and even know exactly where to put the toys away after playing. My youngest has been found several times alone in the bedroom looking through books this last month which never happened before January. I have found that I am feel more joy when playing with them in their room because I am not overwhelmed with toys or surrounded by mess.
In the past I have felt quilt almost every day about tasks that I have not accomplished or how I may have fallen behind on goal but this month I have written down which month I will focus certain project. February focus is "New Income Streams" and March is going to be "Blogging and Social Media". By knowing that March will be the month that I will re-start or create momentum on my blogging journey it allows me to stop worrying or feeling the guilt I have felt in the past. Of course, I will continue to work on "Project Declutter" throughout the year but it will be in small amounts and I can feel that I have given a big start and not such a big task now.
How have you found "Joy" this last month? Have you started accomplishing your 2018 goals and how is that making your feel?
Please visit The Family Patch to read Amanda's Share the Joy post this month. She is sharing what has been happening in our life in January.
TIME TO LINK UP
Share the Joy is the happiness-focused linky. Bloggers, writers, artists, poets, if creating something made you laugh out loud, opened your heart, raised your spirits or just made you smile – you’re welcome here.
1) Link up a creation that has brought you JOY – all genres are welcome, new or old favourites and as many links as you like!
2) Please comment on one of our hosts’ posts and a few others. Let’s Share the JOY through commenting!
A new "Share the Joy" linky every 1st of the month and runs for the entire month, so you’ll never be too late. And don’t forget to tweet me @LadybugHome1 and @TheFamilyPatch the URL to your post using the hashtag #ShareTheJoyLinky so we can retweet it.
Feel free to invite your friends to join in – JOY is always better when it’s shared!
I love that you have chosen a specific goal for each month to reduce feelings of overwhelm and guilt! And I think mating the small achievements you make is a brilliant idea!! I’m so glad it has helped you feel more joy this month - here’s to a joyful February too :) xx
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me add my link to your linky party once again #sharethejoy@_karendennis
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of recording those small achievements. A great way to focus. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting.
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