7 steps to Pollyanna

I am starting a project. My project is to find my Pollyanna by 2020. In starting this project, I have come up with steps I will take daily to make sure my day is a happy one.

Here they are!!! My 7 steps in my Pollyanna project.

Step 1 is to have a morning routine. This comes from all the people I mentioned in my day 1 Post. If you have a purposeful morning you will have a day full of purpose! I will do a post on my morning routine that I will strive to do tomorrow.

For now, it is just important to know that to get anything of worth done in your day you need to GET YOUR BUTT OUT OF BED! -yes I’m talking to myself in that one!- Then brush your teeth and drink cold water! Once that is done anything seems possible!

Step 2 is a bit of a joke that Rory started a while ago.

Rory is the kind of kid who has to have some sort of routine or guideline for his day. So we tend to say things like the following:

“K! We’re going to go to preschool. Step 1: change our clothes. Step 2: put on shoes. Step 3: get in Zuko(our red camry) etc.”

A few days ago I said “It’s time for bed. Step 1: go potty.” And before I could get started on the next thing Rory shouts, “Step 2: Do NOTHING!!!” Followed by a slew of just silly giggles from the two of us! It was just so funny and unexpected.

So now, we always have “do nothing” in our routines. And upon further thinking about this silly addition to our lives, I realized something.

Doing nothing is not really what step 2 is really about. Step 2 is Laughing at life. Being silly. Allowing myself to let loose and just have fun! That’s what I mean by do nothing. Don’t have an agenda for some of your day. Just be you in your most authentic way and DO Nothing.

Step 3 is employing Mel Robbins’ 5 second rule. If you haven’t read her book or seen her TED talk you must!!!

The basic concept is to count down from 5 and do the thing that you’ve been avoiding. Getting out of bed is the main example she always uses. But this also works with changing your mindset from one of anxiety to calm. Or from frustration to happiness.

I’m here to say that it works wonders when I’m just so frustrated with my kids that I want to yell. I say 5-4-3-2-1 and then I change my attitude. It works for Rory too! It’s so easy a 3 year old can do it. But it is so beyond life changing once you put it into practice.

Step 4 is all about gratitude. Even if you aren’t a religious person being grateful and expressing that gratitude for all God, or the universe, has given you is essential for starting your day and ending your day.

This is where I mention something Rachel Hollis does. She does the Start Today Journal which is 5 things you are grateful for and 10 goals you have for yourself-written as if they already happened-and one thing you are doing to achieve one of those goals. You write this down everyday. The goals stay the same but the things you are grateful for? They change!

Now, I added something to mine. I write down 2 tender mercies of the Lord in my day. I write down how I saw His hand in my life two times. I’m not perfect at it right now, but doing this project, which will last the rest of the year and beyond, I will do it daily! Gratitude is so important for your happiness in life!

Step 5 is to move! Get up and move! A favorite quote of mine is from Legally Blonde...don’t judge me! It’s so good!!!

This quote, while funny, has been proven to me the past month as I’ve been going to the gym. I’ve only gone 3 times a week and I’m already craving it when I’m feeling meh. I want to run and exercise even if it’s not a ton.

I find this out when I’m doing it. But when I stop, I find every excuse in the book to not do anything. Now I don’t have that issue, especially if I follow step 3!

Step 6 is to document. Document where you are now so that you can look back and see the growth! It will also help if, like me, you have fallen off the wagon. Because I can look back at my posts or journal entries and see how happy I am living a healthy life and I can just follow my own advice.

Also writing is one thing that always brings me joy and solace. So find the way that you can document that is a happy way for you!

Take pictures. Do a scrap book. Make videos. Tweet. Make voice memos. Journal. Draw. Do whatever it is that you want to document your journey to a better you.

Step 7 is discover. Discover something new, or discover something again. Get into the mindset of discovery. That is how you grow and learn.

I know as I follow these 7 steps I will find my Pollyanna again. If you want to join me in my #findpollyannaproject let me know in the comments below!

Stay nerdy, my friends!