Finding Meaning and Happiness - Part II

I know that you have all been dying to see the follow-up to my blog from yesterday. You probably weren't able to sleep last night. Am I right? :)

Well, I won't keep you waiting any longer!

---
46. What’s something that’s harder for you than it is for most people?
Trusting people and letting people get too close to my heart.

47. What are the top three qualities you look for in a friend?
Honesty, acceptance of me, even with all my flaws, and someone who I can laugh with.

48. If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend?
Ha - I would probably cut them immediately :) I am pretty hard on myself.

49. When you think of ‘home,’ what, specifically, do you think of?
A safe, comfortable place where I can come home, take my pants off and be myself :)

50. What’s the most valuable thing you own?
If we are talking about just an object - it would be my engagement ring - the main diamond in it came from Dan's grandmother's ring. It is valuable monetarily as well as emotionally.

51. If you had to move 3000 miles away, what would you miss most?
Friends and Family

52. What would make you smile right now?
A glass of wine and a bubble bath

53. What do you do when nothing else seems to make you happy?
Put music on really loud, dance around and sing at the top of my lungs

54. What do you wish did not exist in your life?
In my whole life... I wish that I did not have the memories of my childhood that I do. In my life right now, I wish that I was stress free.

55. What should you avoid to improve your life?
Negative self talk

56. What is something you would hate to go without for a day?
Starbucks Chai Tea Lattes... oh, and I guess Dan

57. What’s the biggest lie you once believed was true?
Santa Claus...

58. What’s something bad that happened to you that made you stronger?
The first 12 years of my life... but that's a whole other novel.

59. What’s something nobody could ever steal from you?
My fight... I will never let myself give up

60. What’s something you disliked when you were younger that you truly enjoy today?
The History Channel

61. What are you glad you quit?
Trying to make everyone else happy by being someone I'm not.

62. What do you need to spend more time doing?
Working out! Hehe.
Taking to to reflect on all the blessings I have and spending a little more quality time at church.

63. What are you naturally good at?
I don't really feel like I'm naturally good at anything. But I work really hard to be good at things - like photography and baking.

64. What have you been counting or keeping track of recently?
My blessings and everything I have to be grateful for.

65. What has the little voice inside your head been saying lately?
That anything is possible

66. What’s something you should always be careful with?
Someones heart

67. What should always be taken seriously?
commitments, vows and promises

68. What should never be taken seriously?
You should never take yourself too seriously. You should always be able to laugh at yourself.

69. What are three things you can’t get enough of?
Love, Happiness, Laughter

70. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
I can't even think of anything that I would do differently.

71. What fascinates you?
I am truly fascinated by how human nature has changed over time - how people interact with each other, how people act, the things they say

72. What’s the difference between being alive and truly living?
To me, being alive is just that - you are breathing, your heart beating, etc., but just going with the flow - not really adding to the world or getting much out of it. If you are just alive, you will look back and wonder where all the time went. Living is experiences, seeking to achieve your dreams, failing, succeeding, gaining experience and wisdom, laying on your death bed with absolutely no regrets.

73. What’s something you would do every day if you could?
Read. I absolutely love getting lost in books.

74. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
After the 1/2 marathon that we did... it was so invigorating, so humbling - it was crazy to get so much out of a 13 mile run.

75. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
Never trying... because you'll never know

76. What makes you feel incomplete?
Feeling like I have no idea where I come from

77. When did you experience a major turning point in your life?
During my first year of college I was an emotional train wreck. After nearly failing out of college, it really hit me that I am responsible for my life - for my failure and successes - and that I could be someone in this world.

78. What or who do you wish you lived closer to?
I wish I lived closer to Kim and I wish that I lived closer to AJ, Stacy, Colin & Brenny.

79. If you had the opportunity to get a message across to a large group of people, what would your message be?
That it is not our place to judge people - we need to accept people as they are and not judge them and try to make them who we want them to be.

80. What’s something you know you can count on?
I know I can count on my friends and family supporting me no matter what I do... They love me :)

81. What makes you feel comfortable?
joking around


my appreciation for all the good in my life

83. What will be different about your life in exactly one year?
Hopefully a lot ;)

84. What mistakes do you make over and over again?
Some people might think it is a mistake, but I don't - I always look to find the good in people, no matter what.

85. What do you have a hard time saying “no” to?
I have a hard time saying no at work. I take on a lot of extra because no matter how hard I try I can't seem to make myself say no.

86. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
I would have to say that I feel like I was settling before with my full time job, but that I am now moving towards doing what I believe in with my photography.

87. What’s something that used to scare you, but no longer does?
Being married - I used to think maybe I wasn't cut out to be committed to just one person - that maybe I was screwed up when it came to relationships because I always got restless. Now I wouldn't have it any other way!

88. What promise to yourself do you still need to fulfill?
That I will take everything I have learned in my life and be the best possible mother that I can be someday.

89. What do you appreciate most about your current situation?
That I have room to grow and learn as a person.

90. What’s something simple that makes you smile?
Listening to Bailey snore

91. So far, what has been the primary focus of your life?
My career

92. How do you know when it’s time to move on?
When I have gotten to a point when I am no longer inspired by what I am doing

93. What’s something you wish you could do one more time?
This is going to sound silly, but I wish I could go back to college times and go to one more frat party with my friends, get drunk and dance the night away

94. When you’re 90-years-old, what will matter to you the most?
My family

95. What would you regret not fully doing, being, or having in your life?
I would regret not following my dreams, no being the best person I can be, and not having a life full of love and laughter.

Finding Meaning and Happiness Part I

My friend Lindsey has turned me on to this really great blog that has really got me thinking. It's called Marc and Angel Hack Life - Practical Tips for Productive Living (Link to Blog). I have been reading it and it today and it really has had me thinking about a lot of different things.

One of the blogs from earlier this months is called, "95 Questions to Help You Find Meaning and Happiness". I started reading it and then I looked at the clock and thought, "Wow, it's getting late - I should probably log onto my work computer and get some things done." Um.....

Yeah... maybe I need to start searching for some new meaning and happiness... :)

So I decided to answer some of the questions... which is really just me putting off the inevitable because I know that at some point tonight that laptop needs to be turned on.

1. In one sentence, who are you?
I am a happily married woman with an amazing husband, awesome pup, great family and friends and a wonderfully blessed life even though I think I maybe work a little too much.

2. Why do you matter?
That's a tough question. I'm not sure why I matter... I just try to bring love and laughter to those around me.

3. What is your life motto?
An easy one! Illegitimus non carborundum - don't let the bastards grind you down!

4. What’s something you have that everyone wants?
I am not sure that I have something that everyone wants...

5. What is missing in your life?
I think something that is missing in my life is maybe my relationship with God - I know it used to be stronger and I know I haven't been putting in much work on my end.

6. What’s been on your mind most lately?
Babies! :)

7. Happiness is a ________?
emotion that you have to constantly work towards.

8. What stands between you and happiness?
Sometimes I stand in the way of my own happiness by doubting myself or not making the necessary changes that I might need to.

9. What do you need most right now?
More sleep... more time in the day... more money :)

10. What does the child inside you long for?
A warm summer day of running and laughing and not having a care in the world!

11. What is one thing right now that you are totally sure of?
My love for my husband.

12. What’s been bothering you lately?
Work! It is so frustrating sometimes!

13. What are you scared of?
Failing at everything I do.

14. What has fear of failure stopped you from doing?
It usually doesn't stop me from doing something... just makes the road a little bumpy.

15. What will you never give up on?
My dreams

16. What do you want to remember forever?
The way I felt on my wedding day - like for once in my life everything was as it should be.

17. What makes you feel secure?
Knowing that I have my husband, family and friends who will always be there for me.

18. Which activities make you lose track of time?
Crafts, Photography, Working Out

19. What’s the most difficult decision you’ve ever made?
I'm not sure that I have ever had to make a really difficult decision.

20. What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?
To marry my husband

21. What are you most grateful for?
Family and Friends

22. What is worth the pain?
Love, Life

23. In order of importance, how would you rank: happiness, money, love, health, fame?
love, health, happiness, money, fame

24. What is something you’ve always wanted, but don’t yet have?
A house (our house now is technically my husband's house and I didn't get to help pick it out)

25. What was the most defining moment in your life during this past year?
When we decided we were ready to start thinking about babies - changes your whole perspective on life.

26. What’s the number one change you need to make in your life in the next twelve months?
To get in shape/ healthy so that I can live a long and happy life

27. What’s the number one thing you want to achieve in the next five years?
I would like my own photography studio and a happy, healthy family

28. What is the biggest motivator in your life right now?
My future kids

29. What will you never do?
say never

30. What’s something you said you’d never do, but have since done?
I can't even think of anything.

31. What’s something new you recently learned about yourself?
That I actually do have some creative talents :)

32. What do you sometimes pretend to understand that you really do not?
Haha - sometimes when people talk to me I zone out, but pretend like I heard everything they said. I blame Georgia for this.

33. In one sentence, what do you wish for your future self?
I wish that whatever I decide I want to do with my life that I work hard to achieve.

34. What worries you most about the future?
The uncertainty

35. When you look into the past, what do you miss most?
Friends from high school

36. What’s something from the past that you don’t miss at all?
My biological parents

37. What recently reminded you of how fast time flies?
That we need to start planning our 10 year class reunion.

38. What is the biggest challenge you face right now?
Building my photography business

39. In one word, how would you describe your personality?
Bubbly

40. What never fails to frustrate you?
My mother

41. What are you known for by your friends and family?
making jokes and taking whiskey to the face :)

42. What’s something most people don’t know about you?
That I grew up in Youngstown, OH and if you mess with me I will cut you...
Just kidding... I wouldn't cut anyone...
also, I don't like to wear pants

43. What’s a common misconception people have about you?
That I can't take anything seriously.

44. What’s something a lot of people do that you disagree with?
Smoke

45. What’s a belief you hold with which many people disagree?
I am pro-choice and I believe in gay marriage

Part II tomorrow!