life | loveliness. | Page 15

Category: life
- the happiness project
  
  Posted at 5:51 pm by jasminedesirees, on February 22, 2013
  
  I just finished reading the happiness project by Gretchen Rubin. She basically spent a year trying to figure out what made her happy and why and figuring out how she could make little changes to increase the joy she got from each day and how to identify and eliminate the little annoyances that can take it away.
  
  There were a few things in the happiness project that I found very interesting. One of her happiness resolutions was to “be Gretchen”, or to stop doing the things that were supposed to make her happy, or the things that other people enjoy and really figure out the things that made her happy.
  
  She talked about how we can feel pressure to like certain things because we wish we were people who enjoyed them or because we think they are more intellectual or cooler than the things we really like, but if those things don’t actually make you happy, or worse, actually make you feel bad about yourself or guilty because you feel like you should do them and you don’t want to, then that can drain your happiness.
  
  If you really love listening to Top 40 music, but you are ashamed because you think you should enjoy listening to classical, or jazz because it’s “cooler” or “more intellectual” so you try to force yourself to listen to it. There is something to be said for broadening your horizons and learning new things, but at the end of the day, why not embrace the things that truly make you happy in life?
  
  And I’ve never really understood people that say they have “good” taste in music because they like jazz or underground rap. Isn’t that point of music to make you feel connected and happy? Any music that makes you feel good, is good music. The end.
  
  Another interesting point from The Happiness Project was about how things like bad habits or nagging tasks can steal moments of joy from your day because you feel bad about eating junk, not calling your grandmother or not making that doctor’s appointment.
  
  I am a bit of a procrastinator myself, and I can definitely see that I would save myself a lot of time feeling guilty about not doing something if I just did it, and that some of my bad habits, while they may feel great at the time (like eating an entire bag of chocolate chips) lead immediately to feeling guilty, weak, and in my case, sick.
  
  I’d never really thought of things like this as taking away from your happiness, but I suppose if there are little tasks and bad habits that are constantly weighing on you, it could be a major source of unhappiness that might be eliminated fairly easily.
  
  One of the most interesting parts of the book for me was when she was researching the link between companionship/friendship and happiness. She found that for both women and men, the most reliable predictor of not being lonely is the amount of contact with women. Time spent with men doesn’t make a difference.
  
  There are several reasons for this, including women being generally more empathetic, and better listeners. This point really struck me, because I know the times in my life when I have felt the loneliest, those are the times when I didn’t have a lot of female friendships, or at least contact with women.
  
  So basically, girls night out is very important, it’s science.
  
  You can learn more about The Happiness Project here.
  
  Posted in life, thoughts | 0 Comments
- briones
  
  Posted at 5:16 pm by jasminedesirees, on February 12, 2013
  
  On Sunday we went to check out Briones, a regional park in Martinez, CA. Sometimes I get so caught up in daydreaming about all of the places in the world that I want to visit, that I forget that I live in a pretty amazing place already.
  
  There is so much to do in California, and it’s kind of neat to think that the same roads you drive down every day could lead you somewhere amazing, if you just remember to make a different turn every once in awhile.
  
  me: do you think we could climb all the way up there? derek: no.
  
  jealous
  
  favourite shirt
  
  we saw a coyote, and one random cow, I think he was lost
  
  Posted in California, exploring, life, USA | 0 Comments | Tagged briones, California, East Bay, hiking
- you are my best three years
  
  Posted at 5:25 pm by jasminedesirees, on February 7, 2013
  
  Three years ago today I watched a boy walking across the room towards me with the warmest smile and the biggest brown eyes I’d ever seen. Now, I’m lucky enough to wake up beside him every day.
  
  Thank you for making me smile when I would rather be sad, for letting me put my cold toes on you sometimes, and for taking the empty toothpaste and leaving the full one for me.
  
  Thank you for always supporting me in anything I choose to do, no matter how silly or crazy it may seem. Whether it be starting a blog, deciding to run a marathon, or trying to pack us up and move us to Australia, knowing your answer will always be some version of “let’s do it” makes it so much easier for me to try for all the things I want to do, and I hope I can always support you the same way.
  
  The last year and a half, especially has been pretty tumultuous, and through all of it you have been unfailingly hopeful, positive, and a constant source of strength for me, even with everything else you had going on. I’m so proud of all you have accomplished, and I know there are lots of good things ahead for you, and for us, together.
  
  Thank you for the last 3 years, here is to at least 3 more. errrrrr, kidding! I love you madly, xx.
  
  Probably my favourite picture, ever.
  
  Posted in life, love | 0 Comments | Tagged husband, life, love, marriage, wedding
- superbowl weekend
  
  Posted at 5:00 pm by jasminedesirees, on February 6, 2013
  
  We had a very busy weekend last weekend, my brother in law and his girlfriend are having a baby in April, and the baby shower was Saturday.
  
  Cantaloupe baby head, the picture isn’t the greatest but it was super cute
  
  Sooo many presents
  
  Strawberry and lemon cupcakes (but sadly, none for me)
  
  The In-Laws
  
  In case you were wondering, this is what you eat on Superbowl Sunday when you can’t eat any of the chicken wings, delicious dips or brownies.. I was especially sad about the brownies, but I made this amazing fruit salad with strawberries, blackberries, kiwi, pineapple, raspberries, and grapes, and no disgusting melon. I love fruit salad and would order it all the time but usually it is half honeydew melon, half cantaloupe with one strawberry on top.
  
  I hate cantaloupe, it’s been pointed out that I may have a irrational hatred for it, I can’t even be in the same room with it because the smell makes me sick. But my fruit salad was delicious, and between that, grilled chicken and veggie skewers, I still managed to eat myself into a mini-food coma.
  
  Posted in food, life | 0 Comments
- bucket list from my 13 year old self
  
  Posted at 4:29 pm by jasminedesirees, on January 25, 2013
  
  I was organizing my dresser a few days ago and I came across my “diary” (for lack of a better word) from when I was younger. It’s mostly just a collection of quotes, favourite things, and information I found interesting, and some story ideas, but I also wrote myself a “bucket list” of things to do in order to have a successful life.
  
  Apparently my 13 year old self was a bit worried I wouldn’t be able to stay on track, and thought I could use a little extra help.
  
  Here is the list:
  
  1. Learn to play one song on the guitar
  2. See a line brawl
  3. Own a library card
  4. Read every V.C. Andrews book
  5. Buy a Shakira CD
  6. Discover the perfect kiss
  7. Own a wooden salad bowl
  8. Go skinnydipping
  9. Eat a whole meal with nothing but chocolate
  10. Wakeboard
  11. Talk on the phone in the tub
  12.Knit something
  13. Marry someone I love
  14.See the Riders win the grey cup
  15. Paint my bedroom lavender
  16. Have a strapless dress
  17. Bungee jump
  18. Get something pierced
  19. Try to do something nice for someone everyday
  20. Have perfect abs
  21. Have a picnic
  22. Write a book
  23. Surf
  24. Skate in Rockefeller Center
  25. Be addicted to something
  26. Break up with someone
  27. Have twin girls
  28. Dance in the rain
  29. Do a triathlon
  30. Go to Australia
  31. Make an article of clothing and wear it in public
  32. Drink champagne in the bathtub
  33. Meet Julia Roberts
  34. Skydive
  35. Get roses every Valentine’s day
  36. Stop making bad decisions
  37. Be beautiful
  38. Be smart
  39. Go to an art museum in France
  40. Figure out how to order a complicated coffee at Starbucks without sounding like an idiot
  41. Hear a song by PJ Harvey
  42. Go to the ballet
  43. Own a cappucino machine
  44. Burn a CD
  45. Buy something a Pier 1
  46. Own a little black dress
  47. Be a bridesmaid
  48. Spit off the Eiffel Tower
  49. Fan myself with a large amount of money
  50. Eat Creme Brulee
  51. Go to a concert
  52. Have a bead curtain
  53. Learn to read tea leaves
  54. Hold a monkey
  55. Have a huge library
  56. Own a purse and not lose it
  57. Go deep sea diving
  58. Own an old fashioned hat box
  59. See a movie with Marilyn Monroe in it
  60. Watch the Lord of the Rings movies simultaneously
  61. Improve my vocabulary
  62. Do yoga
  63. Learn Spanish
  64. Have my book published
  65. Live in a foreign country
  66. Own entire series of Sex and the City on DVD
  67. Plant wildflowers
  68. Read Jane Eyre
  69. Go to Versailles
  70. Learn to salsa dance
  71. Be a good cook
  72. Go to Brazil
  73. Go to a belly dancing class
  74. Go to Tahiti
  75. Graduate from Universtiy
  76. Get my Master’s Degree
  77. Run a marathon
  78. Go to Greece
  79. Go to Europe
  80. Get published in a magazine
  81. Get a tattoo
  82. Buy a real camera and learn how to use it
  83. Work on a Hollywood movie set
  84. Drink a martini
  
  So that’s it, the road map laid out for my life by yours truly. While I take issue with some of them now (I don’t really know that I want twin girls!) 56 out of 84 isn’t too bad.
  
  I may not ever have perfect abs, but I’ve definitely discovered the perfect kiss. I still have a bit of work to do, I’m not really sure how to go about meeting Julia Roberts, but maybe if I get to work on a Hollywood movie set, I can kill 2 birds with one stone. All in all, I think my 13 year old self would approve.
  
  Posted in life | 1 Comment | Tagged bucket list, goals, life, young adult
- 2013
  
  Posted at 6:12 pm by jasminedesirees, on January 2, 2013
  
  Happy New Year!
  
  I hope everyone had a safe and happy new year. We got back from Mexico late the night before, so ours was pretty low key. They say you should spend New Years Eve the way you want to spend the rest of the year, and cuddled up with the boy, Don Draper, and some champagne and chocolate covered strawberries definitely set a good tone for 2013.
  
  I don’t necessarily believe that you need to make new years resolutions, I think you should always be trying to improve yourself, and try new things and learn new skills, and if you have a goal you would like to accomplish, why not start working on it immediately, instead of waiting for the new year to be your most fabulous, glamourous self?
  
  That being said, there are a few things that I am trying to do right now, so I thought I would write them down, then I can revisit in a few months and see how I’m doing.
  
  Things I would like to accomplish this year:
  
  1. Eat more adventurously. We usually try to eat pretty healthy, and sometimes that can turn into grilled chicken, veggies and whole grain rice for supper several nights in a row. Anyone who knows me knows that I do not eat fish, I never have (Fish are Friends, not Food), I believe it may be as a direct result of my childhood obsession with the Little Mermaid (I was the kid brushing my hair with a fork at the restaurant) but as a friend pointed out to me, this is clearly ridiculous.
  
  “You eat chicken and beef and ham, but you won’t eat fish? Fish don’t even have eyelids!” Who can argue with that kind of logic? So I would like to be a bit more open to experimentation, maybe try some new, healthy foods, and possibly even incorporate fish into my diet on a regular basis.
  
  2. Work on my Spanish. I took Spanish in University, and I’ve always thought it was such a beatiful language. I would love to be fluent, and this recent trip to Mexico has really re-ignited my passion for it, so I would like to find a way to practice more, and get better. And also learn to make pico de gallo because I believe the two skills may be inextricably intertwined.
  
  3. Take a class. For the last few months I’ve been looking into writing classes, photography classes, even cake decorating classes (I wish there was a class that combined all three!). I’ve been planning to sign up for one, but it’s a bit tricksy with my schedule. However, I don’t think taking one class in the next 363 days is an impossibly lofty goal.
  
  Things that I absolutely will do this year:
  
  1. The Avon Breast Cancer Walk in San Francisco. I wanted to sign up last year, but I didn’t learn about it until the end of May, and the walk was in July, I wasn’t sure if there would be enough time to fundraise. But this is happening this year, and I’m so excited for it.
  
  Posted in life | 0 Comments
- happy
  
  Posted at 5:23 pm by jasminedesirees, on December 31, 2012
  
  I watched a documentary called Happy last week. It was all about the things that make us happy in life, and how much of it is external, and how much we can actually control.
  
  According to the movie, once you have basic needs met, having a lot more money doesn’t make you any happier. People who make $70,000 a year report the same levels of happiness as people who make $700,000 a year.
  
  One thing I found very interesting was a concept called the hedonic treadmill, or hedonic adaptation. Basically, we continually adapt to what is “normal” for us, so things that start out as new and exciting, quickly become “normal” and commonplace, and we continue to seek new things or experiences because we’ve adapted and adjusted to things that we already have and know.
  
  This is extremely true with material possessions, and it’s definitely something that hit home with me while watching the movie. Sometimes I will see a new dress or shirt that I absolutely HAVE to have, and so I get it and bring it home and I love it for awhile, but then after awhile it’s not my “new dress” anymore it’s just another thing that I own, and then I’ll see something else that I want just as much as I wanted the last new dress. We like things more before we have them, and then once we have them, we want new things. So things are worth more us before they are actually ours.
  
  I don’t usually make impulse buys, usually if there is something I want, I’ll go home and think it over, and come back later to get it if I’m still thinking about it. There is a perfume in Macy’s I’ve been visiting for almost 5 years now, because I love it, but if I actually bought it and spent the money to take it home with me, would I still feel the same way about it?
  
  That might not be a great example, because after 5 years, I probably would love it just as much as I thought I would, but for a lot of the things I own, that’s not the case. Sometimes I think the anticipation of getting something that I want, the act of denying yourself the thing you want the most, is better than actually getting it. Just like sometimes the delicious tension right before you kiss somebody new for the first time is better than the kiss itself.
  
  According to Happy, our level of happiness is 50% determined by genetics, 10% determined by outside circumstances like money, status and power, and 40% determined by intentional activities such as:
  
  1. Spending time with friends and family
  
  2. Exercising, or moving your body, especially in fun and novel ways
  
  3. Feeling like you’re a part of something larger by participating in your community and the world at large
  
  Participating in novel physical activity with a friend 🙂
  
  The Colour Run
  
  Check out Happy, currently available on Netflix.
  
  Posted in happiness, life | 0 Comments
- ginger
  
  Posted at 5:36 pm by jasminedesirees, on December 26, 2012
  
  It is a holiday tradition for me to dominate my friends and family at gingerbread house decorating. This year we decided to have a little party decorating party with my brother in law and his girlfriend so I could finally watch A Christmas Story, which I’ve never seen. I actually didn’t really like it, I’m pretty sure that means I have no soul or something, but I gave it a chance.
  
  I was in charge of picking up the kits and I was delighted to find that I could make my own Barbie dream house. Unfortunately, the icing was very solid and hard to work with, and worse than that, it tasted like feet.
  
  We had fun decorating, and eating the candy, but the houses were merely decorative, eating the houses was strictly out of the question because of the horrifying after taste the icing left in your mouth.
  
  The worst part is, these houses are clearly advertised toward little girls (or big girls, ahem) so I guess they thought if they put Barbie on it and made the icing pink, it wouldn’t matter what it tasted like, because kids will eat anything.
  
  Can you guess which one is mine?
  
  Posted in life | 0 Comments
- jingle bells
  
  Posted at 5:32 pm by jasminedesirees, on December 25, 2012
  
  Merry Christmas!
  
  I hope your Christmas is less this:
  
  And more this:
  
  Posted in holidays, life | 0 Comments
- tiny dancer
  
  Posted at 5:35 pm by jasminedesirees, on December 24, 2012
  
  Last Saturday we went to see The Nutcracker at the San Francisco Opera House. It was pretty much my dream date, I got to dress up, eat chocolate truffles, drink champagne and watch ballet dancers in glittery costumes twirling around.
  
  The opera house was gorgeous, it was all marble and gold leaf everywhere. I almost took a picture of the bathroom vanity because I couldn’t remember the last time I had been in a public place with actual faucets, instead of the automatic kind, but I decided whipping out my camera in a public bathroom was at least awkward, or possibly ground for arrest.
  
  We had planned on eating supper before the show, but we weren’t very hungry and decided to just get drinks and dessert.
  
  The ballet was beautiful, somewhere around the Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy I finally decided that what I want to be when I grow up is a ballet dancer. I know they have adult classes in the area, I am sure I could be dancing the part of Clara by next Christmas. Probably.
  
  Posted in holidays, life, San Francisco | 0 Comments
← Older posts

Newer posts →
- Follow loveliness. on WordPress.com
- Follow Blog via Email
  
  Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.
  
  Email Address:
- Popular Posts
- Recent Posts
- Instagram
  No Instagram images were found.
- Categories
  Categories
- Archives
  Archives
- Search for: