Living My Best Life on My Terms #1

I came across the article 50 Ways Happier, Healthier and More Successful People Live on Their Own Terms by Benjamin P. Hardy.  I'm always intrigued and interested in learning how others live happy, successful lives.  The first item on his list was giving up caffeine.  What?!?!  Giving up coffee is not on my to-do list anytime soon but I read the rest of the list.  I agreed with many of his suggestions but I realized that I am completely qualified to write MY OWN list of ways to be happy and healthy!  I decided upon 30 ways in 30 days so here it goes!  Enjoy!  I hope that you are inspired to find your best ways to live your best lives!

1. Create a Bucket List…...and then go DO IT!  

Jack Canfield wrote an article about how he made a list of 101 things he wanted to accomplish in life. This inspired me to write my own list.  We are goal-seeking beings. When we set a goal, our brain seeks and finds ways to achieve that goal. Research shows that when we write down our goals we are more likely to achieve them. Why are we so hesitant to share our goals? Are we worried that others will judge us? Or that we might not actually do everything on the list? So, here is an abbreviated version of my list that is a work in progress. Now Go! Make your list!

Places I want to visit:

New Orleans

San Francisco

Maine

Alaska

Canada

Germany

Norway & Sweden

Georgia (the country) and Russia

Hawaii

Thailand

Israel

Bali

Singapore

China
Africa

Sights I would like to see:

The Great Wall of China

The Holyland

The Vatican

Adventures I would like to have:

Zipline with a great view!

Go to the Final Four

Go to the Olympics

Hang glide through the Alps

Go river-rafting

Go kayaking

Personal Achievements:

Complete another triathlon

Write a book

Present about resilient living for 10,000 people

Go on a mission trip

Start a non-profit organization
Become a yoga teacher

People I would like to meet:

Pope Francis

The Dalai Lama

Sting

President Obama

Oprah Winfrey

2017 ONE WORD

February is gone!  It is a busy time at school and the days and weeks are going FAST!  Ceci and I have been working on our New Years resolutions and goals.  Ceci continues to work hard on her reading skills and writing some stories.  

Last year I had discovered a book and site by one of my favorite authors and motivational speakers, Jon Gordon.  It was called ONE WORD (click to get yours!)  and it suggested that you pick a word to guide you through the year.  Last year I chose the word BELIEVE.  This year the word FAITH spoke to me.  Faith in God, faith in me, faith in life.  I noticed the sign below in my office.  Bob Upgren another favorite motivational speaker that I love also does chalk art and created the word below.  I knew then that it had to be my word!  I started out my 8th grade problem-solving course by challenging them to come up with their one ONE WORD.  Below is a picture of their words.  I hope they are as inspired as I am to make 2017 an awesome year, inspired by ONE WORD!

Ceci reading her owl book

MY ONE WORD

My 8th Graders....ONE WORDS........any questions?  

2017 Resolution: A Year of Kindness

I love reading Parade Magazine in the Sunday paper.  There are almost always feel-good stories, health tips or recipes!  I was pretty excited to see this article http://parade.com/534041/paulaspencer/lets-make-2017-the-year-of-being-kind/
about making kindness a resolution for 2017.  This led me to the Random Acts of Kindness site which included awesome, free kindness lesson that I plan to use during the new school year.  I've applied to be a RAKTIVIST (Random Acts of Kindness Activist).....I will keep you posted!

Crushing our New Year Resolutions by Sheila and Ceci

Taking the Plunge

Hello folks!  My name is Sheila and I am a school counselor, mom and health and wellness advocate from Britton, South Dakota. I am TAKING THE PLUNGE back into blogging.  I started this blog when my daughter was little to share stories about her.  I am writing again with a broader purpose in mind. I love sharing thoughts, ideas and words that inspire me and that is what I plan to do in this space.  I hope you will take the plunge as well into a fabulous 2017!

Spring Survey

I am trying to embed a survey.  Answere the questions if you wish!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1fty5qt-OVj4zwx44-jfNY_ikJHhiwD90opJRLs-K1bU/viewform?embedded=true

Wong Wong Time!

OK, I have to write this down right now so I don't forget.....Ceci saw the speech therapist to work on L's and when she got done she said, "Don't go with her because her wittle bit is a wong, wong, time!  Too funny!

Pickerel Lake Baby!!

Ok so I have a lot of posting to do so I may as well start now! Spent a nice day at Pickerel Lake with the sped ladies.

Ceci!

SDCA in Pierre

Easter 2012

Here is Ceci dying eggs. More Easter pics to come!

Summer fun in March?

SAN DIEGO DAY 5

I loved Carlsbad CA.  Wendell and I have officially decided to retire at Carlsbad by the Sea.  The only thing that I brought back that I wish I hadn't was a bad cold.  The next picture says it all.  Bye, sunny CA, we will be back!!!!!  RJ, it was so great to see you! 

The car ride home!  Ceci and I slept almost the whole way home from MPLS.  Poor Wendell had to drive.

SAN DIEGO Day 4

After breakfast we headed to the beach to pick up rocks.   I LOVE the beach.  I got some great pics of Ceci.  I don't think Wendell loved the beach as much as me but he was a good sport.  Then we headed to Disney.  I told Wendell that I felt like we were herded like cattle for most of the day, and it was SO busy.  Ceci didn't see any princesses, but did meet Mickey, Buzz and some other characters.  We were all tired by the end of the day and all Ceci wanted to do was "go to her pool and swim" by the end of the day.  It was an awesome day!!!

CECI'S Saltwater Pool! 

The beach in the morning!

ME!!!

Ceci and DAD!!!

Woody likes Ceci!!!

One of the only rides we didn't stand in line for!

MICKEY!!!

Dad and Ceci

RJ and Ceci

SAN DIEGO Day 3

We decided to head to the oceanside pier the third day.  It was so much fun to walk on the beach and watch the surfers, most of whom were older dudes!  We walked out to Rosie's resturant on the pier.


Next we drove though a small part of Camp Pendleton which is the Marine Base.  My dad was stationed there in the 60's so we thought we had to at least drive a round a bit!  Then we met RJ and the all famous In and Out Burger which we all loved!  He took us to his school, Palomar College, which was very pretty!  To finish out the day, Wendell and I went to a wine-tasting at Witch Creek Winery and supper at Los Olos.  It was a fun day!

Playing in the sand in Oceanide

Charlie and his unnamed buddy...a fixture on the pier

There were many fisherman on the pier and one of them caught this starfish!

Ceci and I!

I love palm trees.....

Camp Pendleton

Ceci at her whole meal....wow!

The view of CSU-San Marcos

"P" for Palomar...RJ had to RUN to it during the last day of training camp!  Fun......

Cool plants at Palomar

Wine Tasting!!!!!

SAN DIEGO Day 2

On DAY TWO we visited the San Luis Rey Mission in Oceanside.
http://www.sanluisrey.org/

It was a very serene, tranquil place.  And OLD!

Next we ventured back downtown to visit the USS Midway aircraft carrier.  It was HUGE! 

We then went swimming in the pool, which is all Ceci wanted to do the entire time we were there.  We met RJ's "friend" Morgan, and we went out for a nice supper. 

SAN DIEGO Day 1

HEY!!!!!  At Christmas I asked Wendell if we could go to California to visit RJ.  He agreed!!!! So, the planning began.  We stayed at Cari Haaland's house and flew out of MPLS early in the am and landed in San Diego at about noon.  We picked up our car (I just may buy a Hyundai Elantra :0) and headed to Old Town.  After lunch at MaryJane's we explored the harbor area, then headed north on the 5.  Wow, nothing like some CA traffic!  I did not realize So Cal was so hill/mountainous.  We arrived at the Beach Terrace Inn, Carlsbad, which was very cozy. We checked out the beach, which featured awesome sand and big, big waves!  That night we wandered around the village which was very nice.  We slept really good with the surf pounding right outside our patio.  It sounded like a winter storm, pretty cool!

Ceci was a world-class flyer!!!

Old Town, San Diego

Cool..........

What an AWESOME tree!!

Words cannot describe......beautiful

Christmas 2011

Christmas of 2011 has been just awesome! 

We are thankful for the Lord's blessing each and every day.  His goodness is far-reaching!

The weather has been unbelievable, no snow with temps in the 30-50 degree range.  Wow!  We even had a good rain on Dec. 29.  Crazy but nice! 

RJ has been home since mid-December but will fly back to sunny CA on Monday.  He has been redshirting on the Palomar College bball team and attending college.  He is finally settling in (what an adventure) and is looking forward to getting back to warmer temps. 

Ceci had a great Christmas and will turn 5 in less than 1 month.  We are planning a trip to California to see RJ in February.  I can't wait!  Hope everyone had a great Christmas and an even better 2012!