Step One

Step One: Figure out the things that are keeping form optimum happiness.

So I don't want a lot of crazy rules but I do need to identify the things that are causing me to be half empty instead of half full.

1. Envy: I envy everyone who can go to the store easily by themselves. I envy people who can go on vacations. I envy people who can lay in bed all day and read. I envy people who can go out to eat in restaurants without having to take a zanax first. I envy people who spaced their kids births. I envy people with no kids. I envy people who socialize. I envy people who have family in town who routinely help with their kids. I envy people who have their kids in cheap daycares. I envy people who have kid free weekends. I envy people who enjoy staying home with their kids. I envy people who can run. I envy people who socialize regularly with friends.

2. Anxiety: I have anxiety about everything related to my kids. But mostly it focuses around two categories: parenting skills and leaving the house

3. Lack of Friends: I've been so busy raising kids that I've lost touch with my friends. I need friends like plants need water.

4. Lack of Me Time: I'm never alone in the house....EVER! And it seems that even when I get a vacation from school, a kid gets sick so I'm still not at home alone. But I can deal with this issue if I just had time to do the things I WANT to do and not the things I NEED to do. I need to be able to be alone and not just at Target in those minutes between school getting out and picking up the kids.

5. My health: I have pounds to lose. 15 to be exact. I have a really need and desire to become healthy, not just thin.

I'm sure there are more I will come up with as I flesh these four out but we will start there. These are 5 I think I can tackle in 9 weeks.