nora mair invites you to do
Project(s)Connect 2014
In 2012 I read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and I was inspired by the monthly things she did. When I finished the book, this project immediately came to me and I’ve thought about it for AN ENTIRE year! The project is a combination of completing goals and then sharing them on a website while connecting with others who are doing the same. I’m finally creating this project because the idea just won’t leave.
In the place of New Year’s resolutions I made a list of 12 things I want to do in 2014:
January—Blog once a week on my family blog about my family and their doings and then upload it to Blurb, a site that can eventually print it into a book.
February -- Move into a new house and hang up 50 things. This is what’s happened in the past: I move into a new to me space and the blinds and window coverings take years, frames and art are just propped against the wall on the floor below where I want to hang them. I feel indecisive about some of it, so none of it gets hung.
March -- Organize spices and recipes. I’ve tried in the past, and it’s good for a while but, new spices have been bought and new recipes have been printed and the whole lot of it is a real mess; an exploding binder, delays in cooking the recipes I can’t find with unlocatable seasonings!
April -- Have a baby. Baby boy Mair is due on the 6th. Babies are newborns for about a month, so I’ll be holding, feeding and feeling this major life change and doing not much else. I’ve always wanted to write some memories about the newborn stage and being a mom, so that’s what it’ll be.
May -- A photo a day. I bought a camera more than a year ago that would help my indoor, low light, birthday, christmas morning, basement shots and it’s been pulled out very little while I try to understand aperture and speed. I’ll do a decent online tutorial and take a least one picture a day. I’m hoping to capture a printable candid shot from each of my kids.
June -- Start a Mother Daughter Book Club I’ve talked about it for years. Needed would be: A book list, a schedule, to ask a few moms and BAM, combining two loves: books and kids.
July-- Full Moon Antelope Island Bike ride. I’ve wanted to do this ride for the last two years, and while I really like biking, I’ll never bike down the Oregon coast, Alaska, or across Europe with my family. But I can bike to a close by island in the dark. I’m taking the baby and any of my other kids who want to ride.
August -- Host an outdoor couples dinner party with no mosquitoes, outdoor lighting, in a cool location.
September -- Eat a vegetarian diet for a whole month. My end goal for this is to have some tastier meals and sides for my family that include more varied grain and more vegetables. Also to notice health benefits if there are any.
October -- Photo Albums. Print 9 years of digital pictures that are on the computer and place them in my already purchased albums. Place pictures of mission and wedding in albums to be looked through by future marriage and mission engagers.
November--Plan and carry out a family service opportunity (project), One that will feed into a community/business organized Christmas one, or for a family or friend that has a need we could fill.
December -- Hold 7 devotionals with my family (we’ll call it advent). We held three this past December using the book, A Christ Centered Christmas, by Emily Freeman. The kids really liked them and I did too, but I was a little uncommitted to the book’s lessons and wanted to do my own, but didn’t. The ultimate goal being to encourage Christmas thinking and pondering.
Now that you know my list, here’s the project: I’m asking you to do it too! Make a list of 12 projects/goals one for each month in 2014, no doubt you’re a few days into a January goal already. Then, starting February 1st, one person per day will post their completed January project/goal and how it went, pictures and all on the projectsconnect2014.blogspot.com website (it’s in a very rough state right now but will be ready soon). A quick comment or question from you, for their project, will “fill their bucket” and yours too when your post comes up. We’ll repeat the same thing the next month, telling in March about our February project. Each of us posting on our same day providing a daily connection that’s real and invested to everyone else that’s real and invested. It’s a lot to ask, but it’ll work! I know it. You (my family and friends) are a creative bunch and amaze me all the time. I’ll send out a schedule and tutorial soon of how to post your project on the website. It’ll be easy and you’ll even be able to type it up weeks (or if you’re like me and enjoy deadlines, the day) before it’ll be posted on your day to share each month.
General lasting happiness, for me, has always come from three main sources: Relationships, helping others, and spiritual connection/growth. This whole project encompasses these three, a bit, but would you consider, when making your list, to choose three of your goals from one of each of these three categories? From reading the 4 Gospels in a month, for a spiritual connection to running a garage sale to donate the money for a service experience. The relationship goal could be a weekly date night or a sisters retreat.
Are you in? To get it all started, send me a couple of things:
(1) Your list of 12 monthly goals (or just 6 months, or just January)
(2) a head shot (but if you don’t really care I’ll just snag one off facebook)
The website will be up and running soon with a main layout of two pages. The opening page will be the daily finished project and comments. The second page will have pictures (the head shot) of all the participants that will link to a separate page of just your goals.
*These projects can range from finally hanging up the towel rod in the bathroom (finally!) to rock climbing once a week. Make this a list of things that you really want to do and take into account of your year, for example: busy summer, baseball season, or parent’s 50th anniversary? Have those months’ projects be what you’re doing anyway, ie: the itinerary for the family reunion that you’re in charge of next June, or the huge research paper that’s due in May. Maybe you’re in the middle of a home remodel--show projects from that. Already mapped out your 2014 marathon/racing schedule? Tell about it and take some pictures! If you want to do any of my goals with me feel free, we could network.
*For inspiration on engaging in life amidst vulnerability, Brene Brown’s TED talks are a great source for courage, here and here, or read any of her books.
*For a convincing that completing goals can make you happy , read The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin.
*This project will work with 30 people (one person for each day in the month) but I’m confident it will work with more or less as well.
*Just think, in the end, a virtual resource of more than 365 projects that your family, friends, anyone could see and use as real content for inspiration.
*If you have a friend, sister or anyone, who you think would love to do this with you and me, forward the email and invite.
*You might already know but I’m in a bit of a transition right now. We’re building a house and having a baby (from the list, yes?) but at the moment I’m living at my parent’s cabin far removed from the trenches of real life commitment. No church callings for either me or James, my kids are in nothing extra curricular, and the three year old is potty trained so setting this project up and getting it to run automatically will be my January diversion. This project seems untimely, but what I’m saying is, it’s not. After talking about it to a few friends and family and getting feedback, and even dreaming about it, I’m doing it!
Oh, I’m not sure how this will turn out? I don’t even know if it’s for you. I was describing this project to my mom who has a decisive nature and a lifestyle full of structure and plans. She was appalled, “I have no need to take on one more thing. If anything, I should stop thinking up projects and plans and slow down a bit!” she told me. I’m at a different stage in life than her, for sure. My days are structured with whatever and whoever screams the loudest. It seems I have a million ideas i want to do, running through my head with an occasional deadline or reason to get them done. I wouldn’t mind using this as a way to get done things I’ve been meaning to get to, together with an audience, to offer the virtual pat on the back. Who doesn’t love a deadline? Who doesn’t love, “awesome job!”? If your thinking is like mine, email me that you want to do it. But if your thoughts are ringing true to what my mom said, no sweat. I’ve had a whole year thinking that it won’t be for everyone and it’s okay.
Thanks for opening up the email and reading this far. Let me know either way, It’ll be so much fun to hear from you and how you are doing.
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