Good for you / The Ordinary Moments #1

The first book I read in ages was Yes Please! by comedy writer and actress Amy Poehler.

If you don't know her, she's best mates with Tina Fey and plays an eternally bubbly and optimistic council woman in the hilarious Parks and Recreation (go check it out if you haven't seen it).

And she's pretty awesome. In character and as herself.

In interviews and in her book, Amy is full of wise words and real insights into being a woman and believing in yourself. It's not all overused metaphors and cliché motivational words - she has some intelligent things to say and there's one thing in particular that she said that struck a chord with me.

Her motto, and the one I have adopted for this year, is simple but hits the nail on the head: "Good for you! (Sometimes followed by) Not for me."

It's about celebrating all your successes and those of women around you, with the realisation that what other people do shouldn't make you feel any less yourself.

Kate from Pouting in Heels wrote this post a while ago that's similar in focus and that stuck in my mind, about how sometimes, when someone else shines, it can make us feel like our own light dims. 

It's something I've seen so many times. Other bloggers and women, talking about the impact that social media, magazines, their friends can have on the way they feel about their own lives. Seeing Instagram snaps in all their filtered glory can make other people's lives seem perfect. But we all know that there's no such thing. Alex at Bump to Baby explained in her 'the juggle' post the way she posts and shares, and how she doesn't want to portray a perfect life, more that she only wants to remember the best moments. And I think we can all relate to this.

The idea of 'good for you' is so simple but really powerful when you think about it. You may have resolutions or just some aims for the year ahead (you can read mine here). Or you may think that it's all a load of old tosh and you're alright as you are. 

And of course, you are. You're amazing. You are the only you that you can be. And you can always do more and focus on becoming the best you there is.

It's up to you.

But whatever you do, be sure to celebrate it. Enjoy the little things and give yourself a pat on the back. I saw a few days ago that What Katy Said has created a rememberations jar rather than making resolutions. The idea is, for every success, achievement or good memory, you put a note in a jar to acknowledge it. At the end of the year, or whenever you need reminding, you can read all the notes you've added.

Great, isn't it?

I've already started mine.

(Katy also has a #HappyDays linky which I've only just discovered too).

'Good for you' means to me doing things that are good for me - either eating well, surrounding myself with positive people, taking time for myself if I need it - and patting myself on the back if I achieve something or have a small win.

'Good for you, not for me' is a reminder that everyone else has their own circumstances and capabilities. We can't all live a perfect, Pinterest friendly  life - we can aspire to it but we shouldn't be ruled by what others seem to have or do. When we see someone else's success or something we like or want ourselves, we are the only ones who can control how it makes us feel. We shouldn't let it make us feel bad or like we have failed or that we are missing something. We're not. 

We're just doing things in our own way. In our own time. And, for what should be our own reasons. 

So, that's my simple phrase, motto or mantra for this year. Simple but achievable. And positive too.

It seems I'm in good company with this kind of approach to this year. Hayley from Home has written about how her main goal is to keep it simple and Emma at Life According to Mrs Shilts is aiming for something similar this year. And Katie from Mummy Daddy Me has just talked about how blogging can present a perfect life in her first #TheOrdinaryMoments post of 2016.

If you're hoping to take a more positive approach to life, or just want to read something intelligent by an interesting and funny woman, take a look at Amy Poehler's book. And feel inspired to say yes please to 2016.

Or pop back here again as I'm adding positivity as a new theme and if love to hear your thoughts and see your post links below too. I want to look for the good and share the positive things I see, read and experience. Sharing is caring and I hope you'll join me in making this year the best we can.

Good for us!

I've linked this post to the #BrillBlogPosts ,  #HappyDays and #TheOrdinaryMoments link ups.