My Happiness Project: Overview
“My Happiness Project (n): a continual improvement of my personal state in a positive way that is accumulating positive thoughts, habits, and actions over an extended lifetime.”
This post has kind of taken me a long time to write. I've been putting it off because I'm worried it might not come out right. I've always been one to share everything personal on my blog, but for some reason this post has been a little daunting.
Firstly, I want to say that because I have a Happiness Project that this doesn't mean that I am not happy. I am VERY happy. Like the happiest I have ever been happy. But that doesn't mean I can't strive for more. I think being this calm, confident, and happy in my life right now has allowed me the opportunity to take the time to look at things and reflect just a bit more on my life. My Happiness Project is not necessarily me trying to achieve greater happiness, but rather me trying to achieve things that I know will make me happy on a more regular basis. Putting my happiness first.
Secondly, my Happiness Project is different that my standard goals in the sense that they have a clear and concise direction every month. But ultimately, these are goals as well. These goals are focused solely on me though, solely on things that I WANT to do not because I NEED to do them or feel like I SHOULD do them.
Finally, this Happiness Project is inspired by The Happiness Project book by Gretchen Rubin. I purchased this book near the beginning of the year and have been gradually working my way through it. As you may know, I have been in a bit of a reading slump, but this book is always on my bedside for me to read just a few pages from time to time. It's inspiring and makes me motivated to continually make my life the best life that I can make it. I'll have a full review on my blog when I finally finish it.
My Happiness Project
To start off my project, I made notes about things that made me feel a certain way. These Happiness goals are all about making sure I feel good, so I wanted to evaluate my current feelings before I even began.
What makes me feel good?
- getting things done
- having time to myself
- being unique and being the best
- spending time with others
What makes me feel bad?
- regretting not doing something
- letting others dictate my life
- having too much clutter
- not taking time for me
What do I want to improve?
- my health and exercising
- saving money for long term
- spending more time with others
- going out of my comfort zone
The next step was to make a list of short mantras I could repeat and keep in mind for the rest of the months this year. These mantras obviously needed to focus on something that I wanted to improve, something that I knew would make me feel good, and something that would definitely not make me feel bad in any way.
My Commandments
Do it now!
Say YES
Stand up for it.
Pay attention
LOVE MYSELF
Get rid of waste!
Do the little things.
Celebrate the WINS!
These commandments are a reminder for me in my own personal way of something I really want to focus on. And each month (from May to December) I will be focusing on one of these things. However, these are accumulative! I'll start at the top, and then the next month I will do the top two, then the top three, and so on. The point of the Project is not to do one portion and forget it the next month. I am making habits, accomplishing tasks, and doing things that I want to continue doing later.
This month is about "Do it now!" Near the end of the month I'll do a recap of my Happiness Project and how I feel. I'm making plans for my future, changing who I am, and ensuring my happiness is FRONT AND CENTER!
