Happiness Project
What an incredible book - I happened to pick it up on a whim and it has made an incredible difference in my life. It describes how a woman set out for a year with a happiness project. Every month she focused on a different aspect in her life. I was so inspired by it that I adapted my own. I thought it out, planned it out and even bought a calendar to write it out so I would chart it and follow it.
Now if anyone told me that they had to create a happiness project to be more happy, I would have said "you are nuts"...."Happiness happens, you don't create it".....but after reading this book and making myself be more concrete in a process (I am so random most of the time), I am actually happier for doing it.
September was about energy, so I focused on different forms of exercise (biking, walking, jogging, swimming, yoga class and fall softball fell into my lap). I charted my exercise on my calendar so I ended up exercising 5 out of 7 days a week, 2 of which is swimming at the YMCA and I don't think I can turn back on that because I enjoy it so much. I was always a runner (until I hurt my knee) and since then a walker, but this system of varying my exercise and trying new things is awesome! I also vowed to eat better...I have good days and not so good days. I think this project is all about making my ways habitual instead of when I feel the urge.
October is focusing on my marriage (since it is our anniversay month). Think about it-you can do anything for a month and before you know it, it becomes your way of life. I am trying to do unselfish acts all month and give Bob attention (while keeping up my exercise chart and trying to eat better-because once the month is over, it is a way of life to continue the behaviors). Here is an example. Saturday morning, Keera has religious Ed (Katie teaches her), so after I dropped them off, I made Bob and egg and cheese sandwhich for breakfast (which I never make him breakfast....we are like two islands passing in the night most of the time). Then I gave him a back rub, which I never do, but is working so hard on that addition that I think he must be really sore. The payback was him giving me positive vibes. I noticed he did dishes without me asking a day later, etc. You give happiness, you get it.
November will be family month....December is me month (my birthday month)....January is friend month....February is religious/faith month....I have to keep working for the rest of the year.
This by far is the coolest project I have every done!!!!! The philosophy is that we are all going to have things happen to us that we don't like, but if we have a base for happiness (outlets that we know help us), then the disappointments and negative things in life won't affect us as much....we will bounce back quicker.
Now if anyone told me that they had to create a happiness project to be more happy, I would have said "you are nuts"...."Happiness happens, you don't create it".....but after reading this book and making myself be more concrete in a process (I am so random most of the time), I am actually happier for doing it.
September was about energy, so I focused on different forms of exercise (biking, walking, jogging, swimming, yoga class and fall softball fell into my lap). I charted my exercise on my calendar so I ended up exercising 5 out of 7 days a week, 2 of which is swimming at the YMCA and I don't think I can turn back on that because I enjoy it so much. I was always a runner (until I hurt my knee) and since then a walker, but this system of varying my exercise and trying new things is awesome! I also vowed to eat better...I have good days and not so good days. I think this project is all about making my ways habitual instead of when I feel the urge.
October is focusing on my marriage (since it is our anniversay month). Think about it-you can do anything for a month and before you know it, it becomes your way of life. I am trying to do unselfish acts all month and give Bob attention (while keeping up my exercise chart and trying to eat better-because once the month is over, it is a way of life to continue the behaviors). Here is an example. Saturday morning, Keera has religious Ed (Katie teaches her), so after I dropped them off, I made Bob and egg and cheese sandwhich for breakfast (which I never make him breakfast....we are like two islands passing in the night most of the time). Then I gave him a back rub, which I never do, but is working so hard on that addition that I think he must be really sore. The payback was him giving me positive vibes. I noticed he did dishes without me asking a day later, etc. You give happiness, you get it.
November will be family month....December is me month (my birthday month)....January is friend month....February is religious/faith month....I have to keep working for the rest of the year.
This by far is the coolest project I have every done!!!!! The philosophy is that we are all going to have things happen to us that we don't like, but if we have a base for happiness (outlets that we know help us), then the disappointments and negative things in life won't affect us as much....we will bounce back quicker.
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