The Happiness Project -- Week 3

Halfway through, and I can honestly say it's working for me. Tiny little actions add up to make happier days, and a happier life is made up of happier days. So let's keep going with the happier days!
Day Fifteen: Make a to-do list of everything you have to get done this week. When you get overwhelmed, look at this list. Sometimes being unhappy comes from being stressed, and forgetting what you have to do and spending your time getting distracted by things that aren't totally necessary is most definitely stressful.

Day Sixteen: Get outside. Make an effort to spend more time breathing fresh air and less time cooped up inside. Really, just five minutes of sunshine can make a huge difference in your mood.

Day Seventeen: Read a chapter in book instead of watching television when unwinding for bed. 

Day Eighteen: Make yourself a cup of coffee or tea and spend ten minutes just drinking it. No phone, no TV, no email, no to-do list...just you. 

Day Nineteen: Forgive someone. Don't drudge up the past, don't invite new drama into your life...just decide to forgive them, and move on. No need to involve anyone else.

Day Twenty: Make a list of things you really, truly like about yourself. Hang it on your mirror.

Day Twenty-One: Take a humor break. Spend five or ten or twenty minutes browsing the humor section on Pinterest, watching your favorite stand up comedy, watching funny youtube clips..whatever it is that makes you laugh!

Cheers to another happy week!

The Happiness Project -- Week 2

Day Eight: Do something creative. Write something or paint something or glitter something or build something. Make something for no one other than yourself.

Day Nine: Treat your free time like a vacation. When you're on vacation, do you check your work emails? Or waste time watching a TV show you don't even like? (Okay, maybe you do, but you shouldn't) If you have any free time today, treat it like you would treat a vacation and do things you want to do. Rest. Relax. Go get ice cream. Read a book. 

Day Ten: Clean up the room you sleep in. Cleaning might not conjure up feelings of happiness for everyone, but waking up in a clean room just starts the day out on a good note. 

Day Eleven: Try yoga. Don't knock it 'til you try it. I've had my fair share of rolling my eyes at yoga, but lately I've realized how beneficial it is. There's plenty of variety...you can get your workout on and work your muscles, or you can stretch and relax. Both are helpful. 

Day Twelve: Make a list of things you're looking forward to. Flip flop and tank top weather! Your anniversary! Vacation! Going shopping the next time you get paid! Put the list somewhere you can see it. See? There's so much to be happy about.
Day Thirteen: Do something kind for someone else. Buy your coworker a cup of coffee. Hold the door for someone. Be a pizza bandit and send pizza to your friend's house. Once again, making someone else happy does wonders for your own happiness. 

Day Fourteen: Write down five unexpected things that made you happy this week. Make yourself think about it until you can come up with five things. Lots of green lights on your way to work, or an email coupon to your favorite store, or a pretty sunset. Nothing is too small!

Cheers to another happy week!

Where Everyone Belongs

How often do I see someone standing alone, obviously uncomfortable, and decide to just stay in the conversation I'm in rather than try to include them? Or when someone says we should get together! How many times do I nod enthusiastically and then don't follow up, because life is busy and getting together takes time? How many times have I seen someone sitting alone and it would have taken nothing for me to go sit with them, but I chose to stay where I was? Or when someone emails me asking blog questions, and I think about how long it would take to respond, so I put it off until it's forgotten. 

Answer: Probably more than I realize. 

I've probably been the source of people not feeling good about themselves, just because it was easier for me to not get involved. 

So today, I'm reminding myself to be a place where everyone belongs. In conversations, at parties, at work, in life. It's not that hard. 
We don't have to be best friends with everyone, ever. It's not our responsibility to make sure no one is ever left out. But one thing we should all strive for is to be a place where everyone belongs. It's really, really not that hard. 

Public service reminder: Life is short. Love people while you're here. 

The Happiness Project -- Week One

I've been thinking a lot about happiness lately. About how much of it is circumstantial, how much of it we control, and if you can really make yourself happier. 

So much of life is out of our control. But we often forget that so much of life is in our control. I know we all have issues or circumstances that aren't the happiest, but I think a lot of our unhappiness is within our own control. I think a lot of times, the reason we're not happy is because we're not trying to be.  If you could make a few small changes, or take a few small actions, and it would lead you to a place where you legitimately felt happier, wouldn't you do it?

I've heard it said that it takes 28 days to form a new habit. So can you make yourself happier in 28 days? Well, we're certainly going to try. 

Project Happy: 28 Days to Happiness

Day One: Wake up ten minutes earlier than normal. Don't add anything to your morning, just wake up the first time your alarm goes off so you don't start the day off rushing. 
Day Two: Go through the day without complaining out loud. When you catch yourself complaining out loud (which you will, because you are not a magician), make sure to say something positive in the next five minutes.

Day Three: Make a playlist of songs that make you happy. Whenever you have to do something boring, like driving to work or doing the dishes, listen to it. Bonus points for singing along extra loud, triple bonus points for dancing along. 

Day Four: Compliment every single person you speak to. Tell the cashier you like her lipstick, compliment the shoes of the guy who holds the door for you, tell your coworker she did a good job on her presentation. Most of the time, making other people happy makes you happy.

Day Five: Buy yourself flowers, or a new candle, or something in your favorite color. Put it somewhere you'll see it several times throughout the day.

Day Six: When you get dressed this morning, only think about what you like. Don't think about what's popular or about what someone else might think of you. Pick your clothes and your shoes and your makeup and everything else based solely on what makes you happy. 

Day Seven: Go for a walk. Alone or with company, with music or without, whatever makes you the happiest. Just make sure to wait until the day cools down so you don't come back grumpier than when you left.

I challenge ALL of you to try this first week with me, and let me know how it works out for you.