The absence of feeling bad isn’t enough to make you happy; you must strive to find sources of feeling good. ~Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project

January always starts with me organizing this year’s Happiness Project, my third year doing one.  I read Gretchen Rubin’s book, The Happiness Project, in 2016 and thought it was a wonderful way for me to purposefully create more happiness in my life. 

The Premise

Based on Gretchen’s research that she complied in her wonderful book, the basic idea is that we can increase the amount of happiness we have in our lives by consciously adding to our daily lives those things we enjoy doing.  It has been scientifically proven that singing out loud increases your endorphin level thereby making you feel better.  After a stressful day at work I play my “Sing” playlist while driving home and sing at the top of my lungs.  I always feel better by the time I get home and the traffic is not nearly so aggravating when you are singing. 

The first year I did this I wanted to add more fun into my life so I planned some great actives for me and my 6-year-old grand-daughter and I to do together.  We went to story time at a local bookstore, we painted pictures in my studio, we did scavenger hunts and learned about the area and I was happier.

I also wanted to grow and learn so each week I would watch a Ted Talk.  I would read an article a day that was not a news story and participated in Merriam-Webster.com word-of-the-day.  And for gifts that year I painted a picture since I wanted to be more creative and pass on the happiness. 

How to Begin

For you to start all you need to do is look at what you really enjoyed as a kid, as a teen, with your family, when you are by yourself then make a list.  Make a list of activities that when you do them it makes you happy. I used to read a lot of books and I enjoyed them so why don’t I read now?  I love photography so why is my camera put away?  Do you have goals you want to accomplish this year?  Not New Year’s Resolutions but real goals for yourself?  Taking better care of yourself, get that bare front area around the door planted with some flowers, or organize your home?  Pick 12 things you want to work on for the year and assign one per month.  This 30 day focus on one area can create happiness.

How to Create More Happiness

If in January you want to focus on yourself care and you love yoga, then go to yoga class twice a week.  You need to put it on your calendar and schedule the time so you don’t back out.  After the first time or so you will be enjoying it so much you won’t let other things get in the way. 

You can look on Pinterest to find 30 Day Challenges to help you focus.  For example, there are Picture a Day challenges to motivate you on taking out that camera you enjoy.  Or A Doodle a Day challenge where you draw each day if you want to increase your creativity.  See how this works?  Not difficult at all is it?

Accountability

Let’s get accountable to each other as we go through the year and encourage the other to work on each of their topics for each month.  For my happiness project this year I have the following 12 topics: 

January – No Judging – see the light in others

February – Forgive- to release me

March- Let Go – to free me from attachments

April- Move Forward – continue to learn (no stagnation)

May- Take Responsibility – for my actions

June- Choose Wisely – think before I act

July- Gratitude- be thankful for the little things

August- Peace – breathe in the calm

September- Be Present – now is all we have

October- Be Creative – to stay connected to Source

November- Be Me – a woman on fire

December- Love – always so fear stays away

I also create a collage of images that I use as my desktop wallpaper for the year so that every time I open my computer I am reminded what I am focusing on this year which you see as the cover graphic for this post.

Each morning I post on Twitter and Facebook a quote that is connected to my monthly theme as a reminder as I start my day that I am consciously choosing to be happy and add more happiness to my life each day. 
Follow me and see how easy it is!

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