My Happiness Project

My sister listed she had read Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project. I was intrigued by the write up:

"Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the unlikeliest of places: a city bus. 'The days are long, but the years are short,' she realized. 'Time is passing, and I'm not focusing enough on the things that really matter.' In that moment, she decided to dedicate a year to her happiness project.

In this lively and compelling account, Rubin chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. Among other things, she found that novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness; that money can help buy happiness, when spent wisely; that outer order contributes to inner calm; and that the very smallest of changes can make the biggest difference.

I downloaded to my Kindle and enjoyed it very much. I didn't want to make New Year's Resolutions that fizzled toward the end of the month. I want to involve the whole of 2014 in my own Happiness Project. 

A “happiness project” is an approach to changing your life. First is the preparation stage, when you identify what brings you joy, satisfaction, and engagement, and also what brings you guilt, anger, boredom, and remorse. Second is the making of resolutions, when you identify the concrete actions that will boost your happiness. Then comes the interesting part: keeping your resolutions.

I have decided January is labelled Walking. 

Walking. Yes, it does involve walking for exercise, but so much more. I watched a video by Drs. Oz and Roisen who are updating their YOU book with new information. They mention walking. They suggest getting up from your chair every 15 minutes. Even if you just walk around a table or to the next room. BRB.

Next, every two hours take a 10 minute walk. This I can do. It will require a kitchen timer to make me aware of time. Walking means improving my health. By taking in sunshine outdoors, adding more vegetables to my diet, taking supplements to aid methylation (which is the chemical cellular energy process). I don't want to held hostage by my chronic conditions. Will they go away? Not sure today, but I foresee where they will be reduced, soothed, calmed. 

On Gretchen Rubin's blog she has advice to keep those resolutions. 

"One thing I’ve learned from my happiness project: keeping resolutions (also known as making habits) is a key to happiness. If you want to make a positive change in your life, you need to figure out what to resolve, and how to keep that resolution.

My resolve? Get off my butt. Eat more beets. Swallow my pills. Easy peasy. Sounds like fun.

ps. I unfortunately brought the flu home from Ends of the Earth, Texas. So my resolve is delayed until I recover. I really, really hate vomiting.