Sunday, February 28, 2010

My Happiness Project

Tomorrow I am starting a happiness project. I wish I could take credit for this idea, but it's borrowed from an author named Gretchen Rubin who wrote a book called The Happiness Project. She devoted a year to it, and took each month to work on something in her life that would bring her happiness. I don't have the resolve at the moment to map out a whole journey for a year, but there are things I can do to make a difference.

Today, Hubs is taking me to a bookstore so that I can buy a journal - something pretty or funky or thought-provoking or with character - and a nice pen. Why? Because every day I am going to commit to writing down one happy moment. Just one, and it can't be "coming home to my husband" or "being greeted by my dog". The idea is to force myself to look for happiness in common situations, in the tedium of life. It's one thing I can do that will force me to change my perspective; it will allow me to channel the optimist that has always been in me that I seem to have lost lately. That's number one.

Number two is going to a gadget store after the bookstore to buy a good, small camera. I'm quite a good photographer, if I do say so myself, and I would love to hone my skill. I have a fantastic camera, but it's big and bulky what with the big lens and all the bells and whistles and such. It's a wonderful camera, but it's challenging and not always practical to take it along with me in my purse (and it certainly doesn't fit in my pocket), and I mostly reserve its use for vacations and purposeful photography situations. This new camera is going to be one that I carry at all times. Why? Because life is beautiful right now, everything about it...and someday it may become difficult to remember all of these great times. I want to document something every day that captures the essence of my life, and all of the beauty and gifts that are a part of it. At least one picture a day...that's what I'll commit to. It will also be nice to have the camera with me when I see something in an uncommon place that really sings to me. I'm excited just thinking about it.

2 comments:

monicaonthego.com said...

HOw fun, I hope you post these happy moments. Sounds like fun.

no_limitations said...

I SO love the "picture a day" idea. I've been trying to be conscious of and grateful for the little things that make me happy every day. It is a GREAT idea to take pictures of those things. Maybe I will incorporate this into my "summer challenge".