Starting a happiness project is all the easier when someone does the legwork for you. Freed from having to think too much about it, it was easy to get started on January's theme of self-knowledge by picking up a handful of suggestions from Gretchen and throwing in a couple resolutions of my own. The idea...
happiness project
Happiness Project Redux
In my previous post, I mentioned that I'm endeavoring a Happiness Project again. I've written a lot of background about happiness projects, and why I find the idea meaningful—as opposed to mere frivolity––so I won't go into that again now. This time, though, due to some Black Friday margarita drinking*, I'm actually doing the official...
A Soft Restart
Well. Here we go again. A confluence of minor life events—a card we sent out, a drunken email I wrote to a popular website, the launching of a new happiness project—led to the unbearable, inevitable sentiment that I have to start doing this again. I want to start doing this again.
Wrapping Up My Happiness Project
Six months ago I started a small happiness project, and now it's coming to an end. Today I'd like to look back on the project, see where I succeeded and where I didn't, and what lessons I can carry forward.
Happiness Project: Watercolor Painting with Skillshare
Awhile ago, I decided to stock up on watercolor supplies. I bought a basic watercolor palette, brushes, and paper, and prepared to start painting. I remembered loving watercolor painting as a kid, and always wanting to learn how to actually use the paints as an adult. I even got a book, Water Paper Paint, so I'd have a guide. The best intentions,...
Happiness Project: Learning with Skillshare
This month's happiness project is focused on learning. For once, I can report that it's going well so far! I wanted to work on my Swedish this month, and I've been listening to more talk radio and reading more books with the intention of comprehension (normally I skim the local newspaper with the intention of getting half...
Happiness Project Month 6: Learning
(Sorry for the short disappearance, friends. I started to feel sick late last week, which evolved into a pretty nasty stomach bug that hit over the weekend. After spending all day yesterday alternating between the bed and the couch and trying to rehydrate, I'm feeling a bit better today and trying to get back into the...
Happiness Project Month 5 Wrap-Up
This month in my happiness project I wanted to give myself an attitude adjustment. I wanted to pause to enjoy the moment, and I wanted to work on my bad habit of complaining too much. I was fairly successful in my first goal but less so in my second. It helped that I set myself up...
Happiness Project Month 5: an Attitude Adjustment
This month I'm working on giving myself something my mother offered to give me countless times throughout my teenage years: an attitude adjustment. I'd been struggling with what to focus on this month (and yes, I know that we're already ten days into the month and I'm late to the game); I really want to...
Happiness Project: Building Community Through Winter Traditions
This month in my happiness project I'm focusing on building traditions and community for our family. Last week I wrote about forgoing Christmas gifts in order to donate money to organizations that help to build the kind of world we want to live in. This whole month, though, I've been working on surrounding ourselves with friends and loved ones to help...