The Happiness Project: Chapter One

Welcome to the Chapter One - blog post!
Better late than never right, sorry for the delayed post, I have been a little busy the last couple of days with my new long term teaching job.

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This week I would like for us to reflect on how we can accomplished these tasks for ourselves:

How can you sleep better?
Sleeping better was a big part of Rubin's 1st chapter and I have to say it rings true in my life as well. I have been working really hard on sleeping better to increase my own energy and productivity. My methods for sleeping better include going to bed early regardless of whether or not I am tired. Sounds easy right? Wrong it is so hard, I have become quite the night owl and I do not like going to bed early but I do love being able to wake up in the morning not feeling like a I need toothpicks to hold up my heavy eye lids.

What can you do to improve your workout routine?
Workout, what is that? No just kidding! But really I have been a total slacker about working out lately. I was getting back on track for running and then I came down with a cold and have not found the motivation to get back into it. But what I need to do to improve my workout routine is to have a schedule. I have decided that I will wake up early on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and workout for a minimum of 20 minutes before getting ready for work. As Rudin explains "even a quick ten minute walk provides an immediate energy boost and improves mood - in fact exercise is an effective way to snap out of a funk."
Wish me luck =)

How can you get organized in your life?
Taking some advice from Rudin I started in my closet and begin organizing every part of my house. I know this sounds quite crazy but opening my kitchen cabinets and seeing organiztion has made me happy =). I have also begun trying to pick up after myself as Rubin says "Do it now! Don't postpone any task that could be done in less than one minute." And as silly as it sounds this one rule has been so helpful to me in organizing my life.

What is a nagging task that you need to complete?

(Post it, and tell us a goal for when it will be completed.)
Hmmm...when reading the book I thought it would be easy to come up with a nagging task but I think because it is a nagging task I have filed it away in the back of my mind in order to forget it exists. One nagging task I need to complete is organizing our home office, complete with filing system, pictures and scrap-booking supplies, realistically it probably won't get down until this summer when school gets out.

How can we get our energy levels up?
Energy levels...my energy levels have actually gone up just by doing all of the above things but one more thing that has really helped bring my energy levels up is just a "fake it till you make it" approach to energy!

My 12 Commandments!

Inspired by Gretchen Rubin author of The Happiness Project, I decided to write my own 12 commandments:

1. Always be true to myself
2. Do not take things personally
3. Act the way I want to feel
4. Do not procrastinate!
5. Live in the moment
6. Always find the silver lining
7. Jealousy is a waste of time and energy
8. Money doesn't grow on trees
9. Surround myself with people who make me happy
10. Do not gossip
11. Do not judge, you never know what someone else is dealing with
12. Remember what's important, LOVE

You can find more information the blog book club being hosted by Elizabeth @ Musing Experiences.

The Happiness Project: Getting Started

For those of you who missed my last post, I have the honor of being part of a blog book club, being hosted by Elizabeth @ Musing Experiences. You should check it out too:

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Happy Reading!
The day after finding this exciting blogging book club, I downloaded, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin on ibooks using my iphone. I read through the first section, Getting Started, in no time flat. From the opening, A Note to the Reader, I was hooked. Rubin's book The Happiness Project, explains to readers her definition of a happiness project is "identifying what brings you joy, satisfaction and engagement, and also what brings you guilt, anger, boredom and remorse," (pg.7). Rubin then explains that you must take this information and make resolutions with concrete actions to boost your happiness. Rubin's book goes in depth about her own happiness project in hopes that others can learn from her journey. I enjoyed Rubin's openess and honesty, I felt as if she was speaking directly to me, as if we were friends sharing a cup of coffee. Rubin shares with readers her twelve commandments for Happiness:
1. Be Gretchen
2. Let it go
3. Act the way I want to feel
4. Do It now
5.Be polite and be fair.
6. Enjoy the process
7. Spend out.
8. Identify the problem
9. Lighten up
10. Do what ought to be done
11. No calculation
12. There is only love
(pg.46)
Rubin also came up with a more comical list, the Secrets of Adulthood:
People don't notice your mistakes as much as you think.
It's okay to ask for help.
Most decisions don't require extensive research.
Do good, feel good.
It's important to be nice to everyone.
Bring a sweater.
By doing a little bit each day, you can get a lot accomplished.
Soap and water remove most stains.
Turning the computer on and off a few times often fixes a glitch.
If you can't find something clean up.
You can choose what you do; you can't choose what you like to do.
Happiness doesn't always make you feel happy.
What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while.
You don't have to good at everything.
If you're not failing you're not trying hard enough.
Over-the-counter medicines are very effective.
Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
What's fun for other people may not be fun for you - and vice versa.
People actually prefer that you buy wedding gifts on their registry.
You can't profoundly change your children's natures by nagging them or signing them up for classes.
No deposit no return.
(Pg. 46 - 50)
While Rubin's list of twelve commandments seems very broad, and slightly overwhelming for someone like me, who is seriously considering coming up with their own happiness project, she explains that she will be breaking down her resolutions into smaller pieces each month in order to accomplish her more broad commandments.
Rubin explains that she wants to "change her life without changing her life" (pg. 52). Rubin also explains that "contemporary research shows that happy people are more altruistic, more productive, more helpful, more likeable, more creative, more resilient, more interested in others, friendlier and healthier. Happy people make better friends, colleagues and citizens," (pg. 59) sounds like someone I would like to become, how about you?

I can't wait to dive into chapter one of Rubin's book, check back for updates.