Remember how I started off the new year with the sole intention of launching my own personal Happiness Project? January started out optimistically enough, and I worked hard on those two goals. 
In February I continued the goal of “finish abandoned tasks” because apparently I have far too many of them to clear them up in one month. But I also added a health / fitness goal of incorporating regular exercise into my life, because some post-wedding pounds (10, to be exact), had crept up on me. 
Then when the end of February came I stopped updating you. It’s so embarrassing to admit why I didn’t post an end-of-February recap and March goals: because I didn’t make any progress exercising and toning, and didn’t want to admit defeat.
Here’s where things stand now: This spring I started exercising regularly, because we got a treadmill. I am terrible at running outside, because I don’t control my speed well, but with the treadmill and some crappy TV it turns out I’m pretty good at running 20-30 min a day.
It also turns out that I’m way too vain to post photos of myself not-at-my-best on the internet. I promise to bite that bullet a month from now.
As for Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project, I gave up reading it about halfway through. I found that the remaining chapters didn’t interest me, as the topics – make time for friends, pursue a passion, splurge on yourself, etc were not really necessary for my life. I already do those things to the degree that I am able. As I spent many nights guiltily noticing the book on my nightstand before picking up another book, I had time to consider finishing it. But I determined that there was no point finishing something I’m not interested in right now!
It turns out that I don’t really need different goals every month in order to be happier. I’ve found my challenge areas for the year, and I’m sticking with them. As things stand now, almost halfway through the year, I am sure that focusing on these two simple goals for the rest of the year are the key to improving my satisfaction and happiness with myself.
I still recommend The Happiness Project, even if only for the first few chapters.
Did you set any New Year’s goals? If so, how are you doing with them?
5 Comments
you know what’s been helping me w/ speed on my runs is this app call runtastic…it tracks how far you’ve gone and also your average mile per minutes. it shows on some days i really really suck, but at the mile mark i decide to kick into gear if my app is telling my i’m running a little slower than usual. i personally suck so bad running on a treadmill!
Hey Jamillah! I will have to check that out. I like the idea of using an app to help. Thanks!
I decided a while ago that making New Year Resolutions was a stupid idea for me, and that I was better to set up projects and work through the project for as long as I can, or until it’s finished.
So projects are set, and I’m working through them and getting happier as a consequence – there is something ultimately satisfying in completing a project and being able to see the results.
My latest was to replace my dresser and 2 book cases in the bedroom that were too big, with a dresser and 2 book-cases that are just right. The dresser fits under the window, and the bookcases fit where the dresser used to be, and the bedroom no longer looks like I need a shoehorn to get into it.
I’ve got a curtain up between my bathroom and bedroom, a new shower curtain that is brighter than the one provided by the rental.
And I’ve been unpacking and throwing out more stuff, so the half-garage of stuff I have at my friend’s place is getting smaller. (We do a box a week).
It makes me happy 🙂
I love it! Getting rid of things always feels so freakin’ refreshing to me.
[…] . . I’m not letting this sucker sit around for long. One of my two goals for the year was to Finish Half-Completed Tasks, so that means no […]