Today I had a free moment, and I spent it reading a blog called The Happiness Project. The author decided to spend a year trying every single self-help technique out there to improve happiness, then report what works for her and what doesn’t. One of her rules that I like is the principle of “acting the way you want to feel.” If you want to feel generous, friendly, or strong, you act that way and eventually become that way.
She recently posed the question whether most people would like to try a similar project, or whether they find it too daunting. For my part, I would like to try one, but I haven’t researched the various options enough to decide which ones might work for me. Perhaps I should look into that (or at least read more of her blog). Goodness knows I could use less stress and more happiness in my life. I think we all could.
Incidentally, today is my blog’s first birthday. All in all, I’m pretty satisfied with the way it has evolved. It’s been a helpful outlet, and I’ve gotten to know some people, near and far, who I might not have become acquainted with otherwise.
One year ago . . . So, What's a Bluestocking?
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6 comments:
My philosophy has always been similar to hers, though more simply stated. Fake it till you make it. Don't feel confident? Pretend you do, and then eventually you are. Faith is weak? Put on a smile and get busy and it will come back . . . it works for me anyway.
I'll have to try your cornbread. Groceries are also a hard place for us to cut money. We like to eat. But Plantboy is the worst at the store--he always comes home with weird, pricey stuff (organics, fancy juices or cereal, more fruit than we can eat in a month) in addition to everything that is actually ON the list. I save the most grocery money if I avoid Walmart.
Cool! I will have to look on her blog. What I do to help me to feel better is I read any church material and scriptures, I walk every morning and afternoon. I do dance aerobics with the kids, and yoga stretching.
(I have responded to all posts, sorry if i took awhile, you know how it is. if you want to read)
Happy Blog Anniversary! I had no idea that we started our blogs in the same week. Great minds think alike!
Oh and some friends (non-LDS)and I have recently been discussing "The Secret". Mind I have never seen the movie or read the book, but it is an interesting subject about the law of attraction. One of the ideas is that if you are happy, you will attract happiness to you. There are other principles in the book I do not buy (if you want wealth, just think about wealth and it will come to you), but it was an interesting subject to discuss.
My mom would always tell me "Fake it till you make it." Er. In fact, she still does. And I still try to believe her.
Still haven't found a foolproof method of happiness, but I think I'm better at general contentment than I used to be.
And also, Happy Blogiversary! So, so so glad you joined the blogging community. Your thoughts are always worth reading.
In some ways I've been doing the "fake it till you make it" thing for some time, but I think I could be more proactive about it. For example, I'm already in the habit of acting happy until I become so, but I'd like to zero in on some specific qualities I wish for, then take active steps to develop them.
i am a very happy person. i enjoy my life. i'm just not a "demonstrative" happy person. does that make sense?
and the "fake it" method freaks me out. one more mask? i try to be honest with myself and others. that just seems weird to me.
i love my family: i tell them, and do things for them, etc. being overly demonstratively affectionate wouldn't feel sincere.
i don't know...i'll have to think about this some more.
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