Happiness Project - Take 2

Just over a year ago, I read Gretchen Rubin's book, The Happiness Project, and was inspired to start my own Happiness Project (see my initial blog post HERE).  Unfortunately, as with most things in my life, I didn't stick with it.  With a lot of uncertainty currently in JD and my life (where will we go for his medical schooling, what can I do to make a difference in the world, will we EVER get pregnant and have a child?), it seemed like a good time to revisit that project and get started again.

As a child I LOVED back to school time - it meant new school supplies, new learning, friends, etc.  So, I'm going to time this project to start when students are heading back to school.

The first thing that I wanted to do was to create my guiding commandments. Several of these popped into my head this morning on my drive to work, so I figured that it was time to write them down.  This is still a work in progress - I expect some items to fall off the list and some to be added.  The list as it currently stands:

Liz's Commandments:

1) Don't be lazy
2) Accept help
3) Ask for help
4) Say "Yes"
5) Say "No"
6) Take time, slow down, and eliminate distractions
7) Pay attention
8) Simplify
9) Be open
10) Trust
11) Write it down
12) Stick with it

I have a few that I don't think quite make the cut. They are great things for me to keep in mind, but don't quite resonate with me (yet? perhaps that will change).  They are:

A) Have clear intentions
B) Pursue my passions
C) Stand up for myself

The first commandment above has already been super helpful to me.  One of the little things that annoys me is when the roll of toilet paper is empty, but instead of replacing the roll, we just balance a fresh roll on top of the empty roll (yes, I'm guilty of this).  Really - how much time does it take to switch the rolls and recycle the empty tube?  None.  So, my reminder to myself is "Don't be lazy".

The next two are related but separate.  I am not very good at accepting help - I usually turn it away and muddle on by myself because it feels awkward to have someone helping me. I am even worse at ASKING for help.  There are many things in my work in particular, that would be easier if I could ask for help or feedback - and then ACCEPT it.

Numbers 4 and 5 are also related but separate.  My gut reaction when anyone asks me to do something that I hadn't planned on (impromptu bike ride, unplanned run, etc) is to say "No".  I usually have a great time when I say yes, hence my commandment to "Say Yes".  Unfortunately, I also have a tendency to say "Yes" whenever someone asks for a favor - no matter how much it might inconvenience me or not fit into my schedule.  The last time I said "Yes", it resulted in a 2 day panic attack.  So, I need to also work on "Saying No".

That's enough for today - I'll write more about the others later, along with the topics that I plan to explore.

:-)
-Liz