The Happiness Project 2013

What's one of the first things you think of when you think of New Years? I think of two things: 1. Partyyyy 2. Resolutions. Usually in that order. I've never really made a New Year's resolution. They seem to be the epitome of hopes that don't work out. I'm not really sure why they carry that connotation to me. Perhaps I only observe people who set the bar too high or don't take their resolutions seriously. With all that said, I decided that I wanted to make a resolution of sorts this year. I vowed two things: 1. To aim for simplicity. 2. I'd like to seek wholeness, if anything.

I've been positively impacted by Gretchen Rubin, most notably known for her two works "The Happiness Project" and "Happier at Home." After reading these two books, I've spent time thinking a lot about happiness. Rubin notes in her works that most people live life forward-looking. People are always looking to the future because that's when they think they will be happier. 

The problem with this is the present. Most people don't live fancy, extravagant lives. The daily grind is more normal than an annual family vacation and that's a fact. Learning to be happy, whole and intentional in the present is what a "happiness project" is all about. And that's where these things collide. My resolution for this year: do a happiness project and write about it. 

For simplicity's sake (since that's one of my goals), I decided to come up with individual monthly themes and goals to bind this project together -- ways that I can be intentional in my everyday life to be more "whole." In fact, I'd almost rather call this my "wholeness project." So, for the month of January I've decided that my theme will be "Space," focusing on how I can be more whole, happy and appreciative of the place that I live and the possessions that I have. Three specific goals are: to sew something meaningful out of something old, arrange a kitchen shrine, pin-point and display something meaningful in the most used spaces in my home. 

I shall report back via blogging towards the end of the month to explain how my goals went with (most likely) a bit of random blogging in-between. Here's to 2013. Here's to my Wholeness Project and the art of appreciating everyday life.