Happiness.... - Wine in Mom

I’ve mentioned it a few times on the blog, that I’m a huge fan of Gretchen Rubin’s book The Happiness Project and Happier at Home. In the book Gretchen sets out to be happier, by making small changes in her life. Each month she focuses on a different topic. I’ve learned a lot from reading Gretchen’s books and since it is a new year I have decided to start my own happiness project.

You may be wondering What is a Happiness project?

For those not familiar with Gretchen’s book a happiness project involves making small changes to help improve your happiness. Gretchen focuses on a different area of her life each month for example: work, clutter, marriage. Gretchen believes that only you can make yourself happier and that you can’t change people you can only change yourself.

Why do a Happiness project, aren’t you happy?

Yes I am happy but I think I could be happier. There are plenty of little annoyances throughout my day, plenty of tasks I’ve been putting off or changes that I would like to make.

So each month I’m going to be focusing on little ways to improve my happiness and I’ll be keeping tabs on it here on the blog. My happiness project is my alternative to a new years resolution. Last year I focused on the word content and while I do feel that i am more content this year than I was last year I feel like I need to take it a step further to happiness. The Happiness Project has been a big inspiration to me and I’m hoping to use what I learned from it to make a happier year.

In January I’m starting with organization because it’s where Gretchen starts and I feel like I can’t move forward until I deal with some housekeeping issues. Below are the resolutions Gretchen set for her first month and I’m sticking with some of them and adding or modifying others.

Clear my closets and junk drawers
Tackle a nagging task – my very messy laundry room and my basement, Jackson’s photo books.
Establish an exercise routine
Restore, maintain, organize – put the laundry away, make my bed, get Jack to pick up toys
Use my to-do list – I do best when I have a list
Identify the problem – I’m disorganized, so I got a planner to help.
Follow the “one-minute rule” – meaning if it takes a minute do it.
Observe the evening tidy-up – this one is hard for me
Schedule the time – I need to schedule time for writing both here and at Jersey Family Fun.

I hoping that by organizing and using my time more effectively I will be happier at the end of the month and I won’t spend so much time feeling frazzled. My plan is to update weekly about how the project is going and to keep myself on track. So here’s to making 2014 a happier year!