As you will have seen from my last post, I recently read The Happiness Project by Gretchin Rubin and have been keen to create a project of my own. I decided to hold off of starting my own until the new year, it just felt apt.
Having taken a good while to consider ways I want to improve my life over the next year, I’ve managed to come up with a project of my own, cross referenced with my personal commandments. Below I’ve outlined my resolutions below. The idea is that every month you introduce a new element whilst maintaining those from previous months.
Jan – Take better care of myself
- Drink more water
- Reduce alcohol intake
- Get more sleep
- Remove makeup
- Apply moisturiser before sleep
- Keep a food journal
Feb – Take more exercise
- Get off the tube a stop early
- Walk the escalator
- Take stairs rather than the lift
Mar – Be nice
- Do something each day to make somebody smile
- Don’t speak negatively about anyone or anything
- Think of solutions rather than problems
- Offer help
Apr – Take time for myself
- Take a whole day a month where I do only the things that I love
- Keep a night a week free to relax, read and write
May – Take up pilates
- Attend pilates classes
- Take up meditation
Jun – Connect with likeminded people
- Create a career group
- Join a reading group
Jul – Take a break
- Book at least one holiday!
Aug – Create better relationships
- Rekindle relationships
- Make time for others
- Make new friends
- Build stronger relationships
- Pick up the phone
Sept – Go on adventures
- Discover at least 1 new part of London each week
Oct – Invest in happiness
- Go shopping without guilt
- Book massages
Nov – Expand my reading material
- Purchase books from areas of the book store I don’t normally visit
- Purchase a book I see someone reading on the tube
Dec – Appreciate the little things
- Create a list of things I’m grateful for
- Document all of the great things that have happened in the past year
- Plan a happiness project for 2013
I’d love to hear whether you’ve got any resolutions or happiness projects of your own. Use the comments, don’t be shy.
Happy 2012!
M xox
Sam Hardacre says:
Lots of things to tick off your list Mel! Mine is rather slim by comparison:
- Start to learn a new language (French – in preparation for my honeymoon in Paris)
- Get a bit fitter. Go to the gym more often
- Stop drinking alcohol. The hangovers far outweigh the fun of drinking
- Play the guitar more. Got out of practice over the last few years
- Push myself to learn new photography techniques
That’s about it for me. Good luck with your resolutions!
January 2, 2012 at 8:41 pm
Roger White says:
Mine NY resolutions are slightly fewer:
1. Leave HM Forces and obtain employment that I’m happy with.
2. Be a better father.
3. Be a better husband.
4. And be happy……life is to short to dwell on the “what if’s” – learn from yesterday, live for tomorrow.
Happy New Year Mel.
January 2, 2012 at 8:42 pm
Emanuele S says:
What a nice idea this of the Happiness Project, you always come out with something special! I never heard about this book, but it seems great! Don’t know if it is translated in Italian but, if not, I can read in English, it would be a good chance to improve it…hei, about English, I got an idea: I could just start from here my HP…so…
January
Read at least a couple of pages from a book in English (actually I’m reading Hornby)
Once a week, study and learn one new rule of English grammar
Yes, I do like it and…thank you for the Happiness Project!!
January 2, 2012 at 9:15 pm
admin says:
All of your resolutions sound great and hopefully manageable. Let’s make this happen!
January 2, 2012 at 9:51 pm
Marcus says:
Good luck Mel, it’s quite a list to maintain. I tend to keep my lists shorter to minimise any de-motivating affects if I fall behind & because I know I can get lazy!
I intend to finish a couple of website projects, sort my digital photos out, start to learn a language & plan some travels.
Have an excellent 2012!
January 3, 2012 at 2:17 am
admin says:
I’m hoping that by the gradual introduction, they should be easier to maintain. That said, I’m finding it hard to not want to do all of them at once. The exercise part has already begun
Good luck!
January 3, 2012 at 9:00 am
JCB Workwear says:
Best of luck with the plan Mel. Had a look at “The Happiness Project” site and boomarked it for some weekend reading as February is never too late to start
January 20, 2012 at 10:01 am
James Bloor says:
Time for an update Mel?
Would be interesting to see how you’ve found sticking to your goals – it’s a really ambitious list!
James
March 4, 2012 at 1:35 pm
admin says:
It absolutely is time for an update. I’m a bad blogger. Back on it.
March 4, 2012 at 6:23 pm