Learning to set goals.

As I read through the introduction of the Happiness Project, I came to realize something. Setting goals for yourself is important. Not just long term goals, but short term ones as well. I have been very focused on my long term goals over the years, but not my short term goals. Why is this? Short term goals are just as important as their counterparts. In fact, for me, they might be even more important. I struggle with long term goals, mostly because of the fact that it takes time to see the results of your labor. I feel as if short term goals go unnoticed. They are virtually invisible because I don't give enough credence to them in the first place. Accomplishing the simple tasks of everyday life does in fact take effort. I know that in my case, doing the laundry and making sure I fold it afterwards, is a serious task. I hate to fold the laundry. But at the same time, I hate to see it sit in the basket and I curse like a sailor when I cannot locate a particular item.

So, one of the first goals I plan to set for myself, as I continue to read, is to make short term goals. Little goals or tasks for each week that will help me build that sense of accomplishment, especially while I'm job hunting. That in itself is emotionally draining. Over time, I'm hoping that repeating these tasks and getting into the routine of doing them will make them less taxing. Because at this point, that's exactly what each one feels like, leaving me less inclined to do the next task at hand.

Seems appropriate to start small. In essence, these are the types of daily tasks that just grow slowly until they become too overwhelming for me to handle. For example, the first item is washing out my coffee cup. If I am not active in doing this, I eventually get a crowd of coffee cups on the table - as if the table is hosting a small porcelain party to which I am not invited. Who wouldn't be sad after not being invited to a party? Truth be told, I realize that none of these tasks are earth shattering or life changing, but when lumped together I imagine they can and do make a impact on my mood each day. That's what I want to change.

Before I bid everyone goodnight, I would like to invite all of you to join in on my little happiness project. Or perhaps you are in need of your own happiness project? Whatever the reason, feel free to join in on the comments and write your own posts as I go along. The journey is bound to be different for each of us, but I welcome you to share. Let's build a little community, shall we?

Adventures in the bookstore.

Wow, January? Seriously? Ok, I can work with that.

I want to tell you all about the past several weeks, how everything has been so busy and out of control. But, that tends me send me into a not so happy place, so let's not talk about all that right now. Instead I want to talk about books. Yes, those crisp, aromatic pages that send me into a place of ultimate comfort. Too much?

The book I want to talk about is called the Happiness Project. Heard of it? I found it on a self-help table in my local bookstore. The cover intrigued me, as did the title. So, I picked it up and read the back cover. You know, after I had stared at the front for a little while, but that's not the point here. The book chronicles the author's quest to be happier and find her ultimate sources of happiness. Sounds helpful, right? As I stood there staring at the book, I tried to be honest with myself. I could certainly use a little help in learning to be happier. I mean, things have been a little rough lately. What did I do next? I bought the book, of course.

While I was in the bookstore, I did venture over to the self-help section. I started to peruse the various titles, some of which were quite amusing. However, what I was looking was a book on mindfulness. Essentially, you learn how you process your thoughts, find your inner balance, and be mindful of the way that you view the rest of the world. Sounds a little hippie, doesn't it? I know. But I know someone who has been working through the process and she feels like it actually works. Learning to process my thoughts differently could be good. It's something that I struggle with on a daily basis now. But it's kind of funny, while I was in the self-help section, I thought for sure that I would feel self-conscious of myself. For instance, people would stare and wonder why I needed self-help or if there was something wrong with me. Those are the kinds of thoughts that are irrational and only inflict pain on me. Or so they tell you in learning to be mindful. So I plan to give it a shot. I don't really have anything to lose. If it works, I plan to share it. Maybe it will help others who are on their own journey to being happier in life. Who knows? The future is uncertain.

And with that I'm going to go enjoy some piping hot pancakes with some of my favorite people. We decided that going to iHop this morning would be fun. In fact, I think I dreamt about it last night. It has been so long since I've been there! I promise that there was no drool though. Scout's honor.