HP- Week 29

[AnnieClaus]

Welcome to week 29 of The Happiness Project. This month we are working on: Lightning up! This month we have worked on: Sing in the Morning, Acknowledge the Reality of People's Feelings, Be a Treasure House of Happy Memories, and for the last week of the month we add: Take Time for Projects. Corresponding Reading pages: 107-110.

Gretchen realized that a lot of big events that happen in our lives- birthdays, Valentine's Day, Holidays,etc. involve projects.
For ex: Birthdays involve planning- ordering a cake, getting decorations, inviting family and/or friends over. They all take a lot of energy and enthusiasm to get done.
And, these types of events end up with "boomerang errands." These are the types of errands you weren't planning on but somehow get added onto and need to be taken care of when doing a project.

Instead of looking at these things as a chore, she decided she would relish in the planning of these projects.

Gretchen says: "These projects are a highlight of childhood- and adulthood."

For instance, when she took her daughter to pick out a cake, usually she would rush the situation and try to get her daughter to pick something quickly. But her daughter said, "I want to look through the whole book of cakes." Then and there Gretchen decided she would enjoy this time with her daughter looking through a catalog of cakes.

Gretchen also invested in a laminator so she could come up with project's such as making books for the Grandparents.

Resolution for the Week: Take Time for Projects

Thought for the Week: To eke out the most happiness from an experience, we must anticipate it, savor it as it unfolds, express happiness, and recall it as a happy memory.

Please share your journey, thoughts here this week.

 

[ChristmasPir8]

I don't tend to mind planning for events and things. I do tend to plan in advance w/ notes and things so usually (unless money is tight till the last minute) am ready. Savor is my word for the year so this will be good for me to savor the steps along the way.

This past vacation was almost a comedy of errors (I locked the keys in the van at a gas station, had to raft when we wanted to tube, got caught during a downpour during a 30 min hike and we just laughed at most of them. OK we don't laugh during over competitive games of putt putt but the rest was fun, we talked about it alot and prob. will for a while longer.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

We do tend to not enjoy the simplier things in life. This is important too. Just a cup of coffee in the morning as you watch the sunrise/sunset can be the best part of the day

 

[AnnieClaus]

For me, if I'm tired and dragging, these projects are very hard to get through.

Something I've noticed the last few years- that week of Christmas is SOOOO tiring. No matter how much prep I do before hand, that week is so filled with activities, that I start to drag and then it's like I'm just trying to survive until January 1st.

I have to think if there's ways I can tweak this so I can actually enjoy and savor (like Shannon said) that week.

Annie

 

[AnnieClaus]

Checking in, seeing how all are doing.

For the week of Christmas (when I get so exhausted, frazzled)

I am going to concentrate on:

*Getting as much done before hand as possible
* Make sure I'm not burning the midnight oil- get to bed at a decent time
* Take time for exercise
* Eat properly

 

[teachermomof2]

Annie~sounds like a good plan!

I love planning and carrying out a good event, but I just want to do it myself. LOL It gets to be too much when there are too many people involved who don't pull their weight.

I tend to have let down headaches after an event...but am going to learn to savor the moments.

 

[ChristmasPir8]

Lisa I'm w/ you. I tend to not want to lean on others to help unless it's someone I know I can completly depend on. Other wise I constatnly stress that something is going to fall through.