Jan 6, 2012

Happiness in 2012


I have never done the "word of the year" post. I am also not a big "setting resolutions" girl...at least not on January 1st. I am more of a set it as-I-see-it-necessary kind of girl. My life is a series of resolutions...some accomplished, some revised, and some...well a complete swing and a miss.

The beginning of the year has always seemed too predictable a time to try an improve something. Then you add to the predictability my tendency to snowball resolutions. Do you know what I mean? The snowball occurs when you take a look at what you want to improve or change and the list goes from 2-3 to 5-6 to 10-12 to 20 to 50...and before I know it I have way too many things I want to change/improve. Then I feel overwhelmed and cry face enters the picture.

So what is the difference this year? I honestly don't know. I don't know if I am feeling the desire to get back to basics. Or maybe with the upcoming birth of baby number 4 I am realizing I need to have some simplified priorities. Who knows? For some reason assigning a word to this year seemed like a dandy idea.

The word (theme) I am assigning to 2012, which you might have guessed by the picture above is HAPPINESS.

In order to ensure more happiness in my life I decided I needed to reflect on the basic things that make me happy and truly joyful. The long term happiness. The happiness that is peaceful.

Not necessarily the chocolate kind of happy or the new shoes kind of happy (not that that happiness isn't delightful at times too).

Each month I want to focus on one of my basic areas of happiness and try to improve that part of my life.

This month I am simply identifying those basics and writing them down. Along with identifying these basics, I am going to take a good long look at the areas that I spend too much time in that don't offer the long term happiness I seek. I think this is going to be the hardest thing. It is kind of like admitting to oneself that you need to lose weight and then painfully stepping on the scale to see just how bad it is.

If I truly want happiness then I have to do what I can to omit the actions that contribute to unhappiness or take away from the happiness I seek. Ugh...self reflection can be painful!

Even though I am a little scared, I am mostly thrilled to take this chance to have such a positive focus. What could be better than striving for true, joyful, peaceful happiness?

This month as I identify my happiness basics I am going to focus on priorities. I would love for anyone who feels the desire to join me.

So this month, is priorities. Make a list. Be honest with yourself...I think it is going to require some selflessness...but isn't that the epitome of what happiness is? I think so.

Each Sunday with my In a Nutshell post I will also share a Happiness moment. I look forward to sharing my progress on this goal with all of you.

Have a great and happy year!

4 comments:

Sew Can Do said...

In 100% agreement. MY goal this year is to have more fun. Worry less about what I "need to do" and focus on what is enjoyable. Definitely means shifting priorities, but being less stressed and happier is worth it!

Abbie said...

That sounds like a great focus. Good luck with it!

Jennifer Dawn said...

Wonderful word--happiness. Mine is LIVE. Just that...live each moment to the fullest and bask in the beauty of each moment. Thank you so much for sharing your word for this wonderful new year! Have a happy evening!

Larissa@Just Another Day in Paradise said...

Thank you guys!!

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