Personal Happiness Commandments
/Have you ever done something you didn’t want to do because you felt like you should want to do that thing?
Have you ever not done something you wanted because you’ve reasoned that “it’s not important,” or “it’s silly” or some other trivial reason?
I have. More often than I like to admit.
In the book, Rubin goes through each month focusing on different aspects of life that (hopefully) will bring more happiness. However, she also has a couple of lists that are all encompassing. Her list of personal commandments was one of them.
So this year as I go back and reread The Happiness Project (by Gretchen Rubin) with The FRICKin Good Life community I took some time out to come up with my own “Personal Commandments.”
It took longer than I thought it would, and comprises of several years of soul-searching. (Yes, years.)
I looked back on my notes from previous years in reviews and decade in review to see if I could find anything that stood out. (#7, #8, and #9 came right out of my 2019 decade in review).
I looked through quotes I’ve saved and screenshot, and thought about things that I do repeatedly that make me unhappy (#5, #5, #5).
I thought about things I talk to my clients about, but still have to remind myself of on a regular basis (#4).
And I thought about things that I do (or don’t do) that will make me grouchy (#6. I hate being thirsty or feeling dehydrated.)
My list won’t be the same as yours. In fact, there’s a high possibility that nothing on my list is even remotely similar to yours (though, I did take and change Rubin’s “Be Gretchen” to “Be Erin,” because it felt oh-so-right). However, even if you don’t take the time to create an official list (because apparently not everyone loves lists as much as I do… and you should “Be You”), I encourage you to take some time to reflect on the things that make your life better.
However, I’m including my list along with Gretchen Rubin’s original list to help you get started. Because sometimes reading about someone else’s experiences, or reading someone else’s goals can be inspiring. You may not be interested in the same things, but hopefully they can help get you thinking about what you DO want and what will make you happier.
Because let’s be honest, after the collective year we’ve had, a little happiness project isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
