Prompted by one of my favorite podcasts, Happier with Gretchen Rubin, I’m working on a “19 for 19” list. 19 things I’d like to accomplish in 2019 that will make me happier.
The podcast introduced this concept in 2018 (18 for 2018) but I wasn’t prepared to jump on board. This time around, I’ll be ready.
I’m pretty much a “glass half full” person but know there are lots of little things I could accomplish or add to my life that would make me happier in general. Some things are very small and easy. Some a little more complicated.
Making a “19 for 19” list is not just a to-do list of things you NEED or SHOULD accomplish. The list should be things in your everyday life that would just make you a little happier.
I’ve been jotting down things to consider for awhile. I haven’t finalized which “19” will make the cut. Here are some examples for my list:
Read 3 young adult novels (this genre can be fun and enlightening to read!)
Make a sweet pie. (love pies, but rarely make my own)
Make a savory pie.
Spend a day exploring Detroit.
Try two new exercise classes.
Refresh our main bathroom. (not a re-do, just a refresh!)
Make something out of the beach glass I’ve collected at the beach
Visit/hike at least 6 of our local MetroParks
Make time for more chaise time in the summer (we have a great deck with a shaded chaise, I love it, but don’t make time to enjoy it!)
Those are some examples. I need to have my list ready in a week! I’ll reevaluate the list quarterly and celebrate any progress. GLASS. HALF. FULL.
What would be on your happiness list?? Not major tough changes like losing 20 pounds or leaving a spouse! Simple changes or additions to your everyday life or free time that you’ve always wanted to do, would like to do, or have been on your bucket list for awhile???
A few of my simple, daily possible changes. Many of them I do but should make time to do more.
Have fires in the fireplace
Take bubblebaths
Walk with my new friend
Reread some old favorites
Eat off the good china
Go out for a glass of wine with an old friend
Stop saving the expensive lotion. Use it!
Letterbox (a cross between hiking and a treasure hunt)
Take more trips to Goodwill. Free myself of all that old junk.
Spend more time in Vermont (and skinny dip in the pond)
One of the big changes I made years ago that was very positive was to learn to say “no.” I was one of those people who used to say “yes” whenever I was asked to help with something or take on a new job but I found saying no can be very freeing.
Thanks for the Letterbox introduction. There are at least three in walking distance from my house, and many close driving distance away. One down 18 more to go.
This is a great idea. I’m generally a “glass half full” person too, but could certainly use a happiness booster.
Sounds like geocaching. Apparently more than 3000 sites around me.
I have a newish local friend who writes letters. At first, it felt off to receive one from a gal about a mile away. She also (by letter) invited acquaintances to drop by anytime, for hospitality (not scheduled.) Yow, how long has it been since we corresponded by letter, other than a holiday or bday card?
So one thing on my list would be to write real, old fashioned letters. Maybe short, definitely to show appreciation and connection. This friend will be receptive. Maybe I can get a few others engaged.
I’m midway through a book, “You Are Not a Rock”, by Mark Freeman. In essence, his book is about learning to accept the stuff in your head that causes your anxiety, working at living in the present, and living your life with intentions that align with your values - without using compulsive coping techniques.
HIS list would be a list of things that you do compulsively as a means of coping with or controlling uncertainty, anxiety and other feelings you don’t like. Accept the feelings you are trying to avoid, chose to do things that align with your values and take action.
His suggestion would be to spend the year eliminating those things you do compulsively and replace them with more intentional actions. (Even something like running or yoga can be a compulsion if you do it to cope with the stress of your job. Do it because you enjoy it or because it is healthy, but the important issue to address is the stress in your job.
I’m listing the things I do compulsively and would like to eliminate. For example:
Compulsively checking social media too often might be the one thing that I waste the most time on. I’d like to return to reading the newspaper in the morning and not paying attention to the news after that! I would like to have time to read books with intention.
^^^ I don’t object to this method but for me it has more of a negative “work” connotation. Work tasks as opposed to happy things that give me delight. That’s just my outtake.
A Happiness List should probably not resemble a “NY Resolution List”. It can be a trick to think that way but the outcomes are small pleasures that just brighten your life.
I have one small pleasure goal for 2019–listen to more music (either on my own or check out local venues).
I recently went to a holiday show that has been performed for 40-some years and realized how much I missed listening to great music. Plus it made me feel happy. This was such a good idea for a thread abasket!
I do like the idea of “small pleasures” is refreshing. Resolutions are usually about improvement of something we don’t like. This is some of the icing.
Drag DH to more movies. We loved every one we saw, but we could have seen a lot more.
Do more day hikes - we went hiking most weekends we were in Hong Kong and it was not only enjoyable, it's also healthy.
It sounds like a negative, but I need to say no to more jobs. There are two categories I'd like to eliminate or at least reduce drastically. Legalizations and small downtown stores. Too many of them end up being real time sinks. And I'd have a lot more time for painting if I didn't spend time on this stuff.
I'm not sure if it will be this year, but I'd like to get myself to Yellowstone.
Do something in NYC at least once a month. Concert, meal, museum whatever!
Thank you for this idea. This will be the perfect thread for me to follow. My New Year’s resolution is a very non-specific start to make a few small changes in my life. Nothing drastic, but there are definitely some opportunities for improvement or enjoyment that need to be explored. I’m thinking all areas of my life and I’m planning to keep it to myself. I like the idea of “refreshing” a room rather than re-doing because I can do that. It’s things like that that I am looking for. I will probably read more than I participate, but I will be here.
I’m thinking this will be similar to the bag a week thread where I just keep working at it and sooner or later, change will happen. Thank you.
Another Thank you for starting this Happy Post. I am already ruminating on small positives I can add into my life, as well as thinking of small negatives (annoying types of things, like switching to prescription by mail vs. having to physically pick up medicine every month) that I can change.
Changing from physically shopping for groceries to online deliveries to my home is going to take some effort to get it running smoothly, but will be a huge positive once we commit to online only.
A small positive will be taking more long, relaxing warm baths.
Oh, I’d love to join! I just got an email from her yesterday about a group starting up. I’m not sure I want to spend $120 for the year when I won’t watch most of the content but I love the topic.
I will have to think about ways I want to be happier and then post.
Great idea! Will have to think about it but I love singalongs so maybe I’ll start my list with making it to a few this year. I found a list of local holiday singalongs just a couple days ago and they had passed so I put a note on my calendar for Nov 1 to see what would be coming up for next year’s holidays. We also have a movie theater that plays movies in singalong format once a month. Haven’t been in a couple of years. I’ll try to be more proactive to see what’s coming up.
I hope others will continue to post. Maybe a little sad but I’m struggling to think what would bring me more joy, lol!
