Year-Long Resolutions

I don't want to get too crazy with my happiness project, but there are a few things that I want to do all year long, not for just one month. I kept them easy and simple so it wouldn't be too difficult to keep up with them.

1. Keep a Happiness Jar. 

This is something I've been wanting to do for a while, ever since I heard of it from Elizabeth Gilbert, an author I admire. Here's all it is: At the end of every day, I write down the happiest moment of my day (or the least bad moment) and stick it in the jar. Then I pull out one from the past and read it, so I can re-live a past happy moment.

I've already started doing this, although I don't have an actual jar yet. (I'm temporarily using a glass Christmas mug--it wasn't getting used for much else, anyway.)

2. Record at least two negative thoughts every day. 

Tracking my negative thoughts on paper is something that I've learned to do (and struggled with doing) earlier this year--and it's truly amazing the kind of results I can get when I do it regularly. I really should be tracking at least 10 negative thoughts every day--I mean, it's impossible to avoid all negative thoughts!--but I wanted to keep it really easy so I would continue to do it. I've started doing this one, too. I write down the negative thoughts at the end of the day (although I try to remember to write more down during the day), and then I put my happy moment in the Happiness Jar, so I end on a good note.

3. Use my vision board. 

I love my vision board. And I want to keep using it! Sometimes I fail, though. I actually forget about it--pretty amazing when you consider that it's on a prominent place on my bedroom wall. Using my vision board is easy and rewarding, and I really want to keep on using it and keeping it current.

4. Read one book each month that has to do with that month's resolutions. 

This is more of a monthly resolution, I suppose, but I didn't want to write "Read a specific book" on each month's resolutions, especially since I don't even know which books I want to read for each month yet. I want to do this because I love to read, and it really helps me in the motivation department. Nothing gets me more excited to keep good resolutions than reading a book that tells me I should!

So there are my year-long resolutions. I'm trying to start keeping them early, so I'll be prepared.

Next Monday is July 1st, when I'll be officially starting my first month of my Year of Joy!