Happiness Series: Part 1

A friend of mine flew into today from out of state and brought me a book. It’s not just any book. It’s a book entirely devoted to happiness. With the cold winter (for those of you who live in Chicago like me) lingering for the next few months, I thought I would write a three-part series on happiness. Let’s start 2017 off on the right foot, regardless of your current situations and relationships.

Part 1: Rules to Live By

According to the Happiness Planner, there are 10 rules to follow to live a positive life:

1.     Be comfortable in your own skin
2.     Appreciate what you have and never compare yourself to others
3.     See the positive in every situation
4.     Let go of your need to control
5.     Drop the resentment within
6.     Live in the moment
7.     Avoid overanalyzing
8.     Stop worrying about the future
9.     Drop your ego and be true
10.  Have an open mind

So, let’s create your happiness roadmap!

What I want you to do is complete the following exercises. I suggest writing them down because you will probably come back to them later.

1.  What makes you happy? On a scale of 1-10, how good does it make you feel? How often do you do it? (daily, weekly, etc.)

2.  What makes you unhappy? On a scale of 1-10, how much does it affect you? Can you change it? If so, what can you do to change the situation?

3. What are your strengths? (Search Google for some strength words to help, if necessary)

4.  What are you weaknesses? (Again, search Google for some weakness words to help, if necessary)

5.  What do you normally get upset or frustrated about? Is it beyond your control? If not,  what can you do to make the situation better?

That’s it. I know what you are thinking – those are a lot of questions to answer. I know… and there’s more in part 2. But don’t get discouraged. Remember we are creating a happy 2017. Put in the work now. It will pay off in the near future!

Check back in a few days for Part 2. It’s gonna be great!!

Click here to purchase the Happiness Planner.