The Happiness Project of 2011

 January 2011-Not so happy!

Around this time in 2010, I had decided to be happy every single day in 2011. I’ve never been what I used to call "the happy idiot" type, smiling and upbeat every day but after a few years of major emotional turmoil, I had decided that 2011 was the year I'd "take back the happy". This was before I had heard of the book, “The Happiness Project” and months before I had read it (and I highly recommend this book to everyone).  This happy type of person is actually the furthest thing from an idiot and probably a lot smarter than most of us.  They.just.are.happy. Period. End of story.

I say that I wasn’t the "happy" type but one of my close friends once asked me why my profile picture on Facebook (at the time) was a non-smiling picture of me.  She mentioned that I am always smiling and laughing and that it made no sense to have a non-smiling profile picture. I think she said something to the effect that I never see you "without a smile on your face". 

After really thinking about it, I decided that what had made me truly happy 30 years ago would probably still make me happy now. Horseback riding, roller skating, walking everywhere I could, reading and snow tubing. After looking over this list, aside from the reading, I realized I am a very physically-oriented person with abundant energy to spare. When I do any of these things, I feel complete joy. Pure bliss. The world falls away.

Everyone should have that kind of joy in their life. Very often, people look for it only in their love lives/in another person. We all know the type. The type of person who can never be alone because they look for other people to fill them and give them these experiences. These people never do what they really want to and never experience what really gives them joy because they settle for getting it secondhand from someone else and then, they, you know, DIE. Never realizing their own bliss.

I soon realized that all these things (with the exception of horseback riding as I had been riding without fail for 11 years after giving up this passion of mine in my early 20s) had fallen by the wayside.

Not only did I get in better shape (mentally and physically) but I met a lot of really cool people along the way. Some younger, some much older, but all people I would not have gotten to know if I had not reclaimed the things I loved. All with an interesting story but all very positive people.

It started with walking in the snow in January as I grew tired of being in the gym and seeing the same faces and wanted to breathe fresh air. I started with walking one mile or so a day and as the seasons changed, I was up to six miles a day. I found that I loved seeing the birds and all the different trees and flowers. Then  I soon started hiking. Everywhere. All the local state parks. I found that I really love to hike.  This was a huge surprise to me.

As I started walking to the local library from my house (about 5 miles roundtrip), I discovered again how much I loved to read and how important the library is to a community and I became involved with the library and read more this year than I have in a very long time. I learned that there is no reason to ever spend a penny on a book; the library can find you anything you want and need.

When I turned 40, I rented a roller rink and had a huge party there. I skated for 5 hours straight. The Mexican food and the margaritas could not even get me to stop. I felt pure joy all night. I said to myself, I want to do this again. Did I? No. Not until 2011. Being in the rink makes me feel young, alive, happy...essentially 12 again! Having my daughter along for the ride is just the icing on the cake filled with exercise, fun, socialization and joy. I’ve found that there are many adults-men and women-who love to skate and I also found out that everything you can do on ice skates; you can do on roller skates. Every Saturday morning is spent roller skating now. I’ve met people my own age who love it as much as I do and I’ve even met people in their 70s this year who still skate.

I have also spent less time with the "Why are you doing that?", "Why don’t you do this?", "Are you sure that's good for you?" people.  People that think that it is their job to help me with the "closure" of my current situation. Sorry, people. I am all done talking about that. I’ve moved on. Why haven’t you? It's really so 2007, don't you think?

I also gave up meat, caffeine, diet soda, alcohol and most dairy products. It really changed the way I felt-inside and out. I recharged my dormant spiritual side and started meditation and self-Reiki treatments daily. I reconnected with others by taking classes and started learning Chinese.

So, as the last few days of 2011 roll in, I can honestly say that I have had a wonderful year. I haven’t said that in a very long time. A year filled with less tears, more joy, more bliss, more energy, more love and a greater understanding of the interconnectedness between us all.

Here’s to 2012. May it be a positive one for all of you. Happy New Year!

November 2011-Happy!