The January issue of
Real Simple magazine contained a series of articles on happiness - appropriate for the New Year, since it's what we think about as we "start with a clean slate." I was particularly interested in the article "The History of Happiness." In it, the author, Marcia Menter, explains that getting everything you want in life will not necessarily make you happy, and that many people today mistakenly equate happiness to "having it all."
The article included a list of nine ways to be happier:
1) Chill out.
2) Remember whence you came.
3) Don't dwell.
4) Spread the wealth.
5) Eat a snack around 2 p.m.
6) Get a move on.
7) Limit your options.
8) Start baking.
9) Make your bed.
All are simple ways to enhance life. Each month, I'll take an item and write about it, motivation throughout the year - at least until September. Watch for my "2011's Journey" blog posts on the 2nd Monday of each month, beginning with "Chilling Out" on Monday, January 13, 2011.
As a teenager, I remember reading a quote by Ben Sweetland. It put happiness in clearer perspective for me:
Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
