Finally the title exposed

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
http://www.happiness-project.com/

This book resonates with me in many ways.

In every chapter I could relate things back to my life and me as an individual.
I could see where I could make changes without making changes. I didn't have to drastically change my life to bring goodness into it. I just needed to be open and receptive to the idea that I could be happier.

I have been a negative Nelly for so long that it has become a part of me as much as my little pinkie. Unless I chop my finger off, my pinkie is here to stay but negativity is not. I can choose to look at life through shades of darkness or I can turn on the light. Easier said than done when someone might be in the throws of burying a loved one, going through a relationship breakdown, poverty, illness, depression. But from witnessing the strength and the mere perseverance and courage of human kind it is encouraging and heart warming. Can I rise to the challenge of giving a happier me to the people that have shown me this courage. In other words, when I have been one of the ones in deep depression I have lent on the shoulders of those that are happy, to inspire me each day and to give me their smiles their energy. Lets face it, it takes energy being around people that depend on you being happy. Can I give back to those that have given me their energy. If all it took was to give them a smile back or a few words on what makes me grateful. In turn this would create a circular motion because as I make someone happy it makes me happy.

Gretchen speaks about resolutions rather than goals, as a resolution never ends, its always a challenge that can be set for everyday of your life. Yet goals can be reached and then what? So negativity for me is a big one and I guess my resolution if i was doing a happiness project would be, except that I may be negative as I don't need guilt added on top of that but add a positive to it also. For example, I am disabled and often sitting at home unable to pick myself up and go out and about, its very isolating and crushing to the soul. Here is where I would add my positive. Since having to stop all that I used to do such as work, house work, child rearing, horse riding, I have been forced to find other passions in life, I have had the opportunity to reinvent myself. Something that most people don't ever have the time or opportunity to do. I can watch my kids grow instead of racing of to work, I can play cars with my son without thinking I have to get up and do the chores. I can blog, I can crochet, I can build friendships with people who have the same disability, I can create whatever life I want. It is all up to me and what ever barriers I decide to put up or take down is all up to me.

Gretchen says in her book "it is easy to be heavy: hard to be light". I think I would like to take the harder option for a while, what about you?