What perfect timing! Two people I follow wrote great posts today about happiness. Just as I was ready to launch this new site, inspired by “The Happiness Project.”
Then I see that they wrote these posts as part of a blog carnival, which today and tomorrow is about happiness. So I’m jumping in.
When I began blogging in November 2007, I had no idea what I was doing. I have since learned a lot about blogging and about myself. I had decided, according to my first post, to write about “all the things I strive to do and be,” and the blog has always included this statement: “I keep trying to improve myself — be a better mother, be more organized, keep up on my scrapbooking, be more environmentally friendly, etc. — but for every step I take forward, I seem to end up taking two back.”
The blog’s original title was “One Step Forward,” but the url and my profile name were “Recovering Procrastinator.” At some point, I decided this was confusing and dropped the “One Step Forward” part. Being denied a job interview recently got me thinking more about the image I was presenting and whether it accurately reflected my content or myself.
Then I read “The Procrastinator’s Handbook” by Rita Emmett and “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin. So many thoughts from these books were tumbling around in my head, and I realized I had dropped the wrong part of my blog persona. I began focusing on the negative instead of the positive.
I began thinking about shifting the focus. Then @ericamayer, who exudes happiness, mentioned that a year ago she was totally unhappy. I asked her what made the difference for her. It was about taking medication or going to therapy or getting a new job. It was all about shifting her focus, choosing to be happy, surrounding herself with happiness.
She inspired me to stop thinking and take the leap. I hope this blog more accurately reflects the content I was already delivering: what I strive to do and be, rather than what is holding me back. And I hope keeping that focus in mind helps me be happier.
The title, Grow with graces, was inspired by Gretchen Rubin’s First Splendid Truth — To be happier, you have to think about feeling good, feeling bad, and feeling right, in an atmosphere of growth – and the Biblical verse about growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ. Plus my children (one of whom is named Grace) inspire me to be continually growing.
It’s a constant choice, happiness. And what gets us there is that mindfulness… such a process in the beginning, but I hear it gets easier
Hi Jennifer – I love your new focus! “Living on purpose” is a phrase that comes to mind for some reason… maybe because it sounds to me like you are choosing to live (blog) more consciously. I do believe that putting out the right “vibe” is important in terms of what we get back. So good for you — and let the happiness flow!
Taking the leap. That’s what happiness is for me, too. Striving. Putting it out there a little bit. Not being afraid to BE happy. Thanks for joining in!
I love the perspective from Erica about changing your perspective. I think, and talk, about that a lot, too. We have to choose who we want to be and what we want to be about. Choosing to be happy is such a powerful choice to make.
I love the perspective from Erica about changing your perspective. I think, and talk, about that a lot, too. We have to choose who we want to be and what we want to be about. Choosing to be happy is such a powerful choice to make.