Happiness Journal

During class one day, a professor offhandedly mentioned that his wife keeps something called a happiness journal.  Since my Lenten resolution is to make my life happier and more stress free, I figured that sounded like it would fit in perfectly.  For the past week and a half, I have been recording everything that makes me happy about my day before I go to sleep, and here are a few of the things I’ve come up with:

-On the way to the park, the little girl I babysit for, Avery, asked me why I’m so pretty.  I told her I’m not so pretty.  She told me I sure am.  She is three and a half.

-I ran into Deb Lecklider and Ena Shelley.  They almost always make me feel great about myself.  Today was no exception.

-I walked behind Shelvin Mack coming out of class.

-Banana nut bread was the dessert for lunch.

-Spelling banana just now reminded me of the waitress at Steak’N’Shake on the way home from New Orleans who asked us if it was sad that Gwen Stafani taught her how to spell banana.

-We got a new shipment of cereal.  Today we had my new favorite – Special K with yogurt and fruit pieces.

-I took a walk to Holcomb Gardens with Brendan.  I fell asleep.  I woke up to a woodpecker pecking.

-At the gardens we shared what we would do differently if we found out we were dying.  It made me feel really close.

-My hair looks blonder today.

-The smell of rain

-Butler made it to the elite eight.

-I got a 49/50 on my international communication mid-term

-I felt really pretty.

-I got to celebrate Megan’s birthday with her, Amby and Anna.

-I bought my plane ticket for Ireland.

-I got to see Eric.

-I was on campus when Butler beat Florida.

-I was a part of the Alpha Chi initiation.

-I had a deep discussion with my roommates.

-I helped Lauren try on dresses – and almost break a zipper (that’s a really good story).

-I got a ticket to go to Houston to watch Butler play in the final four.

-I came up with creative final four poster ideas – Duke who?

Looking at the good instead of the bad has really started to change my outlook on my day.  I hope this is something I keep up.