Creating Goals for Happiness

In her book, Happier at Home, Gretchen Rubin recounts her eight-month attempt to create a happier personal and family life. Every month, she focused on one "happiness goal" - something that would make her and her family happier.

Her first monthly goal was to create pleasant places in the apartment... I don't remember exactly how she expressed it - I was too busy knitting while I listened to the audio-book -  but it involved going through her apartment shelf by shelf, getting rid of what the family no longer needed, then reorganizing, consciously creating pleasant spaces within the house...

(Hmmm... Does happiness always begin with easing clutter and getting a sense of control over one's life...?)

This was a project I could readily identify with! I began to look around for places to organize in our home as well...

In subsequent months, she tackled other impediments to her happiness. One month she focused on dealing with her fear of driving in New York City. She had a drivers license, but hated to drive. She ended up taking a driving refresher course with an instructor known for instilling calm and confidence in his students. Then she made a point of driving regularly, so as not to lose her nerve.

Another month she focused on making her family feel more loved - by making a point of greeting her husband and children whenever they arrived home - even if she was busy working in her home office...

Listening to the audio-book made me reflect on whether I too should set goals to create a happier home - and to feel more fulfilled at my stage of life...

What goals could I set for myself? Organizing, of course! But what else?!

Do I make a point of greeting Terry when he gets up in the morning and when he comes home from running errands...? (It's all too easy to take for granted those we live with, especially in retirement, when we're so often together...)

What do I fear doing - that I would really love to be able to do?... Maybe it's not too late to face my fears, either...