Tuesday, January 5, 2010

New Year, what now?

So it's 2010 and like most folks I have taken the time to jot down my goals for the year.  I don't use the word "resolutions"  because it just doesn't have much motivation attached to it for me.  Although I jotted down what I would consider a significant amount of small goals (eat balanced meals, meditate, exercise in some way everyday) my main goal for the year is pretty simple - make the decisions that will make me happy.  Let me be clear (to quote my favorite U.S. president), I don't mean decisions that will one day lead to happiness or that will make everyone happy.  I mean if there's a decision to be made, I will ask myself "will it make me happy" and then I will decide whether or not to follow through.  Sure, this may not work in every circumstance, "will washing those dishes make me happy?  Hmmm...nope." but if I'm completely honest with myself it will work out.  Even in the case of dishes, will leaving them there for someone else to not wash and therefore piss me off make me happy?  Probably not.  Washing dishes doesn't really bother me anyway.  But let's talk about something real.
  Will it make you any happier to nag your partner about the clothes he never picks up?  Or to sneak a peek at his dialed and received calls or emails?  Will you be happier after you find out you caught them in a lie?  Will you be happier for scolding your child yet again about throwing that same toy around in the house or singing that same old song at the top of their lungs?  Probably not.  BUT, and this is big for me, what if instead of finding something to be unhappy about I choose to do something that makes me happy.  Just me.  I mean really it's only my happiness that I am 100% in charge of.  I think this year if I can choose more things that make me happy I just may know myself better and be able to smile that much more.