Once a Day, Each and Every Day . . .

“The things you do every day take on a certain beauty, and provide a kind of  invisible architecture to daily life.”  Gretchen Rubin

Yesterday, I talked about what unique things we need to experience during our lives.  Today the focus moves to those everyday things we also benefit from doing repeatedly.

And for that, I turn to an expert . . .

Do you want to be really happy?   Gretchen Rubin has done the work and explains how in The Happiness Project, a books about her experiences while concentrating on becoming more and more happy over the course of a year.  She identified 12 principles for happiness, of which the first was “Be Gretchen”.  She means to find our own distinct “voice” and not emulate and parrot others.  The book is chock full of engaging stories, solid observations about human nature, and several lists, all of which are useful.

In an interview with Beliefnet.com, Rubin spoke repeatedly about the need to remove negatives and implant positives in our lives.  She follows up this rather generic advise with one great suggestion:  Identify five things you want in your life every day.   Click here to read the Beliefnet.com article:  Five Things You Need to do Everyday     Rubin also writes The Happiness Project blog, offering clear-headed and helpful observations about what works and what does not work for us as we pursue happiness.

Here’s my list:

1. Do something physical (run, weights, exercise)

2. Read something inspiring or very humorous

3.  Comment on at least five other people’s work

4.  Listen to music I have never heard before

5. Meditate at the end of each day

Nothing earthshaking here or particularly expensive.  It’s just a matter of identifying and doing.

What are the five things you need to have in your daily life?

Becoming happier by the day in the Heartland . . .

John