The most important aspect I will take away from this class is the idea of Flow and actively engaging in challenging activities that lead to more fulfillment and enjoyment in life. Conventional wisdom leans towards easier activities being more enjoyable and fun, but looking back at my own experiences and seeing the research affirms that this isn't true.

I will try and make everyday a little more positive than the last, looking for opportunities to have enjoyable experiences and see the beauty in the world!

Take away message

A lot of the concepts from class are important to me. Having the knowledge from reading the book and articles provided a little more concrete substance to go along with ideas that are usually floating around in the mind and maybe left un-discussed.To sum it up, my take away is a better ability to communicate (not only to others but also myself) the importance of considering not only what is going wrong with things but an equal, if not more consideration for what is going right.

Take away message

I think that the most important thing that I got from this class is that psychology has a different side, a positive side full of questions to be answered and things to find out. But at the same time, that positive psychology can already help people improve their everyday life by having a more positive approach to things in life. It could be used in therapy and school and pretty much everywhere. I learned that there is not only this negative side of psychology that talks about illnesses and conditions, and what to do to improve it. But there is also this other side, positive psychology, which can help these conditions by taking a different and more positive approach. And even though it is a very new field, I think that it is already really interesting and it has a lot of potential in the future.

I thought the class overall was very good and I really just about everything in it. But I would have to say the most important message was that in psychology not everything has to be where it went wrong or what's wrong it can what went right. And what will make me more positive in everyday life is from the one blog that we read that was 9 things to do when everything else is wrong. It is something that I continue to and would like to do for a long time.

Smiling at the small things.

The most important message I was able to take away from this class was that we need to attempt to do things everyday just for our own well-being and to make ourselves happy. I never realized before how something as small as making my bed in the morning could make me feel so much better throughout my day. For now on I plan to do at least five small things just for myself everyday that I know will make me happy. Through this class I've really learned so much and am so grateful for the class even being offered. This semester has already had so many trials and tribulations that it was really refreshing to have a class that reminds me that everything is okay and that the most important aspect in life is that we strive for happiness and whats most likely more important is that happiness is attainable, even if we don't have a set definition to tell us exactly what this abstract emotion is.

Take Away

The most important thing I learned about was probably goal setting. However, the concept that I believe helped the most was interpersonal relationships. Discussing this in class was really helpful and opened my eyes to things that were obvious, but I had not thought of. This really helped evaluate the way i deal with relationships and things I may need to fix. I think the goal-setting is what will make me more positive in my everyday life. Since we discussed it in class I have been a lot more consistent with my goal of exercise and I believe it helps when I write it down. I am glad I got to see this perspective of psychology and really enjoyed our class and all of the discussion.

Yahoo0!! Message

Even though my primary motivation of taking this class was not a proud one, feel happy and positively motivated as I come to the end of the course. This in itself is a very important message for me. Since I am very new to pschychology I was glad that I started off with Positive pschychology and most of the stuff I took away from this course is very refreshing. I liked the VIA strength test and was surprised to know that there is a lot of research that happens outside of my Computer Science world. Few of the concepts like role of strengths in selection process for jobs, difference in relationships here in the US and in the east and FLOW were enlightening. I am sure that these concepts will influence my decisions and my mood in an indirect way to be positive but the result of to-do-list assignment has made me happy (blogging too) and I motivated myself to do it consistently which has a direct positive influence on me.

The big message

The think I took alot of things away from this class even though it might been seen as things you already know it is nice to be reminded. I was reminded of my strength, not just the ones I thought I had, but also the once that were supplied by the VIA test. I also learned that while I might not be creative in the arts I am creative in my own things. Also I think it was important to talk about goals again at this stage in my college career and revisit and re stress just how important they are. I would say that just realizing all this things will help me to be more successful and overall possibly a more positive person.

Most Important Message

The biggest lesson I took away from this class would be.... well, there's a few. First, Psychology in general needs to focus a little bit more on what people do right. We are amazingly complex and resilient! For example, it's pretty amazing how people can mentally bounce back from really bad situations. Attitudes can always change for the better. That leads to my second take-away: just because you have always had a negative outlook doesn't mean you always have to in the future.. that's encouraging for those who have battled depression and other mental disorders. My last big takeaway was that everyday habit changes can help to change a person's attitude. Exercise, eating healthy, doing enjoyable things, doing things you're good at, those are the simple changes one can make to lead a little more positive life. I know these help me to be a little more happy. For example, I don't like science; I'm not good at it. Therefore, instead of killing myself with a bunch of science classes to achieve my major, I'm planning on changing my major so that I'll be taking more classes that I'm good at!

MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE!! : D

I think there were actually three things that I learned that I think are very important. First of all, I thought it was very important to know that we can, to some extent, make ourselves happier by doing things like writing letters to people we are upset at or by making a list of small things to do and cross them off. Knowing that I have some control over how I feel and how my days go makes me feel better like my level of self-efficacy is definately higher than I thought it was. The second thing we learned in this class that I found important and encouraging is that we can improve our creativity to a certain extent. I have always considered myself one of the least creative people to ever walk this planet but after a few activities and inspirations I feel like creativity is something I can practice instead of just being bummed that I wasn't born with it. The final thing I find important is our discussion about flow. I feel that knowing that if we challenge ourselves in activities we are skilled in we will experience flow which is self-motivating and self-rewarding at the same time. Knowing all of these things gives me a sence of control over my life and makes me feel very good about being able to overcome obstacles, accomplish goals and have a more positive attitude and outlook overall. :D

Take Away Message

This class helped change my perspective on the different elements of psychology and behavior. The different traits people possess and how they utilize them or could utilize them better. Although a lot of the topics seemed pretty obvious, such as happiness, relationships, and creativity, it was still interesting to understand those topics from a more scientific angle. The concept of flow and engagement are also very interesting and made me think a lot about doing what I am good at more efficiently. The thing that will make my life more positive everyday is seeing the world from a different viewpoint and realizing the uniqueness of everything that happens.

The Take Away Message

We've definitely covered a lot of material in these past weeks and I can't say there is just ONE message that I can take away. I've enjoyed learning everything we talked about it and interpreting it to fit into a broader spectrum. Because all of it applies to life (and life is a pretty big deal). The lecture and readings have helped me answer some of my own personal questions. For example, the topic of happiness helped answer some questions about meaningness and well being. Like that 80% of subjective well being is pre-determined.
This class has opened my eyes to many many more resources that are not just applicable to psychology research. I also like knowing that there is an area of psychology that is devoted to the "positive" side of it.
I think that just by learning and now knowing all of this new material has made me more positive in my every day life. I feel that there are so many classes that people learn in to memorize and then there are those that you can carry on afterward. This class is definitely one of those that I can carry on the material to help facilitate an even more positive lifestyle.

Water drops up close

http://www.youtube.com/watch#playnext=1&playnext_from=TL&videos=M4PjqsFGUhE&v=1UZTj4pfpUk

I love water! not just drinking it, but also the chemistry behind it and all that good stuff. I love that someone else was interested enough it its properties to look at it like this. Water taste good and looks good. Looking at something that is really easy to take for granted in a thoughtful, artistic way. cool.

http://www.colorado.net/photos/location/KEY1643_0911.jpg

http://www.colorado.net/photos/location/KEY1643_0911.jpg
This is a picture of one of the slopes in Keystone,CO and is absolutely beautiful. This place is incredible. Fresh air, clear skies (for the most part) amazing slopes, gorgeous cabins. I actually got to stay at the base of one of the mountains and the slope was about 3 minutes away from our condo and I have never been happier in my life. There is nothing like going down the mountain, full speed with the sun shinning on you and the fresh powder flying behind you. I think this is amazing because there is nothing in the world like the beauty found on top of the mountain, away from the civilization and polution and stress and worry. You can lose yourself on any one of the slopes and just sit and enjoy the view, free of worries and cares. This is my opinion is the very definition of "creative", not only is God so amazing and creative that he made these mountains and the snow to cover them but the people that thought of skiing and resorts to enjoy God's creation. There are very few things that can beat creativity that brings pleasure, serenity and a sense of awe to millions.

Creative

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBH97ma9YiI

I picked a music video that I have always loved for it's creativity. The music video that the link is for is Karma Police by Radiohead. I have always admired Radioheads creativity in not only their lyrics but also in their music video. What I really enjoyed about Karma Police's video is all of the points of view that the video offers.

Mixed Media

something that has always peaked my curiosity is mixed media. I love when they incorporate multiple art forms and materials. And one of my favorite things to mix is food and art or sculpture the way that you can make something so plain and simple in to something great and inspiring.

stairs and bags? anything in common? maybe.. :P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lXh2n0aPyw&feature=player_embedded



I thought this video was so creative!!! Because besides being so cool and fun, it actually works!!! I loved it! they made fun stairs so that people would use them.. kind of like the example of the trash can and the joke, really cool.



Another really creative thing I found was this bag that actually dissolves in water! so creative and eco-friendly

Creative

These are pictures of small pumpkins that people on my floor painted. I think these are cool because each person had their own interpretation of what they thought their pumpkin should look like. My roommate did characters from the Wizard of Oz. I really like these because they are all so different and definitely creative.

Creative Shopping

Well, girls you will like this! I found this very idea to be very innovative and creative as it will help shoppers to decide on selecting a dress without the trips to the trail room! and I think this creative idea of vitural dressing will revolutionize the art of shopping.

ABDC4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKBO6TqPFXU

I think this video is creative because it is a neat combination of dance and song. I think it is really unique how people can interpret music and all sync their movements together to create a dance.

amazing creativity

Ok so I already shared one creative thing but I have to share one more. I went to the Cirque Du Soleil in San Diego last night and it was absolutely amazing!!!! The production crew of that show and the creators are just beyond words! I love all their shows because you can never see all of it at one time there is always something going on and so much to watch!

http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/kooza/show/about.aspx

,.-~'*creATive*'~-.,

I'm posting one of my favorite artists, Salvador Dali's, creations. I don't know absolutely anything about him, but I don't need to. I'm in love with his work because I think it's the most creative paintings/drawings that i've seen. His work is completely out of the box thinking. It's like throwing yourself in a world that involves imagination, illusion, fantasy, ANYTHING that you can classify as creative. I just don't know how it could get any "cooler" than this!

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/terry-border-makes-everyday

I cracked up when I first saw these pictures. They're really creative and original for using everyday objects in hilarious situations. The pictures are aesthetically pleasing and took a lot of creative thought. The artist has a great perspective on these objects and it's cool just for the fact that it flies in the face of traditional ideas of art and household items.

Creativity

Well I really wanted to scan in a picture of my nephew's scribbles but I am pretty sure I am the only one that would consider it to be creative! lol So I choose M. C. Escher to exhibit what I think of as creative. I can sit and just stare at his artwork for hours because it just boggles the mind. I am not an artsy person at all so anyone that can do what he did is just amazing in my book. To me there are not many of his later pictures that you can look at just once and see everything in it. It takes several times of revisiting the piece to see all there is on that page and each time you look at it it is like a whole new picture. I hope you enjoy looking at his art as much as I do.
http://www.mcescher.com/indexuk.htm

Do I set goals? I do. I am a big fan of baby steps. I do get really excited about ideas that I feel are ‘huge’. Learning to calm down and take smaller steps to get to those ‘huge things’ in the best state I possibly can is not something I was naturally good at, but practice is paying off.
I use my phone to keep track of myself. I use the organizer which automatically updates each week with my class schedule and then when I get my work schedule I put that in, along with anything extra for my son’s school, boy scouts and whatever else comes along schedule. Using this scheduler is amazing because when people ask me to commit to something I can look at see if I have the time. Without this I am prone to want to do everything and think I can. This makes time real to me and I don’t have the option of thinking I can do more than I actually am able to.
As far as the writing the “get out of bed” thing goes…I didn’t do it. It struck a nerve in me and the best way I can describe it is it would almost feel like I’m rubbing my own nose in the fact that it is not an option for me to sleep in. Mornings are the only time I can fit homework into my life a lot of the time so I have to make sure I have time before classes to squeeze some in. I thought of writing this on a list, but then I envisioned waking up in the morning and seeing this before I had coffee. I might have set it on fire and that’s just dangerous.
Benefits of goal setting? When a person is working towards what they believe is a greater goal then making the kind of lists that keeps a person headed towards personal growth then, yes. On the other hand lists of tasks that are made just to give a person something to focus on do not necessarily equate to any benefit. I understand that there needs to be things like clean the bathroom and do my laundry, on lists for the sake of making sure you have enough time to have at the very least semi clean underwear, but if lists never contain anything to ensure a person is going to take off the rubber gloves and quit obsessing over the housework then, no.

Wake Up.

Making a to do list is something I do whenever I am overwhelmed. The lists help me to concentrate on completing one task at a time as opposed to getting flustered and trying to take on too many objectives at once. What was new to me however, was putting smaller things on the list like "get out of bed". I'll admit, I felt pretty silly checking off waking up but when I looked back at my list I realized that even my small accomplishments are just that -- they are accomplishments. I think that goal setting is beneficial to me because it gives me a sense of direction and pride.

I have "Finish my to-do list" on my to-do list.

I'm all about to do lists and goal setting. I do like and try to live day to day spontaneously but... with out my to do lists I probably wouldn't get the priorities done!
My boss this summer even commented on my list making.. I do admit, i'm guilty of setting too many goals and making too many lists. I know that you are supposed to put very few (like three) things to do or goals on the list but, I get a sense of orderliness out of doing it. I like having things organized. Also after a long day or before a busy day I feel much more confident about everything if I have it all written down.
My next goal needs to be "slowing down on the to-do list". I don't want my life to be ran by them. But sometimes they just make me so happy :)

Yes, I do set goals. I somewhat have a five year plan, I have thing that I want to have had done at year points. For example, at year four I want to have been accepted in to a masters program in an out of state college, by year three I want to have bought a Jeep Wrangler with my own money, and quit smoking by year five. So, yes I do set goals but just estimates in the time. But, I did set a to do list and it did make me feel like I did more. I didn’t it do quite like you said I didn’t do the wake up in the morning and cross off thing, I did like in my daily planner and when I did them I crossed them off. I thoughts this was a great way to get things done. I also thought it was good because it made me feel like I got more done throughout the day and accomplished more.

I usually do set goals, and I usually make a list of things I need to do. I do not make lists all the time though, only when I feel overwhelmed and stressed out about things I need to do. Yes, I usually get more done when I have a list because it helps me to see what I did and what I still need to do, and sometimes it helps to put how much time each thing is going to take you to that you can't be behind(like when you have a set of steps to do for a project, it helps manage your time)
Honestly I do not think that "get out of bed" is a good goal to put on the list, because that is something we do every morning? Maybe it will be different if I put: "get out of bed earlier or at specific time" like something more specific. But I guess it will be helpful to include very basic goals so that you will have motivation to do more things of the list, and feel that you are accomplishing something little by little. I try to be flexible with lists though, like if there is something I could not do today, I will do it tomorrow, etc.

Setting goals

I've always struggled with goal setting mainly because I used to have a tendency of setting very broad long term goals and end up feeling overwhelmed when I don't specify smaller steps to accomplishing them. For the last few weeks I've been making to-do lists after seeing one of my very successful classmates live by them. This has been tremendously helpful to the amount of things I accomplish on a daily basis. Making to-do lists has not only helped me accomplish the things I need to but it has genuinely helped relieve me of that nagging worry that I've forgotten something that is due the following morning, one of the worst feelings ever in my opinion. I think to-do lists are a great form of goal setting because it helps you map out smaller steps you can take towards accomplishing long term goals and it also gives you a sense of satisfaction for each one of the smaller steps versus waiting until you get a bigger goal accomplished which can leave you feeling empty and burned out and like it was never going to happen.

List Lady

I do set goals, but mostly long-term. My short-term goals are more just about getting things done on time and getting by from week to week. I make lists all the time, on what to do or what I need to take home or bring back here. I actually made a to-do list for this weekends homework and I feel as though it has helped me see things clearly and not feel so overwhelmed. I did not really get the whole crossing out "get out of bed" thing down because it wasn't habit. I would cross it out eventually just not right away. I think this is an excellent way of setting goals because once it is all laid out there it seems simple and possible. Also, for me anyway, crossing something off your list can give you such a sense of accomplishment. Sometimes I have to make a list so I'll get things done. There are tedious things that I only get done with the motivation of being able to cross it off my list. Lists=Awesome

Caitlin

What all to-do list!

Consistency, that's what I lack. Yes I do set goals. A lot of them to be frank. I have always been a to-do list kind of a person. Time to time I try writing down things I need to do and I even bought an white board to list out my things. This week it was a good opportunity to start off one of my many rounds of starting a to-do list series and I did write down quite a number of things I needed to do and since this time it was for class work I kept track of how many things I could do. Yes.. get out of bed was also there in my list and this is the second day in a row that I have crossed it out! Yay!! But I am not sure how consistently I will be able to do my to-do list and cross them off. I always thought that if I see at the things I need to do written down in a prioritized order it was helpful for me to manage more things in a day, by setting particular times for various things to do! I hope this time I am consistent in maintaining and crossing off my to-do list which would really make me happy.

List Master

My roommate and others make fun of me for my list-making ability. I keep a white board right above my desk and is usually scribbled all over, homework lists, meeting lists, project lists, and work lists. I defiantly get more done because I have a list. It puts things into prospective for me so I can plainly see everything I have to do for the next day or two. In fact, last monday when I was in class and was falling asleep, I decided to make a list to figure out what else I had to do so I stayed awake. I did not write get out of bed on my list, it would really destroy the flow of my list, and I could not have that. This is a very beneficial form of short term goal setting, it helps organize and keep my life in order. I am a big fan of the list.

To-do lists all day, every day! I use index cards to list out what I plan to do during a day, putting my classes and work times as solid times that can't be changed and filling the rest in with what I need to get done during the day. For example, I will do homework before my English class because I have two hours free and can get it done in under an hour. I schedule random errands, homework and free time in these chunks of free time. Throughout the day I re-evaluate what I am doing and maybe move things around so I can grab a nap or take care of something that comes up. Accomplishing the small goals is very helpful, but the real benefit is having something you can use to keep track of what needs to get done; usually I write things into my planner but rarely look at it during the day because I can keep the notecard in my back pocket and keep crossing items off as they are accomplished. It's definitely great to have a record of what you get done, especially when you feel like you haven't done anything all week.

List

I do make lists in some form or fashion everyday. For the most part most of my stuff is in my planner. I have to have lists or I just know that I will forget a bill or an assignment somewhere. I do think lists are important simply because it gives us goals to reach and you feel better when you are able to cross things off. It gives you a sense of achievement. I am not sure getting out of bed on my list would be beneficial because I normally don't have a choice if I want to get paid so actually going to work would be more of the achievement there than getting out of bed. But for some people that is a huge step in their day and I think it is what ever motivates a person should be what they put on their list.

To-Do List

I absolutely have to have some form of a to-do list at all times (except in the summer) so doing this for the blog was nothing new. Essentially I write down everything in my planner, but for the other stuff I use my phone (like errands I need to run). If I don't have written down what I need to do and when I need to do it by my stress level sky-rockets. If you couldn't tell by my previous posts I'm a pretty stressed individual as it is, so I do everything I can to reduce that.. the idea of writing to get out of bed in the morning and then cross it off just seems like extra work to me and another thing to remember. It's not necessarily efficient so I didn't do it.. I'm all about setting attainable goals, but getting out of bed is only something I don't do unless I'm dead sooo didn't bother putting it on my list.

Romantic movie

This weekend I watched It's All About Steve (which was HILarious by the way). In this movie, the main character works for the local paper to produce crossword puzzles every week. She does not, however, have a life outside of work. When her parents set her up on a blind date, it goes really well for her and bad for him.. From there she is under the illusion that he really likes her and she does everything to follow him and try to be with him (stalk him). I think she wants the relationship because she wants to be seen as "normal" by a society who generally rejects her. She IS at one point jobless, living with her parents, friendless, and manless. She's taken aback by how attracted she is to him when they first meet and sees it as an opportunity to score a really hot boyfriend AND be more accepted by those who are pressuring her to "get a life".

The Happiness Project

I may or may not be doing this wrong and I am so sorry I fail at life and didn't wake up from my nap in time to actually turn this in before midnight. I tend to be very irresponsible and that is actually incorporated into this particular blog and activity. I wanted to do two things that the website talked about, write the list of ten "commandments" I wish to guide my life and a list of smaller things I can do throughout the day, every day, to feel like I accomplished something. I hope that both of these lists will motivate me to change the things about my personality and my lifestyle that I hate the most. I have a tendancy to fuel drama, get fed up with people, speak too harshly when sharing my opinion, procrastinate, put myself first, and even lie about things I either chose not to share or don't give a shit about. These personal faults lead to actions I always regret and I feel like they hurt people that genuinely care about me because of my selfishness. My list of ten "commandments" is as follows:
1. Think of others first
2. Stay in touch with people
3. Do NOT fuel gossip
4. DO NOT go back on my word/lie
5. LAUGH!!! ALOT!!!
6. Make the most of every moment
7. Avoid drama like the plague
8. Appreciate people in my life
9. Don't give up so easily
10. Work on a better "me" instead of always trying to make it into a "we"

Aside from that list I also made a list of small things that would make me feel accomplished during the day. I always feel very disappointed with myself when I see people around me getting everything done and I'm left feeling like I'm lazy or incompetent. The things below are some things that I think would help this feeling at least a little bit and help me feel better about myself in general which in turn would make me at least a little happier.
1. Clean the clutter of my desk (this is a continuous process...my desk always looks like a bomb just fell on it)
2. Clean area around my closet
3. Keep the To Do list above my desk current and find more and more things to cross off :)
4. Walk somewhere...anywhere...for at least 20 minutes
5. Do situps before bed...even 40 is better than nothing at all
6. Stay away from soda...that stuff will kill you
7. Read just one chapter from any textbook that isn't absolutely due tomorrow at sunrise
8. Throw away random crap I never use
9. Tell my roomies that they are awesome
10. Text one friend I haven't talked to that week.

Just making the lists gave me a feeling that a change is actually possible and pinning the two lists on the wall above my desk will definately help remind me of my promises to myself and help me remember that even though certain things have become habit, I CAN change them and be a better and happier person for it.

things to increase hapiness

I also liked the one that listed 9 things you can do everyday. Because I felt they are really easy to-do things, very small but important things that can increase happiness. I made my own list of things, and they are 5 things instead of nine:
1. Get up reasonably early to eat breakfast before I go to class
2. Try to talk to a friend that I do not know anything for a while (try to call, text)
3. Organize something that needs to be organized, like some documents on my computer, music, photos, etc.
4. Have a break from school stuff, and watch a funny video or movie or show, without trying to do homework at the same time.
5. Go to bed earlier, I find it really hard to get up in the mornings because I usually go to bed really late, and I feel tired.

I tried doing these things for a few days, and it looks like its working, I do feel happier especially at the end of the day when I think what I did during the day. I would like to continue doing this, I might actually change the things so that it is more interesting and I do not get used to after a while.

The blog nine things you can do everyday- when you can’t do anything else I thought was great because it reiterated the fact that I keep trying to tell myself everyday. The fact is taking everything one step at a time because I am a whole picture kind of guy but when I look at it that way it is like looking at a big wave coming at you, it overwhelms you. So when I looked at this site on Tuesday I decided that I would do this one. 1) Say a kind thing to some one 2) sing a favorite song 3) give someone a high five 4) compliment someone 5) doodle 6) Say hi to five people 7) watch one good comedy show before I go to bed 8) take a ten minute power nap 9) smile at someone I don’t know. I did all of these and they really did make me happy so yes I really did like this site.

9 Things You Can Do Everyday :)

For this blog I chose the experiment "Nine Things You Can Do Every Day - Even When You Can't Do Anything Else". In this experiment she picks nine things that she can do every day to make her day a little more positive. I thought this experiment would be worth trying because it was something that if successful I could continue to do even after the assignment was due. My nine things that I did everyday to make my day more positive were:

1. Made my bed
2. Eating breakfast
3. Calling my little sister, because she always makes me smile :)
4. Walking to class, instead of bumming rides.
5. KEEP UP WITH MY READINGS (helps with my stress levels)
6. Use white strips before I go to bed
7. Turn off the TV to eat my meals
8. Light candles, because they make me happy
9. Whenever I got super stressed I always have a back up bottle of bubbles, because it's impossible for me to be mad when I'm blowing bubbles (especially if its the scented kind:) )

I did have positive results for this assignment. I think its because I went out of my way to do things that I knew were just for my own well-being. I will definitely continue this for as long as I can.

Twelve Comandments

After looking at the Gretchen's whole website, reviewing her credibility, questioning why she decided to create this, watching the videos she posted, and reading many of the postings, I finally found the one thing that struck me. It struck me because it was clear and simple and exactly something I would do. But way better. Gretchen's Twelve Personal Comandments. Genius. I love that it's a spin off of the original ten comandments and it's really something that can keep you grounded. I remember doing this sort of thing when I was entering the 8th grade. It was much longer and more like goals, but it reminded me of who I was and I should be happy with that. Her comandments have inspired me to write my own. I really liked her commitment to this project and that it was a project that could really help people. Usually, happiness seems like it wouldn't be something you could obtain in the ways she has presented. But as long as you put your mind and heart into it, happiness can come your way. I defintely think she used her energy towards something really positive.

Tips for How Not to be Happy

http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2007/03/tips_for_how_no.html

She lists all of her tips for how not to be happy. These include, having too high of standards, avoiding friends, talking about things that make you unhappy, lack of physical exercise, and cultivating bad habits.

What a horrible list. Any 2nd grader could come up with a list of things that are bad. So much for caring about the reader I feel as though I just wasted 3 mineuts of my life reading her blog. As far as her actual reasons that people are not happy, they lack any concrete reasoning for why they make you unhappy. For example, having too high of standards. Some people are naturally very ambition. The fact that they have too high of standards is their shortcoming and greatest achievement. Simon Cowell makes millions of dollars because he has high standards. It's called being a critic. He loves it. I consider myself to be someone of a critic. This article fell short.

I don't think a lack of physical exercise makes you unhappy either, my dad rarely, if ever, exercises and he probably has more zest for life then most people I know.

I would try to see if these things make my life unhappy, but then I realize I wouldn't really be doing anything different. I am not happier today then I was yesterday because I did not criticize a someone for something. Criticism is a large part of what I do in my job. If anything, it held back potential accomplishments that could be done.

Making a joke of it

I also enjoyed looking through the site and as cliche as it sounds I get happiness from learning about other peoples happiness. I enjoyed reading about something I do on a regular basis to get though day. I have one of those bosses that is not happy unless everyone else is not. So when ever she comes up with some idea that she feels is going to change the world of medical billing I just quietly look at the bright side and generally start laughing inside. I hate to say that making fun of someone else is a way to be happy but it is more making fun of the situtation or atlease that is what I tell myself. My boss has no clue about what really goes on in the office as most bosses so her suggestions are so fair fetched it is easy to poke fun of it. If I didn't do this I would be misserable trust me been there done that so now when I leave work I leave work. I have laughed at some point in the day be it by myself or with someone else and so I am happier.

Happiness Project-Play

I really enjoyed this site. I think that it is very well-rounded, has tips for all types of people and for a variety of things. I have found some helpful tips and I think it really opened my eyes to a few things. I think what Gretchen is doing is awesome.

The experiment I chose was "Schedule Time for Play". This experiment is base on the notion that everyone should 'pencil' in some time to play in their schedule. Although, it may seem as though if the occasion to laugh and play comes we will seize, but that is not always the case. I did not have the same problem as Gretchen, I did not to need to find time to play, more like I needed to find a good amount of time to play. It is typical for a college Freshmen to go wild and party Thursday through Sunday. However, this is not my idea of play at all, thus it was hard to see that maybe I was playing a little too much. I love to read and hang out with friends. Last semester I had a lot of fun cruising at 3 am and sleeping until 11 or 12 the next day. However, this fun always came with a side of guilt the next day for missing classes and sleeping the day away.

This semester I have tried to cut back on the late night rides and try to be in my room by 10 or 11. Once assigned this project I stuck to it even more. This past week I did not feel so guilty and this whole semester I have attended my classes almost perfectly, a drastic change from the fall. I no longer feel guilty and feel much happier knowing that I am not just wasting my days away. Because our problems were different Gretchen and I's results also differed. However, we both did receive positive results. I plan on keeping this up of course because it is very beneficial and part of growing up and being independent.

Caitlin

happiness project

I like the gist of the website, the book, the blog and the sharing that goes on between the people who choose to be involved. I respect the idea of people who realize they might need help in this area of their lives who do something active to change it instead of passively wondering when things are going to get better. While I was reading through all the different suggestions on the webpage I ran into one that I incorporated into my life about a year and a half ago. Playing more! This is something I decided needed to be done, like I said, over a year ago. I have been in Kansas for three years and it took me that long to realize that with moving here, my work and school schedule resulted in me letting the ‘playing’ aspect of my life to be put on the ‘back burner’. When I lived in Denver I had two jobs but I could incorporate my son into one of them which was amazing. We always went downtown together for breakfast on Sundays and it is so easy there to find something fun to do together….the children’s museum, the aquarium. Besides these things we simply had more time together.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing and with a little searching I realized this was it. I became a lot more aware of the lack of quality time we had been spending together. Since then doing simple things like going to the pool at the YMCA, going hiking out at Konza, sledding, wrestling, cuddling on the couch, making the most of our 10 minute car rides in the morning…..tons of the most simple things that are easy to forget when school consumes your existence no longer go neglected. Sometimes it does get hard and I feel guilty that I have to think about doing them, but I get over it, do the little things and feel great afterwards.

9 things done!

Its amazing to see a different kind of perspective of viewing life. Right from the first class of Psych 599 I have been seeing my daily activities and sundry chores in new light. I liked the website which really simplified the definition of happiness.
I chose to do the "9 things you can do every day- even when you cant do anything else" experiment and I am pleasantly surprised as to how content and happy I was in my own little way, at the end of last thursday. The only thing I could not do was 9th task. And yes I did go to bed when I felt sleepy( and yes it was very early ;) ). I felt that the only way to feel happy was to do something incredibly huge or worthy to be happy , but later realized that even if things go wrong some day, when I look back on what I did that day and if I had done most of the tasks in the list, I could go to bed telling myself that I at least did these things and may be ..may be I feel a tiny weenie bit more happier or I should say more relaxed.

Happiness Project

I really liked this lady's blog about things you can do every day to boost positive emotion. She lists 9 really easy, do-able things to try to do everyday. These small tasks can help you to rest easy at night because if you didn't get some of the bigger tasks accomplished, you at least got some of the smaller ones from her list done and feel good about it. I have just started exercising on a regular basis a couple months ago and have realized how valuable it is to get out there every day and just go for a run. It alleviates stress and helps you to feel great afterword. I also make my bed every day. In fact, my room is almost always spotless. I know that if it starts to get messy, it will make me feel unorganized and stressed, and the one place I need to be able to go to and clear my head is my bedroom. I NEED it to be clean! Those are couple of items off her list that I think are really good suggestions. All of them are good actually. A lot of them have to do with taking care of yourself (walking, sleeping when you're tired, eating fruit, wearing your seatbelt...) and all of those are really solid ideas and will easily improve anyone's mood.

Doin' it everyday

After visiting the Happiness Project website one exercise stood out to me: doing something everyday. Building a routine and habit around a positive thing sounds great in theory but is definitely very difficult so this week I will attempt to wake up at 8 every morning. Normally I only have to do this MWF for my class, but I will try this even on the weekend and see how it turns out.

The link is here:http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2009/01/your-happiness-project-do-something-every-day.html. The idea is that doing something everyday makes it a part of your life and if it is something that makes you happy then you will be happier everyday. I chose waking up early because I randomly get up and this doesn't help my mood or productivity when I do. I have a pretty heavy workload and want to have some extra time in the morning to get things done, but also to enjoy some breakfast and relax before starting the day, which I normally don't do when I wake up 10 minutes before class. Getting up early will give me a feeling of pride that I have much work completed before my day is normally even started.

After trying this out for the week, with pretty moderate success I felt pretty happy. It felt good to have my mind set on something and then make attempts to go through with it even though I didn't get it all the time. I will definitely try this in the future when there is something that I want to make a daily habit...

friend + coffee = happiness

Last week I went with a friend to have some coffee, we just talked about life in general and we laughed a lot, I really enjoy talking with her and I love coffee, so it was nice J After that I went home and I decided to do some homework. Usually I procrastinate a lot before doing my homework, projects, papers, etc. I was surprised because I was actually in a good mood, I felt like I wanted to get things done, this does not happen very often with school stuff. I finished all I needed to do for that day and I even started doing some other homework in advance. I was very happy and proud, because as I said earlier it is really easy for me to procrastinate, and not get things done on time. By inducing this positive emotion, I was more relaxed and happier, and that helped me get everything I needed to be done for the day!! I would like to do this more often, to see the results. Maybe I could try doing something else I like; I am guessing it will have similar results. Let’s see if I do not procrastinate with that too.. :P