Commandments

For my birthday I received The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. Rubin did a large amount of research into the philosophy of happiness and strategies psychologists, philosophers scientists and peers used to be happier. Then she tested these theories over a year. She left out things that seemed ridiculous, but for the most part she wanted to see if she could be a happier person following these tips. I haven't finished the book yet so I don't know if she did end up being happier in the way she wanted, but one thing she did (and carries through to the end) is create her own commandments:

1. Be Gretchen

2. Let it go

3. Act the way I want to feel

4. Do it now

5. Be polite and be fair

6. Enjoy the process

7. Spend out

8. Identify the problem

9. Lighten up

10. Do what ought to be done

11. No calculation

12. There is only love

Rubin also had a blog and asked her readers if they have commandments and many of them agreed that they did as well (many of them were inspired to create their own after reading about Rubin's).

I have decided that I also like the idea of having commandments:

1. Don't sell yourself short

2. It's okay to make mistakes

3. There is only love (yes I stole that, but it's so good)

4. It's okay to be scared

5. Feel it

6. There is only now

7. Be thankful

8. Remember the playground

9. Consider the phoenix

Later I will define each of the commandments to provide you some insight but for now...

I want to be interactive. What kind of commandments do you guys tend to follow?

Risk Failure

Once upon a time my roommate and I were at Cafe deux Soleil on Commercial Drive in Vancouver. I went to the washroom and one of my favorite things in the world existed there: wall writing. I love reading wall writing. On the tiniest edge of the wall I saw Consider the Phoenix.

Every now and then the world overwhelms me. I get extremely stressed out and I tend to feel a little bit lost. The world gets heavy and I'm not too sure what to do with it. So I work through it but I know I'm not working at my best. The day that I saw Consider the Phoenix I was feeling that way about the world.

Consider the Phoenix

In most situations one has to break down before s/he can grow. This is much like the phoenix who has to burn down to ashes before it can go through regrowth and be stronger. This is much like personal growth. This is a thought that I tend to have a hard time grasping.

But I have to remind myself that I have to risk failure if I intend to succeed at anything. Some things have to fail in order for one to find out what actually works. This is a sentiment that I will remember in the coming year.

These are the years

No more wishing.

These are the years. I am the demographic. We are the demographic.

Just do it.

As of today I will stop saying "I wish I could..." (unless it's "I wish I could grow wings" or something equally ridiculous).

If it's possible then why should I wish? Anything I want to do is possible. There are just steps involved. I think I always forget that. Self! There are steps to get you to where you "wish" to be!

For instance

I wish I could go to UVic

I can. I just have to apply.

I wish I could go to your party.

I likely can, I just have to manage my time.

Just. When I add the word "just" to my task it makes it sound so easy. But it's the truth. It just requires time.

So I can't do everything I want to do instantly. No one can. Life requires planning, saving, arranging, etc. This year, this life, anything is possible.

I hope that as I do that which I "wish" to do you will follow my adventures. I expect some of you will be part of my adventures. I would love to say that all of it will be done in one year, but that's unrealistic. There are certain things I will do within the coming year.

And as I cross each thing off of my list I'll write about the trek to that thing (whether it's saving money, planning each thing carefully or whatnot), how it went and how I felt.

Life is awesome.

Just do it.