For those of you just joining us, you may want to start with The Dopamine Challenge.
My Original Happy List
I am not only committed to the 21-day challenge, BUT I am going to share my daily gratitudes and my daily journal here with you! In preparing for this journey, I remembered that many years ago, while living in Russia as a full-time missionary for our church, I was having a hard time. Life wasn’t easy, and to reverse my own downward emotional trend, I started keeping a daily “Happy List.” I continued to add to that list long after I returned from Russia, and it is still one of my most prized possessions in the world – meaning it’s in my top five “grab it if the house is on fire” items.
I bought a new notebook today so I can keep a daily written record of gratitude, or in my case – my Happy List. Once I started making my list, I found it difficult (not like I was trying) to keep myself to just three.You may discover you have similar things that make you happy, or you may have very different kinds of items on your list. I don’t think it matters. This is about what elicits gratitude within you.
- Being called a “Renaissance Woman” by my friend AJ.
- Getting LOTS of hits to my Dopamine Challenge article!
- Finding my missing Happy List from Russia
- Impromptu Xanadu singalong with Rachel
- Productive networking lunch with Tommy
- Playing Muppet Monopoly while singing with the newest Muppet soundtrack
- Valentine surprises one day early
- Great early morning run
- Successful practice with Heather via Skype
- Having my whole day turn to positive with just one phone call and a gentle reminder
My younger sister, Rachel, came over this evening, bringing happiness with her. We enjoyed supper, visiting, an impromptu Glee-worthy vocal performance of Suspended in Time (from Xanadu – which should also be on my Happy List), and finished the evening with muffins hot from the oven and a game of Muppet Monopoly. While we were playing the game, we all sang (loudly) the entire soundtrack from the newest Muppet movie: The Muppets.
What were your three new gratitudes from Day One, and what was your positive experience?