Can you believe 2019 is only a few hours away? This year really flew by, but I’m excited to let go of 2018 and bring on the adventures of the new year.
2018 came with its share of challenges, and as the year comes to a close, I’ll admit that I’m ready for an attitude adjustment. Throughout the year, my health and happiness took a backseat to graduate school, a busier-than-ever workload, and other areas of overwhelm. Because of that, I decided to tackle things head-on by embarking on a 2019 Happiness Project, inspired by one of my favorite books by Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project. In her book, Gretchen incorporates various happiness principles and research into her life over the course of a year, experimenting with a different happiness theme each month.
For 2019, I’ve created my own happiness project, focusing on improving various areas of my health and overall wellness in the new year. Each month, I’ll share what I’m working on and how things went down in the previous month!
Below are my areas of focus for 2019. Some of these are inspired by Gretchen’s book, while others come from different books, podcasts, and goals I’d like to pursue.
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January: Boost Physical Wellness (More on that in a minute!)
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February: Create Outer Order / Organize
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March: Practice Mindfulness
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April: Slow Down & Lighten Up
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May: Make Time For Friends
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June: Learn Constantly
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July: Incorporate Ayurvedic Practices
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August: Digital Detox
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September: Work Smarter
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October: Contemplate the Heavens / Spirituality
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November: Explore
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December: Give Back
The reason I’m focusing on boosting physical wellness in January is because I am truly ready for a detox. Between autoimmune issues and a hectic schedule, I need an increase in energy and overall health before I can take on any new challenges. To do so, I’ll be incorporating the following practices into the month of January:
- Embark on a Whole30 to create more intentionality in my food choices and identify any new food sensitivities.
- Go to sleep earlier.
- Take a 10-minute walk in the mornings.
- Act more energetic.
- Tackle the “nagging tasks” on my list.
If you’re looking to make a change, I highly encourage you to pursue your own happiness project! Check out Gretchen’s site here for some helpful resources, including a “resolution chart” that can be useful for tracking your progress along the way. I can’t wait to share more with you all through the year! 🙂
Are you tackling a happiness project or any resolutions this year? Share yours in the comments below!