At the beginning of 2019 I was inspired by Gretchin Rubin’s book “The Happiness Project” to create my own Happiness project for the year. I promised to update you as I followed it … And then promptly forgot as I took on more than I could chew throughout the year.

However I did not give up on my Happiness Project.

And I thought it was a good idea to give you an end of year reflection in case you would like to make 2020 your Happiness Project Year. 

Firstly I have to say I loved the idea of a Happiness Project at the start of the year and I love it even more now. I heard recently that 87% of people in the world are unhappy. And this shocked me. This is the easiest time in human history to be alive, well if you live in the affluent West that is. I don’t mean to be-little the hardships I know many people have but think about it. But compared to our ancestors we don’t have to worry about survival as much as our ancestors, we have education, warm homes with water, food, even when the harvest is bad, access to education, to name but a few bonuses of 21st century life. And yet 87% of people are unhappy, 87% of people would like to improve their life quality.  Wow.

And this is where I think a Happiness Project is a fantastic tool to help with improving life quality It gives a guideline, a framework to support us to focus on our happiness.

And that’s how it has worked for me. 

Each month I had a theme. A focus area for improving my happiness. For those themes I had an action planned and every month I checked off my progress. 

If you want to find out more about how I set my project up you can read my post here. 

Looking back I can see how much my happiness project influenced 2019. It was a hard year in our house. A devastating family death, left us with grief, depression and financial challenges really hit hard by the end of the year. However having my happiness project throughout all of that kept me on track. It reminded me in the dark times to invest in me and honestly it kept me afloat.

That is the power of a happiness project. It reminds you to invest in you, even if you feel like your world is falling apart.

It is a go to for inspiration when you need it. It helps create healthy habits, it supports manifesting goals, it highlights the little things that make life beautiful. And with that it improves your quality of life. 

So that’s all the good stuff. Was there anything that didn’t work? Well. Yes. But that was more to do with me than the concept of a happiness project. Basically I was over optimistic in what I could do in a year with the lifestyle I have.

That is my biggest advice for anyone considering making a happiness project DON’T overestimate what you can do.

In fact I would recommend underestimating what actions you can take in each month.  This year I first looked at my year’s calendar. Defined how much time I have. I then investigated my energy levels throughout the year and  identified when I need or might need energy boosts. From there I planned my Happiness Project themes and actions. And this year I kept the actions to a maximum of 3.

It is a great feeling to know that no matter what happens this year I have this guide for inspiration. A bank of joyful activities that will boost my happiness throughout the year. 

One other tip I have would be to combine your Happiness Project with a positive memory bank. This is where you collect your happiest memories throughout the year and look at them at the end of the year. (Your can read more about Positive Bank) It is a great way of evaluating your year, remembering the happy moments and judging the success of your Happiness Project. 

My Happiness Project worked when I remembered to use it and made the time to focus on the actions I had planned. And that is the truth of it.

Happiness Projects work when you put the effort in to make it happen.

I highly recommend creating a happiness project for 2020. And I would also recommend getting a copy of Gretchin Rubin’s book to guide you – you can find it here! 

What actions will you take for you happiness in 2020? 

Let me know in the comments below! 

From me to you 

I hope you have a happy weekend

<3 Emma-Jane