Time for your check-in

Unlike the dentist, this won't hurt a bit. It's mid-January, when holidays are a memory, you're back to a routine and resolutions, such as they are, may not be sticking.

That's why it's time for check-in.

How are mine, you may ask? Pretty darn good.

The main reason is because my resolutions were secondary. I wanted to take more naps (done!) and remove the word "try" from my vocabulary (it's complicated).

What I really wanted, and what I'm getting, is to be More Happy.

Yes, it's grammatically supposed to be happier, but saying more happy keeps my focus on noticing how I am happy already and simple ways to up the ante.More Happy is my overall goal for 2012. My resolutions are just the start of a year-long to-do list that will help me achieve it. 

It's like running an experiment. My hypothesis is that it is possible to improve my level of happiness this year. To do that I will perform a number of tasks to see which ones work best.

Naps worked right away. I wake up refreshed, with more creative ideas bubbling.

Limiting use of the word "try" has helped me notice when I want to use it and forced me to consciously choose something else. A good start, but just how much it effects my happiness remains to be seen.

What is helping even more?

I realized that More Happy really means that I want more good things that contribute to my happiness: time, money, business opportunities, travel, and love.

You could call it abundance though the word makes me itchy.

To receive more good things in my life, and therefore to be More Happy, I have to recognize when it happens.

Turns out, it's happening all of the time.

Daily journals for gratitude (also not my favorite word), abundance (ditto), or prayer are effective because they help you see what's already happening, and hold onto it.

So, I made my own. Every night for the last 10 days, I've listed how I was surprised & delighted.

My first day's list included a compliment I received, and noticing how good it felt to put daisies by my computer.

Last night's list was twice as long, not necessarily because more good things happened one day over another, but because I appreciate what happens that much more.

For instance, I was surprised & delighted just re-reading how I've been surprised & delighted before.

This is how More Happy happens.

Now back to your check-in.

If your resolutions are working, hurray! If they aren't, never fear. Ask yourself:

[box type="none]What's the one thing I want for myself this year? What would make this the best year yet?[/box]

The answer will help you modify your resolutions/to-do list to make it happen, and perhaps help you see how you're already on your way.