It's been a looooong winter and one that seemingly has no end. With tax season underway, post Christmas bills still lingering, job woes and who knows what else a person might have on their plate, there is the potential to start feeling the blues.
While no one can be blissfully happy 24/7, sometimes you just have to stop and take a look at the bright side... focus on the things that are going well to snap out of a rut. That, apparently, is where "the Happiness Challenge" comes in. While some experts are questioning its validity and suggesting there could be adverse effects, I'm thinking, how can it hurt to dwell on the positives rather than the negatives for a change?
The happiness challenge is a new online project that asks people to just "be happy" for 100 days in a row. It's based on the premise that happiness is a choice. It asks participants to submit a photo every day of what made them happy... without trying to make others jealous.
Granted, in the midst of a tragedy, you aren't going to feel like taking part in this little experiment, but for people who are feeling hum and glum for no particular reason, can it hurt to give this a shot? Positive breeds positive and negativity tends to breed negativity.
Take the time to savour special moments and appreciate what you have to be thankful for the study suggests. Simple advice, but true.
Nova Scotia teacher Trish Bekkers has adapted the challenge for her fifth grade class. Instead of posting photos students are writing down moments of happiness in class for 50 days. "I wanted them to see that it wasn't just the big trips that you take or the electronics that you buy, but it's the little things every day that make you happy." So very true. Following the initiative one student said, "I think doing the moments of happiness you realize that you're actually a lot happier than you think."
It's not always about the big things. There will always be tragedies, loss, struggles and turmoil in the world but life is short and while we are here we may as well try to live it to the fullest. It's not about false realities or seeing rainbows in a blizzard, it's just about trying our best to see the cup as half full rather than half empty and appreciating the little things in life.
How can that be a bad thing?
"It usually isn't what you have, where you are, or what you've been through that makes you happy or unhappy, it's how you think about it all. It starts on the inside. You control your thoughts. The only person who can hurt your happiness in the long run is YOU." - Source Unknown ... Happiness is a mind set.
