MagsMac ‘n’ Cheese

My Happiness Project Begins

One week ago today was my last day at Schipul.

After I wrote my farewell letter on our company blog, I was immediately flooded with all kinds of messages asking why. I have remained somewhat quiet on the subject up until now but I figure it’s time I explained the real reason I left a job I loved.

First things first: No, I am not moving. Yes, I realize it is a recession. No, I am not crazy.

Here is why I said Goodbye.

I have been working really hard to reach one goal or another ever since I was 15 and got my first job. My “Goal” list looked sort of like this:

1. Graduate High School. Check!!
2. Join the Army. Check!!
3. Get into University of Houston. Check!!
4. Major in Public Relations. Check!!
5. Get a Cat. Check!!
6. Participate in few great internships. Check!!
7. Fall in Love. Check!!
8. Graduate with Honors. Check!!
9. Buy a sweet truck. Check!!
10. Land a job. Check!!

A few months ago I looked at my list and noticed there was nothing left to check off. I had everything I had ever wanted and I was only 25. I should have been hopping up and down in excitement… Only I wasn’t. I was missing something I really really needed… and I didn’t know what.

So I decided to join the Peace Corps. Before you freak out, I didn’t… I already said I wasn’t moving right? I quit my job instead.

Fast forward to this Monday: I woke up JOBLESS but totally at peace. I wasn’t really sure what my next steps were because I’d reached the end of my list, but for the first time in my life I was okay with that.

Enter Laura and the Happiness Project.

On Tuesday I went to drink coffee and eat cake with the lovely Laura. As I was walking out the door to her house to head to my own, she stopped me and handed me a book.

“I just got this in the mail but for some reason I think I should give this to you.”

I looked down, it was The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

“Are you sure? You haven’t even read it yet!”

Laura ensured me it was fine and shooed me out the door.

My Happiness Project

I went home and immediately started reading. Within the first few pages, I was smiling… and I knew it was time to embark on my own journey to happiness. This is the quote from Gretchen that did it:

Se says to herself: “As soon as I have some free time, I should start a happiness project.”

Well I do have free time… and vast amounts of it! Why not start my very own project while I read Gretchen’s story?

My Happiness Resolutions.

Like in the book, I would pick one happiness resolution to work on every month. That makes 12 happiness resolutions total. Gretchen picked all of hers before she started her project but I’m still sketching out all of mine so I’ll just start with the first and what I’m working on in January: Organization.

So here is what I did today to kick off my Happiness Project:

1. I started cleaning out my closet: Let’s face it. I’m never going to be a size 2 or an A-cup ever again so it’s time to get rid of those clothes I wore when I was 18, blond and bartending and make room for things that look good on my body now.
2. A whole lot of shredding went on: I like to keep things… but do I really need the syllabus from my freshman “Intro to Public Relations” class? No. I allowed myself to keep the book, but shredded the rest.
3. The recycling bin on my computer desktop is by new best friend: Like the syllabus, it’s not necessary to save every little thing. Chances are, if it was really important, it’s in my email archives or I can find it online somewhere. That .jpg of the UH logo has got to go. Trust me, it’s you can find it somewhere else.
4. I died my hair: Come one. EVERY good project needs to start with a great hairdo right?!

So here is to 201o and my Happiness Project. I hope you start your own!

I’m heading to Austin tomorrow morning to do a reading of my 6 Word Memoir (join me!!) and then I’ll be babysitting my teenage cousins over the weekend. If you don’t hear from me on Monday, I would suggest heading to Austin with a rescue party. You may find me hanging upside down from an oak tree… tethered with nothing but toilet paper.

Cheese served up by MagsMac