The Happiness Project Experience - September
Even though I am a very planning-oriented person, sometimes things just slip under the radar. That’s pretty much what happened for September. I spent plenty of time this year thinking about (and planning for) last month, August - the month of money, and October - the month of something you’ll hear more about next month. That left lonely little September - the month of love, feeling very neglected and unloved.
I already had some pretty big chunks of time accounted for in September, but as I contemplated how I could work some goals around them, I realized that those events and encounters actually could be part of those goals.
So, even though having such a short list was a little uncomfortable, I settled on two resolutions.
I also gave myself fewer resolutions this month because most of my ideas for October required advance planning, and I had to start getting ready for those this month. This may just be an excuse for my easy goals this month, but it was nice to take a bit of a break. Although, that might just be an excuse too.
Regardless, my two goals were:
Spend time with those I love
While my first goal may seem rather obvious - it’s one I wanted to prioritize. Lots of my friends are going back into a busy school season and I’m preparing to start rehearsals for a play, those things combined with my side hustle are going to give me less time than usual to spend with my loved ones through the end of the year. So before that craziness settled in with full force I decided to prioritize spending time with those I love.
The things that I used to accomplish this goal were many and varied - nights out at the movies, dinners with friends, shows at local theaters, coffee dates, shopping trips, a trip to Wisconsin with my dad, a weekend with my family working the family side business, and (of course) a trip to Seattle to see Gretchen Rubin live with one of my dearest friends.
I spent dedicated time with friends, family, and my sweet niece. I started searching for perfect Christmas gifts (I know it's early, I know, but gifts are an important way to show love!).
I spent money, time, and effort, and used words and actions to show the people that I love just how much they mean to me.
Even though this is something that I try to do every month, not just September, it was refreshing to focus more of my effort outward and express my love and appreciation for all the amazing people in my life.
I also tackled a book, The Science of Happily Ever After. My full review can be found in the Books of September 2019 post. I'm also in the middle of several more books related to this month’s topic but was unable to start them until the end of the month (having to put books on hold is the one downside to libraries), so you’ll see my review of those books in October.
Speaking of October, Next month's topic will be an intriguing blend of both inward and outward focus - and I can’t wait.
Until next time,