100 HAPPY DAYS: A Positivity Project

Happiness doesn’t happen by accident. They say we are in charge of how we feel, and I believe it, even though during some of my lower moments I’d like someone else to blame. I’m 35 days into a personal project on happiness, and I’m already living proof that we can choose to be happy or sad.

Life happens all around us and we can’t control most of it. In fact, the general consensus is that about 90% of what happens to us is beyond our personal control. So how do we maintain composure when someone rear-ends our car? Or a snowstorm derails our plans? Or our toddler spills our coffee all over aisle 3 of the grocery store?

Your Subconscious is Listening

Studies show that what we tell ourselves, we believe. Most of our thoughts are pre-programmed, with only about 5% of our thoughts being conscious. And unfortunately, most of our programming leans toward a negative bias. If you struggle with positive thoughts now, it’s likely you’re going to keep struggling with them.

This winter, I was struggling hard with keeping upbeat. The weather was oppressive. I have a lot of kids, and a business, and a small house (you get the idea). I needed a new focus, and a better coping strategy than simply counting the days until spring.

The solution is re-programming the subconscious. The way to do it? Repetition.

It’s easy to repeat negative things to ourselves. Positive things sometimes take more effort (and if we’re honest, they often don’t feel 100% true), but the subconscious is listening.

A Positive Challenge

Enter #100happydays. I first stumbled across this project in 2015, and I gave it a try. The idea was to post a picture of something that made you happy every day for 100 days in a row. It was brilliant, and I loved the experience. I opted to try it again, with a few rules:

 

1. Minimize the ‘stuff’, maximize the feelings. It’s really easy to focus on an object or material thing and say that it makes us happy. Instead, I wanted to focus on the little things, experiences and nuances of my day. I felt it would create a richer experience.
2. Be true. Whatever I posted about had to genuinely make me smile, laugh, or warm me up inside. No fake stuff.

 

And that’s it! It’s been 35 days so far and I’m loving the experience. Stay tuned for another update soon, but in the meantime, please feel free to follow my happy days on Instagram @wholetherapyjen

I’m also challenging each of you to pursue your own happiness!  Share your warm and fuzzies with us on Instagram @WholeTherapyOttawa