Starting the way...

Lately, I have been listening to/reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. It has been nice as I have been driving back and forth to work. I wanted to read her book because I feel like I am at a major crossroads in my life. In the last year and a half, I have gone through a lot of changes. My first marriage went through separation and divorce. I moved in with my parents, changed schools (I'm a teacher), started dating again for the first time in 11 years, finished my second graduate degree, turned 33, moved out on my own, and then met and fell in love. A lot has happened to me.

Even though I am starting over in my home and love life, I am still trying to find happiness in all areas of my life. I have many obstacles: debt from grad school and credit cards, health issues, etc. I am happy at work and in my love life, but I know other areas could affect those. I want to be a good spouse and mother someday because it is not fair to my future family if I am not happy and okay. So I am now trying to figure out how to be a happy person in all areas of my life.

Through this blog, I hope to chart my progress. I will follow Gretchen Rubin's model, but I will tailor it to my life. If you have not read her book, please check it out. She is great. As for me, I will have my own commandments and secrets of adulthood, some of which will be similar to the ones found in the book. The book serves as an inspiration for sure.

So what do I want to do to become happy.  It might sound cliche', but I have ones that most have. I want to exercise more, have more energy, be myself, spend less money but spend out more to the world (not money related), get closer to my loved ones, make more friends, be me, write more, truly find my passion, and become a role model at work. These are things I know would make me a happier Sarah. This would lead to everyone else being happier.

I will follow a 12 month model to get started so that I can truly work on my happiness. I will start with October 2015. Yea! Here are my goals for the next 12 months.

1. October- Feel Healthier Inside and Out
2. November- Gratitudes
3. December- Love All
4. January- Shoot for the Stars
5. February- Look to the Heavens
6. March- Find My Passion
7. April- Write, Write, Write
8. May- Attitude is Everything
9. June- Lighten Up
10. July- Always Be Me
11. August- Superwoman at School
12. September- Reflect and Renew

My commandments are based on Gretchen Rubin's commandments in The Happiness Project.

1. Be Sarah.
2. Let it go.
3. Act the way I want to feel.
4. Do it now.
5. Be polite and be fair.
6. Enjoy the process.
7. Spend out.
8. Identify the problem.
9. Lighten up.
10. Do what ought to be done.
11. No calculation.
12. There is only love.

I will also work on my own secrets of adulthood, but I love Mrs. Rubin's. I will post those later. 

Here is to becoming happier and a better Sarah. I look forward to the adventure and the discussion. Here we go! 

Contact me at waytohappy.sarah@gmail.com or on Twitter @way2happy.sarah