Saturday 31 January 2009

How To Be Happy

I woke up this morning, looked around my messy room and felt so depressed I decided to stay in bed. But I got bored, so I looked around for something that could entertain me whilst in bed. I saw my TV, my computer, my shoddy magazine and some architectural history books. I didn't really feel like in engaging in any of these activities, but (seeing as I was feeling pretty lethargic) I turned on the TV to get entertained. Daytime TV is no friend of mine, I soon realized, when I looked through the channels and the most decent thing I came across was one of those nanny shows where a big fat British woman goes to visit an American family to teach them a thing or two about child-minding. Well, I watched it for a while and it just got me more depressed, because the nanny was an absolute power-loving idiot. I did, however, start thinking about how that show is not so much about the nanny as it is about a family needing help. So I thought to myself, "I could need a little help". Not with raising children, maybe with raising myself, or with being the person I was raised to be (I.e. someone with a positive attitude, an active life, not to mention a tidy room. Someone happy.) So I thought, where do I find a nanny? On the internet of course!
So I ventured into the world of self-help websites (WHAT? ME?), and was actually very positively surprised. Of course, most of what was written were things you have heard a million times before: "the only one who can change things is YOU", "happiness is not the same as lack of sadness", "happiness isn't always getting what you want", but I was after concrete advice on how to change things around. I found one which I thought was quite good, and i thought i should share it with you:
"Three components are essential for hope to thrive, Feldman says. They are having goals, as well as a plan and the motivation to achieve them. ... Feldman advises setting personally meaningful goals and checking to see where your hope falters — is it with the plan or the motivation?"
So, keeping this in mind (and knowing it is the motivation that is my problem), I have now made a plan of action:

1) Tidy my room (This WILL make me a happier person)
2) Doing fun things while doing it, so I don't get bored and turn the TV on again (Loud music, singing, dancing etc)
3) Reading my book to reward myself.
4) Posting pictures of it on the blog!

Ok, so now I've got a goal, a plan, and motivation, you can help be the judges of my success by popping into the blog to see when I finish my tidying!

3 comments:

Naomi said...

well done dear.
i've a book of poetry to change your life.
it makes me glum. but you can borrow it if you want.

Sofie said...

that would be great. I need some cultural capital.

Else said...

oh you are so great. did you do everything on the plan? Did it rid you of the lethargy (well descriptive word). we are also watching shit TV right now (young couples trying to be parents for a few days).