My Happiness Jar
One of my favorite writers is Elizabeth Gilbert. She wrote “Eat, Pray, Love,” and has just released a wonderful new woman-centrist book titled, “The Signature Of All Things.”
But I don’t want to talk about her books right now; I’d rather share with you a practice she’s initiated in her life that I have now begun as well.
I want to share it with you because now that we’re starting a brand new year, rather then focusing on resolutions, I think it will be good for us to focus on happiness and possibility.
She’s created what she calls a HAPPINESS JAR. All you do is write down the happiest moment of the day on a small piece of paper and put it in your jar. That’s the whole process.
The purpose is to recognize the good that happens in our lives every day; things that you might otherwise overlook. No mater how we’re struggling, they’re always some moments of good. For example, looking out the window and seeing a bird at your feeder is a good moment.
Your happiness jar can also be used for those times when you’re feeling particularly down and hopeless. You can reach into your jar and pull up a random paper. On it will be a memory that you’ve most likely forgotten, but will remind you of a time that you felt good.
Here’s how she describes what she puts in her jar:
“They are very seldom glamorous moments, or dramatic moments, or moments of great accomplishment. They are almost always nearly invisible moments when suddenly I just felt in my bones the very best aspects of my humanity — gratitude, peace, hope, contentment. For instance, on the day that I went on the Oprah Winfrey Show — which was one of the greatest days of my life — my happiest moment of the day was not when I met Oprah (though it was the most dazzling and amazing moment of the day.). The happiest moment of that day was sitting in my hotel room in Chicago, two hours before I went to the studio, watching my mother lovingly iron the satin sash of the dress I was going to wear on the show that afternoon — feeling like a child again, being taken care of by my sweet mom.”
No matter what you’re going through, they’ll be a moment in your day that is maybe not wonderful, but has some relief from your pain.
I’ve just started mine and hope you decide to start yours as well. I’ve posted the picture of my now almost empty jar. I know by this time next year it will look completely different and be full of good memories.
Do this with me and send me a picture of your jar. At the end of the year we can compare pictures and know we’ve had a lot of good in 2014!
Release what’s been standing in the way of finding your special someone.
