Project Better Self - Month 1

So...I'm starting a project. 

As some of you know (If you follow me on Instagram...that phrase makes me feel like a giant dork just FYI) I recently read the Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  Which was a fabulous, relatively easy read where the author spends a year exploring happiness and systematically trying to be happier. 

I loved loved loved it. 

Who doesn't want to be happier?  And Gretchen is all about structure and charts and guidelines and that really spoke to the nerd in me a lot.

So I thought about starting my own happiness project but to me it didn't feel quite right.  I don't want to just be happy, I want to be better.  And sometimes doing things that make me better don't always make me happy in the short term (like eating vegetables when I want to eat cake for example - really good for me, makes me better - doesn't necessarily make me happy in the moment)

So I decided to modify it and I'm calling it Project Better Self (PBS - HAHAH).  And instead of waiting for January I started this month on April 1.  And instead of year I'm just going to finish out 2013.  

So here's the basics.

Each month has a Theme.  And within the theme for each month there are approximately 5 subcategories to work on.  These are guidelines and things to think about and study and work on for the month.  There are no absolutes, there are simply resolutions - things you resolve to keep trying to do each day for a month.  Like a regimen...of betterment.  And because I'm a nerd - I'm making a chart for the month.  Because charts give data (and nerds like that) and because a physical manifestation of my work gives me positive feedback (in a non cake format) which I need.

What is this month you ask, well...April is Feel Better month!  We all know I have a little bit of the S.A.D happening during the winter so I've been finding myself feeling tired a lot and sluggish and down.  And when that happens its really really easy for me to keep spiraling down.  But I have control over the way I feel.  And I know that taking care of my body helps with that exponentially.  So in an attempt to feel better in April I'm focusing on the following 5 things:

1) Act The Way I Want To Feel - this one I stole from Gretchen Rubin.  But I love it.  Its sort of based in that fake it till you make it idea.  Which has actually worked for me in the past.  Sometimes you act energetic, you act happy, you act excited and then suddenly you are all of those things.  Acting energetic has already helped me and it's only been 2 days.

2) Eat Skinny - I know my health and my body are connected to my mind.  And Its been dark and holidays up the wazoo and I've been eating candy and crap like its going out of style.  So this is my attempt at eating the way a skinny (healthy) person eats.  Choosing fresh fruits and veggies whenever possible.  Drinking WATER all the time.  Trying to think skinny and eat skinny.

3) Speak Kindly to Myself - All of my friends (esp the women) are so much harder on themselves then they are on anybody else in the world.  I personally say things to myself that I would never ever say to anybody else.  And what good is that doing me?  None.  This is my life and my body and I know I'm doing the best I can with both.  Being kind to me makes me happier and nicer and thusly kinder to others...which is better ;)

4) Take a Walk - We all know I worship the sun.  Getting outside clears the mind and makes me break from the things I'm doing and bring me back to reality.  It's also a reminder to get some exercise.  It doesn't have to be a walk.  It can be a swim, or the elliptical.  Anything to get my body moving, get the endorphins pumping, and break my mind away from negative/monotonous thoughts.

5) Look on the Bright Side - I'm generally not a negative person.  I'm pretty much sunshine rainbow everything is going to be alright girl.  But sometimes, especially when things seem incredibly overwhelming I'm anti sunshine girl.  I'm everything is going to sh*t girl.  And that's when I need to take a step back, take a deep breath, and find the silver lining - because its always there.

So that’s April!  There are some good months to come like Clean Up Month – where I plan to declutter and clean clean clean.  And Contemplate the Heavens Month when I’m going to find a guru etc.  So much to look forward to, so much better-ness in my future ;)  

And just so you too can experience my nerdiness – here’s my chart:

Anybody want to join me?!