Wednesday, September 07, 2011

 

Now, Meg S!

Well... I'm back!

(Yes, we've all heard that before.)

Lately the ole' neglected blog has been on my mind - this past weekend I started reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. I have been reading her blog for some time now (not sure how I stumbled upon it), and I decided that I should actually support her in a monetary way by purchasing the newly released paperback. (And to head off any questions, yes, I'm very happy, and loving the married life, but it can never hurt to engage in some navel-gazing for my own good.)

As you can imagine, the book is about cultivating happiness — your own, and that of others around you. Gretchen created all these resolutions and commandments, and the book outlines her struggles and victories and insights she's gathered along the way. She never suggests that you follow her commandments to the letter (or at all), but I've found that a few of her own lessons have applications in my own life.

At one point early in the process, she decides to create her blog. Hmm... a blog... I thought. Ah yes. That unfinished project of mine that's constantly casting a shadow, like an ignored younger sibling or a stray cat outside my window. (In case you're wondering, the other unfinished projects hanging over my head: my beautiful quilt from '08 (shudder), five unpacked boxes from moving, and one thank you note.)

Ignoring the cries of my blog, I kept reading, until this little section stopped me short:

Then I thought of a line from William Butler Yeats. "Happiness," wrote Yeats, "is neither virtue nor pleasure nor this thing nor that, but simply growth. We are happy when we are growing." Contemporary researchers make the same argument: that it isn't goal attainment but the process of striving after goals — that is, growth — that brings happiness.

Holy mackerel. Was I actually on to something when I started this little page six (gulp) years ago? Perhaps I actually was. And the point was to "grow" — have I done that? ...Though my tendency is to be hard on myself, when I look back at my original goo goals, I've actually completed three out of five goals: take scuba diving lessons, get re-certified in CPR and first aid, and write one short story a month.

Okay - yeah, so I wrote one short story, period, but that's good enough. And no, I'm not some jazzy scuba diver exploring the deep, but I gave it a shot (and got certified). And I got re-certified in CPR and first aid in...2007? So, I consider those goals a success.

The remaining two goals - take ballroom dancing lessons and brush up on my french... well, I briefly dated a guy who knew ballroom dancing, and that was definitely enough for me. And as for brushing up on my French... providing there is still space in the continuing ed. class, I'm beginning a conversational French class next week!

(I bet you thought I'd have an excuse for that one, too! ha!)

I come back to these goals for a reason (other than lamely tooting my own horn): I've had a sneaking suspicion for some time that I don't really have any hobbies. Yes, I had been busy planning our wedding with my man, and getting our house in order, but to be frank, my big interests appear to be:

1. eating
2. reading
3. watching tv
4. drinking

Egads. Not exactly the stuff of legends. So... now I'll be thinking of what I enjoy doing, and seeing how I can DO something that involves those interests. Stay tuned.

After being silent for so long, I'm afraid all this verbal spewing will make any readers OD. So... bonsoir for now!

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