The Mission

I’ve had a thought. I say this a lot, but I’ve had a thought about happiness. Depression and anxiety are something I get and especially in the winter and I don’t like it. I don’t like myself that it happens and that makes it worse, and I’m wondering now if I let it happen. Maybe I do. Maybe everyone does.

But “maybe” isn’t that helpful. “Maybe I let it” – it’s too passive. What if I tried to stop it happening rather than ride it out. Prevention. A plan. I need rules and groundwork.

Earlier this week I embarked upon a mission for happiness. I’ve been reading about the nature of wellbeing for a years, but that’s a bit like watching videos of how to juggle. Doing that, you’ll learn a lot but you’ll never get it done. You need to grab it by the balls and make a few omelettes.

I already do a lot more now than I used to do which I know contributes to my happiness. I do a podcast, which is a form of therapy, because it’s leaving the house and laughing. It also makes me feel good because there is a finished product at the end of it, which appeals to my nature. I work out and I always have lunch. My office has a canteen, so there aren’t the usual excuses I put in the way of not going out – (social avoidance, expensive, long walk down the street during the busiest time).

I have also been sending off articles for publication and doing a little freelance. Just for shits. I thought what the hell, I’ve been married ten years, I’m used to rejection. Then last week I had one published.

And I am feeling better, so why not build on it? I am going to make this year the best ever, but I’ve started now, because I know the year will start in the darkest days of winter when I’ll feel least like doing anything. That’s my plan and I started last week.

The Mission

Pay someone a compliment. That’s right, “pay”. It’s not easy. Yes, I’ll be self-conscious, but I’ll do it anyway. It’s better for someone to feel good and for me to go away shaking my head and feel awkward than for someone not to know and me to feel safe.

Share something good. I like things because they’re good. They’re also good because I like them. That sounds ridiculously simple, but that’s how it is. I’m also not that different – I laugh at the things other people laugh at and enjoy what are are generally thought to be happy things. I’ve been wary to share things that have already done the rounds online, but I’ll take that chance because good stuff is good stuff. Plus, there is enough original stuff here to keep most people from leaving because I’ve put up a video of a sneezing panda. I’m going to stick my neck out and recommend stuff.

Every day, do everything you must and one thing you want. This means knock everything off the urgent to do list and take some time to do something I like. This can mean anything – watch a movie on the train, read a book for twenty minutes, bake bread, go online. But it should be something that benefits only me. I keep forgetting how important that is as a family member, but it’s an investment people shouldn’t neglect when thinking about their priorities, because they only do what they must. I’m not knocking that, but non-essential requirements are important, too. They are called “nice to haves” because they are nice to have. If you forget that, you’ll feel the slide.

Be useful. Do something every day that will either help your home life or your work life. I don’t know for sure, but I’ve seen studies saying people in the middle ages used to have more free time, which they would fill with community activities and prayer and stuff. I’m not going that far, but I’m sure they were fixing up their abodes or hunting and gathering. We don’t do that, but the equivalent is improving your job by investing in your career instead of just keeping on top of things, and also improving your personal relationships. The above takes care of some of that, but it takes your time. Another part of being useful is going to bed earlier. I say this so often and get sanctimonious about it when I do a three night stretch of earlies, but I never keep it up. But I will. No internet or TV after 10:30 pm, maybe reading or writing or work and decent bedibyes for me.

Work out. I always feel better while I’m fit and get the buzz right afterwards, so the least I can do is pull on the shoes. And it really is the least, even though it feels like a big step. I’ve been doing this lately and I do feel better. My motivation is that this is the last chance I have to be in the best shape of my life.

And that’s it. Simple, right? Yes, but not easy. I’ll do it for three months and see how it goes. If my writing improves you’ll know it works.

This is a mission – it’s not a goal. It’s not a journey. It’s an endeavour, with aims – per aspera ad astra.

10:27.