One of the things I found most inspiring in Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project was her list of “commandments” for how she wanted to live her life. I decided to make a list of my own, and share it with you. I’d love to hear if anyone else has created personal commandments, either formally or informally, and if so, how they have helped you. Please share below!

1. Wherever you go, make footprints.

2. Say yes to at least part of every request (even if it’s a very small or modified part).

3. Use money to build happiness.

4. Be silly.

5. Make connections.

6. Have faith.

7. Maintain gratitude.

8. Seek beauty.

9. Keep life fresh.

10. Accept what can’t be changed.

11. Don’t bother with negative people.

12. Look up.

13. Go the extra mile for people and causes you care for.

14. Let him/her drive. (For use when I need to let go of the control in a certain situation.)

15. Your journey is not their journey.

16. I am happy.

The Happiness Project also inspired me to try something new in life and in blogging. I really love doing mini-series; I love focusing on a particular topic for a month or so, and then moving on to something new. So I’m planning to start doing a mini-series every month, focusing on just one word. Each month, I’ll contemplate that word in relationship to my life and my writing. I’ll write posts about the word. I’ll do research and read books relating to the word. It won’t be like my word of the year, ACCEPT, which is a general help in certain situations, a shortened version of the commandments above. Rather, these monthly words will be a focus for my mental energy.

I’ve decided that my word for May will be BEAUTY.

(If you’re a blogger, and are interested in doing a guest post in May on your perception of BEAUTY, please contact me at leannesowul@gmail.com. I’m particularly interested in guest posting exchanges.)