Week 72 (just because I haven't been writing them here doesn't mean I haven't been writing them down:-)

I'm grateful that after almost 8 years of inactivity, my Happiness Blog is right where I left it.  While I might have forgotten about the blog, I never gave up my gratitude, I just wrote it in various notebooks, never really keeping track of it in any formal way.  And NO, I'm not going to attempt to transcribe any of them after the fact.  They helped me at the time of writing, and that was enough:-)

I'm grateful that I was able to attend my first ever TEDx event today as a Media Sponsor, which mean it was "free" (I have/get to write about it and it could be seen by thousands), we got special seats, and free food.

I'm grateful that one of the presenters was a Positive Psychologist, one who studies happiness, rather than just problems.  And as much as I was already aware of most of what he said, he reminded me yet again about how beneficial writing down what one is grateful for is.  So here we go!

I'm super grateful for my wonderful birthday party event, and for everyone who showed up.

Finally, after months of consideration, I made a final decision about what I absolutely must do to achieve a greater level of productivity and happiness in my life, and I'm going to make the call tomorrow!

I feel better already:-)

Week 13, 6-24-08

1. I'm grateful that i haven't yet gotten sick, despite the terribly unsanitary conditions i've been living in (in Eastern European hostels)
2. I'm grateful that i haven't yet been hurt.
3. I'm so grateful that i only have five days left.
4. I'm so, so grateful that i have an awesome wife at home who can't hardly wait for my return.
5. Despite my suffering and hardships, i'm grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. And it really is once, i'm never doing this again!

Week 12, 6-16-08

1. I am so darn grateful for this wonderful weather. It would have been so much more difficult
if it were as hot here as it was in NY. Some Romanians are walking around in coats, but I'm finally comfortable.
2. I'm grateful that, when I got lost yesterday in downtown Timisoara, I silently prayed as I was speed walking and soon found the spot.
3. I'm grateful that, though I'm sleeping on the floor, I'm able to sleep, and I'm not walking around like a zombie like I was at the beginning of this adventure.
4. I'm so grateful that I'm still healthy. I feel great.
5. I am so, so grateful for my luxuries at home. Although I'm not surprised to learn about the unfortunate state of affairs and lack of opportunity for so many people on this planet, knowing about them and living with them and in the situation is entirely different. I have even less of an excuse than before to feel sorry for myself for any reason.

Week 11, 6-10-08

1. I'm grateful that I have a wife at home who will miss me terribly.
2. I'm grateful that I haven't yet gotten mugged (I'm staying at a hostel in a terrible part of Brooklen as I type this).
3. I'm grateful that i still have my health.
4. I'm grateful (in advance) of my huge flight today.
5. Did I mention how grateful I am for my wife?

My Second Five Weeks of Thanks

WEEK 6, 4-30-08

1. I’m grateful that all three Detroit teams (2 big playoff games) won last night.

2. I’m grateful that my classroom discussion of religion in America went so amazingly well.

3. I’m grateful that my wife is so amazingly honest and good (if not business smart) that she felt the need to tell me about free Red Wing playoff tickets she turned down, knowing that it would make me upset.

4. I’m grateful that, while upset, I was able to keep calm and not make it too big of an issue.

5. And most importantly, I’m grateful that my wonderful in-laws came over on Saturday, helped us paint and plant, and that we all enjoyed great food and conversation.

WEEK 7, 5-5-08

1. I’m grateful that, once again, three Detroit teams won again.  Redwings and Pistons are looking really good right now.

2. I’m grateful that I was invited to two fun parties on Saturday.  Thank you, inviters.

3. I’m grateful that I was invited to a movie on Friday night by a group of church guys who don’t even know me, and the fact that my not knowing them doesn’t bother me.  It was a fun night as well.

4. I’m grateful that, after two days of cleaning up after messy tenants in the “Devil House,” I didn’t let it get me down.  It was grueling, disgusting work, scrubbing this off walls I can’t even mention here, and filling an entire vacuum bag of dirt and hair from the never-vacuumed, once new and spotless carpet I had installed just two years ago.  I could have felt depressed, but I didn’t.

5. I am so grateful for Sunday.  Ultimate was great, I contributed to my team, ran very hard, and won all three games.  Upon returning home, my wife wanted to ride bikes.  I had blisters on both feet and was exhausted, but we rode.  We ended up riding for 30 miles, touring Troy to look at possible future houses.  It was probably the longest ride of her life.  The weather was awesome.  She was awesome.  Who am I kidding?  My life is awesome.

WEEK 8, 5-15-08

I’m excited about starting my mountain biking summer tomorrow morning at Island Lake.

I’m grateful that I can be excited about riding my bike, alone; that I possess the motivation to do so.

I’m grateful that my wife had the patience to put up with my extreme overreaction last week.

I’m grateful that I have the patience to calmly deal with terribly costly mistake my wife made a few days later.

I’m grateful that I persist in keeping up with this weekly list, even after the hellish week I just endured.

WEEK 9, 5-19-08

I’m grateful that my wife and I survived these last two weeks without any lasting damage.

I’m grateful that a couple I met only a few months ago are turning out to be such great friends.

I’m grateful that my family is coming to understand each other’s differences, and to realize that “different” isn’t necessarily wrong.

I’m grateful that the school year is almost over.

WEEK 10, 6-1-08

I’m very grateful that I had the opportunity to see our country’s great hope, the next President of the United States, Barack Obama, speak at the town hall meeting in Troy, last Monday.

I’m so very, very grateful that the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup Championship last night.

I’m grateful that Eric, Matt, Dan, Bob, and Jenna were there to help celebrate the victory with me.

I’m grateful that over half the people I just mentioned are brand new friends, I’m always grateful for making new friends.

I’m so, so grateful that my wife is so understanding, and despite how much she will miss me, she has given me no grief for leaving her for a month.  I am just so darn grateful for my wife!!!

My First Five Weeks of Thanks

WEEK 1, 3-17-08

1. I’m grateful for bowling so well, two games of 159, last Friday, because it greatly increased my comfort level with all the new people I was meeting that night.  What a great night.
2. I’m grateful two of my new friends were so persistent in getting me to meet them at the WAB that very night, I feel like I bonded with them, and others, and had another good time.
3. I’m grateful that my wife cares just as much as I do about our roles and about a successful marriage.
4. I’m grateful that last night worked out and that I was responsible
5. I’m grateful for this list, and for the fact that it does, indeed, make me happier to think of all the wonderful things in my life.




WEEK 2, 3-31-08

1. I’m grateful that I didn’t get sick over vacation like I thought I would.
2. I’m grateful for my in-laws and our great Easter Sunday experience.
3. I’m grateful that I didn’t fear or dread returning to work, like I did in 2001.
4. I’m grateful that I had a good time at Darcie’s party, and that everyone made me feel comfortable
5. I’m grateful that I’m healthy and motivated enough to run 5 miles in 59 minutes, what could be a personal best.




WEEK 3, 4-8-08

1. I’m grateful for the fun my friend and I had watching a movie and eating pizza.
2. I’m grateful I was responsible enough not to wake up the next day with a hangover.
3. I’m grateful that my friend drove me home when I was unable to complete my training I had set out to do for my trip, and he didn’t make me feel the least bit guilty about it.  (I only made it half way.)
4. I’m grateful that I’m able to embark on my great adventure this June.
5. I’m grateful that my wife is understanding about the difficulty is synchronizing our busy schedules. 




WEEK 4, 4-15-08

1. I’m grateful that I cam in second place out of 22 people last night and won a $25 gift certificate
2. I’m grateful that my wife was excited as she was to see me at her first track meet.
3. I’m grateful that I have the opportunity to take my Little to a Pistons game tonight
4. I’m grateful that I am faced with having too many people wanting to attend my dinner party, rather than too few.
5. I’m grateful that I’m not letting the Devil House stress me out too much even though it’s pretty bad.
6. After reading an article of international horrors, I’m absolutely grateful to have been born into a stable, middle-class family, with so many more life options than the majority of the world.




WEEK 5, 4-21-08

1. I’m very grateful for learning the lessons I did last night, which is all I’m going to say about that.
2. I’m so grateful for everyone who made my second dinner party the smashing success it was.
3. I’m grateful for the Red Wings making it to the second round of the play-offs.
4. I’m grateful for my ability to be a hilarious, extroverted clown, when I feel like it, such as during the Pistons game at Wild Woody’s.
5. I’m grateful for the wonderful weather we’ve been having.

Introduction to my Weekly Gratitude Blog

Introduction to Happiness

As virtually everyone in my gmail address book is now aware, I’ve recently been inspired by the research presented in “The How of Happiness” to inform my friends about happiness in general.  The book has made me think about what makes people happy, what makes me happy, and how I could be even happier.  According the The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, I am happier then the average American by .3 points.  But I didn’t need a survey to know that.  After all, I’m a newlywed, I have a rewarding job, I’m well connected to my church, and I have great friends and family, what’s not to be happy about?  But, as it turns out, one’s circumstances in life (for example, those factors I just mentioned), account for only 10% of one’s overall lasting happiness.  The other 50% is hereditary, and 40% is controlled by us.  For a complete explanation, you should probably read the book.  But for now, the important thing is, regardless of how great someone’s life might appear to be, that doesn’t mean they are necessarily happy.  Call me strange, but I want to be as happy as possible, so I’m going to use this opportunity to create an attitude of gratitude.  One of the easiest ways someone can increase their level of happiness is to simply write about what they are grateful for on a weekly basis.  Although it doesn’t need to be public to work, I think I could use the extra motivation, not want to “let down my virtual audience.”  I started a notebook at work, so my first entry will be from a few weeks ago.  I can’t wait to see how long this could last.