Summertime Happiness

Now that we are well into summer, I realized I hadn’t mentioned my Happiness Project in the last two months.

I’ve been going through this year with the intention of upping my personal wellbeing and happiness via my own version of Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project. I’ve been setting intentions each month, with specific goals to follow through on. You can check out some of my goals: here and here.

The thing about my happiness project? I haven’t made any specific goals or intentions since May’s intention of Wholehearted Living. My focus in March was on finances and friendships, and that really hasn’t changed much. The difference this summer has been that, I’ve just been adventuring. No rules, no specificities. Just living, and going with the flow.

I’ve been gone every week since the beginning of June, and haven’t even spent more than two nights in my own bed each month.

While part of me started to feel guilty for not putting my Happiness Project as a “priority,” the other part of me can’t help but notice I feel happier. Isn’t that the goal?

While my lifestyle this summer isn’t one that I will be able to maintain longterm, I am trying to make the most of my last few weeks as a Wilderness Guide. When else in my life will I have six days off in a row every other week to do as I please?

Maybe Gretchen’s strategy of goal-oriented living works really well for some people. She describes lots of different personality types in her book Better Than Before, and making rules and goals works really well for lots of people. While I typically am one of those people, right now that just doesn’t feel right.

Living fluidly and spontaneously feels really wonderful right now.

I’ve loved seeing so many different places, and feeling more at home in my sleeping bag than in my own bed. It’s just for another month, so all I can do is continue to make the most of it.

Adventure is out there.

For now, I’ll be back out in the wilderness therapatizing troubled youths.

What have you been doing to support your own happiness this summer?

So much love,

xoxo,

Ashley