Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.
Helen Keller
As the New Year turned I was reminded of the Elizabeth Gilbert’s Happiness Jar project which I blogged about a couple of years ago:
What is a Happiness Jar? The simplest thing in the world. You get yourself a jar (or a box, or a vessel of any kind) and every day, at the end of the day, you grab a slip of paper and write down on it the happiest moment of the day.
Even on lousy days, you do this. Because even on lousy days, there is one best moment (or at least, one least-worst moment.)
You stick that little piece of paper in the jar.
Over the years, you have a record of your happiness.
On bad days, I will thrust my fist in that jar and go fishing — pulling up a handful of great moments that I would have utterly forgotten, had I not documented them.
I’ve been doing this practice for years, and I love it.
If my house ever caught on fire, this would be the one material object I would grab before I ran out the door…because what’s inside this jar? THAT’S WHERE IT’S AT — the whole point of this life.
Over the years, my Happiness Jar has taught me much. What continually amazes me is what ends up on the slip of paper every day. Not awesome events, not huge achievements — usually just a small and tiny thing, a moment of awareness…that moment when you step outside and between the house and the car you get hit on the top of the head with a beam of sunlight, and suddenly feel awash with gratitude simply for being alive, and you think, “Yes. This is it.”
It’s usually something that small — and something that grand.
It is a fun thing to do so I got myself a jar and a small tear off calendar so that I can write a thought on the back each day. The jury is out as to whether I keep this up for a whole year. The last time I tried I was having so much fun on one of my holidays that I forgot to write down a thought each day 
What a wonderful idea! I will attempt to do this. I purchased two tear off calendars this year. What a good use for one!
I wonder what you will do with the other one
This is such a great thing to do! Too often we dwell on the negative and don’t give gratitude for all of the wonderful things in our lives.
It is a lot of fun to do, especially looking back on what has been written
I absolutely love the quote… sometimes I say to Ginnie… I am not of concrete…. sometimes too many influences from ‘outside’ come through ‘my shield’…. and it takes energy to get rid of the negativity…
Happy New Year and all the best for 2017.
I know what you mean about negative people weighing heavily and dragging you down. Too much negativity can feel quite toxic.
The Happiness Jar is a great idea, Cherry. Let us know from time to time how it “teaches” you, even in the smallest of ways.
I will reflect on it as the year goes on.
I like this idea. Every day has its highlight, sometimes many
Yes last time I did this some days had more than one comment.
As New Year resolutions fo, that is a fine one to have. But as I am terrible at keeping to even my own wishes, I shall stick to my easier routine of promising not to do something awful that would barely cross my mind anyway.
But perhaps you could share some moments with us from time to time.
As the comments build up, I will share some from time to time
As I said in my post I am not sure if I will manage to keep it up until the end of the year, but I will try.
So it’s become a Jar of Forgetfulness…
Forgetting to add but the jar remembers the promises already posted in it
Whatever works I suppose.
Positive thoughts lead to a feeling of well being.
Hello again and I hope you have a good year, with a pleasantly full jar, whether real or metaphorical.
Happy New Year, it is lovely to hear from you
I am still following your photo journeys
I miss the fun exchanges between you, Claude, Sean and not to forget Jams 