Personal Journal Week 6

I really liked this week's chapter of the Happiness Project. I spent most of my teenage years thinking about death and dying, and I think that's what ultimately led me to becoming a happier person. It's almost as if I exhausted the subject for so many years that I finally got sick of it and couldn't care less. (Even though I still find it kind of fascinating, at least I don't spend my days obsessing about it).

I really like how Rubin looked into the lives of people who were less fortunate than her and started to realize she did not have a lot to complain about when it really came down to it. I also liked when she wrote that most people will look at happy people as less intelligent, which I can actually somewhat agree with when thinking about the saying "ignorance is bliss."

However, I completely agree with her when she says that being happy is A LOT of work. You need to write gratitude lists, stop yourself when you're having self-destructive thoughts and accept everything that life throws you in order to think of solutions to the problem instead of the actual problem. I personally try to remind myself to stay positive several times every day. I know the option is to go down a spiral that is very difficult to come out of.

I thought the "Recovering Jerk" was super interesting because I used to be pretty obnoxious myself. I know I have the tendency to sometimes think I know better than others even though I know it is so far from the truth. Instead of what happened in the text, having a professor tell me that was the case, I was once thrown into a situation where every single person around me had come way, way, way further in life, and shared knowledge I had no idea was even out there.

That is when my "humble phase" began and I started to listen more than I spoke. I started to read more and truly question everything I thought I knew. I still have moments where I'm a little too eager to share my opinions and I try to remind myself to slow down, to not let my ego take over, and to remember that I would not know what I know if it wasn't for other people.

"Don't Complain, Just Work Harder" sort of reminded me of Rubin's chapter. At least when it comes to how to stay positive and not complain. By giving examples of people who saw the bright side of life, one must wonder how and why that is. Maybe they did count their blessings, and maybe they did try to focus on what's good in life instead of anything else.

In "The Lost art of Thank-You Notes," I was reminded of what my mentor once told me when I applied for an internship I really wanted. He said "Send a hand-written thank-you note and I can pretty much guarantee you'll get it." I don't know to this day if that's what made it happen but I got the internship, so I can't do anything but agree to this text...

"Show Gratitude" also reminded me of my mentor who would always say that the way I can pay him back is by becoming successful and promise to help others the way he helped me, a.k.a to pay it forward.

"Be a Communitarian" goes along the lines with what Rubin described in the assigned chapter for this week. She spoke about how by helping others, we become happier. They're talking about volunteering in this text and how it impacts our lives for the better: "...when we're connected to others, we become better people." I really believe that's true. In a way, we do it to feel better about ourselves, but at the same time, we're helping our community so it's a win-win.