March Happiness Update + April's Challenge
In 2019, I'm trying one new habit per month that A) promise to increase my happiness levels and B) costs little to nothing.
In January, I used my phone less.
(Definitely will keep doing this.)
In February, I tried a gratitude journal.
(This was not a keeper of a habit for me. One month was enough!)
In March, I did a photo-a-day challenge.
I compiled all 30 of my photos on one page, so if you'd like to peruse them, click right here.
I really had fun with this, and I think I will do another 30 days of prompts this month.
I think it would be more fun if I could share the photos as I take them, but I'm not sure how I want to do that.
Instagram posts? A page on my blog? I dunno, and if you have opinions, feel free to share them.
April Challenge: Get outside every day.
This idea popped up a lot on lists of happiness-inducing activities, and I thought April might be a good month to give this a try.
If we have a very showery April, I might not get out there every day.
So maybe I should say that for April, I will try to get outside, weather-permitting. 😉
A walk, reading on the deck or the hammock, eating lunch on the deck, doing yard work, making a fire in our fire pit...anything that gets me out of doors will count.
Here's hoping for a dry April.
Great idea. With our winter approaching I need to make sure I get outdoors. Living in subtropical Australia means I avoid the sun. Despite doing this I have had melanoma. But I Vitamin D deficient. So I should do this too.
Depending on the temp, a walk in the rain (and not a torrent) can be quite calming and grounding... especially if you have the proper rain gear! I am a big believer in getting outside, even for 10-15 min, just to dis-connect with electronics and re-connect with nature. Not sure about happiness, but definitely more peaceful.
I think you should just make your goal to go outside every day no matter what, because the weather can too easily become an excuse. And if you get wet?You'll be fine. 🙂
(I'm not advocating for you spending 8 hours outside in a hurricane - but sometimes perfect can be the enemy of good enough because people wait and wait for better weather rather than just getting out there and enjoying whatever is going on.)
Ok, well, I promise I will consider going out even if the weather is not ideal. I don't mind cold, but I have to say that if it's cold and rainy, I am quite inclined to stay inside!
The Scandinavians say there is no bad weather, only bad clothing, and I agree. Although I won't spend hours in the rain, I do like to venture out for a walk and try to at least get fresh air. I find the sound of rain calming, (there is a cool app for that called Rainy Mood.). If it's also a chilly day I might take a shorter walk and splurge on hot soup or cocoa at a favorite restaurant or plan to have it waiting at home. Sunshine is great, but even just the fresh air and exercise lifts my mood, (doesn't hurt to snuggle under a big umbrella with my husband either!)
Oh man. This is one where I would fail miserably. Don't get me wrong, I love being outside, going for a walk, exploring nature with my daughter...but only when it's nice out. Cold? Wet? Nah (if you remember SpongeBob singing his ode to indoors, that's pretty much me). But I'll happily live vicariously through you until the weather here is pleasant enough! 🙂
Your April challenge is a great way to welcome in spring weather. Also, you 30 day photo challenge looks wonderful! I also gave it a try for March, but have not yet completed it. I am telling myself that I do not need to do it in 30 consecutive days!
Love seeing the photos! I especially liked the fruit still-life and the one taken from a balcony (bokeh?)
Going outside has definitely been very therapeutic for me through the years, often combining with taking photos or exercising 🙂
Funny enough, the mood boost is always greater in poor weather when I feel like just staying inside. In nice weather my mood is boosted as it is, whereas in bad weather it feels like a victory to go outside and finding beautiful in the ugly has a greater net benefit, if it makes sense.
Hmm, that's so interesting!
When I was a kid, one of my delights was walking with my umbrella in a rain shower . I used to walk around the yard barefoot and wade through the puddles as the rain poured down. Granted, it had to be warm for that part to be pleasant! And I wasn't allowed to do that if we had lightning.
Now I'm all grown up, but we have a covered porch, and I still like to go out in the rainy weather and rock on the porch while I listen to the rain. If the rain sets in, I might take reading material with me. My dear late grandmother was afraid of rainstorms, so my mother (her daughter) made sure to teach us kids to love the sound of rain and enjoy the rolling thunder and bright streaks of lightning. She had us see who could be first to hear the thunder or see the flashes. She called rainy weather "good sleeping weather." Yessss.
I get outside everyday because I have to go to my car to drive to work and back, plus I check our work mail and the mail at home, and both boxes are a short walk away from the building/house. Still, to intentionally get outside, just to enjoy it, is different. I'd like to try that, too. Before long it will be too hot to want to stay outside, so this month sounds like the right one to go for it. Good idea!
That's a good idea! I'm doing something similar myself; I'm making myself explore my "new" city--I've lived here for a year and a half, but I hardly know the city. I marked out a bunch of free attractions and events on my calendar and map, and every weekend I'm trying to do at least one event.
Loooove this one! I try to get out multiple times a day so I can get my rays in (it's essential to our physical and mental health!). Even a 5-minute walk around the yard does wonders. 🙂
I think I will try this as a goal for myself !! Everything you read says that getting outside more is something everyone should do 🙂
I'd love to see your daily prompt photos as part of your daily posts.....maybe sort of like your sign off? I so enjoy your blog.....one of the few non-quilting blogs I follow 🙂
I'd love to see your photos on IG! And it just takes one quick minute to post!
Canadian here: we say "no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing". My story: I didn't like winter for a long time, and then I decided to be friends with it, so I became a winter cyclist. Bought the wear, gritted my teeth and after being cold the first few minutes, I warm up, the cold air, the crunch of the snow or the fresh rain would be so refreshing.
So I highly recommend getting the gear, some rubber boots (I'm a fan of BOGGS, for all purpose rain, snow, etc.), a good coat, and become friends with the rain.
Also, I lived in England for 2 years. Learned to just live with the rain, we'd go for walks in the countryside and find a semi-shaded spot to our lunch, yep, in the rain; have swigs of warm tea of hot chocolate from the thermos, then go in for some soup. The beginning often felt like a slog, but it was so nourishing to not be afraid of getting wet, but making part of the experience.
also, recommend!
I'm with you Carla!
I live in Washington state in the winter and southeast Alaska in the summer. If I don't go out when it rains I never get outside. Shoes are the biggest thing and I always like having dry socks. So if I'm hiking I like to have an extra pair of socks in the car. Putting on dry socks is a little luxury.
I vote for instagram for your photo a day. Just add a hash tag so you can search for it.
^^This!^^
A specific hashtag would help people be able to enjoy all the pictures from your challenge without them getting lost in their feed.
I would also add that you could easily embed your pictures from Instagram into your blog without much fuss if you wanted.
Yay for going outside every day! I gave myself this challenge over the winter because I hate winter and I have 3 littles that need to go OUT! It wasn't perfect (somedays I counted walking from the house to the van 😉 ), but I would say it helped me feel brighter.
There's something about fresh air and being in creation that is so good for the soul.
Please do your photos on Instagram! even if it’s jist in stories. I love your photos! My goal for April is to walk a mile every day, or more, walking at least 35 miles for the month. It’s a small goal but I want to build some consistency and it want to be outside! so far I’m at 10 miles and it’s only the 5th!