Happiness That Doesn't Cost a Thing

We've known for a while that those who spent money on others are happier than those who spend money on themselves, but do you really need to donate money in order to get your happiness return? And what about those who are also short on time? If you've ever been a college student, you know that it's entirely possible to be both broke on time and money- but don't fret! Here are a few quick and easy ways to get your happiness boost!

1) Donate your hair! Yes, it's a bit of a sacrifice to lose 10"-12" of it, but let's face it, your cut could use a little bit of edge, and it's a great way to give. Organizations like Locks of Love and Wigs for Kids are happy to have donations of untreated hair, and many salons offer free haircuts for those who donate! I've donated in the past, and there's nothing like knowing you're giving a child the gift of confidence. 

2) Donate blood! It's not the most pleasant thing in the world, but if you or a loved one has ever been hospitalized, you know that it is incredibly necessary and can truly be the difference between life or death. Not to mention, the people that work for the Red Cross are some of the nicest that you will ever come across, and even give you cookies and juice for your kindness! If you're eligible, I urge to try donating sometime this month! 

3) Contribute your writing to More Love Letters, a group that sends lots of cheer in the form of love letters to the strangers who need it! You can add your voice to the others, start your own efforts in your city, or request a bundle of love letters for someone in your life who is going through a hard time. Either way, it's bound to bring some happiness! 

4) Use your professional skills! My favorite site for this is Catchafire where you can donate your skills to a cause you believe in while building your own portfolio or resume. Many of these projects can be completed remotely and are for a very good cause!

Please leave a comment if you've tried any of these, or have some great ideas to add!!!!

Resolved, that....

It's easy to scorn the idea of New Year's Resolutions, but I think there's a certain bravery in examining your past year and setting goals that there's no guarantee you will achieve. Maybe there's something you've always dreamed of doing, that you've never made a priority, or maybe there are some current habits that you'd like to see disappear. I hope that this year you have the fortitude to tackle your challenges head on, and create the world that you've imagined.

Whatever your resolutions may be, I encourage you to write them down and display them somewhere prominently. It could be on Facebook, a blog, your cubicle, or your refrigerator, but I think that this is a crucial element to your own success. First, it increases the level of your own accountability to your goals, and secondly it shares your priorities with others. If your goal is to fit in some physical activity every night after dinner and you never communicate this to the rest of your family, be assured that they will not know that this is a priority, and they may inadvertently derail you from your efforts. Posting your goals will help your friends, colleagues and loved ones be your ally in accomplishing them- your bravery may even inspire them to join you!

For the purposes of my own accountability, I would like to share my goals for 2012 with you!

My theme for work and school this year is: "Promise less and deliver more." 

I am, and have always been a "yes" girl. I take on too much, and have been chronically over-committed for years. This helped to lead to a very diverse resume in high school, but also lead to tons of stress and some poor grades in my undergraduate career. When you're over-committed it's easy to forget to take care of yourself and the relationships that matter most to you- I can tell you from experience that if  you're over-committed you're also far more likely to show up late to just about everything. I've worried for years about hurting people's feelings by saying no, but honestly there's nothing worse than saying you'll do something and not honoring your commitment. So this year, I'm focusing on only doing the things that I truly love, and having the discipline to always follow through.

My theme for my personal life is : "Self-renewal." 

If you're familiar with the Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, self-renewal is the 7th Habit, and the one that I think I could use the most work on. According to Stephen Covey, "Sharpening the Saw" is essential to achieving a balanced, sustainable, and long-term effective lifestyle. He specifically singles out the importance of diet and exercise, for physical renewal, so I want to focus on both items for 2013.  I will achieve this by maintaining a food and fitness journal, and make conscious efforts to try new things each week. This could mean trying new foods, walking a different way to work or class, trying a new running workout, or taking my rock climbing to new heights (a perpetual fear that I'm working to overcome). In an effort to incorporate spiritual renewal, I will also keep a journal called "One Good Deed a Day" and complete a good deed each day whenever possible. I believe that both of these will also help me be more disciplined in my everyday life, and discipline is something that I often struggle with. I also will make every effort to spend more time outdoors whenever possible (hiking, biking, climbing, camping, running, etc). I do realize that I am not perfect, but I think these three items are in my best interest, and could lead to a really great new year.

Lastly, I resolve to spend more time at the Jean Madeline Aveda Institute (home of the $16 haircut and equally inexpensive spa pedicure) to give myself a little pampering when needed.

How do you plan to leave yourself (and the world) a little better in 2013? I would love to hear your own goals for the upcoming year!