I attended the TRIBE conference a few months ago and one of the speakers, Alli Worthington I believe, spoke about happiness and defining what happiness looks like to us. I would say that I’m, generally, a happy person, but traditionally unhappy when thinking about where I am in life. This is a running theme though out my life.
Some of this unhappiness comes from lingering bouts of depression, but even when things seem good, I’m not happy about it. I have a habit of sabotaging my now happiness. Why? Good question. So, to mitigate some of this unhappiness, I’m on a journey to define what happiness looks like to me so I can make the things that make me happy more of a priority in my life.
I’m going to share with you my lists that range from daily to yearly. I’m trying to create an actionable list of things that make me happy so I can plan them into my life. If I do not intentionally plan happiness into my life, it’s not just going to happen and no one is going to do it for me.
Moving forward, these lists can be changed and will probably change in the years to come. Happiness looks differently to everyone, so you be you.
Daily
Read a chapter of a book, article, etc.
Good conversation with my wife
Do worthwhile work
Create beneficial content on either my blog, on my Youtube channel or podcast.
Eat a good breakfast.
Write down good ideas
Create think time.
Listen to good music.
Weekly
Walk/Exercise
Sit down dinner with my wife and or kids (if they are around, they’re grown)
Youtube Q and A on Thursdays
Text my kids and check on them. Be available.
Participate in the Body of Christ through service and worship
Catch up on at least one good show/series on Netflix.
Support my family financially through various opportunities.
Go out for a game night with friends
Monthly
Date night with my wife
Coaching calls with youth pastors wanting to succeed in ministry and life.
Go to the movies
Catch up with my kids though calls.
Flip items from thrift stores (hobby)
Cook a meal for Kim.
Speak at a youth group.
Speak at a church.
Quarterly
Get out of town with my wife.
Have a youth ministry workshop in town.
Learn something new (a game, a craft like calligraphy, etc.)
Self-publish a book through my local printers.
Yearly
Go to a concert
Go to a comic book/sci-fi convention
speak at a youth ministry conference
Family vacation
Every five years
Serve internationally
This is just the start of my list, it will fluctuate and change as the seasons go by, but there will always be core things that will make me happy and I’m going to try to keep them high on my list.
How about you? What makes you happy? Have you made a Happiness List? Let me know, in the comments, if this helped you clarify what you need to be happy.