The winter blues have set in. The holidays are behind us, the weather has been gloomy and gray, and nasty January germs are rampant. One of my favorite ways to brighten up my day is to reach into my Happy Jar and remember something that put a smile on my face.
What’s a Happy Jar? It’s a place to collect reminders of happy moments — maybe something fun that happened or a major accomplishment or milestone or something that you’re looking forward to. You write your happy moment on a little slip of paper, put it in the jar and that’s all there is to it. Then when you need a little dose of cheer, you can pull out a few slips and savor some happy memories.
It’s super-easy to make a Happy Jar. Use any jar you have handy and decorate it if you like. I like to keep some pens and paper slips next to the jar so it’s easy for everyone in my family to share happy thoughts quickly and often. The key is to put it somewhere visible and accessible so it encourages lots of happy sharing. We have ours on a chest in the kitchen, and it’s so intriguing that even friends and visitors have added happy moments to our jar.
Here are 8 great reasons to make a Happy Jar:
1. It reminds you to focus on happy, positive stuff — and focusing on happy, positive stuff lifts your spirits.
2. It’s something that all family members can do. Even little ones can draw a picture of something that makes them happy.
3. It’s a great way to count and remember your blessings.
4. It gives you a way to capture the small things that brighten your day.
5. It reinforces gratitude — and an attitude of gratitude can increase happiness levels by 25%!
6. It gives you a place to share and savor joy with your family.
7. It reminds you of what makes you and your family members happy.
8. It’s 100% fun, no stress, totally optional, quick — and who can resist a big jar of sweetness that has zero calories?
So what are you waiting for? Get yours going today!