My Peace Project

Today is January 10 and I am still trying to figure out my personal plan for 2012.  I guess resolution planning should be thought about BEFORE the new year in order to execute well.  But I guess I get too caught up in the whole January 1st thing instead of really planning out some good, attainable goals.  If I really cared to improve myself, it shouldn't matter when I plan to execute, but more that I execute.  I guess that's why it seems that so many people fail within the first few weeks of the new year.  They are more caught up in the "when" instead of the "why".  But I don't like when people say that they don't believe in New Years Resolutions and that their reasoning is that they are blown within the first two weeks of the year.  Ok.  So don't start on January 1, then, start on March19, or June 7 or whenever, it doesn't really matter!

I have been reading a book called "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin that I am really enjoying.  It's a sort-of self-help, non-fiction book, but I am really liking her delivery and how she has broken down her goals.  She has also set some commandments to live by that I really like that are really things I think would help me personally.  They are mainly things that would help her live more peacefully and also make it easier to attain her goals.  Some of them are:

Do what ought to be done
Do it now
Lighten Up
Identify the problem
Act the way I want to feel
Let it go
Be polite and be fair
Enjoy the process

Then she made another list which are her "Secrets of Adulthood".  Which are funny-but-true discoveries that she actually wrote down that help her just be happier:

People don't notice your mistakes as much as you think
It's okay to ask for help
It's important to be nice to everyone
Bring a sweater
By doing a little bit each day, you can get a lot accomplished

are just a few.  I really like the premise of this and she executes her goals in 12 month bites.  I like the idea of this approach in order to really master the goal.  Making a list of 10 or 12 things that I want to accomplish gets a bit overwhelming if you're looking at making all the changes all at once.  But taking one thing at a time not only seems more attainable, but it seems that the focus can be more intense on that particular thing.

Anyway, I am starting my own "project"not because I don't feel happiness, but because I want to feel more peace.  Maybe I should call it my "Peace Project"!  I'll report as I get things laid out. But I'm sure there will be some serious organization in the works!  What do you think?  How do you execute your resolutions or goals?  I'm open to anything!