There are, of course, the cliche answers such as take time for myself, live in the moment, get my priorities straight, exercise more, tell corny jokes…you get the idea.  But since I hate cliche answers, I kept thinking. 

Then there was the Vitamin Water moment yesterday.  I love Vitamin Water, but it’s much more expensive than normal water, and I usually can’t justify having it (unless it’s onsale at Costco and the Costco fairy delivers a case).  So was the case (pun intended) twice over the past couple months so I’ve been living the high life.  It occurred to me as I was driving down the road yesterday, savoring my Vitamin Water, that I may have to just start splurging for little things like Vitamin Water for the huge pay off of happiness.

So my answer could be, “Buy myself Vitamin Water.”  Nope, too shallow.  I kept thinking.

I realized that happy seems to be a shallow, fleeting emotion by my definition anyway.  I am happy or unhappy on and off hundreds of times a day.  I would like to think perhaps the question was getting more at a general state so I began to think, ”How do you plan to create joy and contentedness for yourself in 2012?”

Mmmm…much deeper.  Service.  I want to take the focus off of me, myself, and I (and my family) and be intentional about regularly going outside of our comfort zones to serve others.  This will also require us to simplify.  In order to have time to give away, we need to pare down on how much maintenance our lives need.  This may mean giving away material things, clearing our schedule, and lowering perfectionistic expectations.  So that’s the plan for 2012.

How do you plan to create happiness (or joy or contentedness) for yourself in 2012?

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