The Happiness Challenge

In my office, we are reading a book called The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. As a self-proclaimed pessimist, I really enjoy the book because it helps you figure out how to reprogram your brain to be more positive. The author cites a good bit of research that helps the reader understand all of the harmful physical side effects that negativity brings and then provides more anecdotes about how helpful positivity and happiness can be in leading a healthier life.

My binder for the challenge!

While reading the book, my supervisor decided to pose a positivity challenge to our staff. For 14 days we have to try to be more conscious of positive actions and do things to help improve our happiness and positivity in life. He created a worksheet for us to track our positivity and happiness habits that gives us a written form of accountability, in addition to being paired with another staff member for the challenge. Every day we fill out a worksheet that reminds us to meditate for 5 minutes, write down something we are looking forward to, commit 5 conscious acts of kindness, use our signature strengths, exercise, and remind ourselves of 3 good things in our lives. Every day!

I will be the first to admit that this has been a very difficult challenge...especially in the conscious acts of kindness area. We've been at it almost a week and I don't think I've had more than 3 in one day and some of those three were really a stretch.

Today's gospel reading put conscious acts of kindness into perspective for me. The reading was from Matthew 25: 31-46,

Me & Liv - embracing the positivity & kindness challenge

the parable of the sheep and the goats. In this parable, Jesus compares people and their actions to a shepherd who separates sheep from goats. Those who feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the ill, visit the imprisoned, etc. will have eternal life and those who fail to do these things will face eternal punishment.

Why? "Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me."

God is in every person. It doesn't matter if they are needy, sick, imprisoned or whatever. God created us and therefore He is in us. Because God is in each of us, we are called to treat one another the way we would treat God. Love and kindness should be the root of every act we do and word we say.

Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me ~Matthew 25:40

Pax,
Kay