One of the first blogs I ever discovered was Gala Darling’s, which at the time was still called Icing. I was hooked immediately with her mantra of radical self love, confidence and savviness, and most of all, her weekly Things I Love Thursday gratitude lists. Some of my very first “blog posts” were my own Things I Love Thursday lists, as I aimed to make a point of jotting down a few things each week that put a smile on my face, rather than using journaling as a form of ranting. By putting a positive spin on events and taking the time to be thankful for all of the good happening around me, I found myself to be happier in general and more mindful and optimistic during the week.

I had been writing my own weekly TiLT gratitude lists when I heard of a book – The How of Happiness – which reinforced the habit I had already set in motion. The book itself was the first time that I actively sat down and thought about my own happiness, and realized how much my attitude affected everything that I did. Just thinking about things differently made a world of difference.

When I heard about Happify, I knew I had to try it out! I think I do a pretty good job of making conscious efforts to think positively on a day-to-day basis, and aside from a few recent stressful events, I’ve come a long way in my personal dealings with turning stress into something constructive. Every now and then, though, I need a reminder. A reminder to be thankful on all days, not just Thursdays. A reminder that some things are indeed out of my control and that’s just the way the cookie crumbles – move on. A reminder that I have indeed accomplished so much to be proud of already. For me, Happify isn’t as nicely articulated as a blog post, per say, but rather a more informal daily reminder that I have to choose to be happy – happiness doesn’t just passively happen to people.

You first take a little quiz to evaluate your current state of mind and happiness level. This quiz also allows you to zero in and select a track based on your preferences – I started in the “Managing Stress” track since I’m prone to stressing over everything. You’re then presented with a series of activities that you work through, such as gratitude lists and turning the negative into a positive, unlocking more with each activity you complete. There’s lots of reflecting and recording your thoughts, and I’ve just been doing it more journal-y/stream of conscious style. There’s even a pretty awesome community that provides great support, and you can help cheer people on as they reflect on their own goals.

I’ve noticed myself really enjoying the time to be mindful and reflect on my own progress and happiness. There are lots of little things – from remembering not to take things personally, taking a moment out of a busy day to meditate, and give myself a pat on the back for some pretty cool achievements in life – that deserve recognition, and I’m so glad that I’ve got Happify to give me that reminder and make me more conscious of my own state of mind.

I’ve got one remaining Happify invite left, if you’d like to try it out. Just comment and let me know!

EDIT: First of all, you guys are the greatest! Happify was so excited about everyone’s interest in the site that they are in the process of hooking My Life as a Teacup readers up with a special invite code – you all will be able to try it out! As soon as I get the details, I’ll post them here, so keep your eyes on this spot!

EDIT EDIT: Here you go, folks! Just click the Happify logo below and you should be able to set up your own account 🙂 Enjoy!

What’s your perspective on happiness? Is it something that you actively try to create or stay mindful of? How do you stay positive?