There are so many people out there who are making career changes later in life, just like me. Anyone who’s done this knows what a scary thing this is to leave a career—especially one you’ve been successful at—and move towards one that pulls at your heart but is also very uncertain. You don’t know how its going to evolve or end. Over the past few months I’ve been reading books by author Chris Guillebeau. His books explore topics like finding the work you are meant to do, setting goals, living a life that doesn’t conform to society, and giving back to people in need. It’s encouraging to read stories about others who are forging their own way into the unknown so they can find happiness and joy in what they do.

This could easily branch into many different conversations…Why take risks? How to handle fear? How do you figure out what you are meant to do?  But today, I’ll focus simply on how to set a goal that will make you happier.
I am a very busy person…I work a lot. It makes me happy to check things off my list. In the past, my list dictated my day, and while this gave me some satisfaction, I also felt defeated for the things I couldn’t finish each day. One tip Chris mentioned in his book, The Art of Non-Conformity, was to write down what your perfect day would look like in detail. Within this perfect day you should include things that you love doing, but rarely have time to do, as well as the things you have to do.

5 am I get up, drink coffee on the porch, 5:15 check email, 5:30 read, 6:00 walk my dogs, etc…You get the picture. (Tip: If you want to get up at 5 am, you have to get to bed really early! Trust me on this one!) Even “work” makes the list because believe it or not, work does make us happy. It provides a sense of accomplishment and its something that most of us need to do because we have to pay the bills. There are things that I want to do during the day—things that make me happy—that I often don’t do because I don’t have time for them. For example, I’ve got an awesome porch off my master bedroom that I love but rarely use. I dream of sitting out there drinking coffee. In fact, that’s one of the things I said to my husband when we toured the house almost six years ago…We could have coffee out here!  So, drinking coffee on the porch makes my list. I started taking guitar lessons back when I turned 40, but I haven’t played in 4 years…I want to make time for that in my day again.
I put this detailed list on my phone so I could have access to it at all times. It serves as a reminder that I need to fit in the little things that make me happy, even if its just for 10-15 minutes during the day. What I’ve noticed is that on the days that I do try to follow this list, I am happier at the end of the day.  On the other hand, when I allow my day to either waste away doing things that don’t matter or getting swept up in the busy part of life and not making time for the little things, I’m more stressed.
So, here’s your challenge. Make a detailed list of what your perfect day would be. Fit in the things that make the day “perfect” for you, even if its just for 10 minutes, schedule it in. Try to follow that list for a few days and see if it makes you happier. And then, let me know in the comments section what it does for you. Here’s to making our day a little more happier!