I have a mantra; it is “Plan, Organize, Be Happy”. I started my mantra about two months ago, and I use it everyday.

The word plan refers to identifying projects and next actions on a to-do list. I have been doing David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology for about a year and a half. I am working on integrating GTD in both my work and personal life more fully.

I few years ago I found that the source of many of my negative feelings were the direct result of poor planning. My efforts at planning have given me a degree of personal control and confidence that is outstanding.

The word organize refers to organizing the physical objects in my immediate vicinity. I am amazed at how orderly my life becomes when I remember this simple idea. Organize means,

1. make my bed when I get up from sleeping
2. put my dishes and food away after I finish a meal
3. put my clothes in my closet immediately after they are finished in the washer/dryer
4. straighten up the bathroom after I brush my teeth
5. pick up the living room before I go to work

For me, living in an orderly environment reduces my chance of experiencing negative feelings. It simply makes me feel good.   

The phrase be happy is self-explanatory. Be happy refers to my constant striving to be sensitive to and reduce the incidence of negative feelings, and also create and amplify positive feelings.    

I encourage you to create your own mantra. Decide on a mantra that fits your needs and helps you to achieve your goals.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 26th, 2007 at 3:08 pm and is filed under Happiness. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.