Get Everything Done

http://www.markforster.net/blog/2006/9/17/feeling-good.html

Just read the above in DIT.

Anyone do this? If so, how often did you record your responses?

Any other tips would be helpful.

Hm, perhaps few have tried the above.

I've been tracking my time with RescueTime (for web use) and Eternity iPhone app. At the end of the week, I copy/paste both graphs next to each other to see how my week went. I find it mildly motivating. Mark's suggestion - monitoring your mood - is interesting, particularly if each log has an brief entry about what you're dong. I'm still not sure if "mood" or "time" is what I'm most interested in.

Actually, I've been doing this:
https://www.trackyourhappiness.org/people/5617
for the past two weeks. Very interesting.

Avrum, I don't do this but try to practice the 4:8 Principle (book by Tommy Newberry). What I WAS interested in was more information about Mark surviving a helicopter crash.

I agree Mel.

Mark - do tell!

Ur a therapist?

Here is what I track at the end of my day everyday:

Who and what did I harm or thoughtlessly take for granted.
What was I given or how I was supported.
What did I offer in return.

A time limit is imposed, the first question alone is never-ending. And I sometimes I simply take a single item or person and pose those questions around that.

"Happiness" is over-rated. I find the attachment to the vicissitudes of my moods and the attempt to cultivate a particular one seem pallid in light of the ridiculous generosity of the world around me no matter how little I offer in return.

Of course, the caveat for folks who are profoundly disordered or have been harmed, but even then this practice can be of benefit. Read an amazing account of a woman who after years of therapy attempting to come to terms with being raped, engaged in this practice and found a degree of serenity and compassion for even her attacker.

She allowed her written entries to be shared with others beginning their practice.

AF is helpful for this practice because it does give an account of some of my behaviors throughout the day in addition to helping me discern how to direct my energy.

In my experience, this kinda practice is of more benefit if shared regularly with another more experience doing.

Google says:

http://www.the48principle.com/

Norman - incredible that you'd take the time to answer a question I was NOT asking.

You're welcome. As you know, often the question that is unasked is often the most telling.

I'll mark you down under my "how I helped" column tonight.

BTW, I signed up for trackyourhappiness. Wish there had been iphones when I did my research!

I think Norman has two important points. Thinking about how you're feeling may have some benefit, but there is another approach.

1) Develop your ability to move beyond your feelings and don't let them hold you back. (Difficult skill, but invaluable to the extent you attain it.)
2) Instead of thinking "am I happy?", think about good things. Love, beauty, kindness, things that work well, friendship, success. While introspection may be helpful, this kind of reflection may be even more helpful.

One of my favorite quotes comes from an interview with Bob Dylan in the early 90's--

"Happiness is not on my list of priorities. I just deal with day-to-day things. If I’m happy, I’m
happy–and if I’m not, I don’t know the difference…"

Norman, not sure if you were addressing me or Avrum. I am a clinical psychologist not presently practicing. My philosophy is markedly different than most mainstream psychologists, however.

Avrum, it was irony. Any other irony I could add would lost, since he is no longer among us.