Create A Happy FIle

I am one of those girls that always tries to keep the focus on the good things in life and I tend to not dwell on the negative. Have I had bad things happen to me? You bet, but I have chosen to not have them be a part of my story. I like to focus the things that make me smile. To help me do this, I have what I call a happy file. It is a physical file that I have in my filing cabinet. I also have a virtual file on my computer where I put kind words that were told to me in emails or on Facebook. Recent things placed in it were a birthday card from my parents where the words just spoke to my heart. I have also placed email clippings from a friend telling me that I can do whatever I set my mind to. These things make me smile. These memories make me happy. In a world full of the 24/7 news cycle of bad news I need a place to take refuge from all of the doom and gloom. I often wonder what would happen if the world started to focus on the positive and not the negative?

I have now created a happy file for each member of my family and put it in the filing cabinet in my desk. What I put in it are things that make me smile about that person. For my kids, it could be a kind word from a teacher or a friend. For me, it could be notes that I have received from clients and friends. For my husband, it could contain his yearly reviews at work.

When I was discussing this concept with a friend, she has a virtual Happy File on her computer where she puts emails that made her laugh. So when she is having a tough day at work, she goes into her Happy File and finds that video clip of that silly thing that made her laugh.

When working with clients this is a file that I have each of them create. When I bring the idea up to them it brings an instant smile to their face. We all need instant smiles!

I have created a board on Pinterest called “Things that make me laugh”. I go here for things that bring me instant happiness.

My challenge to you would be to create a Happy File for yourself and your immediate family or even coworkers this week. What would happen if we all started to shift our focus to the positive in our lives? Who wants to join me and see what a difference focusing on the happy can do?

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity. She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at http://www.mssimplicity.com/

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