Are you excited for a new calendar from Action for Happiness? I am! This month is Optimistic October based on Direction: Have Goals to Look Forward To:

“Feeling good about the future is important for our happiness. We all need goals to motivate us and these need to be challenging enough to excite us, but also achievable. If we try to attempt the impossible this brings unnecessary stress.

“Choosing ambitious but realistic goals gives our lives direction and brings a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when we achieve them.”

I’ve blogged often (in length) on the importance of making goals and using them to change habits. Changing and improving is necessary to happiness. What would be the point if our lives were static, if nothing changed? It would be horrible and dull and depressing. If you feel like your life is static, that the monotony is sucking you down, then make a goal—even a small one—and work toward it.

Start out by writing down your most important goals, and then pick one and work your way to happiness.

Choose Joy.

—A