As I begin my happiness project, I read Gretchen Rubin's blog about "act how you want to feel", and I began to think about my daughter, Lily. Each morning when she wakes up, I go to check her in her crib and she greets me with a huge smile. And it doesnt matter how tired and cranky I am, I always greet her with a big smile back and an even bigger "good morning! Are we ready to go to to school??!!Did you have good dreams??!!" And our morning begins. Somehow, I am no longer cranky (ok, maybe a bit tired), but my state of mind from a few minutes earlier-wanting to push the snooze button- not wanting to get up and start our daily routine-the same routine every single day-has changed. And so I ask myself, how can I harness that feeling-greeting each day with a refreshed, excited, happy-self every morning? (And if I do that, what affect will it have on others that I interact with all day? Will my interactions be better? happier?) Lily is greeting each day with the attitude that I envy. And in turn, she is changing me. This has become my first resolution for myself. It seems so simple. Smile, each and every morning.

And so, today, I begin my project.