Launching Project Smile

As I get older I realize that there are certain Alicia quirks that are unchangeable as hard as I may fight them.

I love fall. It is by far my favorite season. I love the changing colors, the crisp leaves, sipping on soups and cider, digging out my cute scarves and hats, the chill in the air…

Unfortunately it also represents the end of summer and the beginning of school and homework and schedules and routines- none of which are my fav. And although I love so much about it, it is one of the shortest seasons followed by snowy, dark days. And in Iowa there are LOTS of them.

Some experience S.A.D. typically in the winter months, but for me it hits the end of Aug/beginning of Sept just like clockwork. It’s hard to articulate, but it is as if my body subconsciously knows what is coming.

This year I have been racking my brain trying to think of something that may help with this transition. Last year I had my project 365 which kept me focused on finding the beauty around me. And although I am still working on a modified project 365, it is not the same in terms of commitment.

I need a new focus. A new goal.

That is how Project Smile was born.

We all have wonderful things in our lives everyday. Things that typically are overlooked and often forgotten when negative thoughts creep in and set up shop.

So, to combat this I am going to be focusing on finding my smile.

It doesn’t even have to be an outward smile. Anything that gives you a warm fuzzy or makes you feel happy or content. Even for just a moment.

This week’s list includes: a mini butterfinger bar and a cold glass of milk, a tan wooly bugger that crossed my path, seeing a tractor crossing sign on my running trail, meeting a new goal, enjoying perfect weather, my daughter’s excitement about a painted lady butterfly, and little man's winning goal.

Nothing mind blowing or life altering. No fireworks. Just moments that make me smile.

I will be sharing my smiles at the end of every month and I would like to extend an invitation for you to play along.

You may not be plagued by S.A.D., but everyone can benefit from focusing on the sweet moments that bring a smile.

Please join me on my quest.

I’ll be posting the last day of every month starting in September.

Here’s a button you can use if you want to play along.

Photobucket


(You'll have to grab it on the sidebar. Or save it as an image.)

Together we can make the world just a little brighter, one smile at a time.

59 comments

  1. Oh Lish, what an awesome idea! And I love the button....makes ME smile!

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  2. Wonderful idea! Thanks for inviting us to share in some blog fun. =)

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  3. Alicia I love it. After I moved from Cali to Ohio I struggled with SAD (I hadn't even heard of it until I moved) and still do during the winter months of no blue skies, green grass or bright sunshine.

    So, I'm going to join you! I've added it to iCal so I don't forget :)

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  4. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful idea/plan with us!! I suffer from SAD pretty badly & this just may help me make it through with a smile on my face. So I will totally be placing the badge on my page & participating! Thanks again :)

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  5. I will join you in project smile and allowing my smile to penetrate all the deep and dark places that need some sunshine. Thanks for sharing your idea!

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  6. Great idea :) I am happy to be apart of your wonderful idea :)

    Growing up in the U.P. of Michigan I remember the SAD, my grandma always says, "If the sun is shining you have nothing to be sad about."

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  7. lovely idea! I have always livd in sunny climates- so I have never experienced SAD. but I can imagine I would get it pretty bad, considering too many days of "june gloom" brings me down...

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  8. What a wonderful idea! I too get sad when winter comes.
    We must really think alike because my post today was about giving smiles!! :)

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  9. I love it! Living in Alaska, I definitely know what you're talking about too... It's the worst, that sinking of the mood that inevitably comes as the sun starts to fade away here.

    I think I need a project too! :)

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  10. What a lovely idea! Count me in!! I'll be back soon to get the sidebar image :)

    Linds

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  11. this is a very sweet idea!

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  12. Great idea! I'd love to play along ;). I always get kinda sad when it's back to school and back to the routine -- hard to adjust to after a whole summer off! So I could use a more positive focus!!

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  13. Lish, I used to get S.A.D. when I lived up North but ever since I moved to Florida (12 years ago)it slowly went away. It's amazing what the Sunshine State can do for you. Maybe you should move to Florida also! :) But this is an awesome idea and I'll join in the fun with you!

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  14. What a sweet idea. My husband and I are definitely affected by the lack of sunlight and gray Seattle days all winter long. We are thinking that we'll have to plan a snowbird's escape to the dessert when we can't take it anymore. Hopefully Project Smile will help me last a little longer :)

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  15. This is such a great idea! I think we all need a little reminder to find the smiles and happiness in life. I can't wait to see what made you smile this month and to share what made me smile too! Thanks for coming up with this. :-)

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  16. I love this idea and I'm trying to think of how we could make this a group thing maybe...sharing it on lots of blogs...what do you think? I can't wait to see your first list though I have to say I can wait a long time for the end of September.

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  17. I suffer through S.A.D too, although mine is in the winter as I am a sunny day kind of person (grew up in the other side of the world where it's sunny year round)so I can relate. Keeping track of the little things that lift our spirits is a great way to keep the blues away. Great idea bloggy friend!

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  18. What a great idea! I grew up in South Dakota, and I clearly remember dreading the arrival of winter each year. Now we live in Colorado with warmer winters and 300 days of sunshine a year. What a difference that makes! I’m definitely in – LOVE focusing on smiles!

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  19. Hi! I'm Ty!
    What a FUN project...count me in!!!
    And if you are ever in need of a little giggle in the inbetween stop by!

    www/tysadventures.wordpress.com

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  20. Oh, absolutely, and you are right.

    The fall season is hard on me: I become quite depressed. Very depressed. It signals time passing, a summer over, my children older, me older..life going by.

    Oh, see how depressed I'm getting? It begins with the first leaf I see fall to the ground.

    All this to say, I"M IN!!

    How do you think of these wonderful, clever, loving things?

    I am so jealous of your creativeness. I wish I were like that. I really do....

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  21. I´m in, as well! What a great idea, I loath every day that´s getting darker. I´d love to include your button on my blog, but it doesn´t work, so... I only need to find out how to fix this. But I can start smiling, anyway :-)

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  22. awesome idea...love it! This time of year often puts me in the dumps as well.

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  23. Great idea! I'd like to share something that just made me smile ... walking with my niece and my dog to the pet store to choose pet treats.

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  24. I love it! Winter is always hard for me to get through even though I am fortunate enough not to get snow. I look forward to linking up! Hope your weekend has been a good one!

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  25. A million thanks for this. Mine sets in earlier. I've already spent too much time under the SAD lamp. My vit D intake is huge and helps too. It's good to find a place to share our good days to help us all get through.

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  26. Good on ya! I APPLAUD you for choosing to search for the beauty, the joy, the smiles. I just read a quote the other day saying...
    "the majority of people are far too willing to count the reasons they're miserable and far too unwilling to look for reasons to be happy"

    You've chosen to not be the norm...and it's a VERY good thing :) I'm with you on this smile revolution..count me in!!

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  27. What an awesome idea! I will definitely play along! And I LOVE your button! Are we doing this the last weekend of each month?

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  28. Sorry ... I tend to speed read! Last day of the month works for me though I may need a nudge some months! :)

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  29. Great idea! I hope I can keep up a list for an entire month, but I'll try!

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  30. What a GREAT idea! It's so easy for me to become bogged down with what is stressful and annoying about my looonnnggg word weeks starting in the fall, but this will remind me to take notes of all the happys!

    Great GREAT idea!

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  31. This sounds like something I need to do! And not just at this time of year. lol I tend to focus on the negative and things that stress me out rather than noticing the little things that bring a smile to my face!

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  32. Great idea! Thanks for inviting me to participate in Project Smile :) I look forward to it!

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  33. Fun! I totally have SAD which is why I am so blessed to be in TX where it lasts a few days at a time a few weeks of the year...THAT is why 110 degree heat in the summer is worth it!

    I can't wait to see what you are doing.

    I am thinking about how to join in...

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  34. I like that Idea. We are heading into spring/summer so S.A.D. won't be the issue here for me, BUT I can always do with some extra focusing on the happy things in life. You can be sure I will play along come the end of September
    *smile*
    xx

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  35. This is an awesome idea and I will definitely be joining in on the smiles! Please check out my blog and you just might see it! http://leahainla.blogspot.com/

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  36. Great idea, I smile every time I visit your place. :)

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  37. Wonderful idea, I am so in!

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  38. I will definitely join in to Project Smile!

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  39. think i need to join along - the more i read your blog the more it hits home

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  40. This is such a great idea - definitely planning to join in!

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  41. That is a great idea! The button is super cute too! I'm definitely thinking about joining Project Smile! =]

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  42. Love it! I'm in! I think I'll keep track of one thing everyday of the month that makes me happy and then do one post at the end of the month...a month's full of happy things that I can look back on when I'm blue!

    I'm also including this in my favorite posts of the week on Saturday :)

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  43. LOVE this idea. So So So awesome.

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  44. What a fantastic idea! I am totally going to join in!

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  45. I love this idea. The older I get, the more I recognize the training I received as a kid to look for the negative. I think it may be sort of a "local" trait, actually. Kind of like life isn't going to get better so why bother. I really try to fight it, but I get caught up too. I think it's great to try to find the positive in life.

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  46. I am all about finding & embracing the little things in life that make me smile (love sharing them on my blog)!! I find the smaller things are easier to swallow, easier to fully absorb, easier to embrace and hold on to...from a butterfly flitting by to the sunlight dancing on a spider's web that stretches from the deck to the hydrangea that I can see if I look over my shoulder to oh my, two butterflies dancing (I'm looking out back as I type this) to a cat stretching the tips of her paws out for just a touch of sunshine to listening to an old favorite song. I'd love to join you in adding to the smiles of the world! :>:>

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  47. This idea is right up my alley. I always try to embrace the positive, as much as possible. It's not to say I don't have my down days, but I try to keep everything in a positive perspective. I actually blogged about this not too long ago:
    http://a-lifetime-of-definingmoments.blogspot.com/2010/06/keeping-it-all-in-perspective.html

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  48. I am very excited to see the first posts go up for Project Smile!

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  49. Count me in!! Grabbing the button!

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  50. i want to join and I love the idea... please email me a little bit more.. when it's due and if you are linking up etc. great idea.. and I love fall too...

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  51. Ooh, such a great idea! This really cheered me up, I just love people who smile a lot, and now we get to create smiling food! How do I join this project and when's the posting date?

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  52. I am SO doing this for October... a notoriously bad month for me. It will be good to stop and think about what makes me happy. Great idea!!

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  53. very cool! so happy to have found your site!

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  54. I'm in! I also suffer when there is less sun!!

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  55. This is a wonderful idea. I'm a little late in joining, but better late than never. I don't really suffer from S.A.D. but my sister does. I will have to let her know about this as well. I may not suffer from S.A.D. but I do suffer from T.M.K.S.I.S.H syndrome (Too many kids stuck in small house) and could use a bunch of smiles too. I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

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  56. Hello from a fellow Iowan :) I moved to Iowa from Indonesia about a decade ago. As you'd probably know, Indonesia is a tropical country and we don't have any other season but Rainy/Dry season :) Could you email me back about this project, when it's starting and how to join? Thanks!

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  57. I live project smile everyday! I'll definitely bring this to my blog, too. What a great idea!

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  58. wow. i love this idea! love love love. and you launched it on my birthday so i figured I'd say hello. (me waving hello)
    and that happy cereal bowl is just awesome! : )

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