#myjoyproject2016

#myjoyproject2016 Day 1.  Running is hard, but it brings me joy, as does participating in local races.

Last year I successfully posted a picture each day on Instagram with the hashtag #daily4c2015 which chronicled our family's year one picture and one day at a time.

Sometimes they were pictures of me, sometimes of the kids, the dogs were in there, and my students were in there as well.

I enjoyed the process of documenting a photo once a day.  (Honestly, I was surprised and impressed that I kept up with the project!)

This year, I didn't want to do a repeat of daily4c, but I still wanted to post some sort of daily photo.  I tossed around ideas in my head, most having to do with fitness.  At first I thought I might start a run streak that I could document.  But I know myself well enough to know that there just isn't any way I'd run every.single.day.  It's not really even a goal I have at the moment.  I like the idea of a run streak but not the living out of a run streak.

Then I thought I'd just stick to a fitness related photo each day.  I figured I could commit to something fitness related each day.  But again, I didn't really have a passion for the idea.

That's when I did some thinking about how I want to live this next year.  I kept thinking of wanting to lead a joy filled life.  I began last year by surrounding myself with only items that bring me joy.  Why not extend that into an Instagram project?

And that's what I've done.

I tend to go through phases of depression, and I'm hoping that finding the joy in everyday life will help me to pull out of those depression moments to see the beauty and grace of life.  I think we could all use a little joy!

*Morning edit.  This is going to sound completely crazy...especially after reading the above paragraphs, but I don't want to do a daily Instagram photo this year.  I'm only on day two of trying to figure out a joyful picture to post, and it is already making me itchy!  Posting our daily family photo was fun.  I truly enjoyed doing it 99% of the time.  I'm just not feeling the same excitement about this project as I was about the daily4c photo last year.

I think part of the reason is that I don't want to be tied to social media quite as much this year.  Don't get me wrong...I love my facebook and Instagram, but I don't want to feel obligated to post something each day.

I'm still going to take a daily photo documenting our lives, but I'll just post them here each Saturday for my own purposes.  I know that already screws up one of my resolutions, but I am also going to practice mercy for myself!  It is perfectly okay to change your mind about something.  I'm just taking this goal in a different direction!