Do you ever stop and wonder, what am I doing with my life?
Or, I wish I was less self-conscious, more confident, more ambitious?
Do you ever want to change a part of your life that just isn’t doing it for you anymore?
Do you want to build up your defences so you can take on the world prepared?
I had been asking myself these questions for a few months. But for much longer it’s been in the back of my head.
For almost 10 years now my depression has clouded everything I do. It’s affected my mood, my academic achievements, my social skills, my relationships, and in the end it showed me my passion.
But it’s time I stepped out of the shadow of my illness and start moving forward.
There are many happiness-esque projects out there. And there are many self-improvement projects too. However, there aren’t many that combine the two together. There are even less that do it from the perspective of a mental illness.
A couple of months ago I read Gretchen Ruben’s The Happiness Project. Guided by 12 commandments, she took on a theme per month for one year to improve her happiness. But Ruben acknowledged that for her project she didn’t factor in mental illness. What about those of us who have to work a lot harder to change our way of thinking? And what about those of us whose default mode is set at sadness? As much as I wanted to follow Ruben’s model for happiness, it didn’t work for me.
So I decided to start my own. – The Romeo Project.
For the next 10 months I’m attempting to re-design my life, guided by a series of resolutions for the year. Happiness by design gives back control of my own emotions to me.
And when better than at a period of change and uncertainty? In 10 months’ time there’s a strong possibility that my life will look decidedly different – what I’m doing, where I’m living. But with The Rome Project, I want to feel different too – stronger, more resilient, better emotional intelligence and better able to cope with the changes that come with being in your early twenties.
So I’m reading every self-help book so you don’t have to, taking on what works for me and ditching what doesn’t. I’ll be showcasing my tried and tested methods all in an effort to drag myself out of the shadow of my depression and think about moving forward in life.
In a few days I’ll be posting my resolutions for the New Year online, and The Romeo Project can truly begin. Hope you stick around for the journey!
