Finding Meaning, Joy, and Happiness
Finding Meaning Joy and Happiness (FMJH) Project Logs
Part One
Name: _____________________________ Section Time: ________________________
A. Personal Values: Reflect on what you value and how those values guide your daily choices. For example, your core values might include constructs such as
Religion, Education, or Family.
My Core Values: How Exactly Does This Value Guide Your Choices:
1
2
3
B. Fitness Log: Practice fitness for a minimum of 30 minutes, 3 times a week, for 3 weeks. Complete the log chronicling the activities you chose and be specific.
Be sure to vary your fitness experiences—in other words, doing cardio for each activity is not acceptable.
Date: Week 1- Activities: (Type of activity, what exactly did you do) Time Spent:
Date: Week 2- Activities: (Type of activity, what exactly did you do) Time Spent:
Date: Week 3- Activities: (Type of activity, what exactly did you do) Time Spent:
C. Eating Log: Keep a detailed log for 3 days, of everything you consume including: beverages, alcohol, snacks, candy, meals, gum, cigarettes, vitamins, etc.
Record the quantity of food you eat. Be as absolutely specific as you can—for example, we would like for you to actually list whether you had one, two, or three scopes
of ice cream. Reflect on whether you feel the food choices are healthy and nutritious.
What you Ate: How Much:
Day 1 Breakfast:
Lunch:
Dinner:
Misc.:
Day 2 Breakfast:
Lunch:
Dinner:
Misc.:
Day 3 Breakfast:
Lunch:
Dinner:
Misc.:
D. Sleep Log: Experience the benefits of sleeping seven to eight hours a night for 3 days in a row. Like the “unplugged” exercise, be sure to PREPARE for this so
that you are not trying to do it during a three-day stretch where you have two papers due. Record your experience on the sleep log.
Day: Exact Number of Hours
you Slept:
How did you feel? What was it like?
1
2
3
E. Genetics / Risk Taking: Have a discussion with members of your family to identify 3 risk factors associated with your genetic history for illnesses/health
problems (e.g., Type II Diabetes, Prostate Cancer) and then comment on ways that you can help reduce this risk. Then, identify and reflect on 3 of your current risk
behaviors (e.g., drinking too much alcohol, drug and cigarette use, poor diet, etc.) that, if continued, may negatively affect your health, and then record what you
can do to reduce your risk.
3 Genetic Risk Factors That Run In Your Family: What Can You Do To Help Reduce Your Risk:
1
2
3
3 Personal Risk Behaviors: What You Can Do To Reduce Your Risk:
1
2
3
Finding Meaning Joy and Happiness (FMJH) Project Logs
Part Two
Name: _____________________________ Section Time: _____________________
A. Coping Strategies: Identify and record three coping strategies that you currently practice during stress or hardships and discuss how they typically work for
you; these strategies can be considered positive, negative, or neutral. For example, does eating large quantities of sugar when you are stressed help you feel more in
control of the situation, or does it simply leave you feeling bloated and/or sorry for yourself? Then, develop and implement three new (and different) healthy coping
strategies, drawing from lectures and readings.
Current Coping Strategies (What do you do: How does this coping strategy work for you? What does putting it into motion actually do for you?
1
2
3
New / Healthy Coping Strategies: How is this new coping strategy working for you?
1
2
3
B. Positive/Optimistic Thinking: Think of any negative thoughts you have about yourself, others, and a circumstance. For example, you might always put yourself
down for not being thin enough, or smart enough (negative self though) or you see your current financial situation as unbearable (negative thought about circumstance).
How might you think about these differently or more optimistically? List three negative thinking patterns (self, others, circumstance) and how you might reframe those
thoughts to think more optimistically.
Negative Thought: How I might think about this more optimistically?
1 Self:
2 Others:
3 Circumstance:
C. “Unplug” yourself for 24 hours! Use no electronic equipment for 24 hours. No cell phone; no iPods; no video games; no computers or Internet; no Facebook; no
TV. You can, however, use electricity, and various other household mechanisms required for daily living. The point of this exercise is to “disconnect” from social
media and the greater technological world. Reflect on how you felt and how you used your time. Please be specific. NOTE: PLAN this exercise around your schedule to
minimize any significant disruption. In other words, don’t attempt this on a day where you have to be on email to communicate with group members for a project that is
coming due.
Conversation Patterns:
Ways to Improve Your Communication:
1
2
3
D. Communication: Have three in-depth (15-30 minute) conversations with friends, family, or someone you trust. While in conversation, notice your non-verbal
(e.g., eye contact, body movements, etc.) and verbal communication patterns (e.g., frequently interrupt, talk rapidly, etc.). Write a description of these
communication patterns (NOTE: Do not report the content of the conversation, but rather your non-verbal and verbal communication patterns.)
E. Trust: First, list three people you know you can talk to and what types of challenges each one is best at helping with (e.g. relationships, school, work,
etc.). Then, list three people who confide in you and the types of challenges you typically help them with. Be specific when noting the types of challenges—said
differently, do not simply write “relationships,” but rather flesh out what it is about relationships that you help them with. Please use first names only.
Someone You Confide In: Type of Challenge She/He is Best at Helping You With:
1
2
3
Someone who Confides in You: Type of Challenge you are Best at Helping With:
1
2
3
Friend’s Name:
(First name only)
What was significant about the conversation? What did you learn or experience?
1
2
3
4
F. Socializing: Many of us spend a great deal of time in social situations with family and/or friends. Strengthen two of your old friendships (i.e., someone you
have lost communication with) by either making a phone call to them, or by having an in-person conversation with them. Also, attempt to make two new friends by
initiating a conversation with someone who is in one of your classes, or who lives in your dorm, or who works at your job. Write only the first name of the person and
describe what was significant about the conversation. What did you learn or experience?
G. Gratitude/Kindness: What are you grateful for? What brings a moment of Happiness or Joy into your life in any given day? For three days, list three different
things per day that you are grateful for. Also, be aware of, and practice, random acts of kindness with the intention of improving someone else’s day! For three days,
list three different random acts of kindness you performed each day.
Day: Things In My Life I Am Grateful For: (Be specific—simply saying “life” is not sufficient)
Day 1:1
1:2
1:3
Day 2:1
2:2
2:3
Day 3:1
3:2
3:3
Day: Random Acts of Kindness: (Be specific—simply saying “held open door for someone” is not sufficient)
Day 1:1
1:2
1:3
Day 2:1
2:2
2:3
Day 3:1
3:2
3:3
Finding Meaning, Joy, and Happiness (FMJH) Project Instructions
The focus of this project is to expose students to research-based strategies that have been shown to improve health and overall well-being. This project will be
comprised of Three parts: 1. FMJH Logs Part One, 2.FMJH Logs Part Two, AND 3. The FMJH paper. It is imperative that students complete all of the logs (parts one and
two) BEFORE beginning the paper portion of the project. Both the logs and written paper will be submitted via eLearning, in the appropriate drop-box. Below is a
breakdown of BOTH parts:
• FMJH Logs Parts 1 & 2 (150 Points; 75 points each set)
1) Go to E-Learning and download the documents that are entitled “FMJH Logs Part One” & “FMJH Logs Part Two,” to your computer. Save the logs to your computer so that
you can type your responses at a later time.
2) Complete each activity of the FMJH Project and record your responses in the logs. Pay close attention to the individual descriptions for each activity.
3) Be sure to allow for enough time to complete these logs, as many of them require multiple-day observations over a period of several weeks.
4) Reflect on your experiences as you complete the logs; think critically about the activities and consider what you learn about yourself during the process.
• FMJH Project Paper (100 Points)
1) Papers must be a minimum of three (3) full pages and a maximum of five (5) full pages, typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and submitted
in the appropriate drop-box in eLearning.
3) Within this paper, be certain to offer several examples from your own life and address the following four domains:
** Discuss at least two activities from the logs that you found most interesting or helpful, and explain why. We are looking for you to elaborate on your experiences
and give details from your own life that support your statements.
** Discuss what activities were most difficult, and why. Again, be sure to elaborate with examples from your experiences and your own life.
** How might the incorporation of some of these activities and strategies benefit you as a student, an employee, and in your relationships with others? Elaborate on
all of these areas!
** Discuss a specific log within the project that you feel needs improvement within your own life, why you would like to change this particular area in your life, and
discuss the steps that you will take in making these changes.
