Alex Shalman.comPractical Personal Development

I was born and raised in Canby, Oregon. As was my father before me. As was his father before him. After high school, I spent four years at nearby Willamette University, where I earned a psychology degree (and a minor in English lit). At Willamette, I met the remarkable Kris Gates. We were married soon after graduation. Against all odds, Kris got a job teaching chemistry and physics at Canby High School, so we moved back to my hometown and I went to work for the family business, a box factory. Four years ago we found our dream house, so we packed up and moved closer to Portland. I now live in said dream house with a spectacularly intelligent wife and three troublesome cats.

In 2004, I became frustrated with my ever-increasing debt. I began to read books about personal finance. In the spring of 2005, I shared what I’d learned with the readers of my personal blog. This article was a hit, being linked from all over the web. I decided that maybe I should write more about this, so in April 2006, I started Get Rich Slowly. That site now earns enough to support me, so I’ve quit my job at the box factory to write full-time. I’m now preparing the proposal for my first book!

LINKS:

What do you mean by “some things for me to link to that you’re working on”? Here are some of the best articles from GRS:

• Free at Last! Saying Goodbye To 20 Years of Debt
• Quiting The Day Job: Finding The Guys To Pursue Your Dreams
• The Power of Yes: Simple Way To Get More Out of Life
• The Worst Job I Ever Had

Here’s my other active project:

Get Fit Slowly — http://www.getfitslowly.com

1. How do you define happiness?

Wow. That’s a tough question, one that people have been wrestling with for millennia! The Wikipedia confirms the difficulties in defining the concept. If pressed, I would say it’s a state of well-being and self-fulfillment. Largely, however, I believe it’s self-defined. Happiness varies from person to person.
For me, happiness is freedom to do as I please. It’s freedom from worry, freedom to choose, freedom to learn. It’s the pursuit of quality.

2. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your happiness now, versus when you were a child?

This, too, is difficult to answer. My memories of childhood are rosy. My wife always scolds me for being too nostalgic of my youth, but I really did have a great time. Things weren’t perfect, but for the most part I thrived in the nurturing atmosphere I was given. I’d say that as a child, I was a 9 on the happiness scale. But the things that made me happy then would not necessarily make me happy now.
Now, at this point in life, I’m also happy. I’m discontented with certain aspects (my fitness, for example), but I actively struve to change these things. I’d say I’m an 8 now, though there’s potential of higher ratings in the future. (A few years ago, I was only a 5 or a 6.)

3. What do you do on a daily basis that brings you happiness? (and how consistent is the feeling of happiness throughout your day)

This question is easy to answer.

Writing brings me happiness. Helping others brings me happiness. Doing quality work brings me happiness. Spending time with friends brings me happiness. New experiences bring me happiness. Essentially, pursuing activities that improve my life or the lives of others makes me happy, and on a consistent basis.

The most obvious example is maintaining my blog, Get Rich Slowly. By writing about my own experiences with personal finance, and by helping others improve their own situations, I derive great joy. I’m also happy because I’m writing, I’m learning new things, and I’m interacting with other people via comments and e-mail.

4. What things take away from your happiness? What can be done to lessen their impact or remove them from your life?

The blog doesn’t always make me happy, though. I allow myself to fret over certain aspects. I’m slavish to a schedule. I’m an obsessive editor. Sometimes I get writer’s block. All of these things can lead to unhappiness. But all of these things pass quickly, too. I can generally shake this feeling of discontent by doing something completely unrelated — mowing the lawn, watching a soccer game, roller-skating with friends.

Other things that affect my general happiness: conflict with a friend or family member, doing a task at which I feel unqualified or incompetent, strict schedules and timelines, and any situation in which my freedom to choose for myself is removed.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but by working for 15 years at a job I hated, I was undermining my happiness and success. It was like my happiness dial could only go to 5. That was it. My ability to enjoy life was constantly hindered by staying in a job that did not challenge me, did not engage me, and did not fulfill me. Now that I’m moving away from this job, my happiness dial goes to 8!

5. What do you plan on doing in the future that will bring you even more happiness?

Another great question. I’m quitting my day job to write full-time. This is a dream come true. I’ve been testing this idea by taking a day off every week. So far, it’s a resounding success. I plan to write a book, which I also believe will bring more happiness. I’m going to learn to play the piano. I’m going to spend more time with my wife. I’m going to travel. But mostly, I’m going to do more of the same.

Life is a blast. Though I go through rocky patches (just like anyone), I’m happy just to be alive.

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To get more info about what the Happiness Project is and isn’t, please visit the Introduction Post. To see a running list of all participants, which I will be updating as things happen, please visit the Happiness Project Page.

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