An experiment in happiness.

You’ve heard it said “treat others as you would want to be treated,” or as Jesus originally said, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Imagine what it would look like if today you truly lived this with purpose. If, even in moments of frustration and adversity (especially in the face of adversity), you embraced this idea and chose do it? Think about it for a moment. Seriously, before clicking away and scrolling casually through random posts on your Facebook timeline, take a few seconds and consider how doing this could change the course of your day…or someone else’s day. Not returning tit for tat, but regardless of the circumstance, consider making a choice to purposefully act toward someone in ways that you personally would want to be treated.

Try it. Return to it. Practice it. Write it on your hand if you need to. And, better yet, make it a point to live this out to the best of your ability for this one week.

It’s often said, “Mondays suck.” I’m telling you they don’t have to. Mondays suck because you ALLOW them to suck. Or maybe you even CAUSE them to suck. Take the energy you would otherwise pour into to that bleak outlook, and redirect it toward purposefully going out of your way to be kind—even if you don’t feel like it; even if at first you have to almost fake it. Say something nice to someone; give an encouraging word; let someone step in front of you in the grocery line (even if you have a full cart); be kind. Do it with purpose and without expectation of anything in return.

Experiment. For herein lies the catalyst that brings about happiness and begins a powerful, life-changing chain reaction.