Creatively Attitudinous

I'm back after a long hiatus, during which I completed 2/3 of the first draft of my new novel, planned a reading for my Save Your Life Writing students, had very fine holidays and took a brief vacation. As well as maintaining my sanity and happiness. Hope you've done the same.
So, on this my first day back blogging and ranting to promote happiness, I'd like to concentrate on two things: Creativity and Attitude. And how they affect happiness in general.
First, creativity. I'll illustrate with an example. I've been staying with my mum quite a bit, and nearly every week we have the same argument. She wants me to accompany her to the Polish Catholic church I was raised up in. I don't particularly want to go. Not because I object to church as a general rule, but because the deacon who most times officiates I consider to be small-minded and negative. I end up grinding my teeth and muttering under my breath, and get a bruise from mum nudging me with her elbow. I leave aggravated and unhappy, which doesn't seem to be the purpose of church. But if I don't go, it makes mum very unhappy, indeed. About a week ago, I had a brainstorm, which did not involve a) killing the deacon, b) being in Canada every Sunday, or c) breaking my leg so I'd have an excuse not to go. I suggested we go to the Polish mass. It worked a charm. I got the comfort of hearing the language of my childhood (my parents would always argue in Polish), without understanding any of it to make me crazy. I just said my own little prayers and contemplated the pretty altar. And it made mum happy. The priest seemed OK, too. He even took out a guitar at one point and regaled us with Polish folk songs. Very cool. So in coming up (finally) with a creative solution to a problem for once, I managed to enrich my own life, and make my mum happy.
Now for attitude. Again, I'll illustrate with an example. I've considered myself a writer for, oh, the past ten years. I write books. I teach creative writing classes. But before NaNoWriMo, I didn't WRITE like a writer. I lolligagged and procrastinated. I wrote when I was 'inspired.' Which was still pretty frequently, or I would not have even completed novel #1. But all the same, I didn't write every day. I didn't take my writing seriously enough to make the commitment. But I did in November, with the knowledge that loads of other people were taking their writing seriously, too. And it felt so good, I've continued trying to write every day, at least 500-1000 words, and I've been more or less succeeding. I FEEL more like a writer. My writing is the better for it. So I am incredibly happy I was motivated to change my attitude.
So,for the exercise of the day, the first of the New Year, I'd suggest you take a look at where in your life you can be more creative and also what attitude you might want to change about yourself. Maybe your husband wants you to go bird-watching with him. You hate bird-watching as you can never see the birds. But you like x-country skiing. Tell him you'll go on a birding ski. That way, you both get something out of it. For the attitude piece, maybe you want to write poetry(or learn belly-dancing, or grow up). Tell yourself you can do it. Psyche yourself up. Find friends to do it with you. Dare to be Creatively Attitudinous. Write it, draw it, envision yourself doing it. Then work at it, truly. You will feel better, about everything, I promise.