Happiness

My mother once told me I was a glutton for happiness. I grinned stupidly and said in a louder voice than necessary “ Why YES I AM!”

And why would you not be. Is happiness, true chest filling, eye tearing, dancing on the spot happiness not a great indicator that we are on the right path for ourselves, or doing things right for the moment? That we are open enough in our minds to receive a certain amount of Joy?

Wouldn’t we all want to strive to have more and more happiness within every day? To be aware enough to feel it in our cells, let it shine from our eyes, and to share it so others could feel surrounded by happiness as well!

Happiness is defined as a mental state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.

A variety of philosophical, religious, psychological and biological approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources. But happiness is different for everyone, and stems from unique reasons within each person.

We are our own complicated universe, with our own definite history and story.

I challenge you to take the time, to write down a huge list of all the things that make you happy (with no judgments). From a really great cup of coffee, to first flowers in the spring, to going to a really good concert. Whatever brings you joy. Write it down. On that list will be things that may not be great for you but put them down anyway.

The second part to this challenge, is how you can make small changes each day to bring those healthy happy things into it. And allow for some of the “others”- heck we are all human. Try to carve out time in your week to add the second tier of those things, the things that perhaps you cannot fit in daily but once a week. a month, or once a year. Make a commitment to strive to have those things in your life. FOR YOU and no one else. Happiness begins within the self.

You are worthy.