I found this picture on a lovely Tumblr called 'Peace - That Was The Other Name For Home'.
What a beautiful name, and such a lovely phrase and sentiment (the name of the Tumblr, that is).
The quote in the picture is interesting too..... I'm not sure I've been able to make happiness a way of life... it eludes me sometimes (maybe more than sometimes). But I think we need to know sadness, grief, and all the wide range of emotions to really know and feel what happiness is when we do experience it.
I do think I'm far better now than ever before at finding happiness in small things, simple occurrences, and single moments.
I don't need to feel blissed out, bounding with wild joy, or jumping with excitement (as much as those feelings are magnificent when they do happen), to feel steady happiness and contentment.
Reading a favourite book whilst curled up in my favourite chair and sipping a cup of tea is enough to make me feel happy and carefree.
Maybe in its own way that does mean I've made happiness sort of a way of life..... because I accept that it doesn't have to be HUGE, and I accept that not everything is going to be great, but I also know in the end.... it will all be OK.
Rather than chasing happiness and getting anxious if I'm not feeling it, I let it flow around me as it wishes, with the knowledge that if I stay as positive as I can no matter what life throws at me, do my best, and I let myself feel whatever I need to whenever I need to... it's always waiting there for me.
Hmmmmmm, rambling away late on a Friday night. I think it's time for bed. (Actually, it's nearly 1 am on Sat morning - definitely time for sleep!)
Happy weekend everyone!
Linda. xox
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Happiness is a decision. You get up in the morning and you decide that the one you're about to face will be another happy day. It's not always easy, but it's possible. If I have had a bad day despite my decision, I try to do something to at least end the day in a wonderful way: I watch my favorite movie eating my favorite food (pizza!!!), I listen to music and dance, I do yoga...whatever I feel like at the moment. It's important to 'win' at the end of the day. I have to go to bed and be able to say at least 'not a bad day'.
ReplyDeletehave a great weekend Linda!!
bobbi
Ohhh yes, you are in Australia. Women have ebbs and flows that feel like happiness and unhappiness, I've decided after years of *research* (term used loosely). Then there is joy...an entirely different thing. Hope you had a good night's rest :)
ReplyDeleteI love the sign in that picture. Love the sentiment! I think happiness is to some extent a choice (since I struggle with depression, I know it's not always just a matter of deciding to be happy). I definitely agree that focusing on the positive is way more productive than choosing to always see the negative in life. Who wants to live feeling that way all the time?
ReplyDeleteLovely thought provoking post Linda and you've got me thinking about what makes me happy and I have to say it's just the tiny simple things like sunshine, picking roses and photographing them, going for a walk with my dog, listening to the birds sing - nothing big or expensive, just being in tune with nature is really important for me... also my creativity is important too, and my blog - it's my own little creative escape.
ReplyDeletexMichelle
Hi Linda!
ReplyDeleteInteresting post - agree otoally with the sentiments you and MD interiors say about it being the simple little things that make me feel content, happy and at peace - when I was younger, it was the opposite - i was bored and frustrated at what appeared to be everyday mundane things, and craved excitement and doing things and being places, but as you get older you realise that you cant live like that everyday, that those sort of highs make for great memories but are not the answer to everyday contentment.
Gradually I sought and found contentment in the simpler things and in following my heart in how I spent my time - but it took me a while to learn this lesson!
hope you have a contented and happy weekend!
Gill
Great, thought-provoking post Linda.
ReplyDeleteI think staying as positive as we can regardless of the situations we find ourselves in, is definitely a great goal to aim for.
I don't think I appreciate happiness as much as I should, but I most definitely agree that to know happiness is to know all the other emotional elements of life that we encounter.
I hope you had a wonderful weekend Linda, filled with plenty of restful sleep ... and of course, happy moments!! :D
This was such a perfect post for me right now...seeing as I have just started MY Happiness Project, inspired on Gretchen Rubin's book "The Happiness Project".
ReplyDeleteYour sentiments were absolutely spot on though and so eloquent (writing late at night works for you!). I'm not looking to be jumping for joy every day because of how happy I am, but I want to work on living fully in the present and doing some things to help increase my level of happiness and contentment.
Thanks again for a beautiful message :)
I just stumbled upon your blog, and I'm so loving the way you've put together beauty and inspiration with words and photos.
ReplyDeleteyes, i think happiness is just kind of choosing the glass to be half full...
ReplyDelete