Remember the craze several years
back when you were supposed to purge yourself of items that did not bring the
joy? It was a way of cleaning house so to speak. If it didn't bring you joy, you
got rid of it. If it did, you held on to it. I sort of believe in that,
although sometimes I look back and realize that I got rid of things that I
thought I no longer needed/wanted and later realized that I missed them. So I
guess that method is far from perfect.
But then again we (the human race...ALL
humans) are far from perfect. Our world is far from perfect. I mean, let's face
it we are living in a time and a place where finding joy is difficult. How
happy are we on a day by day basis? How
stressed are we every single day of our lives? We know continual stress is not healthy, but what
can we do about it?
Well most of us might like to you give
up our jobs, find the beach somewhere and just live being completely happy and
relaxed. Realistically for most of us, that's not going to happen. Even if you
win the lottery (I’m so bummed that I didn’t win a billion dollars last night) and
have tons of money, it's no guarantee that it will make you happy. As a matter
of fact, many people have said winning large amounts of money has not brought
them happiness but made their life more complicated! (I think I could find a
way to make my life happier I won millions of dollars but that hasn't happened,
yet…)
In the meantime, we need to try and
find joy in our lives. We need happiness. It is essential for our physical and
mental health. Or at least that's my opinion however I not a medical professional.
Please, as I have said before, don't take any medical advice for me. However, maybe what I said makes sense.
I spend much of my day, like many of
you working. It isn't always fun. It is frequently stressful. And there are
times when I feel I just can't take it. That's when I know I need to find some
way or something to bring back some calm and happiness into my life. What makes
me happy?
Well the obvious answer at the top
of the list is friends and family. So if I can I reach out to one or more of
those and try have a talk. Sometimes just having a good friend's voice can
really let you up. Yes it's even better if you can get together, maybe for a
cup of coffee or over glass of wine, but a conversation, email, or even a text can
bring you happiness. Whatever works, right?
Recently a friend and her family opened
a coffee house. It had been a project that she and her family have been working
on for what seemed like an eternity. Going there once a week, now that they are
officially open, and seeing everyone hard at work brings me joy. Their success makes me happy. Of course so
does the coffee.
Certain places or things can bring
you joy. I know Disneyworld or Disneyland is a happy place for many
people. It is for me too. But that isn't always an answer due to cost. Which is
why I try to find a place of joy nearby, like my backyard if I can. On days
that are not too rainy or too cold, I can simply walk outside into my garden.
It is a far from perfect yard but it does bring me joy. The goldfish that I
have in the pond are incredibly calming to watch. Swimming around and watching
them grow (and they do grow), definitely makes me happy.
Getting out and about can also bring
happiness (and is good for your health).
Most days when I get my butt out of bed I try to go for walk. The actual walk doesn’t necessarily bring me
joy, but I try to observe things that do. For example, I recently spotted a
brand new little library less than a mile from my house. (It hadn't been there
earlier in the week.) Just seeing this
little box filled with books for both adults and children made me happy.
I also try to explore new (to me) roads
and places when I am out walking. Seeking something new that can bring smile to
my face. Seeing the sunrise through the trees makes me happy and it gives me a
sense of peace. It's simple! Although I’ll admit sometimes I don't feel like
getting out of bed and going for a walk, but nine times out of 10 doing it
brings me happiness.
Finally I know I am very lucky! Our
house in the Poconos is not too far from a place that brings me the greatest
sense of calm and happiness. (That would be Skytop).
Just the other day in the midst of stress, I decided to take an end of day
break and drive up. Just going up the road
made me feel better. It wasn’t a
vacation, so I couldn’t take advantage of all the cool amenities that they have
to offer, but simply going and finding a place to sit on the South porch or even
the North porch made me breathe easier.
The views, in my opinion, are
breathtaking. And for some reason, this place more than anything else that I
can think of, brings me peace and happiness. We all need that.
The world today seems very cruel.
Our leaders seem angry. They don't give us hope. Sad it's the world we currently live in. It is
definitely is not a happy one. While we cannot ignore the cruelty and anger in
our world, we cannot let it take over us. Yes, we must work to do what we can
change it, but we cannot let it destroy us. As the saying goes, don't let the
bastards get you down. When it all seems too much, take a break, breathe, and find
your happiness wherever it might be.
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