Tag: happiness

From Good to Great

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My daughter’s mini lecture before leaving the house for the day. “I want you to eat something of sustenance, and that doesn’t mean chocolate and gummi vitamins.” All those years of mothering are paying off where she is now mothering me! I’m diggin’ it.

I did pretty well with scrambled farm fresh eggs, by adding some shredded gouda and thyme. Along with slices of everything bread toasted and cut into toast points to hold some fig jam. It was delicious and I took this photo as proof that I ate something good.

I like a little bit of egg with my thyme.

This only added to an already great day.

Because everyday we wake up to a new day is pretty great, right? I’ll let you in on a little secret. It’s drives my friends crazy how happy I am. When they ask, “How are you?”, the answer is always, “I’m doing great!” Even if I’m not feeling especially perky, or there’s trouble brewing ahead, it’s always the same response…”Great!” My daughter knows I’m carrying the weight of the world on my shoulder’s when she asks, “How are you?”, and I say. “Okay…”

I don’t know about you but ‘okay’ is unacceptable in my mind, and I’ve been blessed with a very good life, but what about better than good? I’ve been saying ‘great’ for so long now, and to a lot of people the life I live is great, but what does great really look like? This year I want to step outside the knowing of what’s ‘good’, and go for the ‘great.’

We can be mindful of our day, and take note of how to make adjustments for a better tomorrow. Each day a little bit better than the last sounds like a solid path for this life to emerge over time from good to great.

Protect Your Happy

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Sitting in the corner of the room at my desk, I raised my weary head and asked, “Is it time for chocolate cold brew yet?” She said, “Heck yeah!”, and disappeared into the kitchen. My attitude was instantly uplifted.

Stumptowm Chocolate Cold Brew

This new email platform for work is eating my breakfast, lunch and dinner, but you know what? I’m gonna win.

There’s no other option for me personally.

I don’t even think about defeat, or worry that it’s too much to absorb and learn. Every hour or so, I leave my corner and walk around the house to clear my mind and refocus. Sometimes I read something positive to reinforce my outlook. It’s important what you take in because that is what you’re going to hand out to people around you.

I posted this meme on Facebook this week and it had mixed views. Some have been taking in sadness for so long, it’s rubbed off on them and become a part of who they are.

You have to be careful with sad if you want to remain happy. I’ve followed some pretty sad Bloggers in the past, and I had to unfollow them. I can make a note of their Blogsite to check on them down the road, but I cannot read sad throughout the day and remain true to who I am. Barb is happy and wants to stay that way.

There was a saying used years ago that stuck with me. “Fake it till you make it.” No matter how I was feeling, if someone asked, “How are you?”, I’d respond, “I’m doing great!” It took years of saying ‘great’, to actually believe life is great, but every time I said it out loud, it became more ingrained until it became my first choice.

I respond in the same manner today, but I usually receive a skeptical look, or that ‘you must be crazy’ look. It’s like it’s unusual to be in a good place. If they continue to prod deeper about my upbeat attitude, I confuse them even more when I say, “Because, I’m happy.”

A friend once told me, “It’s okay to grieve and you’ll feel sad, but don’t unpack your bag and set up camp.”

Once you find your happy be willing to fiercely protect it from outside influences. Sad can overtake happy, quickly and easily. Protect your happy.

The Water Bottle

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She drove to the store to pick up a few things. I had written ‘Hydrangeas’ on the list, but she spotted daffodils and instinctively knew which to buy.

Daffodils are displayed on the table.

I have this thing about pretty water.

When I see a pretty bottle of water, I purchase a couple. One for her room, even though she’s not normally here, and the other one rests on my bedside table.

I call it my ‘weekend’ water bottle.

weekendwater

Today, as my daughter was leaving for the store I said, “If you see any pretty water bottles at the store, grab us a couple.”

When she returned home, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the water bottles she had chosen. I think she outdid mine.

But, you know? I can’t help but feel like something really good happened here. She knows what a pretty water bottle is, and she knows what to look for.

waterbottlebay

This shade of emerald green sparkles from across the room as the light hits it.

She’s on her way to a beautiful, adult life my darling. Even with the water bottle.

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Because I’m Happy

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There’s no more Christmas decor on the coffee bar. I took it down and packed it away yesterday. The Christmas tree is still standing. Not quite ready to give up the ambiance of the tree. It gives the room a cozy glow.

There’s not a lot of rules in my life.

I bought flowers today for no reason.

I don’t need a reason. Did I put off packing away the decor? No lovely, I was still enjoying it, until I wasn’t, and that’s when it was time to pack it away.

My daughter is concerned the tree may still be standing in June. It won’t last that long, but it’s still drinking water, so it looks good. It brings me joy, until it doesn’t and I’ll let it go.

My first thought was how bare the coffee bar looks without the decorations, but then I saw one of my favorite signs.

happy

When I saw it, I wondered if people had to look for reasons to be happy? Are they spending more time looking at reasons not to be happy? Some people are more comfortable not being happy. They’ve been unhappy for so long it feels normal, and they don’t know how to feel any other way.

Focus on what’s wrong, or find what’s right.

There doesn’t have to be a reason. It’s a choice. When my mind begins looking for reasons to be happy I simply respond, because I’m happy.

It Was Time

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“Do you want a new Christmas stocking?”, she asked. I hadn’t thought about it till that moment.

secret

I haven’t had a new Christmas stocking since the divorce. The one I brought with me is laying in a box of unused Christmas items. These items that at one time, we enjoyed having, but they no longer resonate. That was my stocking.

Letting go of what you once were makes room for the new.

stocking

My new Christmas stocking is completely different than the other one. This is how my daughter sees me today. She knew before I did that it was time.

Because It’s Fun

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Life is supposed to be fun.

It took years for me to realize this and the only thing that kept it from being fun was me.

Someone said they appreciated my optimism. I forgot there is a word that describes my outlook. Optimistic. It goes far beyond that my darling. I see everything in a positive light. When something negative occurs, I wait for the positive outcome, because it always comes.

As long as I let it be and don’t try to fix it.

I want to spend this last month of the year feeling all of the accumulated happiness of 2019. It wants to be released and enjoyed.

yarnball

I made a giant ball of yarn for under the tree.

My daughter loves it. It began with a picture on Pinterest, as so many fun things do! The Christmas tree had Vintage toys around it. This ball is for a cat, but I figured out how to make it. (We don’t own a cat) It softens the seriousness of life and makes us laugh.

Life isn’t as serious as the mind makes it out to be.

Make yourself laugh.

Spend time with those who make you feel loved.

Because it’s fun.