Happiness Rocks

"Forget your troubles come on get happy..."

     I've been happy and I've been sad and the fact is: happy beats hell out of sad.

     I know that sounds obvious.  Who wouldn't choose happiness when given the option?  But, the sad truth is, most of us miss the opportunity at times.

     We focus on the one person who didn't like us at the party, instead of all the great people we met and enjoyed.  We think about the one thing our loved ones are doing that really torques us off, instead of the hundreds of things they do that we appreciate.  We think about the new appliance, car, or leather jacket we can't afford, instead of the roof over our head and the food in the refrigerator.  We think of the boring afternoon at work, instead of that book we read that thrilled us, the happy news a friend told us, or a sunrise so pretty it gave us goosebumps.  

     We are trained to focus on problems.  We think we're searching out the problems so that we can fix them.  But, really, when we start looking for problems what we tend to see...is more problems.  

     The reason I know focusing on problems doesn't work is because I've tried it.  I mean I have really done exhaustive research.  I focused on my problems at the expense of all else.  If 'Beating a Dead Horse' was an Olympic event I could have easily taken the gold. (And then talked on and on about how difficult the competition was.)  I really thought that I could get to the bottom of a problem if I tried hard enough.  I could figure it out.  I, eventually, learned that talking about problems, dissecting problems, and reading books about the problems got me nowhere.

     I finally had to let it go and move on.  

     I heard an interview with Marianne Williamson a few years ago that changed my approach to life.  I've never found the interview again so this is a very imperfect quote.  She said something to the effect of:
     I used to read all of these books about the plight of mankind-about hunger and disease and 

     oppression.  I kept these books out on my shelves and I looked sad so that people would know 

     that I'd read them.  I thought I had to be sad to understand the suffering of others.  But, (and this 

     is the part that changed everything for me), that was before I learned how transformative joy    

     is.

     I love this!

     There was a time when I thought that happy people seemed kind of shallow or out of touch.  (I'm thinking my 28 year old self wouldn't have much respect for my 48 year old self.)  There's so much bad in the world, there must be something wrong with someone who doesn't seem to notice.  But, it turns out the key, for me, is to carefully choose what I'm going to pay attention to, make a difference where I can, and then move on.  I finally realized being sad doesn't help anyone or change anything.  It just paralyzes me.  

     It's being joyous that transforms the world.  Happy people don't abuse family or animals, happy people don't start wars, happiness even improves our health.  

     The writer, Pam Grout, said she and some friends texted each other three things they are happy for every day.  I've been trying this experiment on my wall on Facebook lately.  Looking around throughout my day for what makes me happy...makes me feel happy.

     I started a running list (you know how much I love lists!) of everyone's items.  Reading through these makes me very happy.  From husbands, pets, children, and grandchildren, to the cool side of the pillow, cole slaw, and WD-40...and everything in between.  There is much to be happy about.


"All life is an experiment.  The more experiments you make, the better."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson