A handful of years ago I was going through a challenging time in my life. I was on the precipice of a new life. Some of the changes I wanted, some I didn’t and some were much needed. During this time I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to go on a long weekend vacation with 2 of my closest girlfriends. Although I was sad and had a lot on my mind, that trip to this day is one of my happiest memories.
During this vacation I was standing on Fisherman’s Wharf with my two girlfriends on a beautiful sunny day and I looked at my friends and said “I am so very happy at this very moment!” My friends both looked at me and started laughing, what the heck I thought, here I am having an enlightening moment and they are laughing at me. They looked at me and said, well here we are, on our way over to Alcatraz, one of the least happiest places there is and you are bellowing about how happy you are.
Later on I thought about my declaration and their comments and how I was able to stop in the moment and appreciate it for what it was and the goodness of it. I started doing that on a regular basis, finding the good in the moment I was in no matter what was going on. I found during that tough period of my life, my days were better than I thought they could be, because although I had a lot going on, I focused on all the good things happening throughout the day instead of the bad. At the end of each day as I lay falling asleep going over my day, I realized how good the day had been because I focused on and recognized the happy things. Some of them as little as the tulips blooming outside or a great cup of coffee I had to bigger things like the time spent in a great city with great friends.
To this day I employ this theory of happy all day everyday, some days are harder than others, but those are the days that end up being the best because I faced adversity, hardship and trials and came out with a huge smile. “I am so very happy at this very moment” has become a joke amongst my friends, but any time we spend together is not the same unless I say it at least once and my life, and I hope others as well, is much happier for that moment of realization on Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco with my friends.
So my advice to you today is be mindful of the moment you are in and find the happy in it. You will see that even during the toughest times, there is still happiness, and during the happy times, there is gratitude. Each making everyday a good day.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
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I just read my sister Andrea's "Happy Blog" and feel I must comment. Now, for those of you who know her, you are aware that she can be described as chipper, cheerful, bright, perky, sunshine in girl form, annoyingly optimistic and so on. And yes, I had to live with that which was no small feat, especially during my dark and brooding years (you know 15 to about 26). If she was the shining sun in our household, I was certainly the dark cloud ready to dump rain all over anyone in my path. It has taken me some time, lots of growth, and help from my love, Gunner (who is as relentlessly happy as my sister!) to realize that Happy is the way to go!! I find about 100 things to be happy about and thankful for a day. And as my sis said it could be something trivial like hearing your favorite song on the radio, or the big stuff like love, fam, etc. I do know the more you appreciate and say thanks for the things in your life, the more things you get to appreciate and be thankful for. Its an awesome viscious cycle of goodness!!! Take it from me, a recovering dark cloud who has finally let the sunshine in. Focus on the negative will only bring more negative (and I honestly think it is exponential!) So, put on your sunscreen, and sungalsses and find the sunshine.
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