Happiness is…
July 1, 2010 by Angela Esnouf
Filed under Organising Space
It’s late when I sit down to write this article. I have left my assignment to the last minute. So right now in this moment, Happiness is… a deadline met.
Earlier today, Happiness was…
- an idea growing from a seed to full blossom
- a surprise parcel in the mail
- working with a client for the first time and making a big difference
- the smell of juiced oranges and passionfruit
- catching up with a friend via the miracle of Skype
- trying a new recipe that worked
- hearing that my granddaughter had taken 4 steps
They are moments, both small and large, which make me grateful for all I have – the people, the opportunities, the victories.
Mind you, not everything went right for me today. There were things I wanted to achieve but didn’t, the traffic was a challenge, a discussion that didn’t go as well as I’d hoped for, my laptop is running slow. But I choose to focus on the positive.
I haven’t always been an optimist. Some time ago I made it my goal to think positively. One thing which has made a big difference to my attitude is my Gratitude Journal. Each evening, I spend 5 minutes writing down 5 things I’m grateful for. Taking that short time to highlight the good things in my life has wonderful flow-on effects that last much longer.
Yes, there are times when I’m too tired to write, or too busy, or I’ve had a bad day and I struggle to find five things I’m grateful for. But I really value both the immediate feeling of gratitude and the long-term injection of optimism. And that’s why I make time for it in my day.
What sort of things do you make time for? What makes you happy? And would you give a Gratitude Journal a go?
Photo Source: Orange is the happiest colour by Nattu
Happiness is…taking time to enjoy life, live in the moment and appreciate goodness.
pve
Angela, the smell of juiced oranges and passionfruit makes me happy too!…Along with ~ stroking my cats silky fur and listening to them purr, watching a bee collect pollen from a colourful flower, seeing a large bird gliding through the air, hearing my clock chiming on the hour…all of the simple things in life bring me the most happiness.
Thank you for taking the time to share your happiness, even when you were tired. :)
It’s the little things that make me happy. A kiss from my kids, the rabbit bouncing happily in the sun, sneaking a choccie when I shouldn’t…. So many little things that all add up.
Thanks, Angela. A lovely piece of writing.
You’re welcome, ladies. You know, since writing this article I keep finding more and more things that make me happy. It’s amazing what goodness comes your way when you look out for it.
Hi Angela,
As a Mum of 5, life is VERY busy in so many different ways. Your piece of writing has been a wonderful lift for me to read, and a reminder not to ‘dwell’ on the negative things, but to make time to cherish positive experiences and memories. Sometimes I get caught up in lots of negative thinking, and I find it hard to change….I want to be ‘more’ positive, but as we all know, change is something we have to work towards……and takes time…..I love your idea of a gratitude journal…..I thought I might write about 5 things that made me happy today……..I have a new laptop, so I should use it for something other than the internet and itunes!!!!!!! Thank you for inspiring me to find my way to be more creative and do something just for me…..that will hopefully be a nice keepsake and something I can read when I am feeling down…….
Jodi, thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. I bet you are not alone with those dreaded negative thoughts. The Calm Space is just the place to visit to dispell them. Good luck with your gratitude/happiness journal, it’s so important to do something for YOU each day.
Hi Angela
The smell of mandarin does it for me – and it takes me back to the mandarin tree in my childhood backyard – ahhh those days were simple and happy.
I’ve made the decision recently to focus on the positive and the gratitude journal is a deceptively simple way to force you to focus on the positive. I agree, the flow on effects are quite amazing!
I think I love the idea of ending the day with listing 5 things i am grateful for. I am not very good at committing to daily rituals but I’ll try it for a little while…;-)