Happiness
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Within our reach
“Happiness, not in another place but this place. Not for another hour, but this hour.” ~Walt Whitman How are things going? If you’re working on “resolutions” for the new year, it’s easy to lose sight of the good things within your reach right now. Worthy goals inspire motivation, but they also keep us hyper-focused on the future. For instance, we might convince ourselves that we won’t be happy until we drop another 10 pounds, write a novel, find the perfect job, clean the basement, or finally remodel the kitchen. Walt Whitman believed that happiness is attainable in the present moment. Right here, right now. What have you enjoyed so far…
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Reaching higher
“There are two ways to be happy: improve your reality, or lower your expectations.” ~ Jodi Picoult Lately, I’ve heard too many things that shock or disappoint me. Things that challenge my faith in humanity. Things that make me doubt the judgment and character of the folks around me. Things that make me anxious about the future. You too? Part of the problem boils down to the fact that everyone is accessing more “news” than they can thoughtfully process and fact-check. (Thanks, social media.) And it frightens me — how easy it is for some to fall under the dark spell of misinformation and ludicrous conspiracy theories. So what does…
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Here and now
“I have lived large parts of my life in wonderful circumstances that I utterly failed to appreciate. Reasons to be happy were everywhere, but somehow I didn’t connect with them. It was as though I was eating but couldn’t taste the food. Finally, I’ve learned to celebrate the good while it’s happening.” ~Marianne Williamson The weather in northern Michigan was chilly and unpredictable while Doug and I were there last week. And just as we’ve learned to expect when we’re visiting off season in Glen Arbor, many of our favorite shops and restaurants were closed. Still, there’s something both restful and beautiful in the loneliness of our state’s northern landscape…
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You are legendary
“Don’t be satisfied with stories, or how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.” ~Rumi In our celebrity driven culture, it’s easy to dismiss our own lives as unglamorous or uninteresting. But as the Sufi poet Rumi reminds us in today’s quote, comparing ourselves to others is a waste of precious time. And besides, do all those curated Instagram photos and People feature stories reveal the whole truth of “how things have gone” with others? So do yourself a favor today: Appreciate how far you’ve come. Think of all your gifts and advantages, no matter how small or large. After that, consider everything you’ve done to touch…
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Elements of surprise
“Expect nothing. Live frugally on surprise.” ~Alice Walker Earlier this month, everyone in my part of Michigan was convinced that spring had arrived early. We were amazed at bright yellow daffodils and forsythia bushes blooming — so early in March! — and even spotted people wearing shorts and sandals outside. But the weather took another turn, and we awoke this morning to fresh snow blanketing the landscape. Today’s quote is from Alice Walker’s poem, “Expect Nothing.” In it, Walker reminds us that keeping our expectations in check is the key to staying happy or content. Life is bound to surprise us. Sometimes those surprises will delight and amaze us, and…
