Whenever one of the rangers at the park hosting the Champion (my tiny-home-in-a-converted-bus) is asked how he’s doing, he replies, “as long as I’m above ground, it’s a good day.”
Well. OK, and. As much as we might appreciate that sentiment, can’t we raise the bar a little higher?
Years ago when I experimented with an online dating site, my byline was “I wake up happy.”
When I realized this Waking Up Happy thing was occuring, I was pleasantly surprised. Yet I didn’t take it for granted, because I suffer from chronic low-level depression. This whole happiness thing is something I need to actively tend to, not take for granted.
Loving life can be our “automatic” setting.
To kick-start the concept we can use a little trick I learned many years ago. I call it a Happiness List – an inventory of things or actions that, added up, lean us towards happy.
For example, here’s a peek at part of my list:
- Reaching out to friends
- Being surrounded by greenery + wildlife
- Enough quiet time to read (or journal, or write)
- Hugs! More hugs!
- Home cooked meals
- Exercise! More exercise!
- Artwork (mine or someone else’s)
- Music (listening or practicing my harp)
I could go on – I think you get the picture. Isn’t it interesting that nothing on my Happiness List involves money, material goods, or electronic devices?
Hmmmmmmmm.
What’s on your Happiness List? Wanna share?
Living in Beauty & Love 
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