Category: happiness

gratitude · happiness · inspiration

Happiness plus Gratitude Equals Overwhelming Joy

Joanne4 Comments

I have just returned from another visit to the Calm Space this morning. It feels like Káren is hosting a party over there this month, and Happiness has taken over as the host!

This week Stephanie, Linda, Annie and Anne have joined in the party, each with their own individual concept of happiness.

With all of the talk about Happiness, the happy feelings are becoming contagious! It is absolutely a state of mind, and one which is building momentum with each passing week, as more articles are added at the Calm Space.

Not to be outdone, Gratitude has made a surprise guest appearance also, reminding us all to show gratitude for what we have been identifying as those things which bring us happiness.

Yesterday morning after completing my post “My Ultimate List of 27 Happiness Finders! “ I took myself off to the kitchen to bake a pineapple boiled fruit cake, under the hungry and watchful eyes of Master Twelve, who is on school holidays. The week thus far the weather has given us nothing other than cold, windy, misty and wet days and we have had no problem at all in finding indoor activities to keep us amused until the fine weather reappears.

I had included baking a cake on my list of Happiness Is… and the end result turned out to be a cake that had never tasted better during all of the years I have baked it!

The vital ingredients required for baking my cake are fruit, flour, eggs butter, sugar and spices (and of course, the oven!). I am now realising that those ingredients, combined with the happy state I found myself in, (happiness), due to writing my post on happiness, and an overwhelming delight at seeing my son so enthusiastically awaiting the end result emerging from the oven, (gratitude), produced the most delightfully joyful results!

Therefore, my conclusion is “Happiness plus Gratitude Equals Overwhelming Joy”!

Reading through the articles on the Calm Space this month has also been a reminder to me to appreciate the times when we are feeling less than happy, as the tough times in life are a lesson to us also. Mostly, they remind us to look for the positive, even in less than desirable situations, as “every cloud has a silver lining”.

Happiness is the most inspirational of states to spend your days in. From this day forward, I resolve to offer the utmost appreciation and gratitude, for every wonderful aspect there is of my life.

I’m not usually a party animal, but from now on my intention is to attend every party that Happiness is hosting; especially if he brings Gratitude along to join in the fun! 🙂

happiness · inspiration

My Ultimate List of 27 Happiness Finders!

Joanne4 Comments

How do you define happiness? Ever given it much thought? Perhaps it’s simply a matter of flippantly commenting that you are either happy, or unhappy, without giving the feeling any further thought at all.

The theme this month at the Calm Space is “happiness” and I have been giving the feeling of happiness some further investigation myself. My conclusion is ~ happiness is a state of mind, and an extremely personal state at that.

It is impossible for another person to make you feel happy. You may feel happy when spending time with someone special to you, perhaps a person you love. Thoughtful actions from a person can give a feeling of happiness as well. Remember though, they didn’t make you feel that way, you made the decision to feel happy yourself; it was your own choice.

Yes, happiness is very personal.

Happiness arrives in my own life in a multitude of different ways. Today, I will share with you my ultimate list, (in no particular order), of things that make me happy, swell my heart, make my spirit soar and bring a smile to my face. 🙂

Happiness is…

  • Stroking my cat’s silky fur and listening to them purr.
  • Listening to my son play the piano.
  • Eating chocolate and drinking coffee, together.
  • Watching a bee collect pollen from a flower in my garden.
  • Feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin, on a cool winter’s day.
  • The cooling summer’s rain, hitting my hot, sticky skin.
  • Listening to the chiming of my clock.
  • My dog, leaping after the ball, when we play fetch.
  • Walking along the beach, on a winter’s day.
  • Writing a letter and posting it, the old-fashioned way.
  • Hearing the happiness in my daughter’s voice, when she talks to her friends.
  • A hawk, gliding high above the ground, in search of its prey.
  • The sky full of twinkling stars, on a clear night.
  • Hearing the sound of a child’s laughter.
  • A picnic in the park, next to the river.
  • Reading a book, with no interruptions.
  • The smell of roses and the feeling of the petals touching my face.
  • Baking a favourite cake in my kitchen.
  • A hug from one of my children.
  • The feel of the black velvet fur of my dog.
  • Cuddling up under a blanket on a cold night.
  • Eating a freshly picked mandarin, from the tree in my garden.
  • Seeing the ocean, from the back of my house, on a clear day.
  • Taking a holiday with my family, at my favourite holiday destination.
  • Arriving home again, refreshed, after a holiday.
  • Spending hours, browsing through a second-hand book shop.
  • Holding a new born baby.

Just thinking about these things makes me happy! 🙂

This list could go on forever! I’m sure you could add so much more to the list…so please do!

Don’t forget to pop over to the Calm Space also, where you will find Angela feeling grateful for happiness, Chania Girl giving up on the pursuit of happiness (fun!) and Káren declaring that it’s all about happiness! 🙂