happiness is…
What makes you happy?
I have this friend who posed this question to me. She said, “You’re not allowed to say my children, my religion, my husband…” That’s not what she was asking.
She asked me how I like staying home with my boys instead of working full time. The question was something like this, “…and that’s enough for you?”
So, the question is, what makes me happy on a day to day basis? What makes me smile, what makes my pulse quicken, what gets me excited?
Not the BIG things. Not the obvious things.
I thought for a moment, and then I came up with a simple three word answer.
I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.
18 comments
Leave it to you to come up with a cute and trendy way to define your happiness
Well if by pulse quicken you mean seeing my 2 year old with a sharpie in his hand, and a former white wall next to him, I’d have to say Asher. hahaha. I have a simple mind, and a simple life, so I’m bending your, I mean her rules…
Seeing the lightbulb go on in my daughter’s face when she “gets” a tough homework assignment – listening to my son recount with scary detail a scripture story and know I haven’t totally failed him in teaching him the gospel – making bread and realizing it turned out well enough to share with the neighbors!!! – making it to the temple in spite of the hellish day that came before it (can I say that???) – listening to my two and three year olds wrestle/giggle – and a million other inconsequential things. So I guess in a nutshell, mine is three words too….
‘being a mom.’
Three words! that is hard, mine would be my simple life. I love my life, and everything that it comes with which on any day is like a roller coaster. I never know when the next big hill is. My life includes being there for my kids, my dad, my grandma, my moms. Being my husbands best friend. lending an ear to whom ever just needs to talk. That may include myself ya never know. And last but not least over coming trials that I may feel like I can’t. Setting goals and reaching them.
Love ya Kelly
I’d have to agree with Tiffany and Heidi. I could name a lot of superficial things in life that I get excited about…planning and going on a great vacation, Flaming Gorge, A good movie, A good book, taking pictures and seeing if I was able to capture what my eye saw and how it made me feel. I could go on and on. BUT none of those hold the same tender, heartfelt SMILE that my kids manage to bring out of me on a “day to day basis”. The vacations, books, movies, etc. are fleeting. Being a Mom is where it’s at for me. Granted, there are moments you’d like to skip and I’d be lying if I said those moments brought happiness but the moments that are good are so, so sweet they kind of overshadow the other moments. The other night we were ALL sitting around the Living Room just being. We were joking and laughing and sharing stories. There were even teaching moments woven in. There was no television, no radio, just us and it was heaven.
k those people cheated and said their kids, husband, and religion.
this is a great question, and i don’t want to write a book or anything, but a while ago i had this same thought. sure i love being a mom and taking care of my family (like seriously- i feel like i was born to do this and it brings me so much happiness that i wouldn’t trade for the world), but one day while i was checking off my “to-do” list, i got thinking that there has to be something more. while i’m busy making sure my house is spotless, or working on projects, or touching up the paint on my accent wall, someone in the world needs something. maybe they’re lonely, or sad, or needs encouragement, or a compliment, a listening ear, or a friend. i have alot of that to give, and although i give it to my family every day, why couldn’t i step outside of my circle and see who else could use my love and service? i do that to a certain extent already, but i thought i was capable of more. so i did. i made a goal that every day i would find someone other than the people i love in my home, to make a difference in their life that day. it could even be something as simple as calling my 85 year old grandma who is so lonely without my grandmpa and talking about old times, or sending an email to a lady at church just to tell her i thought her dress was cute on sunday, giving a compliment to the lady behind me in line at walmart, or insisting that my neighbor let me watch her kiddo for 1 hr while she had time to herself. i just started looking outside myself and my “bubble” to see who i could serve, and it has been such a great experience for me.
so i guess i would have to say- serving others. whether it be my family, my friend, or a complete stranger, i really feel like this is what life’s all about: helping each other along the way.
(ok, so i wrote a book)
Hearing my daughter break out into a primary song or sound out a word. Or tell me that she’s had a prayer answered.
Just being able to enjoy something about what each day brings, whether it’s a great or not-so-great day. Being present, in the moment, makes me happy.
Ok, you guys. I know that our kids/husbands/religion brings us the most joy. I know it’s the most lasting, the most real happiness.
But what else???
What if you had no kids? No husband? No religion too…. (Imagine all the people, living for today, you-hoooo may say that I’m a dreamer…)
What is it that inspires you? Makes you excited to get out of bed in the morning?
What else?
I am free!
i thought of some more if you don’t mind (you got me thinking today!)
i can do anything i want, when i want, and nobody can tell me different (kinda like what kaylynn said, i have free agency). sure i’ll have consequences good or bad, but i get to choose whether i want those consequences.
i’m privileged to be on this earth with an able body and mind. if i wanted to, i could run out my front door right now and go for 10 miles without stopping. my brother is paralyzed and he can’t do that.
there is nothing that i can’t learn, or discover, or create. there is nothing that could stop me from doing ANYTHING that i want to do! THAT is what gets me excited and gets me out of bed every morning, knowing that i have all day to take advantage of what i’ve been given.
Being creative, learning new things, the beach, the sun, compliments, food, and music!
Having someone return my “Thank you” with a “You’re Welcome” or an “Excuse me” with that in kind. I think that etiquette is a lost art form and it totally makes my day when someone uses excellent manners. It’s rare. Not that this makes me jump out of bed, what makes me happy, is having a night out with someone that I haven’t talked to in a long time and catching up. That makes me happy. Kids, husband, and religion hardly make me feel happy…
giving a sincere compliment or an enexpected birthday gift or a simple “thinking of you” gift.
My kindness is selfish…I think I get MORE from it than the person receiving.
My kids make me grumpy, they don’t bring me happiness
(please know I’m kidding) kind of
PROGRESS, learning something new everyday gets me going, knowing that I am moving towards a goal. And getting closer everyday makes me giggle and jump out of bed in the morning.
CREATIVITY, searching blogs for cool ideas (i.e. ;yours) and looking forward to making them my own, tweaking them, right now I am the musical director of a play and I love to watch kids get excited about letting their freak flag fly on stage, my pulse defenatly races!!
PEACE I have made a honest effort to find this in a day and think of what I am grateful for what I will miss from this moment when it passes and what I want to take a mental picture of.
I am betting one of your happy things is Mtn. Dew!!!! jk love ya
What? Your saying there’s more to life than kids, husbands, and religion? Although, I’m not so sure you can leave God out of it considering none of the things that excite us would even be possible without Him (i.e. our freedom, the beauties around us, etc.) but putting that aside because that’s not the point here…
I’d have to say my camera, my oven crock, and a good book. It’s a worldly answer, I suppose but we’ve taken God out of the picture and people are unreliable. SO…I’m very interested in hearing your answer.
ok i think i know what you’re asking. I stay home too. every morning i think, “how fast can i get the chores done so that i can make something?”
my three words?
beads, paper, wood
** but if the kids, hubby, & gospel were allowed, I’d say them Ü
I know there should be other stuff out there that makes my jell-o jiggle, but yeah, I got nothin’
Most times, I’m just thrilled to have made it through yet another beautiful day. I’m excited to hear what you’re thinking.
Wow! Having incredible friendships, that you can go on a trip and spend a solid 72 hrs+ together and enjoy every single second of it, making memories that will last forever. Being in the car by myself and a great song comes on and I can turn it up as loud as I want. When our kitty passes up the rest of the family and chooses my lap to sit on. Your turn!
A camera with a humongo zoom lens and a small depth of focus. You know how I love those detail photo’s. Oh, and a great song cranked up so loud that I can’t hear myself singing even though I’m screaming. And crying. I don’t know why.
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