Happiness is...

     The prompt for this week's coffee chat, where's your happy place? What brings you joy? Ya gotta love that cousin of mine, always picking the light topic, what is beauty, what is happiness. Easy ones, let me just fire off a quick post about that.

      What is my happy place?? Hmmm, should this be that hard to think of. Happy place, happy place, happy place. I've got nothing. Light bulb goes on, inspiration strikes, a slow smile spreads across my face. My happy place isn't external at all. It's in my head.

     Sure there are places that seem to make it easier, or people who inspire it but happiness starts inside. It's a state of mind. No one can give it to you, you have to find it yourself. My happy place is just where ever I happen to be.

    What brings me joy? Waking up every morning. Okay not exactly, getting out of bed is the biggest trauma of my day, but it is a new day. Sure maybe off to the same crappy job, dealing with the same stuff everyone else deals with but also full of new challenges, new triumphs, new opportunities. And a lot of coffee, hell there may even be some cookies left.

     Happiness or joy is in the details. A job well done, an unexpected smile, a seat on the subway, the extra nine minutes my snooze button grants me each and every morning. As much as life can throw you curves, you can almost always find something, anything that gives you pause. A beautiful flower, a good book, a full moon, the smell of fresh baked cookies. Anything that makes you smile. Anything that reminds you, it isn't all bad after all. This to shall pass.

      Being angry, mean or resentful takes a lot of work. You have to constantly replay what ever induced the feeling and I find it exhausting. How many times are we left feeling angry but don't remember why? How often are we the cause? Caught up in a situation, crashing ahead with blinders on. Take a moment, get some perspective, there are always choices. Sometimes they're all unpleasant ones but they're there. Our lives are what we make of them. I choose to laugh.

     My favourite places to pause, reflect and appreciate? Anywhere outside. A walk along the beach (yes even the ones here in Toronto), a quiet trail ride with my Mom, working outside in my garden. All give me a profound sense of peace and contentment. Escaping into a good book, watching a good movie or increasingly a good blog post all take me away from what ever might be bothering me. Help restore some sense of balance.

    

     In the grand scheme of things people always ask do you see the glass as half empty or half full? I see it as time for another drink. Now I'm jonesing for cookies (wonder why?) and I know just which ones to bake. That makes me happy.

     Don't forget to swing by Rory's and see what everyone else has to say about getting happy.