Happiness is not a matter of events; it depends upon the tides of the mind.
Alice Meynell
Are you happy? How many times have you heard that question? It seems this word appears in so many conversations we have with others and even ourselves. So how do you answer this question? I feel that when this question appears, what I’m really being asked is to measure my life in comparison to some unknown yardstick.
Frankly, words like happy, balance and perfect just don’t sit well with me. I cannot seem to explain these words to my young daughter and honestly think they put unrealistic expectations on women.
Let’s dive into Happy as an example. By whose definition? Happy in the moment? Happy in your life? Happy in your relationships; in your career? Talk about pressure.
Websters defines happy as feeling, showing, or expressing joy; pleased.
The Synonym Finder offers these alternatives:
Delighted, glad, pleased, contented, gratified, satisfied, elated, tickled, cheerful, sunny, fortunate, inspired and about fifty more words.
Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.
Margaret Lee Runbeck
Is “happy” a journey or a destination?
How many of you are waiting until you have that perfect job, relationship, family, car or you fill in the blank to be truly happy? Does this seem logical?
Your life that you have created may seem inadequate when reflected back through the eyes of others. But who is to define the word happy for you?
What do you think? Do you wake in the morning and say “Today I am going to be happy.” Or do you say “Today I’m going to enjoy my family, my career and my life? I am going to try my best to be present and be grateful for the experiences that come my way.”
Let’s decide to change the word HAPPY to Inspired. There isn’t the same kind of judgment or pressure with the word “inspired.” I can be inspired by an experience, a conversation, a meal, a friendship, the snow outside my window without feeling like I’m being measured against another person’s yardstick of success.
So I wish you a day filled with inspiration!
p.s. for those of you who don’t mind the word happy and seek that state of happiness – here is an Are You Happy? quiz for you – take it with a grain of salt. When you click “submit” and get your answer – remember – it is an answer based on SOMEONE ELSE’S definition of what happy is. I’m just saying….
