Finding Happiness
by Rachelle Mee-Chapman

There is a certain kind of person that leans towards happiness.

I admire that kind of person.

Some religions and/or spiritual paths seem to be pretty sure that happiness comes from within and that it is within your control. Frankly, this blows my mind.

I often wonder if this kind of positive-thinking is championed primarily by upper-middle-class white women. But I suspect--indeed I hope--that it is more universal. And although my melancholy self is dragging her feet about jumping on the bandwagon, serendipity keeps bringing the happiness principle to my door. I figure I may as well open it and see what happens.

Inspired by conversations at BlogHer '08, Jen, Krystyn, Lucrecer, Alyssa, and Kyran have launched a new blogging project for positive vibes, Positive Posting, where you can lift your spirit, or give someone else's a boost by linking to the postive things you're writing about on your blog.

Life coach  Laura Young is really stretching her 'think positive' muscles by imagining that there is a Buddha in the White House. (Yes, that guy, a Buddha----hummmm, this exercise may be too advanced for me!)

Sally Huss and friends are working on taking happiness viral--you can catch the Happiness Epidemic here.

Just Karen points out that happiness might just be an inside job, and that you and you alone are in control of your own happiness. I really, really hope this is true...but if you, like me, are having some doubts, maybe you could hop on over to Karen Maezen Miller's Cheerio Road and try holding on to this small spark of inspiration. And if that's not enough to get your internal happiness combustion engine rolling, perhaps you can wish it into reality here.

What is your sure-fire means of tapping into your internal happiness?

Rachelle Mee-Chapman is an alt-minister, mom, and writer blogging at Magpie Girl. She'll send you helpful links and updates if you follower her on Twitter. Thanks for reading!

Submitted by Rachelle Mee-Chapman (view blog) on Mon, 08/04/2008 - 3:18am

Comments

 

No sure-fire way for anything

Positive thinking certainly has its place in one's life. I positively visualize a SOLD sign in front of my house, but it hasn't happened yet. But, for me, going with the flow of my moods is important, because the down times let me rise back up feeling refreshed.

Laura, www.RebelliousThoughtsofaWoman.com

Submitted by rebellious thinker on Mon, 08/04/2008 - 05:05
 

@Happiness

I would say positive-thinking is pretty universal, though it does seem to go in and out of fashion. 

I saw an interesting video about this subject on TED a while back:

Biochemist turned Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard's "Habits of Happiness"

 

 

Submitted by KatieBeez on Mon, 08/04/2008 - 05:20
 

Concentrating on small things makes me happy

Things I am happy about this morning:

  • there was no frost on my car.
  • the heater is working.
  • my work coffee mug was clean
  • and i have peppermint tea : )

I can't help being a middle-class white woman, and I recognise and appreciate that I'm lucky in the big stuff (food on the table, a stable home, a job to do, a freedom to plan for the future), it's still taking time to make tea that makes me smile.

I think I have a recipe for that...

Submitted by kazari on Mon, 08/04/2008 - 15:10
 

Positive non thinking

Thanks! I'm smiling now. The kind of positive thinking that I like to practice is more like positive non-thinking, because negativity is always a thought. That's why everything under the sun is bright enough just the way it is.

Karen Maezen Miller

Submitted by kmiller on Tue, 08/05/2008 - 12:22
 

What you think about you're drawn towards

Need I say more?

 

 

Kathie M. Thomas,
Business & personal interest blogs

Listed in the Top 100 Aussie Blogs list

http://www.kathiethomas.com/blogs.htm

Submitted by kathiemt on Fri, 08/15/2008 - 04:58
 

Path to Happiness

This may sound trite, but I really believe it comes down to doing the right thing. Keep doing the right thing, even if you aren't always sure what that is and you can be happy.  When you make choices you know are wrong, just to get through the day, the week, whatever that is where the downfall lays.  For me at least.  Since I have made that resolution I am happy.  Is life perfect? No.  Do I lose sight sometimes? Yes.  At the end of they day if I didn't comprise myself or my beliefs I don't wake up with knots in my tummy, worrying about what I have done or things I cannot control.

 

I blog at whitehotmagik.blogspot.com

Submitted by Leucantha on Tue, 08/26/2008 - 13:10
 

Happiness

Happiness doesn't exist 24/7. If you are chasing happiness all your life, ultimately you will be unhappy. Life has its up and downs and you need to accept both in order to be in harmony with the universe. The universe is full of opposites, and without ying, the yang doesn't exist. If you keep this in mind, and simply live your life in a positive way and to the best of your abilities, you will find happiness through peace and acceptance. I agree that doing what is right will definitely guide you on the right path. GreenKristine

My blog at http://idreamofgreenie.blogspot.com

Confessions of a Green Junkie

Submitted by GreenKristine on Tue, 08/26/2008 - 15:04
 

I just find I have days when

I just find I have days when what is right and what is wrong is very murky. And what is right by me, is wrong by someone else.  Or i could do the right thing by my husband, or the right thing by my mother, but not both.

That's when I find it helps to focus on the small blessings.

I think I have a recipe for that...

Submitted by kazari on Tue, 08/26/2008 - 15:07