Thursday, July 12, 2012

Thursday Thoughts

Go on and jump feet first into the day...
One thing I love most about blogging is the relationships I've built with complete strangers. As silly as that may sound, the more feedback that I receive via emails and comments, the more I feel like I get to know you. Most of us have never met face-to-face, but I'm pretty sure we'd be darling friends! I share an awful lot about myself, but I really want to hear from you. Do you catch my drift? Think Linda Richman and Coffee Talk. Let's pretend we're each sipping on something warm, caffeinated, and topped with a generous dollop of whipped cream. Fun Yiddish terms and bouffant hair styles are welcome. 

Today's Topic: Happiness
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about what makes me happy. The older I get, the more I realize that my joy depends solely on my attitude. I'm responsible for the way that I'm feeling, and I choose happiness. If I have a moment when I'm feeling down, I try to assess why I'm feeling this particular way. More often than not, I'm over thinking things or comparing myself to others. When I make a conscious effort to stop myself from doing one of these two things, I've found that I'm more productive and chipper. It's so much easier to enjoy yourself and be in the moment. I focus on family and friends that radiate sunshine -- people that I'd love to emulate, as well as people I want to make proud. Sometimes I catch myself smiling at complete strangers with a grin so big my cheeks hurt. It's something my mom does naturally; she's known for her friendly ear-to-ear grin. I catch myself doing this, and it makes complete sense. Joy is not only portable, but it's also contagious. Adopt this motto and be prepared to see results: 
"Be so happy that when others see you they become happy too." 
So tell me, Little Miss Bliss...
  • What makes you happy?
  • Who makes you happy?
  • Where's your happy place?
  • Where do you find your happy?

Thanks for sharing! I can't wait to read what you have to say.


Have a swell Thursday, dear friends! 
Toodles,
ANF

Image Credits: Feet First /Anne Frank Quote
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6 comments:

  1. I love this post!!! And I could not agree more-- I really feel as though the older I get, the more I realize that happiness depends solely on your state of mind, on your thoughts.

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  2. I agree! I love meeting with so many people through emails and comments. It seems like the more I make myself available, other teacher-bloggers really connect! It's a beautiful thing!

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  3. Love this post. I tend to get bogged down by details at times (don't we all?), and I also panic when the future seems uncertain or murky.

    So I've been trying to include more things that make me happy lately, like reading! Friendship is a big influence as well; I love chatting and talking to my best friends (we're all dispersed around the country now), seeing friends in my current city, and tweeting with my blogger buddies. I find that getting out of the apartment and going out for dinner and drinks with my boyfriend helps us recharge our batteries.

    I think being conscious about it all has the biggest impact.

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  4. Ah, one-liner! "Joy is not only portable, but it's also contagious!"

    what: I choose to be happy, so I can pick one thing or a million...right now, it's people (like you!), blogs (like One Fine Day), or California weather (I can't wait to get home!).

    who: friendly people!

    happy place: passionate projects

    where: deep down in my soul and in my subconscious. There is always something to make happy happen!

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  5. i can't even tell you how much i love this post. it's funny when you finally realize that the only way you are going to be is happy is when you DECIDE you're going to be happy... and it's scary to realize the burden of being happy rests on your shoulders- it kind of seems easier to make it the responsibility of someone else, right?

    anyways- my answers:
    what: windows rolled down cruising around on summer nights

    who: my boyfriend. and my sister. and amy poehler.

    happy place: the dock on my lake at sunset.

    where i find happy: in the simplest little things (like washi tape ;)

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  6. what an encouraging post! and I completely agree about the random relationships that are made through blogging, etc. I think those connections are such a lovely bonus to blogging and reading inspiring blogs such as yours.

    things that make me happy.... design, creating, dear friends, oklahoma sunsets... :)

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