“When was the last time you felt really happy?
I am talking about the my life is awesome, I can do anything, I can’t stop smiling
I never want this moment to end type of happiness”
Pockets of Happiness by Naomi @ Seven Cherubs
It was late on a Sunday evening, and we were preparing to leave our fortnightly dinner at my parents house. It had been storming outside for the previous few hours and we decided to make a run for it whilst there was a break. Adam spied a case of Pepsi Max bottles in the kitchen and begged me to grab one and pass it to him so he could have some soft drink for the week as we had run out and he was well aware I would not purchase him any more before the next groceries. Dad and I went out to meet Adam in the car not more than two minutes later, and found him laughing so hard, so hard that he could not catch his breath to speak, trying to say to me get in the car quick before we are busted…. Infectious, belly hurting, non breathing laughter. All over a ‘stolen’ bottle of pepsi max.
We have had a few of those laugh till you can’t moments lately… and can I tell you I adore them. Absolutely adore them – moments where care and caution are thrown to the wind, and you laugh and feel with abandon. They remind me that sometimes happiness is a choice, and that we can be very purposeful in pursuing this, or snatching our ‘pockets’ of happiness.
I know, without a doubt I am a quality time girl – cultivating the relationships of those closest to me is on the top of my priority list. Connecting, building and maintaining these relationships with my family, my brothers and their others as well as those of my closest friends is one of my most favourite ways of spending my time (my gratitude for these relationships is a whole nother post!). However, I am also well aware that I am, wholly and completely a true introvert.
Aside from this meaning I am completely and totally shitbox at small talk, and I find it hard to thereby make new friends, it also requires me to be very protective of the time I need to set aside to recharge and unwind. Because sometimes something as minuscule as sound coming from both the TV and the laptop is too much stimulus and will send me stroppily straight back to bed if I haven’t protected that time. True Story.
So for me, happiness means having Saturday mornings when Adam is at work to myself. At least for a few hours – to do as I please. It means taking a walk to the farmers markets to buy bunches of fresh flowers for under five dollars, because having a beautiful study space also brings my heart joy and peace. It means going to bed when I am sent, because others know me well, and can tell before I am when I just need to rest. It means having that crepe with melted chocolate when I damn well feel like it, because life is too short to eat fruit and vegetables 24/7 and delicious food was created to enjoy not to feel guilty about. It means printing beautiful photos to be surrounded with no matter where I go, and watching movies with doonahs late into the night because thats just what you feel like doing.
Happiness is the feeling of achievement when something you have been working towards comes to fruition. Being the end of a tough unit, completing an assignment you didn’t think possible, writing an awesome blog post and putting it out there for the world to see, building up a great online community for yourself. Happiness is success in any area that you have been applying yourself to, and working out your own path to this – not riding on the tails of anyone else’s success, but being authentic to yourself and the process. Happiness is the feeling of calm when you know things are organised and you won’t be rushing around to piece things together, or find your gosh darn lunch. Happiness is remembering to record your favourite tv shows, and spending quiet time together doing whatever it is you need to get done.
Happiness can be a lot of different things at any given day, or moment, the key is to catch it and cherish it and nurture it… to be present in that moment. Happiness is not being ashamed of any part of who you are, and having the faith and confidence to be true to that in all that you do. What freedom.
<SYL ’12 week eight challenge… WEEK EIGHT WHAT THE! This year is already moving way too fast! Read all the other thoughts on happiness here.. its good stuff, promise>
