My Blissified "Office" with a Gorgeous View

I love my "office." It is a cozy space on our sunporch that allows me a panoramic view of the 6+ acres where we are lucky enough to live. I watch the weather change, the flowers bloom, the deer roam, and the turkeys strut. Though I do go into a traditional office for client meetings, this is where the majority of my "work" gets done.


I snapped this shot a couple of mornings ago while sitting in my favorite chair working on a draft of the Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation for a nonprofit we are launching. The grass is just starting to green. The bulbs are beginning to peak through the mulch. It was warm enough to have the doors wide open. While I worked on the draft for about 9 straight hours, it felt like I was playing hooky! How can being in this space be, "work?"

In the past, I have had offices with skyline views of Nashville, dumpster views of the parking lot, and enclosed views of drywall. I worked hard in all of them. I get the most done here.

Bliss.

Creating This Blog Makes Me Happy!

Okay--this may sound downright silly, but I am having such a blast setting up and tweaking this blog site.

• I am so grateful to Ashley and Becky for the lovely, lovely background and banner--and the step-by-step instructions for creating the 3-column layout.
• I am so grateful for the space to host this site and the photos we use.
• I am so grateful to my collaborator, Christine, for her incredible sense of humor, attention to detail, and enduring friendship.
• I am delighted to be able to actually implement one of my long-held goals of creating a happy, positive space on the web.
• I am loving the process of learning HTML code tricks, implementing what I learn, and getting instant gratification when I apply it.

So, while it may not be mountain-moving stuff, creating this blog--and paying attention to the happy products of that process--has certainly made me very, very happy.

How do I know Spring is really here?

Because this beautiful Redbud tree right outside my back door is in bloom. And because it's beautiful. And because its blooms bring with it reminders of renewal, fresh starts, and more beauty. 

Cold Wind Makes Me Happy

I love a fierce cold wind like the one that slapped me in the face when I poked my head out this morning...or even colder and fiercer...the kind that makes your eyes water, your nose numb, and your face red. 

This kind of wind reminds me of my childhood and the cold winters, big snows, and Lake Erie wind that never stopped us from spending hours and hours and hours outside in the cold having snowball fights, making snow angels, snowmen, and snow forts. It was left totally up to us (or so it seemed) to come inside only when we were ready. That was usually when all 23 layers of clothes were finally soaked through. We'd go inside, warm up with hot tea, put on dry clothes, and head back out to do it all over again.

Playing in the snow is immediately where my mind goes when it's windy. When I smell the crisp cold wind, hear the sound of it whipping through the trees, and feel the way it seems to blow right through my bones, I return to that playing in the snow feeling of pure and carefree happiness with no responsibility. Freedom. Happiness. Bliss. 

Mobile Posting Makes Me Happy!

I am a newbie to the whole deal of owning a phone that does more than make and receive phone calls. So, I still get all giddy when I discover something new I can do from this straight-outta-Dick-Tracey device.

Look, Ma, no keyboard!

Woot!

Happy Earth Hour!

So, I'm sitting here in the dark--well, there is a glow from my laptop and a single candle--thinking all sorts of highfalutin thoughts about saving the planet. But you know what? I am more inspired by the thought of being united in a positive way to people all around our planet.

I recently visited the Holocaust Museum and Memorial in Washington, DC.

Wait, there is a happy angle to this.

While I was there, I was--as expected--struck by the images and moved to tears by the stories. But in the end, as I looked upon the room filled with shoes from folks who disappeared during those dark days--tears streaming down my face--I caught sight of a delicate, dressy sandal. The image of a lovely women and her husband flashed into my mind. They were in front of a shop and she was pointing at those shoes. He invited her to go inside and try them on. She accepted his offer and delightedly tried them on--pausing to look at her pretty feet in the mirror. She felt wonderful and beautiful in those shoes.

I finally found what I was looking for in that building; a personal connection.

Connection.

Yep. I am an Idealist. I am sure thousands of people have seen that same sandal and thought the range of thoughts--from anger to boredom to love. In that moment, I was gifted with the incongruous thought of happiness in spite of the bleak surroundings. I felt connected to this woman--though admittedly all in my own head--as a lover of pretty things and as a shoe-hound and as a woman.

So, here I sit in the dark thinking happy thoughts. In some small way, it is delightfully sweet to look out on this darkened-for-an-hour planet and see millions of connections. I know there are others who are hopeful. I know there are others who work for good. I know there are others who believe in love.

We are all in this together. What wonderful news!

Howdy, neighbor!

It's All Good

No, really. It is. Well, at least around here it's all good.

Welcome to Blissification--a blog written by a group of folks ranging from outright PollyAnna, Sugar-Coated Optimists to Curmudgeons By Nature. The only rule we have set for ourselves is that whatever we post on this site must be happy stuff.

There is some scientific support for the idea that if you pay attention to what makes you happy and spend at least part of your day counting your blessings, you can actually alleviate depression, improve overall health, and could even increase longevity. Sounds good, no?

Quite frankly, the science is nice validation for what we already know--it feels good to be happy. So, in an attempt to spread the wealth, we're here to give a little levity to the blogosphere.

Who are we? More about that in future posts.

Until then... make it a great day!