Blissification

Our Bliss Has Expanded

2011-05-28T11:19:00.003-05:00

Since the flash of brilliance hit us to start this blog, most of us have created other web outlets for our thoughts. I thought some of y'all might like to know where you can find those.

Brian is sharing his smarts about all things social media and web development at his professional website, Anocial.

Ned Andrew can be found reading and writing and singing about his bliss at his personal website, Ned Andrew Solomon.

I'm almost certain Christine is out in the blogosphere somewhere. You might have to do some digging to find her, but it will be worth it.

My new website combines all of my passions into one space. I'm loving the continuity and hope you'll drop by here.

I may have to do some fancy talking and get Ellen her own site. She's got a lot of wonderful things to say. Of course, she's been the most consistent contributor here, and she may continue. :)

With abundant gratitude,
Gina ;~}

Christmas spirit

2010-12-16T09:24:00.002-06:00

You know you have Christmas spirit when you just look at an artificial wreath and can smell the aroma of pine! Kind of gives you goosebumps.

Issues

2010-12-12T15:32:00.002-06:00

Doesn't everyone have issues? Issues about health, family, finances--you name it. The problem I have, at times, is I over-think some issues. I can beat an issue to death if you let me think about it too long. I am trying, though, to give my issues over to God; heck, He can handle a lot more than I can. Problem is....sometimes I think He needs help. Guess what? He doesn't! When I get to the point of over-thinking, I try to find the place in my spirit where God takes control of my issues and brings peace to my mind.

Happy Quote

2010-03-17T08:59:00.005-05:00

The belief that unhappiness is selfless and happiness is selfish is misguided.

--Gretchen Rubin

Happy Quote

2010-02-12T06:52:00.003-06:00

Recovering your emotional health will suffuse even small successes with joy, long before you achieve anything obviously spectacular.

—Martha Beck

Happy Quote

2009-11-23T11:48:00.004-06:00

It is said that when a butterfly flaps its wings, that energy flows thousands of miles away. And a silent blessing or thought of love toward others contains a vibration that will be felt throughout the cosmos.

--Wayne Dyer

The Art of Saying Yes!

2009-11-20T11:26:00.003-06:00

After typing the title of this entry, the Jim Carey movie where he has to say yes to everything comes to mind. If you saw it, you will recall that he was quite the practiced curmudgeon and made himself -- and everyone around him -- pretty miserable. After he changes modes cool things start happening. He gets the girl, starts doing things he loves, and has a pretty wild ride... until it all goes horribly wrong.

I think that potential -- the part where the wheels come off -- is the reason so many of us are so practiced at turning down wonderful opportunities. We are intrigued, but then we start our litany of what-ifs and what-would-they-thinks and it's-too-good-to-be-trues.

We've learned -- often the hard way -- that it's a better bet to stick with the plan. Even if it makes us miserable.

You may have heard the term "calculated risk" bandied about. Finance people love it. Well, I am proposing a different approach. How about a calculated leap? A delicious risk?

The best thing about saying yes is that you get what you want on the other side of it! Expanding our options, offering gratitude, and leaping for those proverbial rings all allow new life into our days.

As the saying goes, "If you aim for the moon and miss, you are still among the stars."

So, next time someone offers you a chance of a lifetime, jump...

for joy!

Happy Lady

2009-11-16T17:07:00.002-06:00

My Aunt Glenda was one of the happiest people I've ever known.

Now, this is particularly remarkable because, from all appearances, she had little or nothing to be happy about. She had cancer for about a decade and bounced from hospital to hospital enduring every possible torture in the form of treatment. Add to this picture a hard life in the Virginia mountains, raising two boys on one salary, isolated from the "stuff" that most of our family takes for granted.

But she had everything that mattered. She and my uncle seemed to adore one another. She laughed a lot -- often at herself -- and possessed a fearsome faith in a God that watched out for her and those she loved. She didn't claim to understand why she had cancer, but would point out that without it, she wouldn't have taken her witness beyond the road where she was born, lived, and died.

Every time I conjure up an image of Aunt Glenda she is smiling and laughing -- mane of red hair matching the blush that was often inspired by her realization that we were paying her any mind.

I left a pomegranate on her gleaming white casket. It seemed fitting... plump, red, and filled with little seeds. That happy lady certainly spread her share of little seeds... faith, laughter, humility, and hope.

Such a lovely, lovely legacy.

Happy Quote

2009-10-28T14:24:00.002-05:00

We write to taste life twice -- in the moment and in retrospection.

-- Anaïs Nin

Blissfully Organized Life

2009-10-13T20:17:00.003-05:00

A couple of years ago I picked up a book called The Life Organizer: A Woman's Guide to a Mindful Year by Jennifer Louden. I loved the pretty cover and the full-color pages filled with thoughtful ways to redefine the traditional day planner method of organizing days and weeks into a more organic, soul-flowing method of structuring my life.

The reality was that my time was not my own. I half jokingly told people that I wasn't allowed to write on my own calendar. The state department where I worked expected me to book their meetings first, other department meetings next, and somewhere down the list I was allowed to squeeze in my family's needs. My needs weren't even on the radar. Lunch was often a package of crackers on the elevator. How in the world was I going to shift from this hyper-structured life to basing my days on "what experience or feeling do I yearn for today?"

It felt like I was standing in the arctic circle longing for a beach vacation. The divide seemed uncrossable.

Fast forward two years.

In this time, I have made some changes. That state department job is a vague memory. I still work in the same field -- working toward an inclusive community where people are beloved and honored for their many assets and supported in those areas where they struggle -- but in a very different capacity.

My days are my own.

Sure, I still have schedules to follow -- dropping off and picking up children, appointments, meetings, and deadlines -- but there is a more organic flow to my days. I work from my home office overlooking nearly 7 acres of trees and grass. I allow margin in my days. There is time to think and read and study and prepare for those deadlines and meetings and appointments.

I am less available but more present.

Thanks, Jennifer, for sending the map to a way of life I didn't even know was possible.

It is bliss.

Love

2009-08-07T18:42:00.001-05:00

You know what the most important thing in life is? Love. Love of God and love of family. It doesn’t get any better than that. Amen!

Rain

2009-07-25T13:51:00.001-05:00

It has been so terribly hot and dry lately. A few mornings ago I opened my eyes and thought it was much too early to get up as it was still dark. Then I heard the soft rumbling of thunder in the distance. I smiled thinking that we were finally going to get some rain. And, I was right! When I did get up I had to turn on lights. I like those days when you can hear the rain falling; it makes things inside seem so much cozier.

Playing in the Dirt

2009-06-18T18:07:00.000-05:00

Are we ever too old to play in the dirt? I don’t think so. The smell of the dirt tells you if it is truly good soil—soil that can grow flowers, vegetables, or grass. I really don’t mind getting dirty—it’s a good kind of dirty, don’t you think? We are spreading topsoil readying our backyard for sod. I look forward to having some green grass to walk barefoot in. Do you suppose we’re ever too old to walk barefoot?

Don't You Roll Your Eyes at Me....

2009-06-12T08:24:00.003-05:00

My youngest daughter woke up a little too early and by her demeanor, needed more sleep. Softly I said "Bug, honey, go back to sleep." At which point she executed a perfect eye roll combined with a beautiful full neck extension head roll. Ahhhh yes. My baby girl is growing up....

Happy Quote

2009-06-11T23:40:00.002-05:00

The most important question is not "What are we doing?" but rather "Who do we intend to become?"

~Max De Pree

Our Home

2009-06-11T10:50:00.005-05:00

Not much makes me happier than spending time on this planet.

The movie Home is available on YouTube for free through June 14 through a donor's support. Go take a look.

Daydreaming

2009-06-10T09:58:00.001-05:00

Daydreaming is God telling me to make a wish list. He’s so smart! What a sweet feeling having my mind drift away—I can be a kid again, plan my flower bed, look 20 lbs. lighter. Wow! Yes, it is a gift as long as I don’t overdo it. With the stresses of today I need these little vacations; who doesn’t? After all, some of the best ideas come about by someone daydreaming. So, when I have an especially busy day I enjoy getting a tap on my shoulder from God as He says, “time for recess; go out and play.” And, I do.

Strawberries!

2009-06-10T09:29:00.003-05:00

Strawberries are so beautiful, even their remains! How many of us can say that?

Happy Quote

2009-06-09T12:25:00.002-05:00

The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.

--Benjamin Franklin

This Makes Me Laugh!

2009-06-04T12:32:00.002-05:00

I don't even know where to start with this one.

As a Texan married to a New Yorker, I could have all sorts of fun arguing either side of the "Original Texas Toast" being made by "New York Brand."

Where I get stumped is the Caesar Crouton (French) Connection.

:)

Happy Quote

2009-06-01T12:40:00.001-05:00

I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.

--J.D. Salinger

Life is Sweet!

2009-05-27T11:13:00.003-05:00

As I created my to do list this morning, it occurred to me that I have been letting Brian carry the ball around here and made a note to fix that!

Today I was a Dad

2009-05-24T13:35:00.002-05:00

Today I was a dad.

I made breakfast for 5 rowdy kids.

I kissed 4 boo boos.

Cleaned up one potty accident.

Broke up 5 arguments (it was a slow day).

While peeing got hugged tightly around my leg, just because someone loves me.

Got told I was mean twice and "I hate you" once.

Made 10 sandwiches.

Poured countless glasses of varying liquids.

Cleaned up puppy mess in the living room floor.

Made two grumpy kids take naps.

Grilled out for 11 people.

Went to the park.

Watched the movie Cars, again.

Tucked 5 beautiful children into bed.

Got 6 goodnight kisses.

Heard I love you more times than I could count.

Today I was a Dad. I am a Dad everyday. I like this job.

Happy Quote

2009-05-21T12:48:00.002-05:00

How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone.

~ Coco Chanel

Happy Birthday, Christine!

2009-05-19T12:42:00.000-05:00

Yay! It's your birthday, Christine! And in celebration of the occasion, I found you a yellow Iris.

I hope the whole day is bliss!

Happy Birthday

2009-05-19T08:07:00.001-05:00

Today is Christine's Birthday. I dare not ask how old she is and it doesn't matter. It just makes me happy. Happy Birthday, Christine.

Happy Quote

2009-05-09T13:04:00.001-05:00

Happiness doesn't depend on any external conditions, it is governed by our mental attitude.

~Dale Carnegie

Happy Quote

2009-05-06T12:56:00.000-05:00

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.

~ Anne Frank

Happy Quote

2009-05-03T12:11:00.002-05:00

I like not only to be loved, but to be told that I am loved. I am not sure that you are of the same mind. But the realm of silence is large enough beyond the grave. This is the world of light and speech, and I shall take leave to tell you that you are very dear.

--George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans)

TACA is a Happy Place

2009-05-02T11:57:00.003-05:00

Yes, it is a picture of Oatmeal in a Bowl.

What does that have to do with TACA?

It is where we get our bowls... and plates... and other really cool craft stuff. There is a wonderful collection of all sorts of potters and jewelers and crafters there.

I love eating out of pretty dishes that I purchased from a lovely neighbor. Everything tastes better!

This bowl is Kathy Veverka's work. We are sllloooooowwwwllllllyyyyy collecting a set of her dishes. After several years we are up to 5 plates and 6 bowls.

I can hardly wait until TACA comes back in September--I have my eye on a green plate...

Happy Birthday, Ned Andrew!

2009-05-01T10:00:00.001-05:00

Some folks really struggle with birthdays. They complain about how old* they are, beg out of celebrations, and dread that day on the calendar.

I suppose if you really believe that there is some advantage to being young** then I can almost see your point.

But I really love birthdays. I get to celebrate someone I love. I get to wax nostalgic about all the years I have known them. I get cake.

What's not to like?

I especially enjoy Ned Andrew's birthdays. We get to laugh and play and go to craft fairs*** and the only difference a year makes is that I love him all the more.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Boy!

* Old? It is relative, I suppose, but the folks who seem to complain the loudest are the furthest from 113. When I turn 113, I'll talk about being really old.

** Young? Sure, my body might have been a little more limber a few years ago, but my mind was pretty rigid. ::shrug::

***The TACA Festival falls the first weekend of May in celebration of Ned's big day.

My Boy makes Me Proud and Happy

2009-05-01T04:23:00.007-05:00

Today I got a call from my ex-wife. My children's kitten had been hit and killed by a car. My boys were absolutely inconsolable. There is not much worse for a parent than to have to stand by while their child hurts. It broke my heart to hear the sobs of my boys and to be too far away to even hold them while they grieved.

My ex-wife asked if I could come over tomorrow and dig the hole to bury their pet. Of course I would. Anything that I could do help ease their grief I would do.

Here’s the kicker, about two hours later my oldest son calls me, still crying, and says that I don’t have to come over to help bury his kitten. He’s already done it.

I was floored. My son just turned eleven this week. This is a level of responsibility and caring I never expected to see quite so early. Right there, in that moment, I saw an inkling of the strong man I have been trying to raise.

I have an amazing boy, who I am amazingly proud of.

On a side note: Brennan was given the option to stay home since his cat died, and he turned it down because he had tests he did not want to get behind on.

This wonderful child is making me happy today.

Pretty Pictures Blissify

2009-04-29T09:22:00.003-05:00

My long-time friend, Robert, took this delightful shot of Dogwood blossoms this week. He sent it to me to cheer me up after I shared how un-happifying the news around us was this morning. (Thanks, Robert!!)

I try to choose the information that I invite into my day. As a rule, I stick with sources of happy information. I want to be thoughtful about how much time and energy I devote to negative, draining news stories--and how much time I spend talking, thinking, and tweeting about them.

Being informed doesn't have to mean being inundated with all things ugly and mean and scary.

Quite frankly, I would much rather spend my precious moments on positive pursuits. I don't always manage to be in that sweet, happy space--but as I practice being happy, it becomes more natural.

If I believe life is sweet, it truly tends to be just that.

Irides Make Me Happy

2009-04-27T15:06:00.004-05:00

I love irides--or irises, as some would call them--more than any other flower. We have them all over our yard and they are just starting to send up their 3-foot stalks laden with blooms. As soon as they open, I'll trade out this stock shot for one of our prized blue and purple bearded beauties.

Author Katherine Swift must love irides, too. More Magazine included a quote from her book The Morville Hours on page 30 of their May 2009 edition that sings the praises of my favorite flower more eloquently than anything I've read on the subject. She writes:

Don't blink. Beneath the wall the bearded irises are in bloom, the tall upper-most petals so gauzy, so delicate, that each bloom, once opened, lasts hardly longer than a day. Look, you can almost see through them. As fleeting as a rainbow, and with the same rain-washed colours. They were named after Iris, the messenger of the gods, who as a rainbow linked heaven and earth. It's the same derivation as the iris of the human eye, the coloured membrane which separates the inner from the outer chamber. Both have the same mysterious, shifting, shimmering quality, the colours depending on the viewpoint of the observer, one colour flecked by, veined with, shot through with another.

Wonderfully said.

Happy Quote

2009-04-26T11:03:00.001-05:00

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”

Buddha

Happy Painter

2009-04-25T11:35:00.003-05:00

We are uniquely blessed to live on nearly 7 pastoral acres bordering a large nature preserve. Today the luck of location and weather and inspiration hit our son in his creative bone. He set up his easel and painted one of our Bradford Pears.

What a lovely way to spend a Saturday morning. I'm delighted that he is already of the mindset that it is "worth it" to get out the materials to express his bliss. That makes me happy. I hope he never forgets that he's a wonderfully talented painter!

Time to Think

2009-04-24T11:45:00.001-05:00

Our calendars are so full of responsibilities and promises and appointments and commitments to other people that we sometimes we have been squeezed out of our own lives.

It is vitally important that we schedule appointments with ourselves--to set aside time to do those things that fill and nurture us.

One of the incredibly important--but often neglected activities--on my calendar is time to think. I am a creative person. I make my living helping others formulate, organize, and implement ideas. How on earth would I ever make good on my promise to help others be creative and forward thinking if I don't take time to practice?

No one is going to send me an invitation to a block of time to think. It isn't going to be on the agenda of the next meeting I attend. So, I have to set that time aside myself. And I do.

I regularly schedule appointments with myself. They are on my calendar just like client meetings and doctor appointments. I book an hour on Monday morning to get my head back into the game after the weekend spent with my family. I book office straightening time for the last 10 minutes of every working day. I book reading time to get through the piles of books and manuals and journals I want to absorb. And I book time to think.

My time to think is sacred. I try to find a peaceful spot where I won't be tempted to straighten or organize or respond to an email or answer the phone. I take a pen and paper--but nothing to read. Sometimes I have a specific topic in mind. Sometimes I just sit and listen to the birds chirp and watch the deer wander until inspiration strikes.

Giving myself permission to just be still has been a wonderful gift. Some of my most productive moments occur when it looks like I am doing nothing at all.

Happy Quote

2009-04-23T13:36:00.000-05:00

It's never too late to have a happy childhood.

~Berke Breathed

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T13:39:00.000-05:00

My daughter, Gilly, has been counting down to Earth Day for weeks. My son, Berns, asked for recycling bins for his Easter present. What is it about this generation that makes being eco-friendly so--well--natural? Whatever it is, it's delightful!

"Celebrate Earth Day every day. It's good to recycle. Earth is a really pretty planet and we want to keep it that way."

~Gilly

There is one thing that we truly share and that is the planet we all call home. What a wonderful world it is!

*photo credit: NASA. I'd like an opportunity to see this view for myself someday!

Happy Quote

2009-04-21T13:56:00.001-05:00

Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling.

~Margaret Lee Runbeck

Happy Diapers?

2009-04-21T07:10:00.007-05:00

Diapers.

I know, I know. This is supposed to be a happy blog, and nobody is ever really happy about diapers.

This is different.

My daughter, Caitlin has not used a diaper in a week now. I’m proud of her being potty trained before her third birthday. Even better though, is the fact that I no longer have to change diapers.

It may sound a little selfish, but my oldest child is turning eleven this year, and I have been changing diapers for the better part of those eleven years. I have five children. Brennan is ten, Daniel is eight, Cameron is seven, Madison is five, and Caitlin is two.

There are twinges of disappointment over the fact that I no longer have any little babies, and they do grow much faster than we ever want them to. But at the same time, I only have 16 years to go until it’s just me and my wife. Those years are going to go by way too quickly, and it will be difficult to say the least to spend 10 plus years watching my babies move out.

There is more unconditional love in my house every day than some people will have all their lives.

This is why I bust my butt at school every day. I owe them. For what they freely give me, I owe them. For what they teach me about myself and my life, I owe them.

Though there are moments when I can’t wait for my wife and I to have our own time I know that it, in some ways is not far enough away, and that I may never truly be ready for it.

So for now I will simply be happy with no more diapers.

Happy Little Trees

2009-04-20T18:40:00.001-05:00

Even on a rainy day like yesterday, my dogwoods made my heart sing!

Living the Dream

2009-04-20T18:26:00.002-05:00

I always hated that reply to "How you doin'?" Of course, I've been known to say it when I was working yet another dead end job. I think it makes us feel somewhat better about our present "station" in life. That being said, I don't have a job right now.

I hadn't had a computer for the last ten years. No-can-afford when you have all these mouths under one roof. So When I started IT school it was a helluva shock. Too many new things. People don't realize just how much the Internet has exploded. So, I gotta' catch up.

I sit in front of my computer for almost 14 hours a day now. Learning, exploring, flat out soaking in it. I study constantly. My wife is starting to hate my new "girlfriend." You'd like her. Her name is Dell.

So, in the last two days, I have added five new toolbars to FireFox, started a Blog, completed four chapters in my Beginning Linux class, listed to too many hours of Pandora.com, and looked at countless web pages. Not to mention, I'm a delicious blogger who likes to tweet his diggs, diggs his diigos, and still just doesn't see the fascination with facebook.

My wife and I know that all this will pay off in the end. So, bless her heart, she quietly deals with my sitting in front of the computer for long hours, when I know she'd like some of my time. God, I love her. She works extra hours so we can succeed together. She's a rare find these days.
This time, I guess, we really are living the dream.

Happy Quote

2009-04-19T14:08:00.001-05:00

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.

~Marcel Proust

How does a sunset make you feel?

2009-04-18T08:09:00.006-05:00

A beautiful sunset like this evokes all sorts of emotions and memories for me.

It reminds me of a warm beach in the gulf--walking along the coast of St. Petersburg, FL, at the end of blistering hot day and enjoying the gulf waters gently lapping at the shore.

It inspires my artistic side and gets me thinking about getting this scene on a canvas--blissfully mixing my paint to perfectly match nature's colors and then playing with different brush strokes and textures to create a masterpiece.

Mostly, though, a sunset like this is a reminder of a day well spent that ends with the peace and calm which come from knowing I lived my best day--that I was productive and that I lived, laughed, and loved hard.

Peace and calm = a little bit o' bliss.

Happy Quote

2009-04-16T13:25:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful life I've had! I only wish I'd realized it sooner. ~Colette

Happy Guys

2009-04-15T20:54:00.003-05:00

The guy in the red sweater is Ned Andrew. He is from New York. He's never been around farm animals.

The guy with the big smile is Ernie. He is from Texas. He's never been around New Yorkers.

They met at Thanksgiving and are now the best of friends.

The End.

(Don't you love a happy ending?)

Blissful Blue Skies

2009-04-14T21:58:00.000-05:00

We have had more than our fair share of gray skies and storms over the past few weeks. So, when the sun came out this afternoon, this dogwood absolutely glowed.

Flowering trees amaze me. What? Leaves that change from chartreuse and deep green into bright reds and oranges and yellows aren't enough? Mother Nature thought, "Yes. I'll put flowers on them for a couple of weeks in the spring. Just for fun!"

I love that.

Happy Turkey Day?

2009-04-13T21:06:00.003-05:00

We had a massive storm in our neck of the woods today, so I got a little giddy when the animals started marching by my kitchen window in pairs.

I got downright hysterical when this turkey started knocking on my back door. Her 3 friends weren't quite as forward as she--but they certainly were eyeing the dry house with interest.

Happy Quote

2009-04-12T14:22:00.001-05:00

I'm going to be happy. I'm going to skip. I'm going to be glad. I'm going to smile a lot. I'm going to be easy. I'm going to count my blessings. I'm going to look for reasons to feel good. I'm going to dig up positive things from the past. I'm going to look for positive things where I stand. I'm going to look for positive things in the future. It is my natural state to be a happy person. It's natural for me to love and to laugh. This is what is most natural for me. I am a happy person!

--Esther Hicks

Baking a Batch of Bliss

2009-04-12T10:42:00.002-05:00

They may look like ordinary peanut butter cookies, but these little mounds of delight are loaded with love. There are a couple of little details that add to their bliss-inducing magic. (1) I was estranged from my paternal clan for over two decades and shortly after I arrived at Daddy's for the first time in 21 years, my baby sister, Angie, showed up with the makings for these cookies. (2) Two of my kids are allergic to dairy and gluten and we struggle to find foods that they like to eat that don't cost a billion dollars* and these cookies fit the bill.

We make a batch of these wonderful cookies once a week. We eat about half of them while they are still warm and package the other half up for lunch boxes and after-school snacks.

Warm cookies? Wonderful.

Warm cookies baked with love? Bliss!

*May be a slight exaggeration.

The Next Best Thing

2009-04-10T10:43:00.001-05:00

For as long as most of my closest friends have known me, I’ve had this favorite saying: “The next best thing to making plans, is plans falling through!” It’s not just a rote statement – it’s absolutely true!

Even if I’m very much looking forward to a morning, afternoon or evening plan that was set well in advance – say dinner with friends, or a movie or music outing – I’m typically not so “wed” to the event that my life feels “cheated” or “diminished” by its withdrawal.

When the plans fall through, it means it’s a morning or afternoon or evening with – here it comes – no plans! So basically, I am free to create my own entertainment, strike out on my own adventure, or do nothing more than curl up on the sofa with a book and some sweet ambient music for company.

So plans are happy-inducing, but so are plans undone.

Happy Couple

2009-04-10T10:23:00.004-05:00

Then we sat on the edge of the earth, with our feet dangled over the side, and marveled that we had found each other. --Erik Dillard

I have wonderful, supportive friends and a large, caring family, but I have to admit that there is one relationship in my world that combines both. I am massively blessed to be married to my very best friend and am grateful every single day that Ned Andrew is in my life.

It wasn't always this way--we managed to bumble along on separate paths for decades. The waiting and wanting only makes our time together even sweeter.

There is a Happily Ever After!

Happy Flowers

2009-04-09T10:26:00.003-05:00

I popped into the Brentwood Library to pick up a copy of Stumbling on Happiness and came across these delightful flowers. I am a sucker for spring bulbs of any kind--but I have to admit to being especially enamored of these bright orange tulips!

Enjoy!

Happy Quote

2009-04-08T13:31:00.001-05:00

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.

~Margaret Young

Candlelit Dinners are Bliss-Inducing

2009-04-07T10:08:00.002-05:00

Ned and I love to eat really good food. We also have the happy coincidence of loving to prepare really good food. We are going to cook dinner most nights anyway, so we figure we may as well spend the time and make something that we will really enjoy.

Our Monday Night Feast this week was Ned and Gina's Shrimp 'n' Grits served with Garlic Steamed Artichoke with Herbed Brie. I have to admit that this meal was beyond scrumptious and worth way more than the hour we spent laughing and singing in the kitchen.

Oh, did I mention that we enjoy making dinner?

Yes. Even the every day stuff can be wonderful fun!

Bon Appetit!

Happy Quote

2009-04-06T10:10:00.001-05:00

Being happy is the cornerstone of all that you are! Nothing is more important than that you feel good! And you have absolute and utter control about that because you can choose the thought that makes you worry or the thought that makes you happy; the things that thrill you, or the things that worry you. You have the choice in every moment.

--Esther Hicks

Happy Math Class

2009-04-04T22:16:00.002-05:00

Ned gave a presentation at the Memphis University School today in this classroom.

There were 60 hand-made dodecahedron models hanging from the ceiling and these colorful posters of tessellations on the back wall and all sorts of wonderful inspirational sayings around the room.

I've never met this teacher, but I would love to take their class!

Happy Connections

2009-04-04T22:00:00.001-05:00

Where better to seek out happiness than in making spontaneous connections with other human beings? It’s a favorite pastime of mine. Going up or down in the elevator. Waiting on line at the post office or grocery store. Sure, you could just stand there and feel awkward, or bemoan the fact that the line isn’t moving any faster, or that there’s only one postal clerk window or check-out lane open at lunchtime…or…you could pass the time agreeably with the person in front of or behind you. Go on, make their day too!

For a more extended connection, Gina and I love to establish a friendly relationship with our waiter or waitress at a favorite or new eating place. Gina always asks the server what his or her name is – unless it’s offered first, which seems to be getting rarer these days! We don’t eat out very often, so when we do, we like it to be extra special and fun. So, to up the entertainment value, we try to bring our server in on the festivities.

Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. When it doesn’t, we just laugh amongst ourselves, and hope that one day that person discovers his or her own blissification.

Happy Trails

2009-04-03T13:11:00.003-05:00

This makes me laugh out loud!

Only on a back road in the middle-of-nowhere-Texas would they post a sign telling you to slow down to 65 miles per hour for a sharp curve on a two-lane no-shoulder road!

Oh, and I am from Texas--so this is posted with nothing but love for my home state and all of her (fast) drivers.

Happy Flowers

2009-04-02T14:30:00.003-05:00

Our baby girl loves to paint and created this blissful scene of blooming spring flowers on one of the grayest days in February.

It makes me want to sing!

I'll happily pass along any comments to the artist.

Put on a Happy Face

2009-04-02T12:22:00.003-05:00

How many of you remember Dick Van Dyke singing and dancing to Put on a Happy Face in the original film version of Bye Bye Birdie? I do. In an effort to cheer up a friend who’s “down in the dumps”, he encourages her to “spread sunshine all over the place, just put on a happy face!”

When I’m in a great mood, I guess I can’t help but smile. When I’m walking through my day, passing total strangers on the street on the walk from my car to the office, or from my office to the car, or from my office to the Arcade in downtown Nashville to mail a letter or pick up a quarter pound of nuts or a batch of sushi, I suppose I toss that smile at everyone I pass, because nine times out of ten, I get a big, sweet smile in return.

Either I influenced that, or there are a whole lot more happy folks walking around than I thought!

Try it yourself. Let me know how it goes.

Happiness Journals Make People Happy

2009-04-01T15:57:00.003-05:00

Keeping a journal of the moments, people, and "things" that inspire gratitude in our lives isn't a new concept--Oprah has been talking about it for decades--but the idea that there is some actual scientific proof that paying attention to what makes us happy can actually make us happier is pretty sweet stuff.

The big names* in Happiness Science--also known as Positive Psychology--tell us that keeping tabs of what makes us happy in a purposeful, organized format can actually make us happier. The studies show that in addition to being happier folks who practice gratitude sleep better, deal with change more effectively, and--over time--are healthier and have closer relationships with other people. Drs. Seligman, Lyubomirksy, Csikszentmihalyi and their colleagues have done the hard work of studying, quantifying, and reporting^ the science. It is up us to actually implement it.

The good news is that there are pretty straight-forward ways to practice gratitude. In the studies, folks were asked to log onto a website several times a day and type a sentence or two about something that made them happy or grateful. These could be little things or huge things. It turns out that it really wasn't the "stuff" that made people happy, it was noticing that they were happy that made them happy! And the more they noticed--yep--the happier they felt.

Just in case you don't have time to read the research and the books that outline the why's and how's, lemme just cut to the chase.

We keep track of our money--see: checkbook--our time--see: calendar--our wants--see: wish lists--and our promises--see: to do lists. A Happiness Journal is where we keep track of our happiness.

Folks vary on the number of entries--daily? several times a day?--the location and format--online? paper calendar? pretty blank book?--but the goal and end results are similar. Make it a daily habit to notice what makes you happy and write it down.

Stuck on what to notice? I'll share some thought starters in a future post. In the meantime... make it a happy day!

*These folks are not just the most notable folks in the field, they also seem to have really long names. Once you learn them, it is an act of gratitude to be able to name drop the likes of Drs. Sonja Lyubomirsky and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Martin Seligman. Go ahead! Try it! It's fun!

^ The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want by Dr.Sonja Lyubomirsky

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment by Dr. Martin Seligman

Start your day with some laughing!

2009-04-01T07:22:00.006-05:00

This baby's laugh is contagious.

Have a happy day!

My Blissified "Office" with a Gorgeous View

2009-03-31T10:27:00.003-05:00

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!

2009-03-30T17:51:00.003-05:00

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?

2009-03-30T10:02:00.003-05:00

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

2009-03-29T08:15:00.009-05:00

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!

2009-03-28T23:07:00.001-05:00

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!

2009-03-28T20:54:00.002-05:00

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

2009-03-28T19:08:00.001-05:00

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!