Happiness = Trying something new!

I've decided to move my blog to Wordpress. I am still setting things up and tweaking so I'll post updates and such here for a bit longer while I move things over.

Click here to see Wake Up Laughing on Wordpress.

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happiness gratitude inspiration creativity

A permission slip for Happiness (Happiness = 1st Guest Post!)

Today marks a happiness milestone for the Wake Up Laughing blog - my first guest post! I decided to start a guest post series to provide a space for others to share about happiness in their own lives. I'm honored that the first guest post comes from a dear friend. I loved her take on signing her own permission slip to be happy. I love that she acknowledges that the decision to be happy can be a challenge but she's willing to embrace happiness today. As I read her words, it seemed to me like the last paragraph almost turned into a prayer to happiness, and how sometimes all it takes is a re-framing to see that there is a blessing to be found everyday. It may take a reminder every morning, personally sometimes I have to re-choose happiness a few times a day as I notice myself slip into negativity. But, all that matters is reminding myself: I did sign my permission slip...

So, without further ado:

Today, I sign my permission slip to be HAPPY

Letting go of negative feelings is one of the best things I can do to harvest my happiness. It seems silly to give myself "permission" to be happy, but ultimately, it is in my own hands. I figured out that I don't have to be stressed or unhappy if I just don't allow myself to feel that way. My expectations and standards are simply "mine" to be disappointed with if things aren't to my satisfaction. I have the choice to feel what I feel. It seems that feeling dissatisfied or unhappy is much easier than allowing myself to just be happy.

However, life is too short to constantly push happiness away from my reach. It stares me in the face everyday. The real challenge is can I, or will I, embrace it? When I watch the news, how many times do I see stories of people facing hardship or losing their loved ones? For me, it's a constant reminder of how much I DO have, as opposed to what I DON'T have. So, my happiness may not be perfect or satisfying by another's standards, but it doesn't matter to anyone but me.

Today, I will be happy to be alive, remembering someone else may not have been blessed with another day. Today, I will be happy that I have family or loved ones to share with, remembering there is someone in the world who may have no one. Today, I will be happy that I am in good health, remembering someone's health may be failing them. I will remember there are many things that could be worse when I start to think that happiness is beyond my reach.

Today, I give myself permission to be happy - to indulge in the simple blessings I am given everyday...

- Ahrijona Kimchi Mama

(PS - Would you like to write a guest post on happiness? If so, please leave a comment letting me know or send me an e-mail at jules57 at gmail dot com.)
(PPS - Remember, to use the symbol for at and a period for dot.)

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happiness gratitude inspiration creativity

Today...

...Be the change you want to see in the world. -Gandhi

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happiness gratitude inspiration creativity

Honoring Inspiration

A few weeks ago something came to me, a realization about my recent self. The realization: As I take time to discover and cultivate who I am, I notice the roles that used to overwhelm me are now inspiring me.

These roles - mother, sister, wife, daughter, friend, employee, co-worker, supervisor, student – could each feel so daunting just a few years ago. I didn't even know there was inspiration in front of me and I had no idea how to approach life with creativity. I was so resentful, drowning in obligations to anything and everything in life with no time for me. Looking back, I realize that having no time for me was partially my own fault - I wasn't making any time. If I don't make myself a priority, it is no one else's job to do so either.

Now I get to look at who I am. It’s not that I’m not tired, or that I don’t get occasionally frustrated, but I have started on a journey to develop myself. As I focus on my happiness project I find I do truly love being a mother, a wife, a student, daughter, friend…

I was recently lucky enough to be able to let go of quite a few things that were a source of negative energy and in doing so it seemed I was suddenly compelled to approach the roles in front of me with creativity. My new mantra: Be ready to be inspired by what is in front of me today. When I start with myself, I can see my roles as a gifts in my life. There are new gifts in my day, every day. Inspiration is everywhere once I open myself up to receive it. All it took was setting some boundaries (easier said than done but that’s another discussion) and then focusing on being Juli and looking for what that means.

Today that means:

• Bring order to my house.
• Improvise.
• Read.
• Write.
• Create (recently this has been a lot of crochet projects).
• Practice gratitude.
• Laugh with my kids.
• Laugh with my husband.
• Learn something new.
• Cook new things or make our old favorites in new ways.
• Get enough sleep.
• Seek the goodness in life – in the people around me, in the media I consume, in the moment that I am in.

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happiness gratitude inspiration creativity