if you’re happy and you know it
June 2, 2011 § 5 Comments
I’ve been reflecting a lot about the word happy. What does it mean? Who or what causes it? Why do we feel it sometimes but not other times? Why do some of us rarely experience it? It is wrong to desire happiness? Is it wrong to fully experience and live in the moments when we’re happy. Is is wrong when we go through long periods of time without feeling happy?
I recently read that “the secret of life is be happy and help others be happy too.”
It made me happy to read that. It was stated by a deeply spiritual person who often guides others in their spiritual journeys. It resonated with me. It made sense to me.
I don’t believe he was saying that we have to be happy all the time. I don’t think he was stating a need for everyone to always be chipper, energetic and optimistic. I think it was much more simple than that. In fact I believe he was implying, that when you’re happy and you know it, feel it, show it, love it, be in it. When we are happy and we show it, we are free. When we share our happiness, we inevitably help others do the same.
In light of my musings about happiness, let’s try this experiment. Simply notice when you’re happy and when you truly let yourself feel happy. No matter what causes that happiness, try to live in that moment of happiness. Keep it simple, don’t over analyze it, just feel it.
And then, also notice when you’re happy and when you don’t let yourself feel it. What causes you to stifle it? Don’t over-complicate this either, just notice it.
I emphasize notice because noticing is all this experiment is about. I want to start noticing these things in myself, and through noticing I think I’ll figure out how to unlearn some of my habits, and then sooner or later I’ll begin the process of healing. So for today…just notice. Notice your happiness, notice where you feel your happiness, notice what you do with your happiness.
And, of course, a quote for you.
“I notice this in myself, I see it in other people: the happiness muffle. We feel the sparkle, really we do. We feel rich with gratitude, we’re keenly aware of a true smile curled in our cells. We tend to live on the light side of things. But we don’t pronounce it. As a new friend just put it, “We butt back the joy because…happiness is a form of power.”
Is that any way to treat happiness?
Happiness is power. Happiness is carbonated consciousness. It wants to spill out and radiate and be articulated. And every time we downplay our joy we confuse our synapses. Our brain is firing smiley neurons and our mouth is short-circuiting them. Repeated happiness muffling numbs our senses. If you keep it under the surface too long, it just might stay there – a light under a bushel.
So do us all a favour. No matter what the weather, the odds, the circumstances, the company, if you’re happy and you know it, by all means, say so!” Danielle LaPorte (www.whitehottruth.com)
Love,
i
Great post! I like that LaPorte refers to happiness as “carbonated consciousness”. That’s excellent.
This is a great remeinder. I think the world conditions us to deny our happiness. Society makes us feel a bit guilty if we’re not a little miserable. Or at least they try, but I don’t pay any attention.
I believe we were created to be happy, and to spend our lives making others happy, just as you said. It’s our choice to practice that or not.
Ann Voskamp (author of ‘A Thousand Gifts’) says it something like this:
‘ To stop in the rushing-river flow of life, and let the weight of the moment slow the current…to relish it, savor it, experience it…this is joy, this is gratitude…’ (no, not a direct quote, but the general concept I’m learning from her!)
Thank you, thank you for such words of wisdom! Just what I need to be reminded of, as I bask in these summer days!
“Our brain is firing smiley neurons and our mouth is short circuiting them…”
Sweet concept, and fantastic post. Living with my heart on my sleeve/face is oddly tough for me sometimes. But I’ve noticed that when I express how happy I am, I actually get happier. #soundsweirdbutitstrue
- Josh (@nonconformistpa)
I wandered over here since Ashley posted a quote from her on her blog. What a great way to kick off my happy day.
I miss seeing you my beautiful friend and think of you and Jared often. xo
I love this – great reminder to consciously embrace the happy moments. I shared your post on my blog as well. http://www.mamasaysnamaste.com/2011/06/dont-worry-be-happy.html
Love you!