There’s a lot of talk nowadays about “living in the moment”, “being present”, how to have a “life well-lived” and how to “find happiness”. While perusing various books one day, I ran across an opinion that made a lot of sense to me. In her cookbook “Dear Elizabeth…” (available through Blurb), Deborah LeMoine of Little Flour Microbakery quotes “a wise therapist” as once telling her …
“The key to happiness is not always in the big things. Great jobs and good health and perfect families may elude us in some chapters of life. There are some things we simply can’t control. But if we know a few simple things that do make us happy, we can control more of our lives than we think. Make your own list and keep it close at hand. Gaze at the moon. Hug a cow. Eat your sweet potatoes.”
Having fortuitously stumbled upon that advice, I thought it wise enough to follow so I promptly started making my list. At first it was just a picture I doodled in my day planner – a list to which I added as inspiration struck me.
Fast forward to the spring of 2018 when I was able to secure a seat in Virginia Greuloch‘s “Connected” class at Click Photo School. At the end of the first week, Virginia suggested that I make a list of things that bring me joy and that tug at my heart. Upon hearing this, I remembered my “Happy List” and I dug it out and snapped a picture of it. Photographing this list, combined with the enthusiasm of my instructor and some of her helpers, sparked the idea to embark on “The Happy List Project” – a project where I would photograph my way through the list – possibly adding new “happinesses” as they came to mind.
Through this exercise, I’ve found that there is great joy even in the simple act of writing down the things that make you happy and it’s something I’d suggest everyone do. I believe you’ll find yourself smiling, feeling a bit nostalgic, and maybe even making plans to do something you’ve added to that list!
I’ve since taken on the challenge of experiencing and photographing as many items from my list as I possibly can. And from time to time, you can expect to find a post here in my “journal” recounting the beauty and the satisfaction found in that experience.
And now I challenge you to do the same – create your list, keep it close at hand (or close to your heart), read over it often, add to it as you desire, get out there and experience the things that bring joy to your life! And if you do make a “Happy List” for yourself, be sure to photograph your happy activities and share them with #myhappylistproject. I’d love to see what makes YOU happy too! As for me now, … I think I need to find that perfect cup of coffee (or go hug a cow)!