What Happiness Is…

by Tess on September 4, 2009

Free Purple Flowers at The Train Station Unedited Creative Commons

Creative Commons License photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography

Under all of our desires is our desire to be happy. You may want a new home, nice car, better health or romance but you need it to be happy. Happiness is a positive emotional state, an interal choice.

What happiness is:

Knowing who I am

Being who I am

Accepting who you are

Inner peace

Knowing what is important

Living in harmony with nature

Compassion for others

Being mindful

Savoring everyday

Giving thanks

Total engagement

Having good character

Playfulness and laughter

Passion and enthusiasm

Meaning and purpose

Honoring family and friends

Forgiving self and others

A love of learning

Kindness and generosity

Loving and being loved

Appreciation of beauty

Faith, hope and optimism

An inside job

Living my best life

Nothing Iv’e listed are tangible. Happiness is an inside job. Choose to live happy regardless of your circumstances today. Create a peaceful and loving energy.  

It’s an empowering choice!

You can never get enough of what you don’t need to make you happy. -Eric Hoffer

 

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    { 32 comments… read them below or add one }

    Hilary September 4, 2009 at 3:13 am

    Hi Tess – that is a great list .. Accepting who we are – seemed to stand out for me .. if we do that then the others will fall into place, with our self evaluation and improvement.

    That was lovely to read .. have a good weekend with the family and friends
    Hilary Melton-Butcher
    Positive Letters Inspirational Stores

    Reply

    Daphne @ Joyful Days September 4, 2009 at 3:24 am

    Tess,
    You have such wise lists. Right now I’m working on forgiving self and others :)

    Reply

    Zeenat(Positive Provocations} September 4, 2009 at 3:32 am

    HI Tess,
    What a truly empowering post! It is indeed our choice to be happy….how we choose to do so is entirely up-to us.And to me personally external factors dont count for my internal happiness. My attitude will grant me happiness now if i truly want…irrespective of money, big house, etc…My positive, non judgmental and loving attitude towards life will inturn grant me lasting happiness.
    Thank you so much for this wonderful wonderful and highly empowering post.
    You and your blog Rock!
    Big Hug.

    Reply

    Mary B Sheffield September 4, 2009 at 6:16 am

    Hi Tess,
    The post for today is Great ! I really need to work on the Accepting who you are ! Some days it is hard to realize that you are somebody besides a mother and a wife. But with your wonderful posts and thought provoking
    questions I think this cacoon is finding a butterfly .
    Have a wonderful weekend !
    Mary B

    Reply

    andrea September 4, 2009 at 6:21 am

    happy happy day!
    :)

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    Jill September 4, 2009 at 6:24 am

    Love this. My two favorites are “knowing who I am” and “being who I am”. Once I found those two, happiness was mine for the taking. Thank you for sharing this list.

    Reply

    David September 4, 2009 at 7:48 am

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    Reply

    Peggy September 4, 2009 at 8:11 am

    Tess,

    I LOVE the headlining photograph! Very peaceful, serene and it really brought an unexpected smile to my face!

    I love being happy. I love sloshing over. And I always find it kind of cool when someone says to me, “I want what you have…how do I get it?” That’s when I know there’s a student who’s ready :-)

    xo
    Peggy
    PS – Part Two is posted!

    Reply

    Jannie Funster September 4, 2009 at 10:26 am

    Yep! And wanting what we have.

    xo

    Reply

    Positively Present September 4, 2009 at 11:48 am

    OMG, I lovvvvvvvvvvvve this post. Happiness IS an inside job and it’s taken me a long time to realize it. I love, love, love your list. Happiness is reading this post! :)

    Reply

    Kristie Ryan September 4, 2009 at 12:36 pm

    What a great post! I’m new to reading your blogs and let me tell you, I just love them. Anything that will inspire me to be a better person is good in my book.

    Reply

    Hilda September 4, 2009 at 12:37 pm

    Oooh, happiness is my favourite subject :-) Perfect list, and my fav bit is what Dani picked out: “Happiness is an inside job.” Totally and utterly!

    Reply

    brandi September 4, 2009 at 1:19 pm

    yes, yes and yes to this post! i have absolutely learned the hard way that happiness HAS to come from inside..no amount of stuff will do it for me. :-)
    and I love the quote!

    Reply

    Joy September 4, 2009 at 1:48 pm

    Happiness is contagious…..
    Your post and then reading all of the comments made my already very joyful day more joyful…thank you:)

    Reply

    Lisis September 4, 2009 at 2:23 pm

    Beautiful! My favorite part is that we should choose to be happy no matter what our circumstances. I know there are people who have so very little, and deal with major complications (health or otherwise) but still manage to have a happy and grateful disposition. That is my goal every day… to not be defined by my circumstances.

    Thanks for the reminder! Happiness is definitely a choice!

    Reply

    Mary007 September 4, 2009 at 2:25 pm

    Hi Tess,

    Beautiful list!! The one that stood out was Inner Peace…it made me realize that this is exactly what I want and need! Thank you for shedding light!

    Reply

    Tess September 4, 2009 at 2:43 pm

    Hillary,
    I agree accepting ourselves with self evaluation and improvement. In fact that’s a another post! I’m grateful for your insights and support Hillary.

    Daphne,
    Forgiving yourself and others will guarantee you freedom and inner peace. You are wise Daphne and I’m glad we’re friends.

    Zeenat,
    Non judgement, positivity and a loving attitude…PRICELESS!

    Mary,
    Thanks for the support you provide for me and my blog. You have a wonderful weekend as well. I’ll bet you’re on the boardwalk enjoying the last of summer!

    Andrea,
    Thanks and your art adds to my happy happy day!

    Jill,
    Happiness is mine for the taking…that says it all. I’ve not heard it put that way before.
    David,
    Thanks for sharing your resources with us.

    Peggy,
    I love sloshing over. It’s sounds alive and messy and fun. And yes it’s an honor to have people tell us they want what we have. For me they usually notice my energy. My enthusiasm for life sloshes over!
    XO

    Jannie,
    And I have you as a friend. That’s easy to want!

    Dani,
    I appreciate your enthusiasm for this post. You’re the best!

    Kristie,
    I’m glad you found my blog and especially that you’ve joined the conversation. Welcome and let me know if I can help you in any way.

    Hilda,
    Yeah and that’s what I want to focus on! Me and my inside job!

    Brandi,
    It’s easy to declutter and let go of stuff once this is understood. Welcome to happiness.

    Lisis,
    You are so strong and we all get stronger from watching you and reading your stories. You rock and I wish you and your family the best on your journey. Thanks for stopping by.

    Mary,
    Once we have inner peace not much else matters. I’m with you all the way!

    Reply

    John September 4, 2009 at 5:42 pm

    Happiness rules. I totally agree that happiness is an internal choice. Material things don’t really give you that much happiness compared to the pleasure you get when you’re happy just being who you are.

    :) I’m so happy now. :)

    Reply

    Avani Mehta September 4, 2009 at 6:06 pm

    Ah! this is a happy happy post :) A line I like to use and remind myself when it comes to happiness is – Happiness is your right and your responsibility.

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    Lance September 5, 2009 at 3:53 am

    Tess,
    “Happiness is an inside job” – I love that thought! It is! Deep and true happiness doesn’t come from things, it comes from within – and getting to that place is such a good place to be…
    Lance´s last blog ..Detours on the Path of Life My ComLuv Profile

    Reply

    Megan "JoyGirl!" Bord September 5, 2009 at 4:17 am

    My friend once told me ‘happiness is true wealth.’ He surmised that when people say they want more money, what they actually mean is they want more happiness and inner peace.
    Another great list – thanks for putting it out there!
    Megan “JoyGirl!” Bord´s last post…Resentment Is Ridiculous My ComLuv Profile

    Reply

    Tess September 5, 2009 at 4:59 am

    John,
    And I’m happy knowing you’re happy being who you are. You’re an example to all young people with you blog and your dreams. Keep going and keep leaping.

    Avani,
    I love that line and I take my rights and responsibilities and run with them happily and free.

    Lance,
    You are an example of a happy person with a happy family. The fact that you’re so active and involved makes for a great life.

    Megan,
    That’s a wise person. I’ve not thought of it that way before and it makes so much sense!

    Reply

    steve [i dance for ten years right now] September 5, 2009 at 10:18 am

    thank you for this. i like how concise this post is. very simple. it gets to the point.

    i would list one more thing that happiness is, similar to some you have posted, but i think a little different: “accepting yourself” (or even “appreciating yourself”). a lot of the times when we push ourselves to become better & better all the time, we forget to just love ourselves. i’ve come to love myself a bit more lately, and i would say it is a kind of happiness! thanks again tess
    steve [i dance for ten years right now]´s last post…What do you really want? My ComLuv Profile

    Reply

    Keith September 5, 2009 at 12:06 pm

    Hi Tess!

    Another thought provoking list, and I love it! “Knowing what is important” is certainly a biggie with me. Get that right and everything else seems to fall into place doesn’t it? :-)

    Thanks Tess!
    Keith´s last post…Weigh Anchor! My ComLuv Profile

    Reply

    Wilma Ham September 6, 2009 at 6:16 pm

    Hi Tess.

    It took me a while to really get what it meant that happiness is a choice.
    What do you mean choice, am I suppose to choose happy when I am soaking in this tent for days and I am desperate for some sun. THIS is my 3 weeks out of the office and it is raining. I am miserable and grumpy, thank you, I did NOT choose this!!!!!

    I have come a long way and I really hear you when you say happiness comes from within and can be a choice. It makes me a power house and not a victim of circumstances. That is big!

    I love your buffet of happiness, I have a look what I will choose for today.
    Lots of love, Wilma
    Wilma Ham´s last post…Forget unfair and luck, integrity is what counts. My ComLuv Profile

    Reply

    Jodi at Joy Discovered September 6, 2009 at 7:26 pm

    Love, love, love this list! I am going to work on one of my own. I suspect many items on my list will be similar to yours. Happiness is universal, it seems! Thanks for sharing this, Tess. Looking at the world this way really is heartwarming.
    Jodi at Joy Discovered´s last post…Off the Shelf: 365 Tao~Work My ComLuv Profile

    Reply

    Suzie Cheel September 6, 2009 at 7:31 pm

    That is wonderful Tess, yes happiness is all those things and more:)
    Suzie Cheel´s last post…What Am I Grateful For Today? #124 My ComLuv Profile

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    Vered - Blogger for Hire September 6, 2009 at 7:50 pm

    I love this list. I wrote a long time ago about my own pursuit of happiness. This simple, concise post makes things clearer. Thank you.

    Reply

    Davina September 7, 2009 at 8:07 am

    Hi Tess. I too loved the “inside job” idea. It is true. Knowing what is important… is… important :-) Do we want to be right, or do we want to be happy?
    Davina´s last post…At the End of the Day My ComLuv Profile

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    Jared | SpiritualZen.net September 8, 2009 at 5:02 am

    Exactly. Life is not a search for happiness; happiness is a by-product of right living.
    Jared | SpiritualZen.net´s last post…The Spiritual Power of Now My ComLuv Profile

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    Jennifer September 8, 2009 at 8:54 am

    Tess, what a beautiful description of what happiness is! Happiness is always a choice. That’s something I teach a lot of. It always has been a choice and always will be. I love the quote by Eric Hoffer.

    Have a wonderful day choosing lots of happiness!
    Jennifer´s last post…What Do You See? My ComLuv Profile

    Reply

    Brenda July 24, 2010 at 5:51 pm

    Tess,

    Another list that made my day (or evening!). Isn’t it wonderful that happiness has so little to do with material things? Tess illustrated how the BEST things in life are free: gratitude, mindfulness, kindness, friendship, love, faith, purpose, passion, peace, simplicity…

    Just writing this makes me breathe deeper…Thank you Tess…I am so glad I met you in blogland!

    I am not sure how to make my blog show up…but Tess has a great posting on living your dreams: @www.BrendaStrausz.blogspot.com

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