Happiness. We put so much pressure on that single word, don’t we?
It’s all too easy to get stuck in this mental cycle of thinking happiness will magically arrive once we get something we thought we wanted more than anything else—when we accomplish something we worked our asses off to get.
I’ll be happy when I get that promotion.
I’ll be happy when I buy that house.
I’ll be happy when I write that book.
Do we feel happy after obtaining or accomplishing any of these things? Not for very long. Like coming down from a high, we crash and we wonder where it all went wrong.
Hey, what happened to my happiness I deserve? I worked so hard for it, and now it’s gone.
The build-up we attach to thinking happiness comes after a certain thing causes this self-destructive roller coaster of emotions.
As a writer, I know this feeling well. And I see it all the time in other writers.
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Okay, that’s the teaser for the guest blog post I wrote over at Chris Stocking’s place.
To celebrate the relaunch of his website, my good friend asked me and a couple of writers to kick off christopherstocking.com with some good old fashioned writing about writing.
Head on over, read the rest of the piece, and check out his new pad. (And, make sure to bring Chris some good beer, since I know he worked hard on everything.)
Cheers, Chris!
Britt Skrabanek 
Great post, Britt
Thanks, Dannie!
Beautiful post, Britt!! We all need to love ourselves more, and to forgive ourselves for our shortcomings — the same as we do with our friends or someone we feel sorry for.
Thanks so much, Stan. Absolutely. Loving and forgiving ourselves is imperative. We just don’t have space for anything else when we are suffocating ourselves with negativity.
It’s nice to see your smiling face! Being happy for no reason is the best reason of all.
Totally. Seems like our happiest times come out of nowhere, don’t they?
on my way 🙂
Awesome, love. Enjoy.
Lovely post as always, Britt!
Thanks, Carrie doll!
SO true. I’ll be happy when I decide to be happy 😀
Totes. Nothing else is going to do it for us.
A great post and dialogue. Happiness is a concept that is difficult to define for it encompasses all of human experience, much of which has unique qualities. I have found in my life, to feel happiness, I must embrace all of what life offers, both good and the not so good. Most of all, happiness comes from our participation within community. I always think of Marcel Proust’s words on happiness: “Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
And Britt makes my soul blossom. 🙂
Gallivanta, you make my soul blossom too. 🙂
Aren’t we a pretty pair? 😀 😀
Brilliant, Clanmother. We must embrace it all. When we do, that’s when happiness falls into place. Love that quote, by the way.
We can relate, B. =) Great post.
Diana
Fantastic. Thanks, sweetness!
I love it when writers write about writing. It always motivates me to sit down and write.
Haha, I don’t write about writing too much. But when I do, it’s such an emotional subject. I’m going to try to sit down and write today too. 🙂
Good post Britt, also good comment from Clanmother ^^ I reckon happiness – more accurately contentment I think – comes the moment you accept what you have and expect no more. Then you can absorb and appreciate your present world, not some mythical future one.
Accepting and not expecting are key here, I agree, Roy. The mythical future world has a way of creeping in. But the times I’m present and not racing ahead are the absolute best.
Great Read Britt you are way ahead than most people who wish to write just one book. Happiness is right there in front of us, some just can’t see it. I start by being thankful for the new sunrise, now that makes me plenty happy. I am still here.
Thanks, lovely. Happiness is right there. Whenever I can’t find it, it’s because my mind and eyes are shut. A sunrise is a beautiful reminder.
Indeed, or a dragonfly zipping by, its just missed by some, but I know you see the magic.
Such wise words, Brit! I think Happiness often sneaks up on us when we’re not looking for it. And it will slip from our grasp if we try to hold on too tightly. I’ve tried to uncouple Happiness and Expectations from my writing, and I think it’s helping. Time will tell, of course!
You said it best, honey! Happiness can sneak up on us and slip away if we’re not careful. I’m working on expectations with my writing as well, and it definitely helps. Keep doing it!