on happiness*

samantha & rochelle...happy girlies, canon digital rebel xti

When I was on the plane last week, flying across the country, I decided to find some comfort in the book Eat Pray Love. It seems whenever I need a good kick in the arse (gently, of course), the pages of this book always does the job. All I have to do is flip through, close my eyes and land my finger on a spot and there pours out wisdom from the pages.

This particular flip through brought me to the subject of Happiness. I doggie-eared it on the bottom, so I could share it on my blog when I felt the need.

This excerpt reminded me how much I need to participate in my own happiness and not lazily expect it come to me...

"People universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you're fortunate enough. But that's not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it. If you don't, you will leak away your innate contentment. It's easy enough to pray when you're in distress but continuing to pray even when your crisis has passed is like a sealing process, helping your soul hold tight to its good attainments."
~ Elizabeth Gilbert

No one else is responsible to do this in our lives but us. Sometimes its easier to blame others and make our unhappiness their fault but I know that is a diversion from taking it into our own hands.

This can also be in the simple things. It doesn't have to be so huge and overwhelming. This morning I started to feel a bit sad. The choice to adopt is so beautiful and awesome but I still grieve over the path that I've been focused on for the past three years. I picked up the phone to talk to my husband about it. Perhaps he could make me feel better. Then I put the phone down before it started ringing. No...only I can make me feel better. So, I opened my window to listen to the rain and began to think about all the friendships in my life that I am grateful for. My mood lifted and I felt more clarity. Sometimes it can be this simple.

Tomorrow I leave to spend a few days with three beauties that have always given me permission to be exactly where I am. Three women that are rock stars at creating happiness in their life and inspire me to do the same. I am grateful for this timing.