gratitude – hellomelissa.net

Did you know that yesterday was The United Nations International Day of Happiness? I didn’t either until I got to work yesterday. My office building was celebrating with smiley face balloons and cupcakes in the lobby.

I really love smiley faces. I was the girl who dotted the Is in her name with smiley faces from ages 10 to 12-ish. I still sign cards with my name and a little smiley underneath. When I add Flora’s name, I do a little flower for her. (I still haven’t figured out a symbol for Sean, which feels like unintentional exclusion.)

In honour of yesterday’s International Day of Happiness, here is a list of things that make me happy right now.

Picking up Flora from school.
When I get to Flora’s school, I can look in a large window and see the kids in the after school supervision room. I love finding Flora in the window and watching her go about her business. It’s gratifying to see who she is when I am not hovering over her. I also love the huge tackle-hugs I usually get when I get to the classroom door. They make me feel loved. (I’ve written about this before. The card I mentioned in that post? Still on my cubicle wall.)
The snow is melting.
I just wish it would stop snowing so that there was no more snow that needed to melt. This winter has been hard and like most of my North American pals, I’m more than ready for it to be over.
The jeans I’m wearing right now.
Sounds ridiculous but it’s true. I like the colour, the fit, and the feel of them.
Seeing older couples being affectionate together.
When I see older couples holding hands, or one half holding the other’s arm for balance, or generally being affectionate, I think “I want that”. I want to part of that couple who sits in their matching rocking chairs cracking jokes with each other. I want to have my hand held when I’m 90. I’ve let Sean know this, and I hope we pull it off.
Seeing the lake on my way home from work.
My GO train station is near the lake and we pass through parkland and nature right before we stop. When I sit on the south side of the train, I can look out the window and gaze into Lake Ontario. It makes me feel centered and calm. Now that the days are getting longer, I get a better view of the water. It’s a nice way to end off my train ride and move into my evening.

I am grateful for these and so many other little – and big! – things that make me happy. What making you happy these days?

December 14 Prompt

Author: Victoria Klein
27 Things to Know About Yoga
@victoriaklein

Prompt: Appreciate. What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it?

reverb10.com

This year, I started trying harder to appreciate everything in my life. I tried keeping an offline gratitude journal (link leads to a post from earlier this year where I talk about my experience with it). I found I didn’t really stick to it, but I do write the occasional moment down in the Momento app on my iPhone. I also believe that sharing happy stories about what’s going on in my life, whether it’s pictures on Flickr, a status on Facebook, a quick tweet or a longer blog post helps me to express my gratitude for the things I’m sharing.

But the most important way to express gratitude is to just express it. Say thank you. Tell someone you appreciate what they did. Tell them why you appreciate it. Not just people who went out of their way, but anyone who did something for you. Sean and I get along better when we remember to thank each other for the little things we do for each other.

I’ve heard good manners referred to as “social lubricant”*. Good manners really do grease the wheels of society. You’re more likely to go out of your way to do something for someone who will appreciate what you did. Make sure you appreciate what other people do for you. It really makes a difference, in your life and in theirs.

*I’ve also heard of booze being referred to as “social lubricant”. That certainly has its time and place. So thank your bartender for your beer.