Intentionally happy people appreciate life more than others, not because everything’s going how they want it to, but because, while most people are waiting for the big, meaningful moments, they’ve learned to zoom in on the small stuff.
Most of us are really good at telling ourselves lies that begin with the words, “I’ll be happy when…” always followed by some dollar amount, some living arrangement, or a particular kind of partner. Not only is this not true, but it’s also not very helpful.
Intentionally happy people understand that life is found in small stuff and little details.
I’ll give you an example from my own life.
Just about every day, I walk into the kitchen and grab a bag of cashews. The moment that rustling bag opens, my dog walks into the kitchen, sits right in front of me, and waits. She understands it’s time for us to have a snack.
It has become our ritual.
But now, even when Nelly’s not around, even if I’m somewhere else and reach for some cashews to eat, I think of her. I’m reminded of that sacred exchange, our unspoken agreement.
I just feel a little blip of happiness. It’s nothing major, not some grandiose thing. It’s just a micro moment of awesome.
I don’t know what that looks like for you, and I don’t know where it shows up in your life. But if you would stop for a moment and consider the small things, the little details that point to the ever-so-slightly meaningful, you would begin to tug on threads and uncover things to appreciate everywhere you look.
When we wait around for big, special moments, we spend most of our lives waiting to be happy.
Julia Cameron said, “Your quality of life is in your capacity for delight. And your capacity for delight is in the gift of paying attention.”
So, pay attention to your life right now. Zoom in and watch your happiness increase.
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