Happy is as Happy Does: One Little Word for 2019

a little bit of Happy
I found at breakfast on
Christmas morning! :)Hello! It's nice to be back after the holiday break -- which, in all these years of blogging, I have never taken until this holiday season! 

It's been refreshing to step back, to enjoy simple pleasures with my family without feeling pressured to email or Tweet or blog about it. 
(This pressure, of course, is self-generated. No one is making me keep an active digital life! So the limit-setting was an experiment, and you know what? I really liked it!)

And now here we are, gathering for our first Spiritual Journey Thursday of the new year. Be sure to visit Ruth at there is no such thing as a godforsaken town for Roundup! Traditionally this is the time we reveal our new One Little Words -- a practice I myself have been keeping since 2008. 

I've known since mid-November what my 2019 One Little Word would be... sometimes a word just calls and calls, refusing to budge. This one is like that! 



Actually, that graphic feels a bit much for the feeling of "happy" I am going for... I think my happy is more soft, sunshine-y yellows and flower blossoms and fuzzy kittens, but this will do for today. :)

I am drawn to the word "Happy," because I believe happiness is a choice. I think we can cultivate it in our lives. We can choose Happy each and ever moment.  

I'm not the only one who feels this way. Consider the following quotes:

"Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be." - Abraham Lincoln

<!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style> <br />--> <div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will."</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>- L.M. Montgomery</i></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div><b><u><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">How do you know if you're happy?</span></u></b><br /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Take the <a href="https://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/...! And/or consider these quotes:</span><br /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><br /><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for."</span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">-<i> Joseph Addison</i> </span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery while on a detour." </span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>- Unknown</i></span></span></div><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style> <br />--> <div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u>Ways to Cultivate Our Happy:</u></span></b></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Living our life deeply and with happiness, having time to care for our loved ones, this is <span style="color: black;">another kind of success</span>, another kind of power, and it is much more important." </span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">-<i> Thich Nhat Hanh</i></span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Precisely the least, the softest, lightest, a lizard’s rustling, a breath, a flash, a moment – a little makes the way of the best happiness." </span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>- Friedrich Nietzsche</i></span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come." </span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>-William Shakespeare</i></span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Perfectionism is the enemy of happiness. Embrace being perfectly imperfect. Learn from your mistakes and <span style="color: black;"><u>f</u>orgive yourself</span>, you’ll be happier. We make mistakes because we are imperfect. Learn from your mistakes, forgive yourself, and keep moving forward."</span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>- Roy T. Bennett</i></span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"Happiness is a function of <span style="color: black;">accepting what is</span>." </i></span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Werner Erhard</span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up."<br /><i>- Mark Twain </i></span><br /><div><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>- Dalai Lama </i><br /><br /> </span><b><u><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some Ways I'm Bringing Happy Into My Life This Year:</span></u></b><br /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Daily readings from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Year-Tiny-Plea... Year of Tiny Pleasures</a> calendar</span><br /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Daily readings from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sing-Song-Seas... A SONG OF SEASONS</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Participating in the <a href="https://www.basbleu.com/">Bas Bleu</a> book club</span><br /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">More just-because-we-want-to travel with my husband</span><br /><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WzB6DKpE1A..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="231" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WzB6DKpE1A..." width="213" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Less travel-for-books</span><br /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Serving my community by running a reading series</span><br /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Serving my community by continuing to facilitate a Wild Reader (kids) Book Club at our local library</span><br /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Continuing many of my favorite writing practices, including <a href="https://www.irenelatham.com/artspeak.... /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Embarking on a new writing journey based on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Butterfly-Hour... BUTTERFLY HOURS</a> by Patty Dann memoir assignments (I'll be posting these here throughout the year!)</span><br /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">... and who knows what else?? I am leaving room for Happy to find <i>me</i>.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><br /><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } A:link { so-language: zxx } </style> </div>-->