If you want to feel very happy, live near a waterfall--or you can get manic and euphoric if you don't sleep for a night or two, OR you can do what I read about in an article in Time Magazine's 2005 issue dedicated to the "Science of Happiness."
I read in there that the happiest people are the ones who write "What Went Well" in a journal at the end of each day. I'd already been keeping gratitude lists, which only made me feel more guilty and undeserving of receiving such great love. I was living in Ohio then, plagued with respiratory infections and continuous laryngitis, and frozen to the bone in that land of the faraway, or non-existent, sun. Could I possibly become a happy person despite my circumstances?
My old gratitude journal became my new WWW Journal. Every night for three months I wrote down every meaningful and fulfilling event of the day. The result surprised me. No, I didn't get well, and I didn't get warm. But I did become aware of the events that made me happy--so aware that I started looking for them, and when one of them happened, I knew instantly that I was happy. I found that I could even cause those moments to materialize; and I could save up the memories and smile as I thought about them when I was sick and cold.
After three months, I didn't have to write WWW every night. I already knew in the moment when something was going well. The practice of writing WWW anchored me in a place of mindfulness that I remain in now, without conscious effort.
So what went well this week? The same kinds of things that went well last week and last month: a friend trusted me enough to confide in me. A friend let me cook dinner for her, and together we enjoyed a delicious meal and interesting conversation. A friend thought enough of me to ask me to help her son prepare his resume. I watched 11 talented people perform great music on American Idol. I enjoyed putting groceries into my refrigerator that I'd just cleaned out. I went through the magical process of writing a song. And then I wrote/drew a cartoon and wrote a blog! What a GREAT DAY! What a GREAT WEEK! What a GREAT MONTH! I'm SO HAPPY!
Actually, I haven't been able to sleep the last few nights--my shrink told me to take a half of a Zanax tonight. : |
4 comments:
Love your blog today, Renelle -- very encouraging and made me stop and think. Thanks for the pick-me-upper!!
Your comment is a big WWW for today, Estelle!
Is there a word called Cartoonist? If there is, you are one of them.
Wow! I don't know if I'm a good enough artist to be a bonafide cartoonist, but I'm working to get better. Welcome to this blog, Hua. I'm honored that you're a Follower!
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