Happiness — A Hapkinful Reflection
Happiness — A Hapkinful Reflection
What Does It Really Mean to Be Happy?
Happiness is something most of us spend our lives searching for.
We imagine we'll find it when something happens — when we achieve a goal, visit somewhere beautiful, buy something we've wanted, have more money, find the right relationship or finally have everything just as we hoped it would be.
And those things can certainly bring happiness.
But some of life's happiest moments are much smaller.
They happen quietly.
A cup of tea enjoyed without rushing.
Sunshine warming your face.
A child's laughter.
A favourite song playing unexpectedly.
A conversation with someone you love.
Flowers growing beside a path.
A meal shared around a table.
The feeling of climbing into bed after a long day.
A stranger smiling at you.
Someone remembering to ask how you are.
These moments don't necessarily look important while they're happening.
But together, they make a life.
Happiness Doesn't Mean Being Happy All the Time
At Hapkinful, happiness isn't about pretending everything is wonderful.
Life brings disappointment, worry, grief, uncertainty and difficult days. Being happy doesn't mean ignoring those feelings or covering them with a smile.
We can have a difficult day and still notice something beautiful.
We can miss someone and still laugh.
We can feel worried and still appreciate a kindness.
Happiness and sadness can sometimes sit beside each other.
Perhaps happiness isn't about creating a life in which nothing difficult ever happens.
Perhaps it's about learning to recognise the good that continues to exist alongside the difficult.
The Happiness Hidden in Ordinary Life
We often remember life's big occasions — birthdays, weddings, holidays, graduations and adventures.
But most of life happens between those occasions.
It happens on ordinary Tuesdays.
In kitchens.
On walks
In gardens.
During telephone calls.
Over cups of tea.
While driving somewhere we've driven a hundred times before.
And ordinary doesn't have to mean unimportant.
When we begin paying attention, everyday life is filled with tiny moments worth enjoying.
The smell of something baking.
Fresh sheets.
Birdsong outside the window.
A dog delighted to see us.
Someone making us laugh.
A beautiful sunset we nearly didn't notice.
Happiness is often already there.
We simply have to slow down long enough to see it.
Happiness Grows When We Share It
One of the loveliest things about happiness is that it doesn't have to belong only to us.
We can create a little happiness for somebody else.
Send the message.
Give the compliment.
Share the cake.
Make the phone call.
Invite someone along.
Celebrate somebody else's good news.
Leave a thoughtful note.
Smile at the person serving you.
Do something unexpectedly kind.
The moment may take only seconds for us, yet remain with somebody else for much longer.
And happiness has a wonderful habit of travelling.
A person whose day has been brightened may be a little kinder to the next person they meet.
One smile becomes another.
One thoughtful gesture inspires the next.
One happy moment becomes two.
Happiness Around the World
People may live in different countries, speak different languages and celebrate different traditions, but so many sources of happiness are wonderfully familiar.
Family.
Friendship.
Food.
Music.
Nature.
Celebration.
Belonging.
Helping others.
Feeling appreciated.
Having something to look forward to.
Sharing time with people we care about.
We don't all experience happiness in exactly the same way, and we don't need to.
That's part of what makes exploring happiness around the world so fascinating.
There are countless ways to live a happy life.
Create More Moments, Not More Perfection
We can spend so much time waiting for life to become perfect that we forget to enjoy the life happening now.
There may always be something unfinished.
Something we'd like to change.
Somewhere else we'd like to go.
Something else we'd like to achieve.
But happiness doesn't require everything to be finished first.
We can create small happy moments right in the middle of an imperfect life.
Put on the music.
Walk among the trees.
Plant the flowers.
Use the special cup.
Watch the sunset.
Call the friend.
Take the photograph.
Eat the cake.
Laugh loudly.
Say yes to the little adventure.
And when something wonderful happens, pause long enough to realise:
This is one of the moments.
A Little Hapkinful Challenge
Today, notice three small things that make you happy.
They don't need to be extraordinary.
Then choose one small way to create happiness for somebody else.
At the end of the day, ask yourself:
What made me smile today?
You may be surprised by how much happiness was quietly waiting to be noticed.
The Hapkinful Way
Happiness isn't a destination we finally reach.
It is something we notice.
Something we create.
Something we practise.
And something we share.
So treasure the ordinary moments.
Look for the good.
Create reasons to smile.
Pass happiness on whenever you can.
And remember that sometimes a very happy life is simply a collection of little happy moments that we were wise enough to notice.
Live Happy. Be Kind. Stay Grateful. Be Hapkinful.