Tuesday, March 1, 2011

My Happy List

Do you ever have moments of clarity?  Those moments where something that your mind has been trying to work through just becomes crystal clear?  I get them periodically...mostly when I'm blow drying my hair (why then, I have no idea) and when I'm running. Oh, and by running, I mean jogging with an occasional run and a more frequent walk. Tonight, during my "run" and somewhere between Jason Aldean and Kanye West on my ipod, it came to me.

Here it is:  We have to make time for what makes us happy.  So simple, really, but sometimes we dismiss the hobbies or dreams we have in order to make room for the things that take over our lives, like work and laundry.

I realized this as I was thinking about a photography job I have this weekend.  I get to photograph a bunch of wonderful high school girls for their annual pageant.  This is my second year to photograph the pageant contestants and I ALMOST SAID NO this year.  I was very worried about time...the time it would take to organize the photo shoot.  The time it would take to shoot, then edit the photos.  The time it would take away from my family.  And then, out of the blue, something made me say YES, I'LL DO IT.  The something that made me say "yes" must have been my heart.  My heart knows that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this particular photo shoot.  I spend the better part of a weekend in the company of girls who have a servant's heart, who strive to be the very best, and who want to give back to their community.  I am blessed to spend just 10 minutes with them.

And I almost said no.

So, take time to do the things that make you happy.  It helps if you make a list...call it your "happy list" and include anything and everything that makes you happy.  I did this little exercise about a year ago and it feels good to pull out my "happy list" again.  Mine includes (but is certainly not limited to):

*A little sunburn
*Clean sheets on my bed
*Really good chocolate
*Watching my favorite TV shows
*When my husband cooks dinner
*Unsolicited hugs from my 6'0" son (and of course, my other two kids!!)
*When my favorite pair of jeans are clean

I could go on and on...but you get the idea.

Be happy.