“If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present.”
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart.
I’ve never been “big” on New Years, or really any holiday that prompts me to take a particular action on a certain date (I’m looking at you Valentine’s Day). I prefer to make life changes and set goals based on my own timeline. However, being repeatedly wished a “happy” one (thanks everybody) has me thinking about how to carry out and achieve such a weighty goal. By no means do I wish to be happy all the time, I appreciate the shadows to better accentuate the light, but a smattering of happiness on a daily basis feels good.
Happiness is a choice, actually a series of choices. I am happiest when I choose to eat a certain way, choose clothes that reflect my mood, choose to count my blessings, choose companions that support my dreams, choose dreams that require risk and choose me above all others (the latter I write more confidently than I live most days). In my musings yesterday, I realized too that happiness is having something to look forward to. I’m not solely talking about big things like exotic travel plans or purchasing a house. I’m talking about little things like what I’m going to eat for dinner or driving around in my newly washed car. It’s the little things that wake me up with anticipation each morning and get me out of bed at 5AM for sunrise. Having something to look forward to start each day on a positive note, gives me a reason to don pants, brush my teeth and wash behind my ears.
So, I suppose, if I were to make a New Years resolution, or wish you a happy one, that is what it would mean… May you wake with something bright to cut through the clouds and illuminate on or two spots on the landscape of your day. Wishing you a very Happy 2021 and beyond.