Simple words but so true: "Be happy yourself."

Someone once told me that being happy is not an elongated state of being. It is a chain of hopefully multi-moments, which, when strung together at the end of one's life, equals happy.

That works for me.......

Quite enjoyed watching "Rethinking Happiness", Josie. Many thanks and is'nt the internet such a blessing? I get to catch up on your shows! I do miss PBS.

http://video.pbs.org/video/1376607096/

Josie, I had read this earlier today, and it has stuck with me all day...I really like this vision of "happy-ness", it makes it so much more accessible and possible than pursuing what has been for me an impossibly elusive "state of being". Perceiving happiness as a collection of moments and an accumulation of many "temporary states of being happy" makes so much more sense. I can do that!!! I CAN do that...I can DO that...I can do THAT!!! Thank you!

At different times, happiness as described above, are like moments of immediate recognition like raindrops shining in sunshine..and then I realize I was living not at that moment, but during a longer time period of happiness.

Glad you found your rainbow of raindrops,Eagle.

I saw the latter part of program last night i..and what struck me was the point about the infectious influence of happiness. GEnuine happiness and how it can touch others sevral degress removed.

I always think about childrens' stories and how they have a deep meaning.
How the wind tries to blow a childs coat off...it just makes the child hold tighter onto the coat...But how the sun comes out and the child removes their coat willingly..

how sweetness is better than harshness.
A happy person seldom is unpleasant to others..

It's been my experience, there certainly are times when it takes some practice with conitive restructuring to "create" some happy moments. Then there are those daily life events which seem to "spill out" the happy spontaneously:

Last night I was rather sad that my husband had a work-emergency and didn't get home until very late. So there was little time for us to be together.

But due to his working so late, plus the snow which blanketed our area about 3am, today hubby gets to work remotely by computer from home, where I can see him, hug him, and know that he is safe from slippery road conditions.

Hugs = happy ...... Yup. They sure do.

Some of my own happy moments as they fall out of my head:

Hugs period....A medium rare burger from Bartley's Burger Cottage in Cambridge Mass....Josie's freshly ground Kona coffee, brewed and served instantly....Hearing my brother's voice, when he is able to recall positive memories from our past....Receiving a complement about anything, even from a perfect stranger....The minute I sit down to watch a really favorite TV program or movie....Listening to James Taylor or his brother Livingston...Smelling "Youth Dew" by Estee Lauder.....Almost anything associated with Christmas Day or autumn can light me up....My husband's laugh. It's sooooo filled with happy-smiles, I wish he could spread that laughter around the globe in positive pandemic mode....

What are some of YOUR favorite "happy" moments?

Being able to pick up a phone and talk as long as I want to my mother.

Watching my dogs being so hospitable and playing with those animals I foster who need so much love.

Cooking a new recipe I created and having everyone just LOVE eating it.

Spending alone time with my beloved son David.

Each day when stepping out of bed after a good rest knowing I am still here.

Being able to give something back to others the way people gave to me when I needed it.

Great post Josie...

Thank you, Chatty. I like where you are happy upon awakening and realizing you are indeed here for one more day.

It's truly a good feeling, especially when the day before, life was not so kind to either the body or the soul.