Nesting: is a blog about the objects and experiences that create a sense of home. Without home, it is difficult to maintain health, find joy, or to be productive during our workdays. Enjoy the Nesting series of blogs as you search for your deep sense of home. –Jana
There’s a song lyric “makes me feel happy, makes me feel fine” that brings a smile to my face. As does the lyric “with the swing of her hips” and the entire song and its melody – bring a smile to my face that is. Song lyrics are something that makes me happy.
Nesting makes me happy. Hosting gatherings in my home makes me happy. Seeing art from friends in my home makes me happy. I know, it is starting to sound like “My Favorite Things” from the Sound of Music.
Seriously however, thinking about what makes us happy can bring a smile to our faces and create the endorphins that contribute to happiness. Yes, just thinking happy thoughts makes a difference – Mary Poppins and Tinker Bell were not wrong.
Sometimes a list of things we are grateful for includes things that make us happy. If you are a gratitude journal keeper, revisit your pages to see which “grateful things” are also things that “make me happy.” You may discover people, activities, books, crafts, and places that make you happy.
Without a knowledge of what makes you happy, it is difficult to be happy. For example, saying you want to be happy but turning away the people and activities that bring joy puts you in a difficult position for finding happiness. True, happiness has to come from within. However, when we are not happy, surrounding ourselves with happy people and participating in joyful activities can lead us to finding our internal happiness.
“Makes me happy” for an extrovert usually includes people. “Makes me happy” for an introvert may not include people; instead may include alone time and activities. Your “makes me happy” is different from mine and that is okay – we are different people.
What makes you happy? Do you have enough of it in your life? How can you bring enough of it into your life?
Jana Kemp
