What Makes You Happy?
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I was headed yesterday to visit a friend who lives about an hour away. Stuck in traffic, waiting for a very long, very slow train to pass, I was getting more and more grumbly. I was late for lunch! I decided drumming my fingers on the steering wheel and complaining was doing no good. I should change my mindset – think about what makes me happy instead.
So, I started this mental activity of alphabetically coming up with a list of things that make me happy. I texted a few to my friend (along with an apology and explanation for why I was late) and finished the list just about the time the looooong train finally finished crossing the intersection:
What Makes Me Happy?
- Antelope and Accolades
- Birthdays and Beaches
- Christmas and Comfort
- Dogwoods and Dawn
- Easter and Enthusiasm
- Friends and Family
- Grandkids and Gratitude
- Hospitality and Hugs
- Integrity and Inspirations
- JellyBellies and Justice
- Kids and Kisses
- Learning and Laughter
- Music and Mountains
- Neighbors and Nourishment
- Opportunities and Oysters (on the half shell)
- Puppies and Possibilities
- Quiet and Quirkiness
- Relaxation and Roses
- Scripture and Springtime
- Thankfulness and Trust
- Understanding and Unconditional Love
- Visitors and Vacations
- Writing and WordPress
- Xander and Xylophones
- Yodeling and Yellow
- Zoos and Zebras
So, try it! Next time you’re stuck in traffic, instead of grumbling and strumming, think about what makes you happy. You’ll pass the time with a smile instead of a frown, and the train will fly by!
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Comments on: "What Makes You Happy?" (65)
Good for you 👍
How kind of you to visit and comment! You’r the best, Dorothy! <3
Nice one… :-)…good that you weren’t visiting someone in India…😀😀…you wouldn’t have been able to invoke any of those happy memories on our roads…especially while stuck in traffic…😁👈🤘💥🙌
Thank you for clicking “like” and responding. Are you sure I couldn’t come up with a few of those happy thoughts – even in India??
Perhaps if you were on the passenger seat…But while driving…🤐…nopes…:-):-)
Wow this is a great idea, Jan! Something that I can do with my daughter, too, whether when stuck in traffic or just finding something to do. Thanks for sharing your alphabet of things that make you happy. 🙂
I think it’s more fun than finding things alphabetically while traveling. That was a “contest” we used to play with our kids while traveling. Thanks for visiting JanBeek and commenting.
What a wonderful thing to do to pass the time! And I love your list, momma 😘
Thanks, De. What would your look like?
I don’t know, ma! I need to get stuck in traffic one of these days and find out! Goooooood luck with THAT happening here, hmmm? 😄
But, you can get stuck in an empty restaurant with time on your hands. Right?
True true……but YOU are the writer in the family 😚
It’s not just about writing. It’s about filling frustrating times with happy thoughts! You do that all the time, Miss Sunshine! 🌞
Happy thoughts, yes! Thanks, momma! 😘 ☀️
I LOVE this idea! I am definitely going to try it. Now what if you made a post for every one of those things listed, and use each as the title? That’s a great way to generate writing prompts!
That’s a great idea, too. Thank you… such an endeavor would take several months, wouldn’t it? I think I’ll start with choosing one per letter, rather than both. Thanks for the idea!
Hey, Task Girl, I am on Day # 17 = Q. It’s harder than you think. Have you been following along. This was your idea, remember?? What a QUIRKY idea!! I’m having fun with it. <3
What started as a 26 day project has become a daily routine. Thanks for your inspiration! I am on day 175 of consecutive blogging. Hopefully each day lends a voice of hope and love to a world in turmoil. 🥰👍🏽
Thanks for sharing! It’s always better to count our blessings, rather than complaints. It makes us happier for sure! 😄
Hard to remain positive in the face of mass shootings, devastating fires, world turbulence… but it’s my survival mode: positivity. Ya gotta work at it!
You are so right!
When I came to your blog page for the first time, this is the first post I saw. I have to say, the timing could not have been any better! The year 2018 has truly been one of the worst years for me and I have suffered many losses. In addition, I have endured chronic pain for over 20 years, which is just wearing me down, and over the last 6 months I have a couple more ailments to add to my already extensive list. So…I REALLY needed a pick-me-up and you just gave me a way to create my own! I really hope you do not mind if I give you my own list:
Authenticity
Balance
Coloring
Dancing
Europe
Friendship
Genrosity
Honesty
Integrity
Jokes
Kitties
Laughter
Music
Newborns
Overboard (the movie)
Pasta
Quiet
Rest
Sleep
Travel
Unity
Vacations
Writing
Xena
Yams
Zen
Love your list! Thank you.
Thanks! I found your list fun too!
I found some letters really difficult to find a word for and other letters I found lots of words and had to make a single choice…kind of reflective of life I think.
I thought your story was inspirational. We so often get caught up in what is wrong and get bent out of shape about it, that we forget there are also a great many things that are right. It is all about mindset. We can often choose to stew in our own juices or entertain happy thoughts.
This is a great idea/strategy for coming and can be adapted for various situations. Thanks!
You’re welcome! Thanks for affirming – and for taking the time to respond. I appreciate it.
Well done. Good list
This post keeps getting comments. I missed yours last November. Never too late to say, “Thanks, Derrick!”
🙂
I nominated you for the Mystery Blogger Award. Please check out the “Mystery” post on my Site for the instructions. Congratulations!
I like your list a lot !
Thank you. You should try creating one of your own. Read the invitation on my Z entry in the 26 day series! Thanks for visiting JanBeek ❤️👍🏽
Good idea! I will definitely try it out!
Did you try it, Imeella? It’s an on-going activity for me… keeping my mind on the positive aspects of life <3
Yes I did! And it was awesome. I have adopted it as a daily routine! Thank you for the inspiration!
I love lists like this! This is great Jan. So glad I found this blog today. In 2014 I started writing 1 gratitude in my notebook on January 1st. Then I added one a day. I decided to do this after watching Nimo Patels beautiful video “Grateful: A Love Song to the World.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO2o98Zpzg8 So by May I was writing for over two hours in bits over the day. I had to check that because I couldn’t see doing four or five by December! =) I still love reading those lists though. It started a great habit that I try to keep every day since, a few a day at least. Traffic is a great place to practice gratitude. ^^ ♥.
Welcome to JanBeek! I see we have a lot in common. I continue my list making by writing daily in my Gratitude Journal. Each evening, before bed, I write at least 5 things for which I am thankful that day. Sometimes I can’t stop at five!
Thanks so much for the warm welcome, Jan! We do have a lot in common. =) ♥.
Wow, that must have been a very longgggg train!
Yup!
I love it! Changing paradigms.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting. This little trick does the trick!
I like reading your articles. Inspiring!
Thank you so much. One of my goals is to inspire. I am so happy that you found some inspiration here. I’m grateful for your willingness to be a “follower” and to drop a few lines of affirmation every now and then. Means a lot!
any time! keep writing, somewhere across the globe, you inspire a follower. and thats what we all want.
Yes, it’s what keeps me motivated. Thank you so much!
Love this!
Thank you. I appreciate your visit and positive response. Come again! <3
I love your list, Jan, and that you turned your attitude around instead of fretting the time away. What an inspiration you are to the rest of us! 🙂
Thank you, Abigail. Your comment warms my heart. On a snowy, cold Montana afternoon, I needed that! ❤️👍🏽
What a great idea!
Thank you for visiting and commenting. I appreciate you. <3
You are welcome!
I love this idea and your wonderful list! Gratitude is such a powerful tool in thinking more positively. Plus, who does not want to think of jellybeans! My favourite ones are the jellybelly ones 😉
My sister, who now has Alzheimer’s and is living in a care facility in PA was a real JellyBelly fan. For years, she brought her Girl Scout troop on a tour of the factory near her central CA home. I never hear of JellyBellies without thinking of her. Bless you! Thanks for your visit and your comment. <3
You are very welcome and my pleasure! I love that story, and your sister sounds like a lot of fun – and brave to be around so many children on so much sugar! Maybe someone from her old Girl Scout troop is sneaking her some JellyBellies 😉 I hope you have a great night and week ahead!
Thank you, “Alchemist”, for your kind response. You gave me a great idea. I need to send my sis some JellyBellies!
What a great idea to reduce stress!
Sure does!
This was a fantastic idea and definitely helped with the time. I like to make up songs. It does help you to distract you and keep you relaxed.
😎🤗💜
Creating songs is a great idea! I need to remember that one! Thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog. Come again!
Jan It is always a pleasure. I enjoy my visits. I shall be back!
Yonnie💜🤗🌸
What a pleasure to stumble upon your blog this morning via Bob Perks FB page! I have been wandering around your little world here and enjoying your positive energy. I am a Montana girl but now living out of state. There is no place on earth that has made me realize how vast our God is and how small I am but under the Big Montana Sky, especially at night! And yet, it reminds me what a great God we serve!
I would love to share your post on my FB is you would not mind. I know so many it would touch! Take good care and thanks for sharing the love and wisdom! dodi
Of course you may share it. I would be honored to have you do that, Dodi. Thank you for exploring JanBeek. Your description of “positive energy” makes my heart swell. It’s my prayer that people following my blog find love and encouragement in abundance and leave it feeling God’s arms encircling them. Bless you! Thank you for your very kind response.
Thank you ever so much!
When I click on your “happyhappyhippy” title, it does not take me to your WordPress site. Do you have a different URL or title?