At the beginning of this year I was asked “What does happiness or ‘being happy’ mean to you?”

One might expect certain phrases or words to answer that question…”being a good human” or “being successful in my career or personal life” or “being a great parent” or “being able to have money to do what I want” or “smiling and laughing” or “enjoying time with my friends”…the list could go on and on…yet none of those came out of my mouth…

As I sat, listening to the ocean waves and staring at the beautiful sunset recently…I was reminded of this question…and smiled…

I wrote a card to my father on Father’s Day and there was a phrase in it that said…”Thank you…for letting me fall…because it was in falling that I have found ‘me’ and I have found true ‘happiness.'”

So then…what was my answer to this bold, poignant…and candidly…difficult question to answer…

Here we go…Happiness…What I believe…

I believe in being grateful and in positive energy. I believe it is important to be content and at peace throughout every lesson and journey you experience in life, no matter how long it takes to get there. I believe in smiling and laughing and crying and screaming… to seek out feeling every emotion and soaking it in. I believe in the constant change of life and making each day count. I believe in risk. I believe in fighting for what you believe. I believe we could die tomorrow so mediocrity is not acceptable. I believe in failure. I believe in having accountability. I believe in owning who you are and not apologizing for it. I believe in apologies. I believe in grace for yourself and others. I believe in direct and candid honesty. I believe that trust is paramount to everything, but hard to come by these days. I believe in the goodness of humans but I am also a realist at the same time. I believe in having faith. I believe in balance. I believe in having hope. And by god…do I believe in passion…in everything you do.

I do not believe that happiness is having a smile on your face. I do not believe that happiness needs to be “happy” all the time. I do not believe that most understand how to truly answer the question of “are you happy?” It is like “how are you doing?” What do most of us answer it with…”Good, how are you?”

Happiness is a drug. A silent drug that is only found when you are able to create stillness, create space, and create the power for the unexpected. Happiness comes when you are able to breathe with the calm of the ocean waves while fighting the urge of the anxiety of the unknown. Happiness is a feeling of sharing brutal honesty and being seen as a beautiful soul for that transparency. Happiness comes when you know that through any test of ‘falling down’ you will prevail because the fire within you cannot be put out. Happiness is when you risk. Happiness is when you open yourself up to be vulnerable. Happiness is what is created when you allow your soul to be lit on fire by inspiration, passion, grit, and connection that is unexpected and nothing you ever truly can comprehend or planned for.

To say “I am happy” in a moment and “I have happiness” in my life are different things…one is a flashing moment and one is an engrained foundation to your core. To have happiness…to invite it in…and to allow it to spark and dim throughout life…

Happiness runs deep through all chapters of that life we are given. It is not something that only comes when we are “smiling” or can say “this makes me happy.” Happiness is the magic in life that when we stop, breathe, and truly open ourselves up to becoming the best version of ourselves…we find. And we don’t find it because we are seeking it…we experience happiness when we are least expecting it and it finds us…

To be happy in life means you believe in living this life we are given with everything you have – the good, the bad, the ugly…the ups and the downs – and then, just then…you will find the truth in what ‘happiness’ is. And when you do…you will smile…be more at peace than ever before…and have a calm about you that only you can explain…

And that, world, is what “happiness” truly is all about. It is the unexpected magic of life…

Seek it out. And until you find it…keep on living the gift of life…and soak it all in…every. last. bit. And when you find it…shout it from the roof tops. That is worth celebrating…

#genuinehappiness

#youarewhatyoudo