Happiness is a direction, not a destination.

"Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." ~Abraham Lincoln

The other day I read an article about deciding to be happier. It was in a Cooking Light magazine (Sept. 2010 edition) of all places. Its focus was not only on happiness and garnering it as an individual, but the article specifically delved into women and how we, as a group, tend to overlook the single most important relationship in our lives: ourselves. Now, this isn't to say that we should be selfish or egocentric, but in fact have an openly happy relationship with one's self. Psychologist Dan Baker states, "You can't have a healthy relationship with anyone until you have one with yourself, because you're the common denominator."

I couldn't agree more. There are so many outside factors dominating our minds and bodies and souls that it is, quite frankly, impossible to sum it up succinctly. There's a reason why multitudes of books are written on the subject. But what better way to start off my newly formed blog than to talk about happiness? I am a little tentative to delve into such a topic; after all, what can I say that hasn't already been said about happiness? Probably nothing. But perhaps it's not about just what I say but how I say it and who it reaches.

Male or female, child or adult, happiness is something that we all individually strive for in varying degrees. We've all heard and said, at some point in our lives: "I just want to be happy." So why aren't you? Is it because you need a better job, a nicer place to live, a significant other, more friends, a slimmer body? Great. And when you have that awesome job, the perfect home, the wonderful person standing next to you, more true friends than you can even count, and the perfect model body (which doesn't exist), call me and tell me how happy you are. I will agree that all those can be, without a doubt, contributing factors to a happier life (to an extent), but much more than that, I see those factors as outside influences that dictate: "This is the only way you'll be 'truly' happy." And that is most certainly not true.

Happiness, I feel, comes when you find what feeds your soul and then do it. I need to read (good) books, to write, to play music. I need to do what inspires me, what I'm passionate about. If I don't, then I don't feel complete as a person, and I certainly am not going down a path of fulfillment. Those are the large happiness factors for me, the ones that carry the deepest weight in my "personal" happiness folder.

Then there are times when I just need a "quick-fix" to increase my happiness: bubble baths, throwing a ball for Ellie, calling an old friend. Maybe I need silliness: dancing around the house, laughing until my abs hurt, having a snowball fight. Or perhaps reaching out: helping out a neighbor, assisting an elderly person, feeding the homeless. There are numerous ways to get a little boost to be happier.

This combination of individual life-inspirations and simple joys creates a happiness inside. And when you decide to be happier and do what makes you happy, that spills into other facets of your life and it gives you a radiance that draws other people in. When you, I, we, decide to be happier, our relationships with others grow stronger. Because let's face it, people are attracted to happy people.

It is a decision to be happier. Make that decision. I know I feel better when I choose to do what makes me happy, when I look for the positives in my life, when I take the time to focus on what inspires me. And, in turn, I feel that I bring more to the table in my relationships and daily life--whether that be with my husband, my friends, my family, my dog, or even strangers.

And so it begins...

I have decided to start a blog, as evidenced by...this blog. For months I've been contemplating it.

"I have stuff to say," I would say to myself.

And so, on this autumnal equinox of 2010, the musings of one short 'n' sassy shall begin.