Happiness Initiative: An Update

There are many things that I find make me feel happy. I enjoy spending time with music therapists from around the world (in online settings) talking about my first ever passion, MUSIC THERAPY!! I love time in my music therapy clinic, giving my clients opportunities to express themselves through music. I enjoy my current restriction, placed upon myself, that housework = chocolate! I spend time with my family via the telephone.

All of these things make me feel happy.

Look up happiness on Google, and wikipedia is the first thing to pop up. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happiness). The article in wikipedia includes the following quote: "Happiness is a mental or emotional state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy."

Positive psychology is the third listing (http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/happiness). Following the posts led me to an article about the secrets of happiness (http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200910/the-secrets-happiness). Did you know that happy people like themselves? The only secret that I disagreed with was the statement that "happy people are outgoing." The article goes on to imply that extroverts are happy people. I am an introvert (VERY strong introvert), but I feel that I am happier than several of my extroverted friends. The idea that your feelings of self-worth and interaction are tied to the number of friends that you are involved with seems to be a myth. Maybe introverts are less likely to discuss their social preferences with surveyors??

But, I digress...

It has been my quest during this summer to turn my attitude from cloudy to sunnier than last year.

I will continue to look for the positive things that happen in my life, even when things seem pretty dim out there. I hope that you are able to do so as well. 

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