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How to Be Happy

Sometimes it Truly is the Little Things… So Always Keep Your Eyes, Ears, and Hearts Open!

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Quote Graphic About Finding Happiness in the Small things

“The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.” ~ Henry Ward Beecher

I’ve been thinking a lot about happiness lately. A global pandemic…. with constant bickering and dissention among most people affected by it… an unstable economy, and challenging trips to the store (when will they EVER load up on cat food again?!!) may seem like a crazy time to think about happiness.

Then again, maybe it’s the perfect time to think about happiness.

Sadly, “how to be happy” has always been one of the most searched for things, online and off. The past few years has made it even more so. While it may seem like an understatement of epic proportions, the truth is it’s often better to simply allow happiness to find you than to go seeking for it.

It is, after all, an even better hider than Bigfoot in the game of hide and seek.

I think one of the reasons is, no one knows just exactly what it looks like. How are you supposed to find something if it doesn’t have a readily available profile bio or description of its vital statistics?!

I do, actually, have one theory about looking for happiness and, depending upon your mood at the moment, you will either think I may have a point or think I may need to be locked up.

I hope it isn’t the latter… I mean, sure I’m a homebody, but I don’t like lockdowns!

Here’s my theory: Looking for happiness is actually a waste of time and energy because it’s already in the room with us… hiding behind a temporary fog of disappointment, worries, anxieties, or grief.

It is there!

When we go through really tough  periods of time – whether it’s a horrible day or week at the office, a broken dream, any kind of loss (big or small) – a kind of fog descends upon us. It hinders our view of things that could make us smile – if we could only see them.

It’s during these trying times that we have to make a conscious effort to lean in toward the happiness and make a concentrated effort to see them. We won’t find them with a Google search, we’ll only find them with a search of our own life.

Below are just a few hiding places Happiness may be waiting for you…

  • a cat’s meow
  • a spouse telling you supper was “fantastic”
  • the smell of coffee in the morning
  • the smell of coffee in the afternoon
  • the smell of coffee in the evening
  • try not to judge my coffee obsession
  • a child’s laughter (pretty sure they have healing potential)
  • an old episode of Sanford and Son, I Love Lucy, or Andy Griffith
  • a great old Western you used to watch with your dad
  • an Agatha Christie mystery
  • Christmas songs!
  • birds at the bird feeder
  • a perfect sunrise
  • a perfect sunset
  • a dog’s joy when you come home from the store
  • a cat’s indifference when you come home from anywhere
  • cooking
  • the beauty and deliciousness of sushi
  • the artistry of a butterfly
  • coloring in a coloring book (one for adults or children!)
  • reading the book of Psalms
  • losing yourself in a History Channel show about Amelia Earhart or a favorite time in history
  • baking cupcakes
  • eating cupcakes!
  • redesigning a room in your house
  • cleaning your garage (okay, happiness doesn’t hide in the work, but it sure is there when it’s done!)
  • yoga
  • Motown!
  • turning on the Boomerang channel and watching old Tom and Jerry cartoons
  • a 15 minute walk, with your eyes, ears, and heart all open and taking in every moment
  • taking pictures of trees, grandbabies, cats, the sky… anything that fascinates you

The list goes on and on and on and on…

The steps to having more happiness in your life are simple..

  1. Keep your eyes open to see all of your blessings.
  2. Keep your ears on guard for every whisper and echo of joy.
  3. Stay completely in the moment… you just never know when happiness is going to brush against your skin.

Always be open to the magic around you! ~ Joi (“Joy”)


Top 6 Mood-Boosting & Other Health Benefits of Pets

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Health Benefits of Pets Graphic

The Health and Happiness Benefits of Pets is Extraordinary!

by Nicole McCray

Pets have always been incredible companions for their owners, and although they require a lot of care, pets bring us a lot of joy, too. Many of us feel that pets generate feelings of happiness for us and within our families. The bond and connection between humans and their pets are beneficial and rewarding on both sides.

While you may already know that bringing a pet home will give you joy, but there is so much more to it. Owning a pet can have genuinely positive effects on our physical and mental health, and it goes beyond just helping us be happier. 

Did you know that pets who form strong bonds with their owners can become in synch with their tone of voice, gestures, and body language? It aids them in understanding what they are feeling at any given time. 

Pet owners aren’t always aware of the multiple effects that pets have on their health. Here are some of the top mental, physical, and emotional health benefits that having a pet can do for you. 

Pets Reduce Stress and Blood Pressure

Having a pet can cause stress by having accidents indoors, becoming sick, or destroying your furniture. However, owning a pet also aid in helping to relieve feelings of stress, hypertension, and anxiety. For example, there was a study with children who owned pets that discovered they had much lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol when interacting with their furry companions and creating a decrease in blood pressure.

So, you can effectively reduce your stress and anxiety just by playing with your pet. Even just something like simply stroking your pet’s head will be engaging enough to work on lessening those stress levels. So, the next time you have a rough day or are gone from home for a while, think about providing your pet with some quality time – it’s not only great for them, but it will help you too.

Pets Alleviate Depression

Along with lower stress levels, pets can also help those suffering from clinical depression. You may notice whenever you are feeling blue or down, your pet can help make you smile again, immediately boosting your mood. 

The National Institute of Mental Health utilizes animal therapy to help treat depression and other mood disorders because pets have such a positive effect on emotions. In addition, pets remain loyal as companions, so when someone is feeling isolated or withdrawn, their pet will still be there and work to help provide feelings of calm and comfort.

Pets Give Us Healthier Hearts

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. People with pets, however, are less likely to suffer from a heart attack or risk of stroke. The American Heart Association has performed studies that concluded that owning a pet can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

Owning a pet also increases the likelihood of increasing your physical activity, which leads to being more fit. Most pets require some form of exercise, and if you are actively engaging with your pet, that means you are also getting some exercise. Exercise will help keep your heart healthy, give you more energy and help you maintain a healthy weight.

Pets Help Prevent Allergies

Another unexpected heart benefit from owning a pet is that exposure creates a barrier against having allergies. Millions of people suffer from allergies, and pet dander can be a common trigger for them, but exposure to them earlier in life, such as when you are a child, helps lower your risk for developing them.

A study in Medical News Today associated that children exposed to animals at an early age had a much lower risk of having asthma by the time they started school. The theory behind this is that being around allergens or pathogens will strengthen your immune system and effectively increase your tolerance to allergies.

Pets Promote Better Social Skills and Relationships

It is no surprise that most pet owners have a special connection and bond with their furry friends. Many, if not all of us, usually consider our pets to be more than just a pet, but a member of the family unit. However, that special bond that is created also benefits us with other relationships.

The clinicians at Bond Vet – NYC Animal Hospital said that many adults who had developed previous attachments to animals when they were young tend to have more understanding, empathy, and compassion. In addition, their emotional intuitiveness creates more substantial relationships with people. 

Social skills are improved because taking care of animals gives owners a leadership role as caregivers. In addition, taking care of pets leads people to be more involved within their community, helping others and taking on other roles as leaders because it makes them feel good. Even studies have performed that children with autism showed more assertiveness if they lived with a pet. 

Pets Help Us Sleep Better

While you may not want to allow your pet to sleep in the bed with you, having it in the bedroom at least can help with the overall quality of your sleep. Pets love to feel secure and comforted, and they like being close to their owners, even when they are sleeping. 

Researchers found that pet owners who had their pets in the bed with them or within their bedroom found that they slept better and did not find the pet to be disruptive to their sleep. The feelings of companionship, security, and relaxation offered a better night’s rest for both pet owners and their furry friends.

With all of these tremendous advantages that pets give us, it is easy to see that bringing a pet into the home is more than just helpful to the pet. There is much joy and love to be had, and taking care of your pet creates many wonderful ways that improve your overall health and wellbeing.

Try Something New Every Day: You Never Know Where Your “Amelia” is Hiding!

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Try Something New Every Day GraphicTry Something New Every Day!

Think of a hobby or pastime you love to do – one that brings you great joy. Something you look forward to doing and feel on top of the world while doing it! Maybe it’s watching baseball on tv, cooking, gardening, walking, hiking, collecting Pyrex dishes, watching old movies, golfing, or burning it up on the tennis courts.

Whatever that something special is, it’s such a part of your life it almost feels like recess from the real world!

I’ve always been of the mind that the more interests you have, the more interesting life will be and the cool thing is, the opportunities for new interests are limitless. You can start a new hobby, find a new pastime, or adopt a brand new subject to learn about.

I remember about 12 years ago , I saw an Amelia Earhart special on the History Channel. An interest was greatly sparked and I went down an Amelia Earhart rabbit hole that has led to collecting every article, book, and collectible I can that has anything to do with her! I love looking for new specials about the iconic legend and have even began reading about other aviators (particularly women). On the flip side, there have been other individuals on the History Channel I have followed up on by studying more that didn’t spark any further interest, but there have been more people and subjects who have stuck around and greatly enriched my life.

You just never know when or where you’ll find your Amelia!

Have a great day and, as always, make each moment count double!

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Your Home is Your Happiness: 10 Ways to Improve your Interior

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Making Your Home a Fortress

Making Your Home a Peaceful Fortress!

Any house can be transformed into a cozy place to which you always want to return, hiding from this hectic world.

Several design solutions will allow you to save on repairs and truly transform your interior.

  1. Brighter colors

Adding bright decor, textiles are the first steps to change the interior. More lighting will emphasize the advantages of your home. To feel the changes more clearly, change the furniture. Even a few chairs of non-trivial design or a couple of bright armchairs will change the perception of the interior. A more drastic solution would be to repaint the walls or replace the wallpaper. It is better to change everything gradually, otherwise, the interior may change beyond recognition.

  1. Mixing styles and textures

The combination of the incongruous has replaced the pure style. It is not necessary to stick to one canvas in the design of the home. Vintage items will not be superfluous in a modern interior, loft elements will be a good addition to strict classics. Mixing different styles in one space will be successful with a limited number of colors.

  1. Art objects

Empty walls look unfinished. A work of art that fits the style is a universal way to change this. When choosing paintings, posters, photographs, or other art objects, you need to pay attention to their size concerning the room and furniture, so that they are not too small or too large.

  1. More textiles

In addition to curtains, carpets, decorative pillows can transform the interior. To emphasize the individuality of the owner, you can decorate the interior with products made of velvet polyester in the form of your favorite car. This solution is perfect for a children’s room.

Pillows of non-standard shape are suitable for the design of other rooms. Any idea can be displayed on a soft handmade product: from a photo of a beloved girl to a picture of world art, from a pet to a glass of your favorite beer. All this will emphasize your individuality.

When making a bed, an experienced decorator is not limited to one blanket but uses the whole arsenal: bedspreads, blankets, decorative pillows. All this will create a special atmosphere of comfort in the room. More details on how to get a custom pillow can be found on the All About Vibe website. Your happiness is under your head.

  1. Mirrors

Mirrors will instantly transform the space – they will increase the amount of natural light and create a sense of spaciousness in the room. As decorative accents, they are also good: with their help, you can decorate an empty wall above a dresser or dressing table, beat the fireplace area in the living room, or become the only decoration in a minimalist hallway.

  1. More light

Designers know how important light is in the interior, so they always think over several lighting scenarios for each room. Along with the main one, the local one is very important: sconces and table lamps will create a chamber atmosphere in the bedroom and children’s room, and in the living room you can not do without a floor lamp with warm light.

  1. Hide the electronics

In order not to give the impression that this or that technique was in the room by accident, you need to make it as inconspicuous as possible. The easiest way is to hide behind furniture facades. The TV can also be hidden behind sliding panels or included in the home gallery.

  1. Accent wall

To do this, use wallpaper with an expressive print, textured plaster, 3D panels, or contrasting paint color. Moreover, light and decor help to beat one of the options. For example, a wall painted in a different shade is decorated with moldings or a large-format painting, and a large panel with a natural stone texture is illuminated with a pair of sconces.

To support the accent wall, designers recommend choosing furniture or accessories that match the color.

  1. Glass partitions

Today designers are increasingly using glass partitions in their projects – it looks stylish and modern. By the way, this is a good reason to zone the room and at the same time leave the interior light and airy. With their help, you can separate the private area of the bedroom from the living room, the kitchen from the dining room. Use it as an alternative to doors or even walls in the apartment.

  1. Metal parts

A must-have of any modern interior – bright metallic accents. They make the space more elegant, go well with wood, marble, mirrors, and glass. In the last few seasons, it has been fashionable to mix several types of metals in one interior at once. One of the win-win options is to combine warm metals with warm ones, and cold ones with cold ones.

Final thoughts

Your home is not only your fortress but also a reflection of your spiritual world. Don’t keep it to yourself, let your inner world go beyond the boundaries of your body, transforming your home.

Nine Secrets Happy People Know – Part TWO

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Choose Happiness

Continued from Nine Secrets Happy People Know – Part ONE

4.  Happy People Know You Can’t Let Other People’s Lives Direct Their Own.  A director pretty much dictates how a play is going to happen.  He, or she, tells people where to stand, when to walk, how to feel, etc.  The director will tell the other people involved in the play when they’re “getting it right” as well as when they’re “getting it wrong!”

They call the shots.

An actor or member of the crew expects it and doesn’t question the director’s right to pull power trips – after all, it’s what they’re there for.  It’s all part of the system.

However, this sort of thing most definitely isn’t part of the system when you aren’t on a stage or in front of a camera.  Each individual IS their own director in their own life.  No one else gets to tell us how we should feel or how we should react.

People are happiest when they are allowed to be their own person, not who someone else expects them to be. 

Happy people, at some point in their life came to terms with who THEY are.  What’s more, they made up their mind to be that person no matter who was around and regardless of what others think.

The individual who thinks they have to be a chameleon and change how they act, talk, or even think, depending upon who they’re around, is not a happy person.  If they were happy and content, they’d wear themselves all the time and never take themselves off.

If you ever find yourself altering who you are as a person around certain people,  ask the following question, “Why am I afraid to be me around_____?”   If it’s a fear of ridicule, the next question could very well be,  “Why AM I around this person in the first place?!”

When I was in high school, I recall that it was a very “in” thing for girls to act ditzy and dumb.  I’d watch with my jaw on the ground as some of my friends would go from talking intelligently about class assignments (from Shakespeare to Spanish)  to blanking out when a boy joined the group.  Some boys would laugh and, I suppose, think the dumb act was cute?  Others would look almost frightened and take off in search of higher ground.  These boys? They were the ones who’d been worth chasing.  The ones who enjoyed the show… not so much.

When I first started going out with my husband, I was pretty nervous at first.  I liked him more than anyone I’d ever met and hoped with every ounce of my being that we’d hit it off.  I could tell he was really smart right off the bat.  I remember my mind running around in circles thinking, “If he’s smart, would he prefer an airhead or would he like the fact that, unlike the Scarecrow, I happen to have a brain?”  My mind was busy mulling over the ins and outs of that subject for the first 30 minutes of the first date.  Then, I noticed something kind of unique.  He kept asking questions – kind of like little “tests.”  Looking back, I don’t know… maybe he was testing the depths of the water.

Since I actually liked who I was and felt proud of any knowledge that I had, I went with being myself.  So when this kid with the prettiest blue eyes I’d ever seen brought up the subject of mental telepathy, I jumped right in.  When he fired random questions about random subjects, I fired the answers back – whether it was about the lead singer of Van Halen or what I’d do if I possessed telepathic powers, if I knew it…..I said it.

We’ve been happily married for well over 20 years now and one of the things that has kept the marriage the happiest is that I allow (and encourage) him to be him and he allows (and encourages) me to be me.  There’s a total and complete freedom and relaxation in knowing that you can just be you.

People who have to try to “measure up,”  “fit in,”  or “put on an act”  don’t have time to be happy – they’re too busy trying to act.  If you have anyone in your life who has this effect on you, do yourself a huge favor and set things right.  If you suspect that you AFFECT someone else in this way, do everyone a favor and set things right.

We should always accept people as they are – whether it’s yourself or someone else.

Be happy.  Be yourself.

There’s actually a flip side to this, too. Happy people ALLOW others to be who they are without trying to make them fit into a particular mold they’ve chosen.

I am, thanks be to God, a naturally happy person. I believe that, to a certain degree, I was simply born this way. My dad had happy in his dna and I inherited it from him. He loved to laugh more than anything… I love to laugh more than anything. He didn’t judge people… I don’t judge people. He looked for reasons to be happy… I look for reasons to be happy.

However, a lot of happiness has to do with a choice you make every single day. You much CHOOSE to be happy and CHOOSE not to allow anyone else to trip you up.

Here’s an example. Picture two women (both, for the most part, happy) at work one day. A co-worker does something completely illogical but our two happy women react and respond differently.

  • The first woman registers what has happened and kind of whispers in her head, “That was like something straight out of a sitcom… glad it wasn’t me!” She then goes on about her day, leaving what happened behind.
  • The second woman registers what the co-worker did and becomes irate (in spite of the fact it had nothing to do with her!). She rails to anyone within earshot about how “dumb” the co-worker is… how she would NEVER have done such a thing, etc. Her mood is completely sour for the rest of the day! She takes it to the store with her, then is cross with an employee. She takes it home with her and bites her spouse’s head off for no reason. She has take a load that wasn’t even hers to carry and burdened herself with it AND hit at least two people over the head with it.

Learning to let things go before you look like a perfect fool carrying them around hitting people is a big secret to your own happiness as well as everyone in your path’s!

Also See:
Secrets of Happy People Part 1