{If It Makes You Happy}

Sheryl Crow may not be my hero, but she's belted out some pretty profound truths over the years in that gritty, rocker chick voice of hers.

"Every day is a winding road...I get a little bit closer to feeling fine" just happens to be part of the soundtrack to my favorite movie of all time.  (Erin Brockovich is the movie, in case just a teeny-tiny part of you was curious about that.)

And back when I was a teenager and borrowing my future husband's truck after blowing up the engine in my little Toyota Supra, I remember being introduced to Sheryl Crow's self-titled album and this catchy song called "If it makes you happy".  That tune and those words have stuck with me all these years.  "If it makes you happy, it can't be that bad...if it makes you happy, then why the hell are you so sad?"

I never did understand the reference to "playing for mosquitoes" but I'll just give her some artistic liberty with those lyrics. Or maybe I've misunderstood those third verse lyrics all these years.

And yes, I am going to make a point eventually.  Just stick with me, grasshopper.

I used to think that I need to explain and validate the things that I chose to do to feel that little spark of alive-ness that we all need in our daily life.

You know the one that I'm taking about?  That little bit of joy we feel from the simple things in life.  It might not make sense to anyone else, but to you, it's part of what gets you through your days. Those little interests and passions are what makes you uniquely you. I like to think it is a spark put there by the Divine.

It is probably akin to the concept of surrounding yourself with beauty.  I guess I spent a lot of years feeling like all of that stuff was frivolous.  I was raised to be very practical and down-to-earth and surrounding myself with beautiful things was not something I was taught.  So I guess I'm having to be my own teacher these days.

I'm starting to learn to be unapologetic for taking those little moments to feel happy about something that might be considered stupid or inconsequential to someone else.  And to give myself permission to be "frivolous" and "childish" in my joy.

I don't know if other people out there struggle with this, but I just wanted to give you your permission slip to gather around yourself those things that make you feel something good.

Maybe for you it is watching the steam curl off of your cup of coffee in the morning.  Or buying yourself a cozy blanket that makes you feel happy and safe when you curl up in it.  Maybe it is taking the time to create a card for a friend because feeling that inspiration gives you joy, even if you could buy a card for less money and spend less time on it.

I understand that happiness and joy aren't about "things", it is about what is going on inside and the deeper threads of peace and contentment that we can learn to have in our inner world.  But I feel like these exterior things are part of that package, at least for me.

In that spirit, I thought I would share with you a few things that make me feel happy...

Beautiful and inspiring and somewhat whimsical things, like this mug.  Or my fairy angel that I bought from the bar owner in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. She used to hang on the wall behind a toilet in the bar and now she sits on my kitchen windowsill.

And then there are always books.  When I curl up in my reading chair with a great book and my navy blue snowflake blanket, I feel such a peacefulness in my soul.

This is an amazing book of quotes that I would recommend to anyone.


Another thing that sparks my joy is taking pictures of nature.  I'm not sure when this became a hobby but I have rarely felt such pure abandon in the last 5 years as when I am capturing the beauty of nature.

I find it hard to explain how liberating it has been for me to give myself permission to pursue and enjoy these little things in life that inspire me.  But I wanted to try to write about this today and I hope you can connect with the feeling and maybe it can encourage you to pursue those things as well. 

Joyful people inspire others.  Be one of those people.

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