One more day in 2020!

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Hahaha! I just realized that 2020 is a leap year and we have an extra day on the calendar!

It’s so perfect!

I have two brothers. One of them is lucky (or unlucky) enough to have been born on February 29. So he celebrates his real birthday every four years. As if he didn’t age the other three years! Ha!

Why am I telling you this? Because I’m feeling feverish and bubbly at the thought of an extra day, and because my brother will be celebrating his birthday this year, which makes it special! Not necessarily because 2020 is full of promises, projects and travel! No.

I can’t wait to see what’s possible this year alone. Of all the MORE that will be. Of all the celebrations that will make people smile, sing and dance. Of all the activities we never do in “normal” times, but will do in 2020 because we have an extra day!

….

We often wait for special occasions to do something, wear something we like, drink a certain wine…

So let’s try something new this leap year.

Take out your beautiful dishes every day. Place a candle on the table every evening. Drink from your Crystal glass, your fine china cup. Use your finest cutlery, your most beautiful tablecloth. Wear your beautiful “weekday” dress, your colorful tie. Make yourself beautiful! Just for fun! Don’t wait until February 29 to celebrate!

I can tell you right now that I intend to do everything I’m suggesting here!

I intend to do all that. A little bit every day. To stop waiting for “something special to happen”. Because every day is special! Even more so this year!

Wishing you a very happy, very happy, very especially ordinary New Year! May 2020 make us all AWARE of the beauty of each day – even if the coating sometimes smells bad!

Health, laughter and joy

Your Haha Sister, Linda

 

My wishes for you

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I’ve decided to share my wishes for you as the decade draws to a close.

I want you to simply choose to be happy now, even if it’s only for a little while. Choose to be happy.

Just for a moment, the present moment, abandon the idea that “something has to change first” and choose to be happy. Just be happy.

How would it look if you gave it a try?

  1. Put aside all regrets – all the “I wish I or someone else had done things differently” – just for this moment. No regrets.
  2. Let go of worries about the future – it will be what it will be – and be present now. Without projecting yourself into what isn’t there.
  3. Choose something, anything, from wherever you are right now. Find it beautiful and breathe into it. Enjoy it.
  4. Let things be easy – just for a moment. Without forcing it.

And if you take pleasure in breathing in the beauty you see in this moment, I invite you to keep doing it in another moment, and another… and another. Stay in this state of bliss for as long as you feel it!

You know that believing we’ll only be happy “when” (complete the sentence), freezes us in place.

And it’s all there! The moment you pay attention to what’s around you and CHOOSE to be happy, you’ll change the game. No more waiting for happiness to arrive. Happiness is here! In this tiny moment you’re living. Yes, it’s here!

Practice being happy!

And if you get inspired, drop me a line and let me know how it goes!

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

p.s. Yes, I admit it. It can be a challenge! And I sincerely believe it’s worth a try!

In search of happiness?

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Last November, I spent several days at the Salon du livre de Montréal, and as I wandered the aisles, one thing struck me. It’s mind-boggling how many books are published on the pursuit of happiness. How to be happier. What to do to feel happier.

I get internet alerts almost daily that articles have been written on this topic. (Yes, I’ve created alerts! HAHAHA! I draw my attention to the beautiful…)

“5 must-haves for happiness…”, “150 quotes to be happy”, “Happiness is within your reach”, “What do happy people do…”, “What you absolutely must know about happiness”. “Don’t do this anymore and you’ll be happy”. And the list goes on!

Whew! Every day, people suggest things to do or not to do to find (or rediscover) happiness! If there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s that we all want to be happy!

I search, you search, we search

It got me thinking. Why are there so many books, articles and columns on the pursuit of happiness? Do we believe that one book will give us the infallible, “ready-to-use” recipe without our having to make any effort? Why do we need to be reminded that happiness can be found in all sorts of little things? In our daily lives? In the bright eyes of a child eating his favorite food. In the song of the birds. In the smell of bread, the smell of apple purée simmering on the stove, the smell of flowers or the clementine we’re about to eat (they’re in season right now, and that smell makes me sparkle!). In the amused gaze of a colleague with whom we’ve just exchanged a joke. In the satisfaction of having accomplished something good. In the synchronicity that puts green lights on our way to work…

As the decade draws to a close, I invite you to make an important list. Write down a minimum of 50 things that make you happy. Things that make you feel good. Your 50 “happinesses”. And keep this list in sight. So you don’t forget! So you can dip into it when you need it. When things aren’t going so well.

I challenge you

And I’m doing it with you too.

I’ve even created a sheet so we can write it all down. It is here in pdf format, easy to print!

Challenge issued. Challenge accepted!

And share YOUR finds with me! Who knows, I might just add them to my own list! Nothing’s stopping me from going to 75, 100 or, why not, 200!

Shall we do it? Let’s do it!

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

P.S. Want to see a list of books on happiness? I simply typed “books on happiness” into Google and this is what I found – only on Amazon… And even more here, what Mrs. Google gives me…