Just Keeping Happy

In one of the great Pixar/Disney movies, "Finding Nemo," Dory, the quirky and forgetful blue regal tang, sings a little tune that goes, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming..." In an adaptation of this, a good friend of mine, Eric, once tried to brighten my grumpy mood (and prevent me from being unnecessarily mean) by saying, "Just keep smiling, just keep smiling." I may or may not have found the comment very humourous at the time, but it really is true that sometimes life is just about smiling even when you don’t want to. I have realized in the last few years that lots of things can go wrong in life, unexpectedly or not, but that even when things look at their worst, they could often be a lot worse (and sometimes are for people around you when you don't even know it).

Some of the people in life I most admire are ones that can bring happiness and cheer wherever they go. Even when things in their lives are going badly, they can look at all the other things they have and be thankful. They bring this brightness and optimism to every situation.

Anyhow, all these people and events have made me take a happiness approach to life. Don't get me wrong: I'm by no means one of the most bubbly people out there. But I do try to keep a level head about things and see the big picture. Most of all, no matter what happens, at the end of the day I look at all the wonderful people, great opportunities and overall luck in my life and resolve to be happy. Afterall, what is feeling bad for yourself going to do?

So, in part “Just Keeping Happy” is about all the things and events that keep me happy: travel, art, friends, family, pets, work, books, nature, life. It’s also about things that perhaps don’t make me so happy, but these things only make you appreciate the good so much more. JKH is meant to be a collection of all these things and a great reminder for any rough patches ahead of all the great things in my life.

I leave you with some quotes about happiness. Please feel free to send me more so I can add them to this list.

Happiness comes when your work and words are of benefit to yourself and others.

-Buddha

The greatest part of our happiness depends on our dispositions, not our circumstances.

- Martha Washington

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.

- Albert Schweitzer