Today’s the last day of the 12th Annual Hunt for Happiness Week. Due to a technicality our Friday post had to be postponed but it will be posted next week with the opportunity to win two prizes. Today’s prize is a drawing for a Happiness Happens T-shirt for everyone who comments on this post.
Also, you can comment on any of this weeks blogs until midnight on January 26 for a chance to win that day’s prizes. I also want to thank our guest bloggers. I hope you found a little more happiness during Hunt for Happiness Week. Also, if you pin, we have a Pin It To Win It for seven Playful Memberships.
The Secret Society of Happy People originally started with the question, “Are You Happier Than You Admit You Are?” The purpose of the question was simply to encourage people to take an honest review of their life ~ the happy and even the unhappy. The truth is most of the time if we take an honest inventory, we probably discover we have at least as many, if not more, happy moments than unhappy ones. Yet, we often let the unhappy moments consume our thoughts and conversations more than the happy ones.
We can’t and shouldn’t ignore unhappiness. It’s usually a sign that we need to make some changes. One of the changes may be our attitude ~ which includes understanding that there are some things that we can’t change so we have to find happiness in acceptance. But sometimes our unhappiness is more than acceptance. We may need a new career. We may need new or improved relationships with those we love including friends and family. We may need a different health regime. We may need new hobbies. Or we may need to slow down and simply enjoy life. If we’re really unhappy, we don’t want to ignore it. Instead we need to figure out what we can do to make the changes that will make us happy. Changing the unhappy is part of our hunt for happiness.
An equal part of our hunt for happiness is actually recognizing our happy moments. The Society identified the Thirty-One Types of Happiness to help broaden our definition of happiness, therefore making it easier to notice more happiness. It’s true that all happiness isn’t created equal. But happiness is still happiness when it happens.
Sometimes finding happiness is like walking in a never ending labyrinth. We can get frustrated when we walk down a path and it doesn’t turn out as expected. But life is full of the unexpected and uncertainty for everyone even the self-professed control freak. Sometimes life is better and sometimes it’s worse, but it’s rarely what we expect. One of the keys to happiness is enjoying the walk even when it has challenging turns or unexpected surprises.
Another key is remembering to count and cherish every moment of happiness. When we do, we’ll most likely discover we’re happier than we admit we are. To help identify more happiness take the Thirty-One Types of Happiness Inventory.
The Secret Society of Happy Peoples Thirty-One Types of Happiness Word Search makes hunting for happiness fun.
Still not identifying enough happiness? Read the Secret Society of Happy Peoples Thirty-One Types of Happiness Guide available in e-books and print.
Thanks for participating in Hunt for Happiness Week and I’d love to hear your feedback about the celebration.
Don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for a Happiness Happens T-shirt.
Written by Pamela Gail
Pamela Gail Johnson founded the Society of Happy People in 1998.
The Society is grounded on Pamela’s four key Practical Happiness Principles:
Pamela identified 31 Types of Happiness that are on the SOHP App Happiness Counter to make it easier to recognize moments of happiness.
Pamela also plans and organizes the Society of Happy People's annual happiness celebrations:
She's also a speaker, trainer, and author.
A few of her personal smile starters include her monthly book club, yoga, traveling and meeting new happy people.
Happier than I admit? I don’t think so. In fact, I find myself faking-it-til-I-make-it. I also find that I am, in fact, content if not happy a lot of times. It’s a start. =)
Glad to hear you’re content most of the time. That is one of the 31 Types of Happiness and one that’s underrated in my opinion.
I think you raise a really great point, a person’s unhappiness is a signal for change …
I have always believed that happiness is a by-product of what we do–just as unhappiness is. Every undesired feeling is a signal … we call them ‘negative emotions’ but in reality they are the signals to help us recognize what we need to change in our lives.
Thank you for writing. I really enjoy your posts.
Thanks for your feedback. If I’m unhappy, I try to figure if I need to modify something … and usually I do even if it’s just my attitude.
The picture of the maze looks complicated to navigate. Fortunately, finding happiness is MUCH easier. Just look at yourself in the mirror. Doesn’t a good hair day just make you happy? Put a smile on your face and not only will you feel happy, but others around you will too. You never have to truly “hunt” for happiness, it is every where! : )
Happiness is a moment and it sounds like you and I have a similar appreciation for the many small moments of happiness that happen when they happen. I’d have fun in the maze and I suspect you would too.
Hi, Pamela! I LOVE your information and your Happiness Guide travels with me in my purse! SO inspirational! You gifted me with your book at a time when I was making some major life assessments to achieve my goals in life…ULTIMATE HAPPINESS!
Keep up the GREAT work and have a fabulous weekend, my friend!
Thanks for the comment and I’m glad you love the Guide :-).
Happier than I think I am . . . . I think not. Life is just so joy-filling, how could I possibly keep it hidden?
Then again, happiness isn’t a thinky thing, anyway, is it?
Happiness is a warm, rushing, twirl around or do a cartwheel kind of thing.
Or a “hold me really tight because it just feels so right” kind of thing.
Definitely not a thinky thing.
Love how you embrace the happy…when you do it’s never in short supply!
I can’t say I’m happier, but I can say I appreciate every happy moment that comes along. Happiness is really about finding and acknowledging every moment of joy, rather than dismissing it and focusing on the negative. I call it mindful joy, or the eternal search for joy.
Cheers!
You just described happiness as a habit … glad you made it one.
I believe I am happier than I think I am after a very stressful day at school. I try to leave my workplace stressors @ the office, but it often after dinner with a nice glass of wine that I realize I am really happier than I thought I was.
Sometimes it’s hard to detach from the chaos. Personally I find if I can find a few moments in the middle of the chaos to take a deep breath and hold it for a count of 20 it helps me get focused on the moment.
Hi, my name is Sandra Munoz. I am a school counselor. My focus has always been bullying. However, learning to set goals for being happy can definetly help decrease the numbers in bullying, regardless of age.
I did do the post a pet photo thing on Facebook. It does make me happy when my friends comment on my cat pictures.