I tell wonder-filled stories about hope and healing
“Stay close to people who feel like sunshine.” ~Anonymous
This may just be the secret to a happier, more joyful life. I love those people who lift us up just by their presence, who make us feel more alive, more hopeful, and more empowered to build a better world.
“I like stories where women save themselves.” ~Neil Gaiman
Screw patience. Do what makes you happy now. If someone asked me how I got to the point I am in my life now, as a person and as a writer, my answer would be “I’ve always been my own savior.” I’ve never expected anyone to fix anything or do anything for me. I don’t want or wait well. All I really know how to do is roll up my sleeves and get to work. Sometimes that work is with other people like my experience in theater, and sometimes that work is on my own like sitting down to write my book. Some call it feisty, others call it fiery, and I call it building a life I love.
Our time is so precious and so short. It flies by despite our efforts to slow it down. Every day matters. Don’t bottle yourself up or tell yourself , “Someday, I’ll do what I love.” Do it now. Some day is today, every day. I promised myself a long time ago that I wasn’t going to die with the music, or the books, still in me. I was going to live and write out loud. However improbable my book seemed, I was going to find a way to get it done. And I did. You will, too. Keep writing.
“Dear Ocean, thank you for making us feel tiny, humble, inspired, and salty…all at once.” ~Unknown
Nature has a way of doing this to us—giving us perspective while also giving us a deep strength and resolve. We begin to see that we are part of something bigger, and that has the dual-advantage of giving of humility and confidence. I can’t think of a better way to feel better about the world and our role in it than to spend time outside. A little fresh air helps us realize that anything is possible.
There are two kinds of happiness: the one that comes from instant gratification and the one that comes from the slow slog toward a desired goal. The first makes us happy in the here and now, but it usually doesn’t last long. The second makes us happy when viewed through the arc of life but in the here and now can be difficult and uncomfortable. I’ve found that I need a good balance of both to truly feel good about life.
Art, music, good food, time with my friends, my dog, and working out are all things that make me immediately happy. Writing, working on my entrepreneurial ideas, and learning something new that I’m not yet particularly good at fall into that second bucket. It’s not that I don’t get any joy from them in the near-term; it’s just that to feel truly happy about them I need to look at them through a longer lens and with a goal in mind.
Knowing about this balance helps me figure out how to allocate my time, effort, and energy to be happy at this moment and to ensure I’m happy down the line, too.
I’m a voracious list maker, mostly because it helps me to remain accountable for moving my ideas forward. Since the weekend, I’ve been making a list of things I need to do to test out my new business ideas for on-demand and virtual guidance counseling for students. So far, I have a few to-dos on the books and they are:
I will say that I’m loving every moment of this. I’m loving it so much in fact that it doesn’t even seem like work. And that, my friends, is the point. We should find something that we love to do so much that the time flies and it makes us feel alive and free.
“If you really want to be a rebel, practice kindness.” ~Sharon Salzberg
Love in the face of hate. Smile at anger. Stubbornly seek joy, especially during times that seem so dark. Rise when someone tries to keep you down. And be determined to make your time, however much you have, meaningful. That’s what it means to be a rebel.
Last night I saw 2Cellos at DAR thanks to my music-loving pals, Gary and Jessica. I’ve been a fan of 2Cellos for a long time and love how they use the cello in such innovative ways to re-create rock and pop hits. At one point, Josh turned to me and said, “Look at him. He’s completely in the zone.” It was as if their cellos just became extensions of who they are. They were so in sync with one another, their instruments, and the audience. We could literally feel their love for music.
And isn’t that exactly the way it should be for all of us? To find what fills us up with joy and share that with others is the way to a happy life. And that should be as true at work as it is in any other part of our lives. The lessons you can learn from a cello. Who knew?
“If you sense there must be more, there is more.” ~Alan Cohen
Have you ever thought this: “Is this all there is?” This has happened to me, oh, maybe several hundred times in my life. Maybe thousands. At some point, it happened so often that I just lost count.
And here was my second thought every time: “Of course there’s more out there. Go find it.” And I don’t mean more as in more money, notoriety, or some other superficial possession. I mean more in terms of inspiration, better health, more happiness, peace, love, joy, passion, knowledge, adventure, and all the good things that make life worth living.
I didn’t always know where to find it or how to get it. I had to work hard for it. I had to make difficult choices. I had to take the long view. I had to go through hard times and plenty of uncertainty to find the good stuff. But I did find it, always, eventually, in spades. And I’m grateful for it every day, every time.
There are more of these things for you, too. For all of us. And I want us to be brave enough to go out there into the world and get them and share them. In 2016, let’s do that, okay? Okay.
To keep myself in a constant pursuit of wonder, meet my Wonder jar. Every day, I’ll be writing down things that I’ve done, seen, heard, and experienced that remind me of all the joy that life has to offer. I love the start of a brand new year. Though every day is a new beginning, there is something particularly special about January 1st. I wake up excited and ready to get going. I was more than happy to say goodbye to 2015 and welcome the start of 2016 with open arms. In this new year, I hope we find ways every day to celebrate the world around us, lift up one another, and pursue our wildest dreams. Happy New Year!
I went to visit the Wonder art exhibit at the Renwick Gallery in Washington D.C. The exhibit sparked a conversation with my friend, Jeff, about the definition and importance of wonder. As I cultivate new personal and professional opportunities in 2016, I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of wonder. For me, it’s about being open and allowing myself to be amazed. It’s the ability to be delighted and filled with joy. This world is wild. Sometimes it’s downright cruel. Wonder is what keeps us going, in times of light and darkness. And I’ve found that the more I look for wonder, the more I seek out opportunities to be happy and free, the more of them I find. As we turn the page today, letting go of 2015 and welcoming 2016, I hope we can all find moments of wonder every single day.
