Jump Start Own Happiness

Sometimes in life we need to jump-start our own happiness. What I mean to say is that if we just plug away each day waiting for something good to happen, most of time those moments are impossible to recognize. However, if we call up a friend for a cup of coffee or make dinner plans with someone we haven't seen in a while, these are opportunities that can bring us happiness and joy- and they are self-created. In those moment we are instrumental in our own happiness and that can make all the difference in the world.

I have tried to live my life by a certain set of ideals that I have established for myself. Things that I feel are too important to be left out of the mix. Things that I hope by maintaining will bring about some joy and happiness in my life- on an ongoing basis. My wife has adapted to many of my ideals, but after all, they are mine and as crazy as that sounds it has worked for many years. Here are a few of them so you know what I'm talking about. If I were to speculate, I would imagine that you probably have a few of your own.

Every morning that I wake up, before my morning coffee, I start my day with a hot shower, both as a physical cleansing and a spiritual cleansing. I use this quiet time in the shower to pray and to thank God for another day of life and health. I imagine that as I wash away the impurities of the night, I am also washing away the impurities of my mind and my spirit. It's become sort of a ritual for me and as a routine I have gotten used to this for more than 25 years. By doing this one act first thing in the morning it actually sets my tone for the day and I like my world ordered and at peace as much as possible. Plus it's so refreshing to start the day clean and showered.

Something else that I have put into my routine is that I always find time after work to socialize with my wife or my friends and have a glass of wine. I call it my "wind down" period. This is a special time for me and it helps me reflect on the day and also provides me with the opportunity to share my day with others.

My wife and I enjoy cooking at home so we try often to make dinner an event, not just throwing food on the table and inhaling it. I turn the music on, pour a glass of wine and start to cook. The whole kitchen comes alive and it's a fun time in our home. Depending on the day of the week, we also invite friends or family over to share this time with us. The food is always great, but it's not about the food really. It's about the ambiance- the aromas of seasoning and cooking, the taste of good wine and the music of our parent's generation that always bring joy to our hearts. Life was meant to be lived and to be shared. Dinner is one those moments that are universal around the globe. It's one of those moments where you can actually reset the tone of the day back to vibrant if somewhere along the way your day got off track. All you need is good food, good wine, good music and people you love to share it with.

These are just a few of the things that I have tried to incorporate into my own life to help me through the difficult times when they arise. There are blessings all around us if we choose to see them. But we have the power to create some amazing moments whenever we want and sometimes it's as easy as making dinner.