Creating Happiness

My Challenge Today:

Creating happiness with harmony…

By Bernadette Kathryn, LMT, IHLC

Happiness is

when what you think, what you say,

and what you do are in harmony.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Creating happiness is an ongoing project in everyday life. Part of that creation is simply taking the time to look outside myself and appreciate all the gifts I already have. When I take time each day with my morning coffee to reflect on the many wonderful aspects of my life that I already have, that process makes the day a little brighter. No matter how gray the sky is or how bleak I might feel about certain aspect of my life is ~ it really does help to acknowledge what is right with the world.

The harmony found in music can be very uplifting when the musical piece resonates with me just as enjoying a beautiful meal can be more nourishing when I take the time to appreciate the different aspects that make up the meal. When I was began culinary school we were introduced to the kitchen and our work stations. We began our journey with a bag of tools, knives, a honing steel, spatulas, spoons, etc. and we educated that our work station was called a ‘piano’. Our ‘piano’ is where we made our music putting together all the pieces of the meal in harmony to bring happiness to the recipient. What a beautiful concept and approach to a simple aspect of life.

I have found that when I have a conflict between what I am thinking, saying and doing ~ I have trouble creating happiness. Balance is the goal for me ~ creating balance in life between needs and wants in an effort to create harmony. The duty to provide for my needs and the pleasure in satisfying my wants is a balancing act, I should be in the circus! It takes practice and awareness to balance these aspects of life and creating happiness.

It’s about becoming more aware ~

• What am I thinking ~ how is my overall mood? Is there something bothering me?

• What do I need and want right now? Am I speaking my truth and creating space for my needs to be met?

• What am I doing to provide for myself? Am I being responsible to myself and others in meeting my own needs?

The more aware I am of my own needs and desires, the better able I am to speak and act in a responsible manner that will allow me to meet those needs. I have a really great friend that is very social, she loves to chat and shop and be with her friends. Her husband, on the other hand is an introvert. He can stay inside and work alone for days and not even notice the world going on outside. She, in her infinite wisdom, always makes plans for herself and invites him to join or not ~ he usually declines and then eventually he gets lonely or has a need to socialize and comes with her. This is a perfect example of my friend taking care of her needs and allowing her partner to care for himself without a conflict and in the end, they are both creating happiness, separately and together. This has been a real lesson for me in relationships, a beautiful inspiration.