My husband and I are talking a lot lately about all the things around the house that need to be done…trees removed, bathrooms redone, a new storage shed, drainage issues that have caused flooding, this repair and that repair.   Part of owning a home built in 1967.  As I envision getting these things done, two things happen:

1- I tally the dollars and realize we could easily spend tens of thousands of dollars doing what “needs” to be done. Some of the items are more needs and some are pure wants…like the stand alone shower I would love to add made out of old industrial windows.  Nonetheless they are all on the To Do List / Vision Board. 

2- I am tempted to imagine a “happier me” with these things done. 

3- I quickly remember the part of this great book I reread recently 😜😉 called Happy Anyway that I happened to write. You know, the part that talked about “Getting off the not-so-Merry-go-Round” and how If/Then happiness just keeps you spinning in circles of discontentment.

 

You see, happy people are succesful. Succesful people are not always happy. Admit it or not we equate success with stuff all too often. Things we want and lifestyles we want or have become accustomed to.

 

I saw this documentary many years ago now of John Mayer. I love to tell this story. He was on the 101 in LA driving his BMW or whatever talking to the camera about how disappointed he was that he already “made it” at like 25 and was saying “What now!?” …pontificating about sort of the empty feeling he had of having all his dreams come true so young and not sure what was left in life.

I sat glued to this documentary fascinated at what I was hearing. He went on from that time to become a major jerk of his own admition perhaps out of this frustration. Who knows? Eventually he seemed to  grow up and soften a bit realizing some of the errors of his ways. The musicians in my house are a bit obsessed over him and that’s how I know all this about Dear Ole John. LOL But the point of it is that you can find yourself at the very top of if/then happiness majorly let down sending you into a downward spiral like John for a while. Or you may find yourself at a place in life lusting over a shower made from industrial windows like I have been guilty of lately with a feeling of angst every time I walk into my undone master bath. I know—I’m the happy lady and probably not supposed to admit that to you. But listen to this…

Wether a major if/then situation or feeling like your happiness would increase if you just had_______ or something day to day like me thinking I would be happier if I got these blogs written on more of a schedule instead of late on Sunday nights when I remember I have a blog due in the morning. I guess I just want you readers to know that “the happy lady” has to remind herself of these things just like you do. Yes, I need to get my blogs caught back up to have systems in place. Yes, it will be easier to manage. But also, yes, I can be happy ANYWAY when I fall behind or things aren’t picture perfect.

 

Good news is the more quickly you catch yourself making a habit of being happy ANYWAY, the quicker you will catch yourself slipping back into if/then happiness and correct it. I challenge you this week to notice when you are slipping into if/then happiness. And make a conscious effort to be happy ANYWAY no matter the circumstance. For me it’s usually about my schedule or someone I love not loving me back the way I think they should or wish they would. Or this last week about this new shower I just “have to have”. Be honest with yourself. Correct yourself and choose to be happy ANYWAY! It’s the only way to be industrial window shower or not. 😂

 

Happy Monday Y’all!