How to Be Happy, Even with a Full To Do List

I was doing some Life Management work with a client and we started out talking about what was going well, what she was doing that was working and making her life better. She had accomplished a lot in a few short months. She had created some routines that changed the tone of her days, as well as that of her sons. She was feeling happy about it, and better about her life in general. Then she instantly jumped into what wasn’t working and how she needed to be at a certain point in her life. How she “should” be through all the difficult things in her life because she had been dealing with them for years. She was tired of working on things and wanted to live this beautiful life she is imagining.

Sound familiar? Those of us who know we can be more, and that we can have an even better life, are constantly learning and growing. It is a beautiful thing because this is how we create a better life.

But beware – there is a trap in here. People imagine a perfect life and believe that they will be happy when they get there. The truth is that you can be happy now. There is no perfect life that you need to achieve. If you believe in learning and growing you will always be striving for more, and if you enjoy the journey then your life will be a happy one.

Being happy, and living a fulfilling life, isn’t about utopia, it is about enjoying the moments you are living now. When we race through our days and measure them by the number of items we checked off our to-do list, we rarely experience joy.

If that is true then the question is, “What gives you joy?” What puts a smile on your face? Is it seeing puppy? Smelling a rose? Eating a caramel? Watching a sunset? I bet none of those things are on your to do list for today. Those are things that pass through our life and we can choose to stop and enjoy the moment, or we can rush to our next meeting or errand.

Even the times that can make us happy often get relegated to being another task to check off. The last time you went to a family function did you just rush in, put in your time and leave? Perhaps you could put more joy in your life by slowing down, spending some time talking with relatives or playing with the kids. Maybe you enjoy cooking and you can relax and really allow yourself to love making the dish you are taking.

When you made lunch for your kids, did you sit down and eat with them? Talk to them or be silly with them? Or did you rush into the kitchen, slap together food, eat yours while you are running around and cleaning up the floor?

Was you last dog walk a rush to get the dog exercised so you can finish your work, or did you wander along, enjoying your time outdoors?

Did you rush through lunch at work, perhaps eating over your computer while you push to get that letter done? What would it be like if you had a nice lunch, maybe with a friend, where you relaxed and enjoyed you food and conversation?

Focus on the people, events, sights and sounds that bring you joy. Start noticing them in your everyday life.

It doesn’t matter what you love to do, or what puts a smile on your face. Just taking the time to be aware that there are many moments you can enjoy in an average day is the first step to creating happiness in your life. Then, if you slow down and just let yourself experience those moments, you will be well on your way to a fun and joy filled life.