Hello!

I was reading this morning about whether having a happy life equals having a meaningful one. It turns out that one does not always equal the other and one of the key differences is that meaningfulness is derived from giving to other people; happiness comes from what they give to you (i.e.  you taking).  The researcher goes on to say “Having a meaningful life contributes to being happy and being happy may also contribute to finding life more meaningful.” So, it is not that these things are not related, but that they are not the same. I found this to be a very interesting concept and it got me thinking about what makes me happy and what I am grateful for. Here is a list of what I came up with:

Happy:

watching my kids laugh together

being outside in the sun

chocolate

my morning coffee

spending time with people I love

the feeling right when I am done exercising

a hot shower

listening to the ocean

a good quote

 

Grateful for:

my own health and the health of my family

my husband’s love

being able to chat on the phone with my sister

learning new things

my third baby and the love she has brought into our lives

That was my short list. I do try to keep a list going of these things all the time, but especially when I am feeling pessimistic, it helps me re-focus on what is good. Please share your lists with me!

 

Love,

Pooja