Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.
Denis Waitley
It’s the truth. I know that the fleeting excitement and happiness I feel when I buy new things, or go on an expensive holiday are not where true happiness lies. We can not buy happiness, although in the moment you purchase those diamond earrings you sure think you have just brought it! But at the end of each day I know that real happiness is about really being happy and comfortable in my own skin, and about following my passions and having people around me who love and support me, who I can love and support back.
True happiness can be found in being grateful not only for the possessions we have, but for all the beauty in the world around us.
Without inner peace and self acceptance no holiday is going to cure our unhappiness, it is a momentary distraction and then we go back to ‘real life’ and nothing has truly changed, except maybe our tan line, and our bank balance. Unless of course we have an epiphany and change our lives for the better when we get back.
What I do know though is we need to live more mindfully, and what I mean by that is we need to be conscious of our choices and take time to find the joy in as many moments of our day that we can. We need to open up our eyes and notice things more, we need to really taste our food, and feel the fabric we wear, and notice how it feels to be hugged by our child or a friend. When we do splurge on that holiday we need to enjoy it, to really take notice of all the new things we see, the new foods we taste, and when we go shopping for new outfits enjoy the experience rather than doing it robotically. And remember to feel grateful that you can afford these experiences.
It is the experience of buying, using, or wearing that possession that brings us joy, rather than the possession itself. So when you do shop make sure you enjoy it, and when you do wear those new earrings enjoy them.
Most importantly each day we need to notice the ‘small moments’ and enjoy them more.
- That first sip of coffee, the way it smells.
- The morning hug with your child.
- The way the water feels on your skin in the shower, or how lovely your shampoo smells.
- The taste of your food as you eat it.
- The sound of rain hitting the window, or your roof.
- The way the birds sing.
- The sloppy kiss from your dog.
- The sunshine kissing your skin.
- The smell of your food as you prepare and cook it.
- The softness of your sofa as you snuggle in to enjoy a show you enjoy.
If we notice more moments, and realise how lucky we are to experience them, then we will live happier each and everyday.
So here is my happy list for the week!
- dinner with my brother
- puppy training for Heidi
- Sunday lazy day with my hubby and kids, just watching Disney together and laughing as a family
- coffee date with my friend when I was feeling down, just talking with her brightened my whole week
- seeing Adam get so excited over his new Pokemon Onesie, he won’t get out of it
- a couple of days with Aspen, so many hugs
- seeing the hail all over the garden, it looked like snow
- minding my parents 2 dogs, 4 dogs in our home is full on, but also equals loads of doggy fun
- warmth, the days have been cold and I am so glad we have a warm home
- sunshine, we haven’t seen much this week so I am grateful for any little peeks
What are you feeling grateful for right now?
Share you thoughts with me in the comments section below, I love hearing from you.
Thanks for joining me, love Mackenzie xx
If you liked this please tweet it, thanks x
You may also enjoy “I am freaking out about my tween”
“What ever happens we will see our children through it”
Welcome to this weeks #mg linky party!
#mg is a link up where you can link up on any topic, but just one post per person please.
Rules are simple.
- one post per week
- add my super adorable badge (code below)
- share as many posts as you can via twitter or social media you love
- I will comment on all posts and share them
- please use the #mg when commenting and sharing
- comment on my post and as many others as you can
- link ups are about sharing and cementing so please do as many as you can
- follow me on Twitter @macglanville and Instagram @macglanville
- make sure you don’t forget to come back and comment on the people who link up later too
- have fun, always be you!
A special shout out to the fab Mad House Mum and Kippers and Curtains these lovely bloggers took the time out of their busy lives to be #mg biggest commenters last week! Blogging keeps us really busy and by linking up we are meeting amazing people from all over the world. Links are really all about sharing the love, so please be like these ladies and comment on others posts, it makes everyones day brighter xx
I did notice that some people dropped their posts and did not comment on other’s posts, please make sure you comment, thank you.
“I must be myself. I cannot break myself any longer for you, or you. If you can love me for what I am, we shall be happier. If you cannot, I will still seek to deserve that you should. I must be myself. I will not hide my tastes or aversions. I will so trust that what is deep is holy, that I will do strongly before the sun and moon whatever inly rejoices me and the heart appoints. If you are noble, I will love you; if you are not, I will not hurt you and myself by hypocritical attentions” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
65 comments
I am trying hard with mindfulness. It just isn’t easy with someone saying “mum, mum, mum” all day long! #KCACOLS
haha I know hat you mean, maybe instead of tying to make a stretch of time, just notice the little moments as you go throughout the day xx
What a great post – your little one looks so cute in the Pokemon onesie!!
This week i’m grateful for all the help my parents and in laws give us… helping us out buying clothes for the children and babysitting, doing little favors. Life would be really hard without those little favors which may not mean much to them but really does to me.
I’m also thankful for my heater!!! Brrrr it’s got to cold out!!!!!
#SundayBest
oh gosh yes the heater is something I have been thankful for A LOT lately lol. Yes it is gayer when others help us and just make life that bit easier and happier xx
Gorgeous post. so important to stop and appreciate the small things.
We got into this habit when I was getting counselling for PND – at the end of the day hubby I would point out one thing that was good in the day, no matter how crappy the day had been. It made such a big difference.
I am glad that it helped you through PND I think mindfulness really helps with depression and anxiety too xx
What a lovely post! It’s so true that we need to take the time to enjoy the small things. I find my weeks are so much better when I can appreciate the little things – the smell of my girls fresh out of the bath; having everyone ready for the school bus on time; and having an evening when my kids eat all their dinner.
~Jess
#EatSleepBlogRT
oh yes it is the best when they just all eat dinner without moaning!
It is so easy to get wrapped up in our daily struggles and forget the amazing life we have. Thanks for the reminder! #KCACOLS
it is so easy to forget to stop and notice those little joys, when our daily worries can feel so big. Thank you xx
Yours is the second post about mindfulness and gratefulness, I’m reading early Monday morning and I’m happy that it is so. You are right, happiness is something more than buying those diamond earrings. Today, I’m grateful for my loving family, the time to pursue my passion, food, a home and safety. How granted I take these things only I know. So, today, I’m grateful for all these things and more
beautiful things to be grateful for xx
I love this. I too try and find this happiness in everyday. I’m now off to meet a friend for breakfast and a coffee. I’m going to make sure I smell that coffee and enjoy it. Lovely post. #SudayBest
oh thank you, enjoy that coffee!
Gorgeous post. Happiness for me is spending time with my family, kisses and cuddles and days in the sun. Those are the things that make me truly happy. #mg
beautiful Laura!
My son had that EXACT same Pikachu costume and when I took his Halloween pictures last year that is how he insisted on posing. A year later and he not only still has it but wears it at least once a week. They have turned into his favorite warm jammies and we had to find him a similar type of costume this year so he can keep those as pajamas long after Halloween too.
haha I can tell this will be my life too!
Oh yes making out a gratitude journal should be an everyday exercise. Only I barely manage to get around to it once a month. We ignore almost all the small things that bring us happinesses through the day. Loved your list and that costume too. Today I am grateful for a relaxed day while the kids were at school. I caught a film on the telly ‘Me before You’. Had a hearty cry :-).
Oh gosh yes it made me have a good cry too!
lovely post. I am grateful for my children and my husband. More specifically being able to celebrate my sons birthday this year and my other son being well again. #mg
That is wonderful, I am so glad your son is well xx
You are so right MG..Its the experience which makes us happy- that we are blessed to own something new, something we love and to have loved ones around. How gloomy the world would be if we don’t have our Families and friends around.Scary! Currently, I am thankful for a friend who is just a phone call away and my wonderful Office management.
good friends really do make a wonderful difference xx
I absolutely love this post! It is completely spot on and such a great reminder to us all. I know that sometimes I move too fast to treasure those moments that give me real happiness and now that I realise this, I am doing something about it. I am thinking about the sunshine when it hits my face, I am feeling the hug from my daughter, I am taking time to enjoy those real moments of happiness. Thank you for reminding us. This week is half term and my girls have just gone off on holiday with their Dad. So rather than focusing on missing them, I shall treat myself to moments of happiness that I will enjoy without them: lunch with my Mum, a take away with my partner and so on x
oh yes take away with your partner sounds lovely, and enjoy the lunch with your mum too! We do miss them, but it is always nice to have some private time to enjoy too xx
#mg
The little things in life gives us the best experiences actually. I too had a fun weekend with such tiny real things with family, passions, hobbies.
I am so glad you had such a gorgeous fun weekend xx
I couldn’t agree with you more! Focussing on the happy things and being grateful doesn’t always come naturally. But by training yourself to do it, it makes a massive difference your mindset over time. I’ve been keeping a gratitude journal every day since the start of this year. It’s been wonderful to make myself pull out at least one moment I’ve been grateful for each day. Over the course of the year, I now find myself doing it more and more throughout the day. I now find myself frustrated with my husband as he’s prone to always seeing the negative. I’m trying to train him 🙂 Thanks for sharing #KCACOLS
I agree, I have noticed the happier I am the happier hubby has gotten, so I think it begins to rub off
Sounds like you’ve had a full but wonderful week! How’s little wee Heidi making out at training? And look at you go, four dogs under one roof – you’re juggling it all my friend!
I do hope you’ve had a great weekend and have a great week ahead of ya.
XOX
Oh Heidi has been amazing, she is a little star at training, the biggest issue is her nipping, it REALLY hurts, so we are concentrating on that and socialising her. Thanks Lindsay have a great week xx
My husband said the happiest moment from this weekend was walking in the woods with the sun shining and reminising about our first camping trip. These little things certainly make all the difference. I can’t wait to snuggle in front of the TV tonight. Sarah #mg
wow sounds so pretty! Yes a good veg in front of the tele is sometimes really needed isn’t it! Enjoy xx
I love this post, Mac. It reminds me that I have done a gratitude list for too long now. You’re always inspiring!
Thanks for the featured writer honour. Will love displaying your beautiful badge. ♥
oh thank you Corinne, I just loved your post xx
Reading this post has been uplifting for me this morning. Staying mindful is the key to staying happy and the points you have mentioned reiterated the same for me.
Oh thank you I am so glad it uplifted you xx
Your post reminds me of these lyrics from one of my favourite songs: “happiness is fine but it’s momentary, a momentary lapse of reality. Reality is fine but for the moment it can wait, I’m addicted to the chase of my happiness.”
I try to practice mindfulness each day, but I do struggle to stop multi tasking sometimes. It’s a habit of mine that is difficult to break!
#GlobalBlogging
Lovely post, I agree happiness isn’t in big flashy purchases it’s in the small things like getting time to spend with family or like right now where both of us are content to just laze about in bed before I have to get ready for work!
Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next Sunday
Lazy morning are awesome!
This is so true. I love all the quotes in this post. I try to make an effort every week to really remember the happy moments rather than focus on the negative, which is all to easy to do. To help me I’ve been taking part in #HappyDaysLinky on WhatKatySaid.com every Saturday. Even when I feel like I have had a week, just writing this post makes me realise just how many happy moments I’ve had and how incredibly lucky I am.
#mg
yes by taking part in Katy’s linky it does help doesn’t it xx
Happy posts are the best. This week I’m definitely very happy that Max has almost mastered rolling over and we have all just about gotten over our colds #KCACOLS #mg
Yay go Max!
I’ve had a hectic week with the kids, mindfulness is far from my mind. I’m feeling a little like Eeyore today 🙂 I needed to read this! Thank you! xx #MG
oh no! Feel better lovely, sending hugs xo
I really appreciate your positivity and wish everyone could have your perspective. I hope the people who need this post the most find it. Best Wishes
I was on a high over the weekend knowing I’d discovered my rings which mean so much to me as they’ve got attached meanings, cuddles from my girls and a return to creative craft. #mg
That is wonderful! Creative art is a great stress relief too
I love that Pokémon onsie!
#EatSleepBlogRT
haha so does he and I can’t get him out of it!
You and me, we are working on the mindfulness across the pond together! I like that. Thanks for giving me so many more reasons to be happy, enjoy, take it in and live out loud. It’s so important we do this and teach it to our kinder too. <3 #mg
Absolutely Lisa, kindness is key!
I love this and all the little moments of happiness you’ve mentioned. Hugs from my children bring me so much joy! Thanks for linking up to #HappyDaysLinky x
hugs are the best aren’t they! thanks Sian x
I’m sure I commented on this already but I can’t find it so maybe it didn’t send. I’m here again anyway because I enjoyed this post and because I wanted to leave my thoughts (that is the spirit of the #mg linky after all!)
It reminded me of lyrics from one of my favourite songs “happiness is fine but it’s momentary, a momentary lapse of reality. Reality is fine but for the moment it can wait, I’m addicted to the chase of my happiness”
I agree with you, it’s so important to focus on happiness in every day life, not just the things we can buy to make us ‘happy’.
Sundays are also our days to rest and enjoy our family! No social media, just conversations and play! Maybe a little nap. Who doesn’t love coffee with a friend! And a good hug makes all the “Eeyore” moments disappear! Thank you for linking up with #GlobalBlogging !! x
I love this happy, positive post! Reading it put a smile on my face 🙂 #KCACOLS
I really love your list, it really is important to appreciate those small moments. Thank you for sharing in #HappyDaysLinky xx
Popping back from #SundayBest – thanks so much for joining in!x
Great list of things to appreciate – right now I am appreciating a quiet house and a large pack of chocolate buttons! #eatsleepblogrt
I love the idea of a happy list, and you cannot beat watching some Disney!! Thanks so much for joining us at #SundayBest this week, we’d love to see you there again tomorrow x
I’m really into the whole ‘Mindfulness’ vibe even if I am guilty of not practising it every day. I do however fully subscribe to its benefits. Currently I’m listening to an app called ‘Headspace’ which is a form or Mindfulness Meditation. Just 10 mins a day for me and it’s the business, helps clear my mind and if I’m stressed, it really works a treat. Really enjoyed this post Mackenzie. Thanks, Ross. #mg
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