The Savoring No. 032

"What if we could all just be a little happier each day," she wondered.

Housekeeping Note: This is free to read and it takes me days to put it together each week, so please feel free to ‘like’ the heck out of it, subscribe or comment. Any interaction with these newsletters helps me reach new readers. The more people interact, the more it gets shared on the platform. AND I get to hear from you which makes me smile and feel that you value these newsletters. Thank you in advance for the love and support. It’s one of the things I savor most each week.

Over the last year and a half I’ve learned a lot about slowing down and savoring life.

At 54, and a cancer survivor, I have some perspective. I’ve learned some things about true happiness and about time well spent.

I have a different perspective on what’s important than I used to. The knowledge of how short life is, all too present.

Seeking happiness has become my passion.

I’ve read books on slowing, on buddhism, on wintering. I’ve studied meditation. I hike. I do pilates. I journal.

But the most important thing I do every day is to actively seek happiness.

Am I happy all day, every day, butterflies landing on my nose and flowers blooming with my every step? That’s some Cinderella bullshit.

Life is life.

The news, the tragedies, the diagnosis, the sadness, the loss, the trauma. It’s not going anywhere.

Life is life.

The beauty that is all around you. The precious moments present in every day that you’ve been running past. The smile of a partner, child, co-worker or stranger. The birds singing outside your window. The butterfly that flies close by. The taste of your morning coffee. The way your dog greets you at the door. The kindness you show a stranger or the kindness you receive from one.

Both sides of life are always present. You can’t turn a blind eye to reality. But I believe happiness is the purpose and it’s not something that finds you, it’s something you seek and create in the midst of all the chaos.

Like me in my 20s, happiness is needy and insecure. She requires your attention. A lot of it. If you watch the news all day, if you focus on the negative, if you are lazy about showing her the attention she craves, she will move on. The longer you ignore her, the harder it is to get her to return.

Let’s spend more time nurturing happiness. Let’s hold each other accountable and seek more of it together.

The entire month of August I will be hosting a happiness challenge. You can join by clicking that link. Each day I will share prompts, ideas and thoughts to help us all create a little more happiness together. (Don’t forget to invite your friends. Happiness is way more fun with friends to share it with.)

This week, jump start your joy by setting aside time daily create happy moments. Savor the first sip of coffee. Don’t just hoover it down as you apply mascara or return emails. Really taste it. Smell it. Feel the warmth of it as you drink it and let it bring you joy.

Pick some flowers from your yard or buy some and put them in a vase in your bathroom so they are the first thing you see and savor each morning.

Call a friend and laugh together over an old memory. Or go out and make a new one.

Seek out moments worth savoring this week. That is where the happiness is hiding.

- Stefanie

No. 01 This Quote
”Don’t let the bad days make you think you have a bad life.” - unknown

No. 02 These Ways to Help
I am in Texas this week. I drove through Kerrville for a coffee on my drive in from San Diego. I admired the life in this little town. One day later their lives and their town were broken. What these families are going through is unimaginable. If you are looking for a way to help, this post offers many.

No. 03 This Man
Marry a partner that loves and treats their mama the way this man does. He built her this birdhouse so she could enjoy watching the birds play in it, then flew out to Texas to put it in the ground himself.

No. 04 This “Kid” & His Crew
I love visiting our oldest son, Keenan, in Dallas. I love spending time with him and I absolutely love that all of his crew shows up to play.

No. 05 This DIY Dog Wash
I am a big fan of DIY dog washes. Otis? Not so much. This one in Dallas was great.

No. 06 This Town in the Middle of Nowhere
I’ve heard the Marfa, Texas hype. It’s not easy to get to but since I was driving, I made it happen and I was not disappointed. It’s like stepping back into my childhood but with art and better coffee. More to come on Marfa.

No. 07 This White Tank Top
I am a sucker for a good white tank top. I wear one nearly every day of the week. I found this one at the Gap just before I was heading out and I love it. I love the way the top of it is cut. It gives it a bit of a dressier feel than my usual ones and it’s only $12.00. I love it with these drawstring waisted jeans.

I really hope you will join the happiness challenge with me. It’s always more fun to find happiness with friends.

Please drop me a comment and let me know you are in! Or just share something that is bringing you happiness right now. The more happiness we share with each other, the more happiness we will create together.