"Required reading" for today's smart writer.

"Required reading" for today's smart writer.
Information & inspiration to hone your craft and increase your cash...Since 2009

Saturday, September 25, 2010

10 Things That Make Me Happy!


Okay, so why am I devoting a blog post on happiness on a site dedicated to writing pursuits and rituals?

First of all, because there is a correlation--at least for me.
Secondly, because I just happened to be surfing the Net and found out that Pen and Prosper and yours truly have been honored with another distinction/award! YAY!

Evelyn at Evelynparham.com, has listed my site as one of the 10 Blogs that makes her happy! Thereby granting me the Happy 101 Award.
Thanks! Glad to be a recognized source of satisfaction. :-)

To quote a popular song, "everything I do, I do it for you."
Anyhow, as I was saying...
As it turns out, she received the Happiness Award from Blessed Mama.
And as a part of the process, recipients are to name 10 Things That Make Them Happy.

So, here it goes. Though it varies from day to day, and sometimes I have more than 10 things that make me happy, thank God. These are not necessarily in order.

...10 Things that make my heart sing!

1. Simple pleasures during difficult times. Things like herbal tea, bubble baths, a good read, music, and looking out the window at my backyard and the beauty and divinity of nature.
2. The Blessing of still having my mom with me. She calls me just about every morning in the wee hours, and we talk longer than I'd like to sometimes. :-) Still, there's nothing that can replace it. Nothing. She's my biggest fan, and sometimes the biggest pain. :-) But I owe the woman I am today largely to her. Thanks, mom!
3. A spiritual foundation--To each his own. But during these frantic and sometimes fearful times, I'm glad I know who to look to for comfort, peace and needed answers.
4. Good food. What can I say? I've never been a gal to count calories,(though thankfully I'm not overweight). I'm passionate about cooking and consuming good food and sharing it with friends.
5. My Family--They keep me grounded and connected.
6. The love of a good man. Hey, a sistah's gotta' keep it real! :-)
7. My home--I thank God for every inch--from the basement to the back yard. It's truly my sanctuary.
8. A strong sense of who I am, and what I'm about---even in the face of haters, naysayers, doubters and gossips.
9. The Writer's life---Which gives me YOU my followers, work that I love, and that I feel makes a difference, and entrepreneurial pleasures.
10. My friends. Many I've known for more than a decade, some since high school. In the words of Emily Dickinson, "they are among my greatest assets and my estate".

And, of course my laptop...what did I do before it? ;-)
Stay tuned for part 2 of this post, where I identify 10 Blogs that make me happy.
In the meantime and in between time...what makes you happy? Do tell...


Image Credit: Salvatore Vuono

14 comments:

  1. Great list! I'd have to say, my list would look much the same. It's interesting that when we reassess what's really important during more challenging times, we still come out ahead. Perhaps not in the financial arena so much, but in all things important.
    Have a wonderful weekend,
    Karen

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  2. Karen,

    Glad you like the list. I'm not surprised; great minds think alike. :-)

    Thanks for stopping by.

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  3. Hi Jennifer,
    I love it! You weren't lying when you said we have a lot in common. I could relate to most of the things you listed. There is no place that I'd rather be than my home. It is where my peace and serenity lie.

    Take care,

    Evelyn Parham

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  4. Didn't I tell you! Next time you'll believe me, Evelyn. :-) Again, Cancers are very much home bodies. I love mine and thank the "AlmightY" for it. It keeps me busy with projects too. Right now? Planting a rose garden in my back yard. Wish me luck!

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  5. All ten of the things that make you happy make me happy too, which also makes me happy.

    Have a lovely rest of the weekend.

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  6. Missed Periods? Where have you been lately? No doubt watching some more good movies. :-)

    I look forward to your recommendations!

    Good to hear from you again. :-)

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  7. Sounds like I've written about the very things that make you happy!

    Best,
    Clara.

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  8. You don't say? Where 'bout... I didn't see em'. :-)

    Thanks...

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  9. Great list Jennifer. It is cool to hear what makes you happy and it sounds as if you have a lot of great things and people around you. I like this idea of creating this list. I think it can really help us put things into perspective and remind us what we already have that is working and contributing to our happiness.

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  10. Thanks, Sibyl! So when can we expect to see yours? :-)

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  11. Well Peter told us to keep a "book of good" so here is yours, elaborated a little more :)

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  12. Thanks, Peter's Page. You and the work you do for Peter makes me happy too! :-)

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  13. Thanks for your Post,

    Great to hear that you had a distinction/award,
    and that you have a - Happy - Blog.

    Also interesting to see that you actually include your - Laptop - as a 'Happy Asset' since that is one of the Main Products that I (pre) sell on my Happy
    - Writer's Lifestyle - Blog.

    Talking about Happiness, you might like to see On my Main Blogspot (you can find a link to it in de sidebar of my Writing Blog) what Tom Shadyak has to say about Happiness, (director of - amung other things - the Comedy Movie 'Bruce All Mighty' (with Jim Carry in it)

    On that same Blog you can also find and interesting interview with the author of a book titled: 'Happy for No Reason'

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  14. Jennifer Brown BanksJanuary 23, 2012 at 4:43 PM

    Hp,

    Interesting stuff; thanks for sharing it.

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