What Puts A Smile On Your Face?

So I’ve started thinking about answering some of the questions in the resources I’ve found.  However, when I compiled a list of all the questions it looks pretty hard.  I don’t really know where to start and I definitely think I will need some help in answering some of the questions.

I’m not going to answer the questions in any particular order, but rather whatever grabs my fancy at the time.  This one seemed a good place to start.  I won’t think too much about my answers, but just list down whatever pops in my head.  I’ll start to analyse my answers at a later time.

What puts a smile on your face?  Is there an event or topic that makes your whole face light up?

• Being organised and having a plan.  It sounds a bit lame, but I have a real sense of accomplishment and satisfaction if I’m organised.
• Reading a really good book that I can’t put down and then talking about it with someone.
• Eating crinkle cut hot chips with heavy chicken salt and vinegarJ.  Not sure how this will help me find my passion, but definitely puts a smile on my face!
• Surprisingly the thing that is really making me happy at the moment and putting a smile on my dial, is writing this blog.  
• Thinking about different ways to solve a problem.  This could be a problem at work or home.
• Talking about different ideas and possibilities.  Sharing my ideas (and advice) with other people.
• Reading about new ideas.
• Thinking of different ways to make money.

Well these are some of the things that put a smile on my face, I can’t really think of any more at the moment, but I may come back at a later time and add more….

I thought I’d finish off with a few quotes I found about smiling:

“A smile is like tight underwear - it makes your cheeks go up”.  ~Author Unknown

“You're never fully dressed without a smile”.  ~Martin Charnin

“It takes seventeen muscles to smile and forty-three to frown”.  ~Author Unknown

“If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it”.  ~Andy Rooney

“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing”.  ~Mother Teresa

WHAT PUTS A SMILE ON YOUR FACE?

Is It Possible To Find True Happiness?

How do we find happiness and fulfilment?  What is the purpose of life?  Mmmm quite BIG questions, but according to Stephen he believes the ultimate questions of my blog.  He even sent me a list of quotes relating to these questions.  Many of the quotes talk about finding the happiness within and it’s not a matter of events or circumstances. 

I’ve been thinking quite a lot about happiness and how it links in with exploring my other path.  I would say that they probably go hand in hand.  In the last couple of months I have actually been feeling really happy and well within myself.  I think this change came about from a course I attended at work.  One of the modules talked about Emotional Intelligence and Positive Self Talk.  I realised that I don’t have very positive self-talk.  Since then, I’ve really made a conscious effort to be more positive with my self-talk and in turn I feel happy J. 

I talked with Stephen about this change in thinking and explained that because I feel happier I am thinking more about where I’m at in my life and thus why I want to explore my other path.  Stephen thinks it’s a bit weird that I’ve started this blog, but I’m finding it quite therapeutic.

Now for those of you out there who may also be in search of happiness, fulfilment or whatever it is you want to call it, I’ve found a couple of resources that may help you.

The Happiness Project

Gretchen Rubin spent time sifting through different studies and theories on happiness.  As a result of this she produced a book titled ‘The Happiness Project’.  To extend this concept further she has also started the 2011 Happiness Challenge.  Each month this year she has picked a theme and then each week she sets a resolution to do with happiness and the theme to try and achieve.  It’s not too late to have a go!

101 Ways To Feel Happy

This is a list of 101 ways to help you feel happy.  There are things on the list as simple as “smile”.  Maybe I’ll give some of the things on the list a go….

WHAT’S 1 THING THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?