The secrets to happiness...

Recently, I came across an article on MSN entitled "7 Secrets to Happiness" by Meaghan Buchan that came from Cosmo magazine, which featured an analysis of the keys to true happiness. According to the article, the seven secrets are as follows:

1. You Need a Solid Core Group of Friends.
2. You Gotta Have Adventures.
3. It's Time to Toss Excess Stuff.
4. A Balance of Busy & Dead Time is Key.
5. It's Crucial to Give in to Temptation.
6. Liking Yourself is Non-negotiable.
7. You Must Stop Mentally Browsing.

I must admit, I enjoyed her article and I thought she hit on some pretty interesting points. Here is my analysis.....The first point, friends - clearly important - I've discussed that before so I think I can probably just acknowledge that I agree with the need to surround ourselves with good friends, close family, good romantic relationships - and make sure that these relationships consistently make us feel good about who we are and what we have to offer. It is also important that these relationships allow us room to grow emotionally, intellectually, creatively, etc. The second point - the need for adventures - is interesting. Everyone has a different idea of what constitutes an "adventure" -- for some it might be skydiving while for others it might just be spending a day without adhearing to a schedule. For me, it means trying something new regardless of how tame or death-defying that new thing is. I firmly believe in the third point, tossing excess stuff. About two years ago I attempted to adopt a more minimalist lifestyle - no more DVD or CD purchases, no more hosting candle parties or Tupperware, no more clothes hanging in the closet that I didn't wear. Instead, I sold things back and used the extra cash for fun things, I cleared my schedule of unnecessary commitments, I donated all my old or rarely worn items to charity. I continue to try to keep that mentality and work towards being a "minimalist" so that I spend time and money on things that matter. I think that the fourth point is important but harder to consistently achieve -- I'll just leave it at my belief that balance is key and that includes a balance between the things that keep us running around out of necessity each day, the causes, advocacy and commitments that matters to us, and an afternoon relaxing in the sun. The fifth point makes me feel validated for the afternoons I give in to an unplanned pedicure or enjoy an ice cream cone. The special treats we give ourselves make life happy so enjoy them! The sixth point is another given as far as I am concerned. In reality, we don't all like ourselves all the time but I personally try to practice self-love while recognizing that I, like others, am a work in progress and that is a good thing because it means that I keep growing and learning and incorporating these as part of who I am. Finally, the seventh point, is actually my least favorite because I don't know that it is necessary easy defined. I understand what the author is saying -- we can't hem and haw over every outfit we put on or over our nightly dinner decision. However, when I think of mentally browsing I think more about keeping an eye out for opportunities for growth and learning and those are important. It goes back to finding a balance between the things we need to keep a look out for and the things in our life that we have to just have faith in because we need to feel confident we made good decisions already.

I think what made this article important to me is that it made me think about what makes me happy and whether or not I give those things enough weight and validity each day.

If you want to read more, the link to the article is: http://lifestyle.msn.com/mindbodyandsoul/personalgrowth/articlecosmo.aspx?cp-documentid=7885427&GT1=32001

Let me know what you think about Secrets to Happiness in your life!