What Makes You Happy?

I'd like to spend more time writing, more time doing things with my wife. I'd like to travel. There are many other things on my list. Much of it is on hold until I retire in about two years.

Very nice idea Eva....I'll get back to this.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, Chai.

Edgar -- Yes, writing more would be a great idea. You're very good at it. What else is on your list?

I'm easily entertained. Would like to see some of the movies I missed, see my kids and grandchildren more. Would like to have access to more of the herbs and the like that I use (they are expensive and often hard to get).

Do you like to garden, edgar? Maybe you could grow your own. Better yet, you could make it a project for your grandkids. They could do most of the work, and you'd get to spend more time with them. Two birds with one stone, as it were.

Gardening, reading, talking with good friends, learning new things, hiking, snapping photos, and traveling.

Gardening is a bit iffy here. We are surrounded by the great yellow pines, meaning much shade and acidic soil.

Interesting, lil'k. What new things would you like to learn?

There's always indoor gardening, edgar.

Edgar, there are wildflowers that should be ok there!

I didn't read the what are you doing towards those things part of Eva's question. I do all of those things to greater and lesser degrees. All of them, except for travelling. I'm stuck here taking care of the animals. I have no extra cash anyway. In a few years I plan on travelling a LOT!

Did I mention, I had a nice flower garden, but, Punky the dog saw to it I had left only an acacia and some cacti? Oh, and a rose.

I agree with the woman in your article, Eva...and I suspect it is a transition that happens at about my age.

I am fortunate to work in an area where the totality of your experience and accomplishments are recognized and valued...except financially...but yeppers, I want less drive and more fun.


What makes me happy?


That is exactly what I am thinking about a lot right now. I am not "programmed" by experience to BE especially happy...too much trauma and crap, so I tend to live with a strong background hum of anxiety and dread. This is programming I wish to work on.


So......working really well makes me happy...there is almost an ecstasy for me in either being with a client where we are doing really good work (but good is NEVER good enough...grrrr) and also in finding, reading/hearing, comprehending (a real high when something really allows me to make sense of behaviour and patterns...a real "aha") and using really good ideas and techniques based on really good research, and really successful practitioners.....but the basic joy in my work is the human relationship and understanding and feeling stuff with folk...and watching them blossom.



I adore reading...but, sadly, do not get as much pure joy from it, generally, as I used to. It is wonderful when I do...you know that "I can't wait to get back to that book" feeling.)


I love finding a human mind/s to really connect with .....whether it be in the jazz of flights and riffs of humour and silliness, where each takes off from and builds upon the words of the other, and the talk gets more and more anarchic and hilarious, or really serious discussion about someone's "being" or ideas that are important. I also love good arguments that are hard fought but not nasty.


I love drawing and such,...don't do enough.


I am happy too when my environment is made aesthetically pleasing and lovely....I get great and continuing joy from any good things I own..


Eating and drinking with friends....


Films...

Happy? Discovering that on any particular day I've found myself feeling light-hearted, content & at peace for absolutely no good reason. A gift!

I don't think it's less drive...more a matter of focusing that drive on things that bring us joy.

Almost as if by reaching mid-life (assuming I live to be 100, heh!) one begins to think about spending the remainder of one's life doing things less for conventional reasons (money, responsibilities, ambition, etc.) and more for personal fulfillment. As in...okay, if I only have "x" good years left, what do I want to spend them doing? (Ooh, that sounds old. Oh well, so be it.)

Punky left you a rose, edgar? Awww...he loves you!

A sense of well-being, msolga...what we're all looking for. I'm just looking for ways to make that happen more often.

Really, really good comments, Deb! Several of those struck a chord with me, too. Especially the one about connecting with other people. I need to do more of that. It's one of the reasons I decided to go to the Chicago gathering. I need to do things like that more often.

HAVE FUN!!!

I must say, if I only had the money....



I am seriously thinking about the next one, or really planning to go to the states and creating a perambulatory one of my own.

Eva - Eva - I like learning about lots of stuff. I like reading up on medical news, science (physics, astronomy, genetics and biotech....), learning about plants, animals, bugs, earth sciences, knitting.....

I've nothing to change. I am happier than I have been in the last ten years. My job is great, and the theatre gig on the side added so much richness to my life that I wouldn't have a thing any other way. I LOVE my life.

Do it! And be sure to come through Tulsa. We have a guest room waiting for you.

No wonder you like A2K! There is so much to learn here.