Curious Notions

Another coblog with Mary Ellen. Read her version here.
Last and first coblog we did: 10 more rules to live by (me) | 10 Rules to Live By (her)

1. Have something to wake up for

No matter how old you are, there’s always something good to look forward to.
Lynn Johnston

Having something to look forward to helps with maintaining happiness. Even when you’re in the throes of deadlines and sickness and other life stresses, having a rainbow waiting after the rain will put our problems into perspective, that is, it lets us realize that the bad will pass and something good is coming.

2. Be curious

I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.
Albert Einstein

Let your curiosity do some leading and you’ll make wonderful discoveries that are both little and grand. There’s something fun about following your curiosities as there’s no telling where they may lead you.

3. Be hungry

Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.
Thomas A. Edison

Hunger, like curiosity is a force of motion. Having a dangling carrot ahead of you tempting you with desire is quite motivating in terms of setting you into action. It’s not enough to just simply want success, life experiences, happiness; be hungry for it. There is an urgency in hunger that is important not to lose; our time here on earth and with our people is very limited.

4. Have friends

A true friend freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unmanageably.
William Penn

Who else are you to have joyful belly laughs with, if not with your friends? Friends make great partners in crime in your pursuit for joy.

5. Let bygones be bygones

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.
Henry Ellis

This is especially helpful to me in terms of relationships. Most trespasses cannot be taken back so why mull and suffer over something that cannot be undone? Growing up, my dad always asked me whenever I’d cry about a broken friendship or relationship, “Are they crying over you right now? …No? Then why are you crying over them?” In the spirit of Richard Fish from Ally McBeal, “Bygones!”

6. Appreciate the ridiculous

The privilege of absurdity; to which no living creature is subject, but man only.
Thomas Hobbes
Another way of putting this, find the humor in life’s absurdities. Something hilarious about life’s difficulties. Sometimes things are so absurd or so bad that it’s just downright funny. A good movie to watch about appreciating the absurdities of life is Little Miss Sunshine.

7. Be present

Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present.
Albert Camus
Life happens fast. If you don’t consciously open your eyes and savour it, you might miss out on the joy. An easy way of doing this is concentrate on your body and its five senses. Instead of worrying about your to do list while listening to your child talk about her day in school, focus on the feel of her small hand in yours, the lightness of her voice, the music in her laugh and enjoy how small and innocent she is now. Be present.

8. Be deliberate

I believe that we are solely responsible for our choices, and we have to accept the consequences of every deed, word, and thought throughout our lifetime.
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

This can be achieved simply by being aware of the consequences of your actions.

9. Celebrate

The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.
Oprah Winfrey

There are infinite things to celebrate: Health, accomplishments, love, youth, wisdom, the color purple. Possibilities are endless. The act of celebrating and honoring something forces us to step back and appreciate. Blowing out the candles, shooting the fireworks, clinking champagne glasses, dancing to a good beat, these actions in themselves are joyful. Make your life a party.

10. Be thankful

In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican.
- H. L. Mencken

When we reflect back on what we have as opposed to what we don’t have, it’s really hard not to be happy and see that we’re all very blessed.

So tell me, how do you find joy in your life?