Are We Happy Now?

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. Come on, no one’s looking. Break out a smile and clap your hands. Doesn’t that feel good?

Perhaps you’re happy and you DON”T know it. There are a bazillion quizzes online that will tell you how happy you are. Google “happiness quiz” and you will find one on Oprah.com or elsewhere.

I took a few just to verify that I am, indeed, blissful. The quizzes asked me to rate my level of agreement with statements like, “In most ways, my life is close to ideal.” That one was easy – I am the luckiest girl in the world.

One question made me think a little longer. Did I agree with the statement, “If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing”? Hindsight is a heady thing. I started thinking about how my life would be different if I had chosen A instead of B, and soon realized that if I had made any decisions other than the ones I had, I wouldn’t be where I am today, floating in a warm pool of contentment.

There is one exception, however. If I knew then what I know now, I would have refused the twice-daily mugs of Ovaltine my parents gave me when I was 6. The pediatrician prescribed the drink (and plenty of it) in order to fatten me up. This led, of course, to a life-long weight problem.

But then, if I hadn’t been chubby, it would have upset the equilibrium. I might be hosting lingerie parties in my living room instead of mocking people for fun and profit. You see where this is going-if you change any one piece, the whole thing falls down like a house of cards.

I bring the happiness thing to your attention because Friday is Happiness Happens Day. It is also the 57th birthday of the Luckiest Girl in the World-moi.

As a self-proclaimed expert on joy, I have some tips for you if you want to be hap-hap-happy like me.

1. Stop making everything into a big deal. I just read about a guy who called 9-1-1 from Subway because his sandwich didn’t have mustard and mayonnaise on it. For a happier life, ratchet down the intensity.
2. Start making everything into a big deal. No, I haven’t just contradicted myself. I suggest you take a tip from Corky (our little French Bulldog) who thinks it’s Christmas every morning when she wakes up and rediscovers her toys. Ratchet up the delight.
3. Take a moment. When Keeper and I sit out on our deck and felt he breeze through the trees, we say how grateful we are for the beautiful place we live. I mean EVERY time we go out there. If the neighbors are listening, they must think we’re playing a broken record. Take time for gratitude.
4. Don’t look back. Hey, I’ve made as many mistakes as anybody, and I’ve had my share of tragedies. If I start to dwell on them, I pull myself back to the present, where I am happy. All the events of the past have led me to this place and this moment. Why would I regret any of them? The past is past. Get over it.
5. Feel the love. I don’t want to get all gushy on you, but love is what it’s all about, right? Tell your people how much they mean to you. You don’t have to wait for Happiness Happens Day. Do it now.

And there you have it: the Secret to Happiness, from the Luckiest 57-Year-Old Girl in the World.