I have very fond memories of participating
in the childhood of my niece. I
witnessed many of her “firsts”-first crawl, teeth, steps and words. Her first
and favorite sentence was “Is everybody happy?”
This question would always make me smile. After a few months of hearing the question
from her, my smiles turned to meditating on that question. Am I happy? Happiness is defined as a combination of how satisfied
we are with our life and how good we feel on a day-to-day basis. We have the
ability to control how we feel. We can form life-long habits for a more
satisfying and fulfilling life.
This wisdom guided me to ask another question – “What
makes us happy?”. Buying stuff,
status, wealth, popularity, the refrigerator, the medicine cabinet — all have
failed to get the job done. Research suggests that what really works, though,
is a passion or a hobby – a time to play. January is National Hobby Month. A hobby is an activity or
interest pursued outside of our regular occupation for pleasure. Hobbies are a great
source of relaxation. They can reduce anxiety and increase concentration.
A hobby can add eight hours of joy, gratification and contentment to
your week. For example, I know a business who is a perfect example. A
dinner and salsa dancing demonstration at a Latin restaurant inspired him to
take dance lessons at the age of 40. As his mastery grew, he was competing in
14 dance categories and found something that ignited his entire being. “It’s
changed me totally,” he says. “It’s given me a purpose. I went to the office,
had a great family to care for, but dancing shifted my spirits and direction in
such an amazing way. I feel 20 years younger.”
One of my sparks came from a recommendation from my physical therapist
to practice yoga. Therapy turned into a passion to achieve an advanced
certification to teach this ancient mind body system.
So how do you get your hands on this happiness pill? Select an activity
that interests you or has value. Try different activities and see what
connects. Meditating on this question expanded my life. Over the years, the
answers for me have included traveling to 34 states and provinces in North America, exploring the continents of Africa, South America and Europe, African dance, drumming, gardening, singing, crocheting, sewing, coin
collecting, painting, weightlifting, basketball, volleyball, creating jobs, advocating
for a living wage, writing a book, producing a radio show, teaching African
American history, mentoring women…I am sure you get my drift. I continue to explore this question during my
quiet time. Use your imagination - the possibilities are endless.
These hobbies re-introduced me to myself, long forgotten under a pile of
duty and obligation. They reacquaint us with the enthused, eager soul we used
to be and give us a reason to be that person as often as we can each day. Celebrate your favorite hobby
this month. Host a hobby party with friends. Research different hobbies with
your children and select a new one to try. Hobby happiness is the truth. Have
fun! J
