On Happiness

Happiness is the courage to live, embrace, fight, stand up and move forward.

I have not done a good job in updating my blog over the past couple of months, but I have done a decent job in living a happy life.

– I was travelling to Paris to get a global award;

– I was celebrating my birthday for an entire week with good friends, delicious food, beautiful flowers and bottles of wine;

– I finished reading a few new books. To name a few my favorite ones:

Bad Blood by John Carreyrou;

Truth & Beauty by Ann Patchett;

There are no grown-ups by Pamela Druckerman;

Inheritance by Dani Shapiro.

– I also spoilt myself with shopping like a Parisienne in Paris. From navy blue business suit with golden buttons to silky pyjamas with printed flowers, I was happily and intentionally lost in the most stylish city on the planet. In addition to the fashion indulgent, a re-visit to Louvre and d’Orsay as well as Laduree just made the trip that much more exciting.

On the surface, life seems to be a glamours one, just like all the glossy pictures we like to share on social media, but the truth is, there is always another side of the story that tests our grit and strength:

– It took me three months to compete for a promotional opportunity but in the end I didn’t get it;

– Holidays come and go. Phone calls on and off. The reality is I haven’t got the time to visit my family in Beijing for over a year;

– It’s almost summer time, but there is nothing but cold rain and wet weather in Toronto.

– Hubby is a big golfer. Summer hasn’t started and I’m already stressed out because I know once the sun is out and the grass turns green, he will be gone for almost an entire day on any given weekend.

To be happy or not, is a choice to make.

When you are not in s situation that you have hoped for, my philosophy is to see it with a glass half full attitude.

– I didn’t get this opportunity, but this means other doors are now open;

– I’m not able to visit mom and dad but knowing that they are both healthy and happy puts a big smile on my face;

– Warm weather is not here, but that means I can continue to wear my favourite camel coloured wool coat;

– Ah…the golf… they say “if you cannot beat him, you may just join him.” Hmmm… it’s not a bad idea.😉

Living a happy life is not about denying negative emotions or pretending to feel cheerful 24/7/365. It’s completely natural for us to feel sad, frustrated, angry or dissatisfied. To suggest otherwise would be to deny part of the human condition.

Happiness is about being able to cope effectively with the inevitable bad times, in order to experience the best possible life overall.

“Happiness is a deep sense of flourishing, not a mere pleasurable feeling or fleeting emotion but an optimal state of being.”

– Matthieu Ricard

Happiness is an attitude.

Wish you a happy week ahead.

😃