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Wednesday, October 3, 2012

New Feature: How To Live a Happy Life

As I’ve mentioned before, one of the most exciting things about taking the blog full-time is introducing several new features. Today, I’d love to debut one of those features: How To Live a Happy Life. Part inspiration tool, part collaborative effort (more about that in a minute…), this series will be all about helping you live a happier (and less stressful!) life. With tips and tricks, it will be you — reinvented. Speaking of tips, and to get things started, here are a few of my tried-and-true perk-me-ups…
 
Make it a great day or not – the choice is yours

My mother is a seventh-grade teacher, and a few years ago, the school principal began saying this every morning at the end of the morning announcements. I scoffed at it for years, but it really does make sense. We sometimes can’t control what happens to us, but we can control how we react. Don’t let people – or situations – bog you down unnecessarily. In the end, it’s just not worth it.

Surround yourself with the people (and cats!) you love
I’ve been blessed with an incredibly supportive group of family and friends. They’ve stuck by me. I know everyone says this, but I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for my mother. She’s been an incredible rock of love, support and comfort. I’m amazed at how she does it sometimes. And, of course, our two beautiful cats, Harry and Stella, make every day an adventure for us.


Keep going in the face of adversity
Having a physical disability, I’ve faced some pretty tough times. I’ve had 27 surgeries, been hospitalized more times than I can count and could probably recall every medication I’ve ever taken. But you know what? Those moments, even the ones where I felt hopeless and frustrated and “just wanted to be like everyone else,” pushed me even harder to keep going. I was determined to live my life and wasn’t going to let my disability stop me.

Write for you
I graduated college in 2005 with a major in journalism. I’ve always loved writing and the power of creative expression. My mom claims I wrote my first beautiful piece, a poem, in third grade. Writing has a way of being very therapeutic for me. I’ve been able to put my story, my life, on paper and not be afraid of what people will think when they read it. There’s something incredibly freeing about that. I’ve made a vow with myself that I won’t shy away from anything in my writing, remain true to myself and above all, write with honesty.

What do you think, friends? Here’s where you come in: What’s your secret? I’d love to hear it, and even feature your advice in a future post! Feel free to email me (mellow1422 [at] aol [dot] com) if you’d like to be a part of this series. I’ll also be reaching out to some of my favorite bloggers. I can’t wait to hear from you, friends! xoxo
 
Update: Thanks to Elsa, we’ve got a name for the series…In The Pursuit of Happiness. What do you think? Thanks, Elsa! ๐Ÿ™‚


[Photos via We Heart It]

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12 Comments Filed Under: Happiness, Happiness Series, How To Live A Happy Life, In The Pursuit of Happiness, In The Pursuit of Happiness series, Life, Uncategorized


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Comments

  1. Viola Baier says

    Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at 7:26 pm

    Great idea, Melissa! I'll be following your posts, you can never have enough tips on having a happier life!! For me personally happiness can be gained through making other peoples lives happier! Give a friend a little present without any real occassion (these are the best presents!!) for example. Or sometime just smile and say Hi to a stranger on the street, helping someone packing groceries and give out compliments (only honest ones of course). All the best from Germany,

    viola

    Reply
  2. Rachel says

    Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at 7:27 pm

    I love these tips! I am thinking of my own as I type. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  3. Amanda says

    Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at 7:33 pm

    My middle school principal used to say that too! Crazy! But so true.

    Reply
  4. Dancing Branflake says

    Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at 8:13 pm

    Love this! Well, my advice is to always serve. No bad thing came out of serving others.

    Reply
  5. Lena at A Crimson Kiss says

    Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at 8:48 pm

    I LOVE this! I'm always telling John that he has control over his day, but recently I found myself feeling crummyโ€“and he said, "Laine, you are indulging in feeling this way, and if you were talking to me, you wouldn't let me get away with it." Turns out he was listening!

    Reply
  6. Micaela // Drifter and the Gypsy says

    Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at 9:09 pm

    What a great idea. Love the new feature ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  7. Elsa de Diego says

    Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at 9:20 pm

    Darling! I would be honored if you let me be part of this: Faith, love and values are crucial for me in order to hae a happier existence. But I would love to expand more on those thoughts…! Besos!

    Reply
  8. Ashley says

    Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at 9:20 pm

    I like the intro and am looking forward to seeing more in this series!

    lonestarash.blogspot.com

    Reply
  9. Melissa Blake says

    Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 12:42 am

    These are wonderful tips, everyone!!! DO send me an email….I'd love to have you participate!

    Reply
  10. Melissa Blake says

    Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 12:43 am

    Elsa, thank you! I got your email and will write back tomorrow.

    Reply
  11. Elye says

    Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 1:13 am

    Oh my goodness, my middle school principal would say that everyday over the announcements too! And it made me so mad – if something horrible out of your control happens, sometimes you can't make the choice for it to be a good day. Though obviously, most of the time things aren't that bad ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
  12. Giulia says

    Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 2:54 pm

    Yes, love this, Melissa. I've actually been spending time looking for "reasons to be cheerful." Any thing that helps is most welcome. xoxo

    Reply

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So About What I Said is a daily blog that covers relationships, disabilities, lifestyle and pop culture. I love to laugh and have been known to overshare. I also have an unabashed obsession with pop music, polo shirts, and PEZ dispensers. Read more...

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