Getting Your Happy Dance On!
The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things. Henry Ward Beecher
My niece is in 1st grade and we love to dance to Pharrell Williams’ song, Happy. I can be in a grumpy mood, but as soon as I start to sing and dance to this song, something in me will shift and all of a sudden I have swallowed a happy pill that has heightened the oxytocin levels in my brain. In the song, Pharrell sings, “Clap along if you know what happiness is to you.” Do you know what happiness is to you? It is important to find work that makes us happy, people who bring us joy, and hobbies that bring life to our spirits.
When John Lennon was a child, his mom told him that happiness was the key to life. When he was 5 and went to school, he and his classmates were asked what they wanted to be when they grew up and John Lennon wrote down “happy.” His teacher, who was likely looking for a certain response, like doctor or fireman, told John Lennon that he did not understand the assignment and he replied to her that she didn’t understand life. When we face challenges, sometimes happiness seems elusive, but I do believe happiness should be the ultimate goal. So we must seek happiness, even in the midst of the challenges of life that are ever before us. Each day is filled with sorrow, but there is also joy to be found if we will recognize the gift of ordinary moments in our daily lives.
Take a moment to answer the following questions:
- Who makes you happy?
- What hobbies are life-giving to you?
- What has been a moment of happiness in your day today?
- What is happiness to you?
In response to today’s meditation, I invite you to consider embracing your silly side by finding your favorite dancing song and playing it loudly, while you dance with some gusto. Life is to be lived. If you are experiencing a difficult season in life, dancing will not make your problems disappear, but for just a moment, maybe you will create some feel good chemicals in your brain and find some life and joy. Gerard Way said, “Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It means you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections.” So go do a YouTube search for your favorite song and for just a moment, look beyond the imperfections of life and sing and dance with all your might.
Let’s get our happy dance on,
Christy
