It’s taken me a long time to understand…that happiness is not an entitlement, nor is it a state of being that magically descends upon us when the stars are aligned.
Rather, it’s the product of continued hard work and effort.
It’s closely linked to contentment, and the adjustment of our eyes and brains and expectations to find gratitude in our many blessings rather than misery in what we lack.
Life is always going to be challenging and unpredictable. We’re constantly dodging hurdles and occasionally, we’re going to trip. But if we work on changing how we view the world – if we learn to celebrate every sunrise and every smile and every taste and every glimpse of beauty and colour, no matter how small…then we can find tiny pockets of bliss in even the most difficult of times.
Learning to be happy takes practice and application, and whilst I’m getting better, I’m still not brilliant at it. Sometimes, life can feel overwhelming. When that happens, I try to eke out an hour – to go for a walk, or have coffee with a friend, or study my fossils, or sew a useful bag – something to calm the jitters and soothe the soul. These small things keep me present and grounded, and they help me to reconnect with what is real in my life. Rather than being mere distractions, it’s only in those moments, when my heart is full of love and gratitude and contentment, that I feel like I’m truly living well.
I hope you all find moments of sheer, unadulterated joy in both the spectacular and the everyday in 2017. I wish you gentle times and peaceful hearts.
Happy New Year, my lovely friends. ♥
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Happy New Year, Celia! Those are wise words, words to try and live by. I see room for improvement in myself….
Looking forward to your posts in the new year that already started for you….
Happy New Year, such true words and something I am working on.
Thank you, my lovely friend. Wishing you many moments of tiny beauty in the year ahead. Hugs and love, Maz. <3
Happy new year, I hope it is a lovely one for you and your boys.
Beautiful words. Happy new year.
HappyNewYear to us all!
Happy New Year! Wishing you and your family all the best for the coming year.
The very best to you and your family Celia.
Happy New Year! I always enjoy the time I spend with you here. x
Your wisdom and insight shared at just the right time. So true and so valuable. Happy New Year!
Oh Celia, such a wise and beautiful post. We’re still living the last few hours of 2016 while you are already greeting 2017. I read, not an hour ago, a beautiful post from a friend which reflected in being part of a relationship…it’s not all roses round the door and Hollywood kisses but hard work sometimes and about being there for each other whatever. Wishing you and yours all the very best for the year ahead. And now it’s almost midnight in Spain so we’re going to eat a grape on every bing bong of the chimes from Madrid and then at midnight in England we’ll raise a glass of bubbles when Big Ben chimes….it’s good to have a few nationalities!
Loved your comment… as a Brazilian, I always toast at 8pm here, when it’s midnight “back home” (sounds strange to call back home when I’ve been living in the US for more than 20 years)….
Happy New Year and may 2017 bring you all you wish for yourself and your family.
My very wise and wonderful father counselled me, as a child, that to be truly happy one should never expect anyone else to make one happy. If one did, no matter how much they gave one, it would never match one’s expectations. True happiness, he said, can only come from within oneself and anything that anyone else gives one is only the icing on the cake. He also said that one should live in the moment, as that is all one has, the past has gone and the future may never come. All the precious moments we are given should never be squandered.
I really believe that my father was a truly happy and joy-filled person, despite the vicissitudes of life and I like to think his wise advice has empowered me to be the same. xx
Very inspirational post. I went for a walk after reading it. Happy New Year, Celia. xxx
Happy new year to someone who regularly brings joy to others – love you to bits, my friend. xxx
Very well said, Beautiful view we can all learn a lesson in slowing down and finding the blessing we have. Happy healthy new years to you and your family. Lury
Pockets of bliss … happy new year Celia. This is a wonderful piece of writing. It has taken me all my life … nearly 67 years… to learn these things too and now i can honestly say that i am truly content, madly in love and focused on life. Small pockets of bliss… love it.
I always love reading your posts Celia – beautiful words and heartfelt meanings – I couldn’t agree more! Whilst we have never met, I enjoy all your posts and wish you the happiest of years, filled with gentle love, joy and contentment. 💕💕💕
Wonderful words. I too am content. I have this on my fridge:
We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us! Thank you for all the wonderful thoughts you have sent our way over the years. Happy New Year to you and yours.
Could not agree more with every word you have written . . . may the Higher Powers bless you and your family in the year just started . . .
Such true words and words I needed to hear today, thank you Celia and Happy New Year xo
Ditto :-)
Happy, healthy and beautiful New Year to you, your family, and multitudes of friends near and far.
When I was young, my dad taught me that being happy was a choice. Whenever I had a problem, he would say, “In three years’ time, will this be a crisis?” Of course I would say no. Then he would give me a hug and say, “Then let it go now and save all this pain.”
He was always right. He also taught me to accept what is but to pick my battles so when it was REALLY important to me, I’d win. It works.
I loved this post, Celia! Happy New Year to you and the whole family. May 2017 bring improved health, prosperity and lots of happiness.
Happy New Year to you too, Celia. May this new year be filled with much hope and much happiness in both the extraordinary and the ordinary, the big and the small. Meg:)
Wise words Celia. I have been enjoying your morning walks and know how much you enjoy this time alone or with Big Boy. Happy 2017. It’s a jam packed year for me but hope to be down later in the year so will connect with you when I know what’s happening. Fiona xxx
Sage words, Celia. Wishing you peaceful times and happiness in 2017. xxxx
Celia, love your posts, so strange to have such a wonderful ‘friend’ I have never met who is so informative, helpful, wise and inspiring. I wish you and your family a wonderful 2017 with much happiness and the best of health to all. Looking good here with gentle rain falling at long last and a frog making a lot of happy noise in the downpipe outside my window, welcoming the rain we need so badly. Our bees will be so happy with the drop in temperature, such hard little workers that they are … your ‘bees knees’ was yummy, have introduced our friends to it thru’ December 😊
What a lovely blessing that makes – “I wish you gentle times and peaceful hearts”. I wish that for you too.
Insightful and beautifully written Celia, Happy New Year to you.
what a beautiful post, Celia. I wish you from all my heart a Happy New Year filled with love, health and good fortune. Looking forward to another year of joy reading your blog. Thank you.
Happy New Year!
Excellent words to start the New Year. May it be a healthy and happy one for you and your family.
I’ve always ( well in the last 15 years, it just feels like always) said that moments of pure happiness and joy are fleeting. Not a constant state of being. When people say they are happy I think they mean more that they are contented, at peace with their world.
Mo
And a blessed new year to you! The mustard seed customers thoroughly enjoyed the striped socks.. we had many disadvantaged people coming to the Harris community center at this holiday season and we welcomed them with Christmas food ,candy and clothing . Your socks were a hit and we will welcome many more to come our way . I personally enjoyed your recommendation of the Kindle Christmas story and adorable chocolate tree. your latest wisdom will be shared at my next Volunteer meeting. Thank you for adding to the Mustard Seed Op Shop’s ambiance! Fondly, Shelley Brunson
Happy New Year Celia x
Wise words from a wise old bird! Looking forward to sharing the joys of life here on FJ&LC in 2017. Happy New Year Celia. Anne x
I wish the same for you dear Celia. XOXO
I love you.
Wise words!
Ah Celia now I see…you are more Austen whereas I am much more Bronte.
Happy New Year to you my friend xxx
Wishing you and your Men, Celia, nothing but peace, happiness, and good health in the New Year.
happy new year Celia – love all the little victories – may you have many in 2017
Very wise Celia. I was once told that it takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown so I try to make sure I do (yes, I’m that lazy). Some time later I heard that if you smile when you are down you can start to feel happier. Win win situation ;)
Best wishes to you and yours for 2017
I know exactly what you mean. In the U.S. right now, many of us have the jitters. Anyway, happy New Year to you and yours!
Happy New Year to you as well, Celia!
In a season of trial after trial, I am just beginning to fully appreciate the power, and indeed beauty, behind exactly what you describe here.
Keep writing, friend. Word by word, we’ll inspire the world… if not ourselves.
You are an inspiration. I too try to get at least an hour of me time, to sit back and enjoy life. It makes the crazy times easier to handle. Here’s to this year being a good one for you and your family.
Belated happy returns to you & yours Celia. Thanks again for all the inspiration. 🥖🧀🍑🍾🍷🥂🍴