Happier?

[poppydog]

Great post Imoldernu. Me and DW have recently retired (63/60) and I sincerely hope that we arrive at your age with the same same contentment and happiness.

Best wishes for the future.

PD

 

[misshathaway]

imoldernu,

The next time you do your Alexa class at the CCRC show them this:

"Alexa, open my gift"

She will tell you a G-rated corny joke or sing a song or tell a short story. They make me smile.

 

[Rianne]

Every week I meet with a dear friend for several hours over coffee or walking dogs. It is my therapy. We solve world problems, discuss the innermost issues of our families without restraint. There is no taboo subject. We discuss the events of history. How other countries overcome dire circumstances and find happiness. Our living standard is top 5% in the world, might be even be 3-4%. The poorest of poor find happiness.

I don't even know what would make me happier. I feel like I have it all. I'm ecstatic walking my Labrador Retriever in fresh snow on a trail in the woods.

 

[Clone]

I feel like I have it all.

I wish I could find the sketch.


There was a picture or drawing of a man standing, looking into the distance, with a dog sitting next to him. The caption was something like 'Everything I want.'


The thought bubble above the man showed companions, money, fancy car, house, and so forth. The thought bubble above the dog showed the dog sitting next to the man, both of them looking off into the sunset.

 

[pacergal]

Life is funny in the respect the older you get, the more you realize you don't need stuff to make you happy. It's all about helping others and love of family and friends.

+1

 

[MikeD]

Giving away money to someone truly in need might give you joy. We have been studying happiness and joy at church.

So, an organization that makes its living from donations suggested giving away your money?

,
Mike D.

 

[HI Bill]

Awesome!

 

[RAE]

At almost age 64, I have everything I could ever ask for also. Great family, no money concerns, good health, time to enjoy life. I just hope the good health continues for at least the next couple decades, as I still have lots of things I'd like to do. And I definitely want to see the two young grandsons grow up and see how they turn out, and what they decide to do with their lives.

 

[NW-Bound]

... I don't even know what would make me happier. I feel like I have it all. I'm ecstatic walking my Labrador Retriever in fresh snow on a trail in the woods.

I wish I could find the sketch.

There was a picture or drawing of a man standing, looking into the distance, with a dog sitting next to him. The caption was something like 'Everything I want.'

The thought bubble above the man showed companions, money, fancy car, house, and so forth. The thought bubble above the dog showed the dog sitting next to the man, both of them looking off into the sunset.

The dog is blessed to have a simpler mind. It does not have to worry about the market going up/down, what WR to use, its blood test results, social unrest, etc...

 

[aja8888]

The dog is blessed to have a simpler mind. It does not have to worry about the market going up/down, what WR to use, its blood test results, social unrest, etc...

Sometimes I wish I was my dog.

 

[34rlsa]

The majority of our life decisions have made in the moment... live now... the future is unknown... happiness is now. I have no regrets not having a larger nest egg... we may have missed out of many financial opportunities... if we didn't take advantage of "in the moment". opportunities.

And yes... our dog... couldn't be happier. Sometimes I wish I was our dog.

 

[LOL!]

I'll guess that neither Mr nor Mrs Imoldernu snore or they both do.

 

[happy2bretired]

I’m very contented, enjoying each day as it comes. Never know what’s around the bend.

 

[eytonxav]

What makes you happy can definitely change as one progresses thru life, but family and friends are always a constant, as are the memories of all the good times in the past.

 

[TDub]

Gratitude.


Simple exercise. Try it for a week. I'd bet you'd be noticably happier.


Before getting out of bed, picture each of your family and remembers and how much you value (love) each other, how you color each others lives, not worrying about disagreements, just accepting the reality, and being thankful that you have that relationship. Then find another, and another, and another. I usually I start with the closest family, but sometimes get to a distant cousin or a long lost friend. If I forget (or need to pee), I go back to bed and do that bit of gratitude. Every day.



You get the gratitude brain circuits firing, then you continue, "wow, I press a button and have boiling water for my tea...no need to build a fire, or I could drink the water without worrying about getting sick" Those are just examples that may or may not strike you. But if you try, there are a million things you can think of that gets the gratitude circuits firing.



It might sound fake or hokey, but you'll catch yourself being grateful without trying...and happier.

Love this idea, and need to remember to practice it.

DW and I are in a particularly difficult season of life (2 kids under 3, 2 FT jobs), and this forum serves as inspiration and education, yes, but also as escape. I must remember to be grateful for the present, for today, instead of looking off to the future and assuming everything is easier (read: better) there.

 

[TDub]

Happiness can be fleeting and cheap. Finding joy during struggles....that is the true blessing.

Glad you are in a good place, I suggest you seek out a younger couple to mentor cause there are alot of couples struggling.

Yes! The younger couples could use it!

 

[HFWR]

i wish i could find the sketch.


There was a picture or drawing of a man standing, looking into the distance, with a dog sitting next to him. The caption was something like 'everything i want.'


the thought bubble above the man showed companions, money, fancy car, house, and so forth. The thought bubble above the dog showed the dog sitting next to the man, both of them looking off into the sunset.

 

[Koolau]

DW and I find ourselves having a similar discussion every few months. Right now we're struggling because neither of us can come up with a request for a Christmas gift. We just don't need/want anything.

It's true that I'd gladly accept a bag of money or a free new car. Still, these would bring only a momentary "rush" and no lasting satisfaction. I guess that's a good place to be in life. Contented.

Thanks imoldernu for reminding us what's important in life - and it isn't more stuff. YMMV

 

[Clone]

I found the picture.

 

[street]

Gratitude.


Simple exercise. Try it for a week. I'd bet you'd be noticably happier.


Before getting out of bed, picture each of your family and remembers and how much you value (love) each other, how you color each others lives, not worrying about disagreements, just accepting the reality, and being thankful that you have that relationship. Then find another, and another, and another. I usually I start with the closest family, but sometimes get to a distant cousin or a long lost friend. If I forget (or need to pee), I go back to bed and do that bit of gratitude. Every day.



You get the gratitude brain circuits firing, then you continue, "wow, I press a button and have boiling water for my tea...no need to build a fire, or I could drink the water without worrying about getting sick" Those are just examples that may or may not strike you. But if you try, there are a million things you can think of that gets the gratitude circuits firing.



It might sound fake or hokey, but you'll catch yourself being grateful without trying...and happier.

Very nice! It made me happy just reading that post.

 

[Bir48die]

There is happiness and there is joy. I see happiness as a short term feeling and joy as a long term way of being. You can be joyful and not be happy in the moment.

 

[Rianne]

I found the picture.

That could be me sitting there with my yellow lab. But my bubble would be the same as the dogs.