After all, what is happiness?

I have yet to finish "The Witch of Portobello", which is the story of a woman named Athena, and the central question posed by Paulo Coehlo (one of my favorite authors) is this: "How do we find the courage to always be true to ourselves - even if we are unsure of who we are?"

At this point, I'd like to share an excerpt, which pertains to happYness. These lines came from Edda (Athena's teacher):

"Everything is at once so simple and so complicated! It's simple because all it takes is a change of attitude; I'm not going to look for happiness anymore. From now on, I'm independent; I see life through my eyes and not through other people's. I'm going in search of the adventure of being alive."

"And it's complicated: Why am I not looking for happiness when everyone has taught me that happiness is the only goal worth pursuing? Why am I going to risk taking a path that no one else is taking? After all, what is happiness?"

"Love, they tell me. But love doesn't bring and never has brought happiness. On the contrary, it's a constant state of anxiety, a battlefield; it's sleepless nights, asking ourselves all the time if we're doing the right thing. Real love is composed of ecstasy and agony."

"All right then, peace. Peace? If we look at the Mother, she's never at peace. The winter does battle with the summer, the sun and the moon never meet, the tiger chases the man, who's afraid of the dog, who chases the cat, who chases the mouse, frightens the man."

"Money brings happiness. Fine. In that case, who earns enough to have a high standard of living would be able to stop working. But then they're more troubled than ever, as if they were afraid of losing everything. Money attracts money, that's true. Poverty might bring unhappiness, but money won't necessarily bring happiness."

"I spent a lot of my life looking for happiness; now what I want is joy. Joy is like sex - it begins and ends. I want pleasure, I want to be contented, but happiness? I no longer fall into that trap."

"When I'm with a group of people and I want to provoke them by asking that most important of questions - Are you happy? - and they all reply: Yes I am. Then I ask, But don't you want more? Don't you want to keep growing? And they all reply: Of course. Then I say, So you're not happy. And then they change the subject."

True, ain't it?

My New Baby

Once again, a month has passed since my last post...and I got some great news! I have a new baby (note: i am very much single at the moment). My new baby is a business venture with my brother and a couple of friends who are into photography. So we set up our team, and our studio just last week. Thus the crazy activities I've been in lately has kept my schedule swamped. Also, I just bought a new gadget...my first mac, and I'm happY with my latest acquisition :-) So many new things to learn, so many functions to explore...yet it makes me happY. That's the whole point of this, ain't it? But of course, following my commandments, I shouldn't get too attached, right?

Keeping things light and simple ;)

Lately, my days are filled with cheerful moments and unabashed happYness. For whatever reason, I smile to myself and really feel good. I don't know to whom or where should I attribute this feeling...I guess it is brought about by my attitude of keeping things light and simple. My life has been full of drama for as long as I can remember, and now is the perfect time to leave all those behind and start anew. I am not making a complete makeover of myself or my life, as I said at the start of this blog, I am only aspiring to be happYer. And I am slowly discovering that dwelling in the past sometimes make me feel sad, especially when I remember those times when I felt so down and alone. I mean, reminiscing them wouldn't change anything. I couldn't go back in time and undo what has already been done. So the best way is to derive my learnings from those experiences and enjoy the 'here and now.'

Leap Year!

This day will not come again 'til after 4 years...so we're celebrating it with a bang! Part of my happYness project is to get involved again in my youth leadership organization - Junior Chamber International. And tonight, we are the host for the said leap year party! The past week has been hectic, with preparations and all. Not to mention a situation in our biz where we have been awake 'til the wee hours of the morning for several days to deliver a major project. All in all, it's crazy happY!

One more thing, I feel so connected with someone. Just last week, there was this incident where I was experiencing really intense emotions for this one person, and I guess I was transmitting that to the universe. It ended up that a series of unfortunate accidents has been happening with him all along. Now that is not something I should be happy about! But what makes me happY is the intensity, and the connection that we still have. The bond that I thought was lost was still there. He even said that I was sharing his frustrations that fateful day. I guess I was...and it turned to be a whole new experience for both of us. I know there will come a time that we will talk about 'us' or whatever is left of it. But right now, I just want to acknowledge the emotions. I still do love him, and it gives me this warm feeling inside ;)

Been Awhile...

Wow, can't believe it's been a month since I last posted here. Well, been quite busy lately - and I hope everything I'm doing contributes to this happYness project. I haven't set my monthly targets yet, but January was all about cleaning my mess - in my room, in my personal life, in my financial status. This February, hmm let's see, being the love month, perhaps spread love? hehe

Anyhow, I've been introduced to The Secret, which changed my whole perception on things. I mean, I now believe that everything that has happened in my life - good or bad - I have attracted in my life. So I intend to attract only the good things from now on. I've tested the law of attraction with small things - and it works! When I'm ready, I can move on to greater things.

All in all, this project is a work-in-progress. This is just the beginning of wonderful things and people to come in my life...and I am so looking forward to that ;-)