The secret of happiness: It’s OK to be happy, it’s OK to laugh, it’s OK to enjoy life

I have been on the fence with what to write lately. 

Like everyone else, I swing like a pendulum back and forth from diligently monitoring the world news until my anxiety ratchets up to a breaking point — then I completely tune it out. 

Then I feel guilty for turning a blind eye, and the cycle begins again.

Who am I to complain about my life, or for that matter, enjoy my life, when some people are living in such complete devastation? I often feel the compulsion to consistently over-communicate to my kids how lucky they are, worried they will grow up taking what they have for granted. 

It is a fine line teaching your kids to appreciate what they have in life, while at the same time not creating soon-to-be anxiety-ridden adults. The same can be said for caring about the world you live in and still finding joy in your everyday life.

What I need to do daily, what everyone needs to do, is to say, “It is OK to be happy. It is OK to laugh. It is OK to enjoy the life that I was given.” Doing these things doesn’t mean I don’t care or don’t have empathy for those suffering.

I recently had lunch with a friend, and we discussed heavy topics. Then we had a ridiculous conversation with silly jokes, and it felt good to just laugh. Really laugh. I don’t think anything soothes the soul quite like a good laugh with someone. 

My 10-year-old son and I tend to spend quality time together at the end of the night watching a show or movie. We have worked our way through many of my ‘90s favorites, and we stumbled upon the TV show “Ghosts,” which is in its first season. It is quirky and makes me giggle, so that is pretty much the death knell that it is going to be canceled soon. I hope I am pleasantly surprised, and it survives for next year. 

(Update: I just read it is being renewed for a second season. Yeah!)

My son loves one of the ghosts, a Viking named Thor. He has the best lines. Such as, “Landship! Landship!” in reference to whenever he sees a car approaching the mansion. My son can do a wonderfully deep voice impersonation, circa his Venom movie phase, and does a spot-on Thor voice.

So, yes, to giving kids much needed perspective, as long as it is balanced out with love and a little bit of laughter. Life is just too darn short. When I interview people about their lives, the big picture of their life, that is what it always seems to come down to, what life is all about: love and laughter.

Everyone has one funny story they want to tell that has been passed down through the family. Everyone wants to talk about the people they have loved. You don’t need to go through your life laughing it up, but if you can see the funny side of life, you can see the lighter side of life. You probably have a more positive outlook. 

If your first inclination is to laugh and to smile, rather than to frown and complain about a situation, think about how different your perspective on life could be. I am often guilty of letting worry consume me and jumping to the worst-case scenario. I have been trying to shift to expecting a good day rather than a bad day, see the best in someone instead of the worst. 

My husband recently stopped what he was doing and said, “It is nice to see you happy. It is nice to see you smile.” 

I felt bad that smiling has not been the norm for me lately, but it also was encouraging that I can shift my outlook on life.

“About Time,” one of my absolute all-time favorite movies, has such a great example of choosing happiness during in a scene where the father explains to his son “the secret formula for happiness.” It lasts about five minutes, but stick with it. It has stayed with me over the years — a powerful example of how much your attitude shapes perception of your daily events. 

Note: This movie is based on the premise that the father and son can both time travel and revisit experiences in their lives. 

As you read this, if you could replay your day and do it differently, how could you do it better? As you prepare for tomorrow, how you can enhance the day of those around you and bring much needed joy to other’s lives? Even if you make someone break into a brief smile or laugh?

The photo at the beginning of this post is a picture I took in Colorado when visiting my sister. We were walking a little mountain in her neighborhood. She told me people hide stone hearts throughout the trail to surprise people. 

I like this thought. We can all use little surprises like this in life right now. 

Maureen Klues writes occasionally for Muddy River News. She recently started Memoirs by Maureen in the Quincy area. She will capture the story of an event, a story of one’s life or create a tribute for a person and put it together in a storybook format.