Bit of Happy #145: The Call

“The Call”
by Matt Kennon

When I first heard today’s song about a year ago, it moved me – practically brought me to tears. I thought about it the other day and couldn’t remember what it was called or who it was by. But one thing I could never forget is its message. “The Call” by Matt Kennon shares two incredible stories about the effect we can have on each others’ lives – on our loved ones, friends, family and possibly even strangers. Our words of kindness and courage can really mean a lot to someone in need; perhaps more than we will ever know.

Take a moment to listen to today’s Music Quote Monday, and the music video is pretty good too. Though it is a little sad, it is mostly happy in its conclusion, and I think it’s impossible to be disappointed with its underlying message:

“If someone you know is weighing on your mind,
And needs a friend on the other end of the line,
Don’t hesitate what you say may seem so small.
But who knows,
They might be glad you called.

So, make the call.”

Bit of Happy #132: What do you see?

“The question is not what you look at, but what you see.”
-Henry David Thoreau

Throughout every second of every day that we spend awake, we are constantly looking at things – as we drive, when we go out for lunch, the work we do, spending time with family and friends, watching a stranger pass on the sidewalk. There are lives living all around us; ones we touch with our own presence, and others we may never come in contact with.

There are plenty of things that we look at on any given day, but what do we see? When you look at a stranger with worn clothes, holding a sign that is asking for money, what do you see? When you look at an acquaintance who is in tears though you’ve never seen cry before, what do you see? When you look at a couple being affectionate and whispering in each others’ ears on a park bench, what do you see?

There’s body language that we take in every day to interpret the lives of others. If you walk past a person in the office with their head down, avoiding eye contact as opposed to someone who looks at you, smiles, and says, “Good Morning,” what do you see about those two people? What is different?

Today’s quote by Henry David Thoreau is asking us to put on our attentive glasses. To be aware and observant of our surroundings. It’s not what you look at that is important, but what you see. What you think. How you interpret.

Look around and realize your surroundings. Learn from them and anticipate the road ahead. Rather than blindly going through your day understand what you are looking at… See.

Bit of Happy #112: Pursuit of Happiness

“Some pursue happiness; others create it.”
-Anonymous

Whether pursuing or creating, achieving a lifetime of happiness is an accomplishment in itself. There are definitely difficult times in life. Times that you can’t even imagine being happy. But it’s those who go out and pursue it, it’s those who go out and create it when it’s no where to be found… those are the people who make a difference.

After the tragedy of 9/11, it’s the people who supported the families and communities surrounding them that were effected. When hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, it’s the people who traveled short and far distances to help rebuild what was once there. When you are having a terrible day, it’s the people in your life that go out of their way to put a smile on your face. It’s the people who – when there’s no hope in the world – shine their brightest.

It’s those people who you are forever grateful to have in your life. Don’t forget to thank them for all that they do, because it’s those people who clear away the rainy sky and fill it with a burst of sunshine.

Bit of Happy #100: A Starry Night

“If I could reach up and hold a star for every time you’ve made me smile, the entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand.”
-Anonymous

Happy Valentine’s Day!

How lucky is it that Bit of Happy #100 happened to land on Valentine’s Day?! The day of showing love to everyone who means the most to you – your husband or wife, girlfriend or boyfriend, mother and father, children and grandchildren, family members, and even friends. It’s the day of having the right to be cheesy. The day of being able to show your true appreciation.

And to go with the cheese and lovey dovey-ness of Valentine’s Day, I chose to share one of my more mushy / adorably sweet quotes. The first time I read this quote it brought a smile to my face – a reaction making it definitely worthy of saving. Even though I feel like the true meaning of Valentine’s Day has been lost in all of the candy, chocolate and materialistic gifts, I still believe there are plenty who celebrate it solely to show how much love they have to share with the ones they care about most.

So incredibly pure and genuine, today’s quote, I’m sure, speaks for many Valentine’s Day lovers all over the world. It’s so special to find that one amazing person who can make you smile just by being in their presence, or when you are away from them, by the thoughts and memories that easily have the same effect. If you have found that special person, cherish and love every moment you have with them. And if you haven’t, it’s probably not too far down the road that he or she is waiting at the next light. With a little faith and patience, I believe love will find its way into everyone’s heart. You just have to be willing and open when it comes knocking on your door.

And on another note, Little Bits of Happy celebrates its 100th quote today, which makes today even MORE special! It has been an incredible journey so far, and I hope to be able to share many, many more quotes with all of you! A great, BIG thank you goes out to everyone who drops in and reads my posts, and a very special thank you goes to those who have taken the time out of each day to catch up on their daily dose of happy! Your support truly means the world to me, and I only hope to be able to give the world back to each of you through my daily entries – or at least a little inspiration!

Again, Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope everyone had a great day!

Bit of Happy #96: Remake The World

“As you go out to remake the world, I offer the following bits of wisdom — keep learning, stay awake to amazement, be kind rather than right. And, remember, while you might not agree with this now, being loved is better than being rich.”
-Anonymous

I actually found this quote on a card that was given to me by a family member when I graduated from college. I thought its message was perfect for someone who is graduating, or in a more general sense… turning to a new chapter in life. It reveals a very important lesson that everyone can take something from. Little bits of wisdom.

Keep learning. Stay awake to amazement. Be kind. Love should be held above all things. It’s funny because these are often things I find in many other quotes. These very bits of wisdom seem to pop up everywhere. And it’s that continuous reminder that makes me realize how important this advice truly is.

You know, this quote makes me picture a person after 100 years of life, with skin worn from wrinkles and hair of snow white, speaking these very words. That after being in this world all this time, they have learned – whether at the time or when it was too late – that these are the things that are truly important in life. It would be the advice that someone would give today’s youth as guidance towards a path of no regret. Of fulfillment. Of love.

And in the end, isn’t that what is most important? It’s not having all the money in the world. It’s not the tangible possessions either. But what is important is this… It’s the search for happiness and one day reaching it. It’s finding love and understanding how to appreciate it. It’s living in the moment and learning to cherish those memories.

Life is what you make of it. You can live in a world of gloom and darkness – purples and blues. Or, you can open the window and let the light shine in. The choice is yours for the making.

Bit of Happy #83: Doubting the Unquestionable

“One of the worst feelings in the world is having to doubt something that you thought was unquestionable.”
-Anonymous

Whether religion, or the one you have fallen in love with, or the family who has raised you since birth, there are certain things in life that you consider to be reliable, dependable and unchanging. These are the things in life that you would never dream of having to question. So with those things in mind, what if you suddenly were put in a position of doubt? Of question?

In ways, I don’t know if I would consider this quote to be a little bit of “happy,” because it is pointing a bright spotlight on a very negative aspect of life. At the same time, I love this quote. I love it because it makes me think. It makes me think about all of the things and people I hold closest to my heart, and what were to happen if I lost them, or my trust in them. And then it also sends me a subtle reminder to appreciate all of the love and support I’m given each and every day. That if I reached out for a helping hand or a supportive embrace, it would be there. And I am forever grateful for the ones in my life that I know will always be there.

So looking back on the quote’s clarity, would that be one of the worst things to experience in life? Yes.

Have I gone through it before? Yes.

Is it an easy experience to endure? Not in the slightest.

But with this knowledge now in mind and having experienced times of doubt in people I never imagined I’d question, I like to believe it’s made me a stronger person. It’s opened my eyes to a newfound appreciation. It’s allowed me to put my best foot forward. Hopefully, you can take something valuable away from this quote, just as I have.

Happy Thursday!

Bit of Happy #74: Merry Christmas EVE!

“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.”
-Mother Teresa

I hope everyone is having a good Christmas Eve so far and has an amazing Christmas Day tomorrow! May all of you spend it with the people who mean the most to you.

Thought I’d share this quote today to help everyone get in the holiday spiirt – the spirit of giving. And one of the best things about this quote – just a simple smile can go a long way. Showing love and cheer to all you meet is a special gift. And a smile can do just that.

I’m going to go help with Christmas dinner, but I just wanted to post a quote for today before spending the rest of the night with my family.

Again, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Bit of Happy #73: Plant Positivity

Stockings Hanging by the Fireplace

“If constructive thoughts are planted, positive outcomes will be the result. Plant the seeds of failure, and failure will follow.”
-Sidney Madwed

By carrying positivity with you each and every day, the determination of your future will build off of that optimism. Today’s quote suggests that your attitude plays a huge part in what your days to come will hold. And in many ways, I believe there’s a lot of truth in this quote.

The thoughts you bring with you to work, school, around your friends and home to your family have a tendency to, not only affect how you present yourself on the outside, but also the level of happiness you experience on the inside.

With no confidence or drive to better yourself, how do you expect to succeed? And even more importantly, when you do meet failure throughout your life, your ability to think constructively will affect your ability to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and find a new path to try for a more optimistic outcome.

Open your mind to positivity. When life feels like it can’t get any worse, the true reality is… it can always get worse. So find the positive! I’m not doubting that there are times in life that can be extremely difficult to see the light. I’m just saying… make the best of what you have in front of you. And if that’s not good enough, find ways to make it better. And thinking positively is the very first step!

Happy Thursday!

Do you believe this quote is true?

Do you think it’s possible to be incredibly negative and still find positive outcomes?

Christmas Countdown: 2 more days!

Bit of Happy #67: A Little Holiday Cheer

“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.”
-Mark Twain

I thought this quote was very appropriate for this time of a year – the season of giving. Last week, the company I work for adopted about a dozen or so families from the Adopt-A-Family program. It was an incredibly nice gesture and an easy way for all of us to make a difference.

Bringing cheer to others is the best way to get yourself in the holiday spirit – to me, at least. There’s no better feeling than being able to help others, especially during this time of year. A time that should be happy. A time that, unfortunately… isn’t always so happy. For others going through a difficult time, you can be the one to make the difference in their holiday. And with the help of others, a little can go a long way.

So in addition to adopting a family for the holiday, I have another  5 ways you can bring cheer to others and yourself:

Support the troops with some Christmas spirit. There are tons of organizations out there. From cheering up a soldier who won’t be able to spend Christmas with his or her family to relieving military families of the cost of a Christmas tree this holiday, you can make a difference and put a smile on someone’s face. Here are a few suggestions:

• Operation Ensuring Christmas focuses on bringing Christmas cheer to the children who were left behind from all of the losses since 9/11.
• Trees for Troops, an organization that provides Christmas trees to military families all around the globe. There is an incredibly touching news story by NBC, highlighting some of the families who have received trees through this organization.
• Send Santa To The Troops presents the opportunity to send Christmas cards, letters and care packages to soldiers stationed all over the world.

Donate to a canned food drive. At this time of year, there are canned food drives held all around your community. Even if everyone in the community could spare just one can of food, what a difference it could make! Check schools, companies and various community centers for drives. Another helpful tip, check with your local Food Bank at FeedingAmerica.org for additional guidance.

Donate blood. There is no greater gift than the gift of life. Give blood to those who are less fortunate than you. Those who may be spending Christmas in the hospital or emergency room. Give cheer and feel cheerful, knowing your ability to save lives by taking a little time out of one of your days. Go to RedCross.org for more information on how to donate.

Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Find a local soup kitchen near you and contact them for ways to donate or help out for a day or evening. Helping those who are less fortunate is an irreplaceable feeling, and a great way to get in the Christmas spirit.

Send Christmas cards to family and friends. To me, at least, nothing is more cheerful than receiving and giving homemade Christmas cards! But with busy schedules, I know better than anyone that there never seems to be enough time. Lucky for us, there are tons of websites that allow you to personalize your Christmas cards and print them at reasonable prices!

• VistaPrint: 10 cards starting at $3.99
• 123Print: All Christmas Cards 50% off, plus free shipping.
• Shutterfly: Save 20% on Christmas Cards.

 

There are many, many ways to give back to your community and the world during the holiday season. Spreading cheer to others certainly isn’t limited to these 5 ways, but it’s certainly a start in getting some good ideas together! I really encourage you to spread some cheer this holiday if you haven’t already. And get your family and friends involved too! There’s no greater feeling or gift than helping others – seeing a smile on another’s face, knowing you put it there.

Happy Holidays, everyone! (And I’m sure this will not be the last time I say this between now and Christmas.)

Christmas Countdown: 10 more days!

Does anyone have any other great ideas or ways to spread holiday cheer to others?

*Note: If you go through websites to do any of these donations, be sure to check that it is a credible one. Unfortunately, that is something we have to be careful of.

Bit of Happy #66: What TO Wear

My Mother’s Lampe Berger

“Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.”
-Janet Lane

I just recently came across this quote, and I love, love, LOVE it! Lane’s words, clever in arrangement, inspire positivity in me and hopefully you as well! It encourages me to reflect on how I approach others. It brings awareness to the importance of expression. That it’s not necessarily what shade of blue I wear that’s important, but rather the way I present myself. If I express happiness to all I meet, it is likely that my happiness will rub off on them. Or at the very least, be one less reason for them to justify their discontentment.

I know that it can be difficult to be happy all of the time. I know that it’s nearly impossible to express happiness throughout your day when you aren’t feeling it in your heart. But I can promise you one thing, the happier you can make yourself seem, the more likely that happiness will become real. Surround yourself with family and friends who love you. Fill your time with things you love doing. And don’t ever lose hope that tomorrow is the beginning of the rest of your life. Go into each day with that attitude, and you’ll be sure to find happiness within your expression.

Do you like this quote? What does it mean to you?