“Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.” Henry David Thoreau 

Have you ever asked yourself if you’re happy? If so, you know why I’d add a warning label: Don’t try this at home.

The question feels like a setup. Asking ourselves about happiness is one of the quickest paths to unhappiness. 

It seems happiness doesn’t like attention. It’s introverted – it withdraws from those who pay it too much attention; reserves itself for those who don’t focus on it. 

Seeking happiness defeats its own purpose. If we’re looking for it, we can’t find it or have it. The harder we try to be happy, the more unhappy we are. 

I don’t understand much about the laws of nature, just that they exist and they can’t be beaten or overcome. Like the law of gravity says stuff only falls down, never up, the law of happiness says never look to it for our happiness. 

If I jump off a roof, I’ll fall down. 

If I stare at happiness, I’ll fail to find it. 

I hope you’ll come back tomorrow for more … 

In This Together, 
Kim

FYI: I’m blogging my book titled On The Other Side of Trying Hard: Healing, Happiness, and Holiness. Because the blog posts will eventually be an entire manuscript instead of stand-alone stories, some posts may leave you hanging. I hope you’ll hang in here with us anyway ‘cause a happy ending is coming. Each blog post title includes the chapter title first. The phrase in parentheses is one subheading within the chapter. I’d love to hear your reflections, questions, and suggestions. I’m over-the-top grateful you’re here.