How To Always Be Happy, Part 2

The Meatball has been schooling me on the art of happiness. He’s pretty pro at it.

Last week, he dished out half of his secrets. Here are the rest:

6 – Just love people.

People are awesome. We’ve talked about this.

I know, I know – Some people … But, first of all, those people are the minority. They really are. And you know what? You’re not exactly 100% love-able all the time either. Get over it and just love people.

Look to the good in them, love the good in them, and leave the rest up to someone else to deal with.

7 – Dance to the music.

Any music. At any time.

Music is made to move you – metaphorically and literally. So move. Slow dance with your mama in the grocery story. Bounce in your seat at the mall or in the car. Shake that big ol’ cloth diaper when someone starts strumming a guitar.

You’re just lying to yourself when you stand still anyway. You’re not really that cool. We all know it.

8 – Be amazed.

The world is amazing. Life is amazing. Trees are amazing.

You’re in such a hurry most of the time, and I get it – there are things to do. But come on – dogs are hilarious, and nothing really tragic is going to happen if you pause for a minute to laugh at one. Pet it, even.

It’s autumn, and autumn probably isn’t new to you this year, but what if it was? What if you’d never crushed a dead leaf in your fingers? Never smelled that crisp air? Never wrapped up in a new scarf or tasted pumpkin or ate an apple as you walked through the orchard filling your bag? Try it this year. Memories are priceless, but sometimes the familiarity they generate needs to be erased so you can create more.

9 – Don’t wear pants unless you have to.

Be free. Pants were made to keep your chunky thighs in bondage to oppressive social norms. Public decency laws and stuff for when you’re out, sure. But when you get home, and it’s time to just relax before bed … ya.

10 – When you are unhappy, be real about it.

Even the happiest baby isn’t really happy all the time. Sometimes bad things happen. Sometimes people leave, people lose jobs, people get hurt, people don’t let you play with electrical outlets … Sometimes you’ve just had a bad week and it’s too much. It happens.

We know that. Don’t pretend like you’re all good when you’re not all good. You insult our relationship. We can handle you having a bad day. We’re not fair-weather friends.

Sharing your burdens lightens the load on you, and it forges better relationships because it draws us closer. Some people don’t want to help, and you’ll push them away, but those are the people you don’t want in your life anyway. Sharing your burdens makes us better people too.

Cry. Yell, if you need to – not at us, but to us. Hug loved ones tightly, and plant your head on their shoulders until it passes. Anything else just prolongs the healing and pushes the right people away.

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So there. The Meatball’s 10 tips on how to almost always be happy. Anything you’d add?