Achievement and Creative Effort = Happiness

You have a big "project" that you are working on and have been putting a lot of effort in on it. You have been strained mentally to make sure all the details are in place. Then, after it is all done, the "project" came out a success. Whether that project was a research paper, a big event, an art project, or something else, you can now look back and see the fruit of your labor. It makes you happy to see it all come together like it did.

I hope you can relate to the above scenario. I know that I could. There have been many times I am planning something and enjoy looking at the outcome. It definitely makes me momentarily happy! That brings us to this week's quote...

Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort. ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

I would categorize the above quote into a "proverb" because there are likely exceptions to it. However, I can definitely relate to what Roosevelt was saying. There is something that is exciting about achieving something when it is couched with putting in a strong amount of creative effort. I guess it speaks to my creative side.

I think there are several that are in the same boat with me. There is something that is thrilling about seeing a work or effort come together for something good. The downside of it, for me, is that I look for the next opportunity to have a similar feeling. Once one is completed then I look for the next.

I like to stretch my creative mind. I am in the middle of what direction to go with a painting that has no boundaries. So, deciding what to do is challenging, but yet will be rewarding in the end.

Now it's your turn...when have there been times which the above quote held true (or false) for you?

Stagnate Water Starts to Stink

I would think it would be safe to understand that practically everyone understands that the earth's complete rotation is a day and its one trip around the sun is a year. Recently, I was teaching my four-year old this concept. I was not using a ball but a stuffed animal and my fist (very primitive but it was a "teachable moment"). He understood it in the moment, but a few days later, he had forgotten.

Days are a constant change. The rotation of the earth causes things to change continually. Whether it is the shadow that is moving as the earth rotates, the temperature that is changing, or the weather patterns. Each day is filled with constant change. We seem to be able to come to terms with this, for there is nothing we cannot do about it. However, it seems that we are not so comfortable with change in other areas. That brings us to this week's quote...

They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom. ~ Confucius

Change is going to happen. Change in the day. Change in one's life is inevitable. The way we approach change is going to vary.

It is interesting to see in the quote about the point that "change" and referred with happiness and wisdom. Can you imagine living in your current happiness and wisdom? Maybe for a little while, but it will lose its attractiveness. You would likely want to do something to create additional happiness and wisdom. Something like finding a new hobby, working in the yard, or going on a trip. Plus, you would want to find some additional knowledge to increase your wisdom; not just remaining where you are in your wisdom.

Imagine simply stopping where you were at in your happiness or wisdom and never changing. How fun would that be? It would probably be similar to water that is stagnate, it would be fine for a while, but then it would start to stink.

The next time you are thinking that the world is changing too quickly or that things need to remain the same in some organization you are with, think about this verse and how things simply must change.

Now it's your turn...What changes in your lifetime have really caused you to grimace and dig your heels in (either at first or if it continues)?

Progressive Minded

When I was a young child to teen and I would go visit my extended family (most lived in the same town at the time) I didn't want to spend much time with my mom's side of the family. This was basically because there were no cousins near my age and the only thing that seemed to happen at my maternal grandmother's house (or later on, my maternal aunt's house) would be visiting. It was boring to me. Nothing to do (except get into trouble with my brother). I would ask and ask and ask if I could go over to my cousin's house, on my dad's side. I loved it there. So much to do! He always seemed to have the coolest toys - including a pinball machine and a go cart!

I could not simply sit around. I wanted to be moving and going in the direction of my cousin. That was where happiness was for me.

In life, things should be the same way. To sit around means we are not going anywhere. To be moving toward a goal means we are heading into something usually better. That brings us to this week's quote...

Happiness and success are to be found in forward motion. ~ Unknown

As I minister in a church, I aim to get people going. I think that having a "happy" faith-life, you need to be moving also. If we are not going anywhere, we are simply stagnate. To be progressive sometimes will have a bad rapport with people. Thinking one is "liberal" in their theological mindset. On the contrary, one can be the most conservative, but yet still be moving forward - it may simply be a bit slower than others.

Whether you are a business person or a patron, moving forward has its definite successes. May you find them in your daily tasks, as well as, your epic tasks! 

Now it's you're turn!

What do you think? Can there be happiness and success found when you're moving forward? Feel free to leave a comment...  

E-mail Encouragement: Finding Happiness

Have you ever been caught in a “grass is greener on the other side” moment? I’m sure you have to some extent. Maybe it is wishing you had a different car, house, or job. Maybe it was if you had more money. Maybe it was if you had someone else as a friend. There could be a whole list of maybes that you could create. Each one of those you thought of was in hopes to have happiness. That’s what this week’s quote pertains to...

It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere. ~ Agnes Repplier

We can search for happiness in all kinds of other places, but that isn’t where it is found. Contentment is found within ourselves. It is difficult to find, as the quote says, but it is there. Have you seen the movie “The Wizard of Oz”? Dorothy wants happiness, in essence, and she goes searching elsewhere for it. However, where does she end up finding it? Right in her own home. Where have you searched for happiness? Was it there when you found it? Probably not or it was short lived. When we are at a place of contentment (not complacency or compromise), which is usually within ourselves, then we have found happiness!

So, end your search and, instead, start digging within yourself to find happiness.

Have a wonderful week!
Mining within ~