I like to think that the huge success of Pharrell Williams' song "Happy" has something to do with the world today. We weren't ready for it until now. When he first released it it went nowhere..... I like to think the human race is starting to come around on a few levels. There is certainly still a lot of anger, hate and injustice in this world. I am not going to deny that, however, I often think the music of the times has a lot to say and show of the times. Music has often been a way for people to come together, voice appreciation, concern, hopes, dreams and disappointments. It has been a way to tell stories and believe in a better tomorrow. Granted to the artists it is often something quite different, self expression, a craft and a way to really bare their soul.
I have to admit that I too get super excited when "Happy" comes on the radio, because it honestly makes me just that, "happy." I first heard it this past December when I watched "Despicable Me" with my cousins, but it wasn't until recently that I have really started to appreciate it. In no small part, because every time I see Pharrell whether it be on Sunday Morning or Oprah, he just continues to impress me. And come on, you gotta love the hat! He genuinely seems like a humble and grateful person. I really appreciate his emotions tied to the song and his overwhelming sense of gratitude for the life it has taken on. I also really admire that he understands what his song means to people, how it makes him feel and that he enjoys that.
In today's world sometimes it can be challenging to be that "Happy" person. It can cause confusion and sometimes even anger and frustration. Why are you so happy? Why are you in such a good mood? Don't you have something to complain about? I often think, I am sure I do, if you give me enough time I can certainly bitch about something, but why put that out there if in this moment I am feeling Happy.
Taking the 1,000 foot view of my life, I should be that happy person. I often am that happy person, but I still have to continue to work on my daily gratitude and gratefulness practices. I try hard to not complain and I try hard to help others when I feel helpless. But it really has got me thinking lately, why is happiness such a taboo word. Why do some people have such a hard time with the happiness of others and more so, why do I/we even sometimes feel afraid to express that I/we are happy. Or maybe people don't......regardless.....
I know the poor-me's can come knocking so easily and often they show up in my Blog. I have truly found this as a place where I can be in the moment. To others it probably looks like I have no idea who I am or how I feel about anything because there are certainly contradictions across the board. I find that to be ok. Blogging in the moment is all about being and living in the moment.
So, even though there are things I struggle with and even though I continue to work on myself on so many levels, I am going to admit that I am Happy! I am HAPPY and grateful and you know what, that is ok. If you are happy too, that is ok. I know sometimes reality t.v. and even Facebook make people attracted to drama, conflict and disappointment. There is nothing wrong with appreciating your life and all aspects of it. There is nothing wrong with just being and just living and not wanting more or wishing for me. There is nothing wrong with dancing down the street and singing. There is nothing wrong with waking up every morning and saying you know what, I choose to be happy today.
They always say only you can control your mood and that you shouldn't let others have that much power over your day. Granted this is so much easier said than done. I have such a hard time not being affected by negative emotions and negative feelings around me. I am super sensitive to tension and anger and it scares me almost more than anything. It hits me like a wall when I walk onto a subway and people are angry or in a bad mood. Sometimes it gets so bad that I have to change subway cars. I have been trying to surround myself in a cocoon of white happy energy when I feel it coming and it does seem to be helping.
Knowing that all of this good and bad energy affects me, I have to imagine it affects other people and the greater world in similar ways. I have to imagine it affects our greater earthly consciousness. For that reason alone, I think we should all be listening to "Happy" and absorbing it with every fiber of our being. We should be feeling happy as often as we can. I often say there are certain days, acts of love, kindness and heroism that need to be bottled up and passed around the world. I say this because as a person of science, I believe energy is not created nor destroyed. While emotions aren't energy per say, you are putting energy into a way of feeling. That energy that you are using to feel happy, sad, angry or grateful has to go somewhere. After you have spent effort to feel a certain way, that energy leaves you an enters into the world. I think we should all, whenever possible, try as hard as we can to send happy, grateful, hopeful and appreciative energy and thoughts out. We can only help things.
I know this is all easier said than done. I know I have been in a bad mood and have an awful day sometimes and people's level of happiness can irk me. I know sometimes I am still a little leery of NYers that are "too nice" to me because I have become a bit suspicious since living here in NYC.
While all of this is true and while I know life can be very hard and cannot even begin to imagine the turmoil and struggles that some are going through each and every day, I still say happiness should win out. Hunger, disease, abuse, war. While all of this continues to go on in our world and not for a second am I saying we should ignore these realities, what I am saying, is if you can be grateful, for even one thing today, be grateful. If you can be happy for even one thing today, be happy. There is so much negativity in this world and it really feeds off of other negativity that is out there. There is no need to match negativity with negativity, let's get a positive happy party going. Why not, right?
They always say if you woke up in a warm bed this morning, were able to use a toilet, take a shower and have a meal, your are doing "better" than most in the world. Think about that. While "better" is always relative, as there are some very happy and grateful people in this world who by Western standards "shouldn't be." Maybe they don't have beds, or they don't have cable, maybe they don't have plumbing and only get one meal a day. Maybe they sleep on the floor or their entire village was wiped out by a Tsunami or Earthquake. There are so many who struggle, every day and I know that.
But, if today, you are happy, do a huge care bear stare with your happiness and really push your happy energy out into the world. If you are happy today, dance around to "Happy" like no one is watching. If you had a good day today, write down everything you are grateful for and then dance around to "Happy." Be the person you want to be today. Be the person you know you are today.
It is ok to say you are happy. It is ok to say things are good. I promise I won't bop you in the face.
And that's all she wrote...
Patty
Be HAPPY
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