Well, I don’t know if there’s just one secret to happiness, but since my last post about work, I’ve also thought a lot about happiness.

It’s not hard to be happy for a short time.  Just watch a funny reel.  Share that reel with someone you love and you’ll be happy twice as long.  But it’s short term happy.

And actually, I guess what I’m thinking about isn’t actually happiness, but being more content and feeling competent and able. 

Work has a lot to do with it, but I also think the type of work we do contributes.  I feel like the hands on, physical labor that we do contributes immensely to our happiness and feelings of contentment.

For a second I’m.going to pick on white collar workers.  Working on a computer or in an office building, pushing buttons and papers around can actually contribute to anxiety, mild depression, and lack of content.  Now, there really is nothing wrong with being a white collar worker, as long as that’s not the only thing you do with your life day to day.

But one of the biggest ways to feel content, capable, and happy is to see the physical results of what you do.  For instance, if you set out to build a house, every day you work on that, there is real, physical progress.  When you’re finished, there’s a place for you to live that you built all on your own

Now, you don’t have to build your own house, you can do much simpler, hands on things that will lead to happiness, a feeling of accomplishment, and increased capacity to do.  Here are just a few:

• Grow a garden:  you’ll learn all along the way, and you end with the ability to feed yourself and others great food that you know is healthy.
• Build something small (or big):  need a bench, build it.  Kids need something to do, build a bird house.  There are so many easy online building tutorials.
• Paint a picture:  it doesn’t have to be good, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be fun.  And, if you practice, you’ll improve quicker than you might think.
• Learn to play an instrument:  playing music has so many benefits besides happiness, but sitting down and enjoying music you play is relaxing and creates a sense of peace and joy.
• Try needle work of some kind:  knitting, crochet, cross stitch, etc.  creating something small like a wash cloth or a wall hanging, or bigger like a quilt.  There’s something so comforting in wrapping yourself up in an afghan you made yourself, or gifting one to a friend.
• Learn to sew:  whether it be clothes, quilts, outerwear, being able to create something unique and one of a kind brings a great sense of accomplishment.
• Learn to fix cars or small engines:  imagine fixing your lawnmower rather than taking it up the repair shop, or changing your own oil, maybe fixing your brakes, or even rebuilding an engine.  Anyone of these not only saves money, but shows you how capable you are.

There has been a huge draw for people to get back to basics. Homesteading has become the new fad.  But I think it’s because people, in some respects, crave that feeling of accomplishment that comes with being able to see physically what you’ve spent your day doing.  That brings the sense of accomplishment, the happiness, the contentment.

Featured Artwork: