Resolution….. happiness

I know – enough of the resolutions already.  While I enjoy making a resolution for the New Year, I prefer to make them throughout the year on a continuing basis as my life marches forward.   While at Yoga on New Year’s Eve, our instructor asked us to write down our resolutions for 2013.   After class, she read each and everyone’s aloud, awarding a prize of free yoga classes to the first two names she selected.  My name was unfortunately not selected,  but I did enjoy listening to everyone’s determinations for the 2013.

Most of the resolutions I heard seemed to center around a reachable goal – lose 5 pounds, walk the dog every day, keep personal items organized, make a new recipe each week – you get the picture.  As mine was read, I realized it was a bit lofty – “Feel True Happiness”.  Granted, I am happily married, enjoy my job, I have three wonderful children,  very special friendships, and have a certain amount of economic freedom.  I am not sure if it is the gloom of January,  aging, or recently losing both my parents, but lately I struggle to feel happiness, true happiness.

As I was seeking out this elusive “happiness”, most of my searches ended up quoting the mantra   “happiness is a choice” .  I don’t really think it’s that simple.  Granted – it might be a choice, but after you choose – the real work begins. It’s the “fake it til you make it” syndrome for me  – each and every morning I tell myself  “today I will be happy”.  To facilitate that thought, I decided to fill my mind with things that make me happy.  Since I am a music person – I thought I might start with a playlist of feel good music.  There are  just certain songs that put a smile on my face and make me feel downright good.

Here is my ‘Happy” playlist – (VIEW ENTIRE PLAYLIST)

1. Blue Sky – The Allman Brothers
   This is my favorite song, hands down.  The guitar melody lifts my spirits and never fails to evoke an “all is right with the world” feeling.
2. Diamonds – Rhianna
   The first line of this song gets me every time:
   “Find light in the beautiful sea, I choose to be happy”
   
3. Hey Jude – The Beatles
   “Take a sad song and make it better” – what is better than that?
4. Be Good – Hothouse Flowers
   Poignant refrain – “Be good, be kind, be truthful and feel free.”
5. Beautiful Wreck – Shawn Mullins
   I love the words “what a beautiful wreck you are” because isn’t  that all of us?  Even with all our imperfections, flaws and complications, we remain beautiful wrecks in my opinion.
6. You’ve Got the Love – Florence and the Machine
   We all have the love we need to see us through.
7. Live Your Life – T.I.
   Just keep paddling down the river baby!
8. O Babbino Caro – Puccini
   The amazing beauty of this song gives me a renewed faith in the human spirit every time I hear it.
9. Say Hey (I Love You) – Michael Franti and Spearhead
   I love this song and it is such a fun video.  Michael Franti is the coolest dude I know.
10. One Sweet World – Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds
    The acoustic version played with Tim Reynolds comes from one of my favorite albums of all time, “Live at Luther College:  Dave Matthew and TIm Reynolds”
11. The Swimming Song – loudon wainwright iii
    Just keep reminding yourself to try, try again!
12. Feeling Good – Nina Simone
    Her voice says it all
13. Vampire Weekend – A Punk
    This song is  such fun and the video is great – makes me want to sing out loud.
14. I Want to be Sedated – The Ramones
    Doesn’t everyone every now and then?
15. Flagpole Sitta – Harvey Danger
    Dysfunctionally happy
16. Wide Awake – Katy Perry 
    I like to think this is what each of us feels like when we come to a deep realization about ourselves.

I hope you can capture some of the feelings I have when listening to any of these songs.  HAPPY NEW YEAR and here’s to some happiness for 2013.