Grandma Henke

I read an interview of Larry Smith by Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project and loved the questions so much I decided to use them to interview myself.   I thought it would be a simple exercise and make a nice blog.  I challenge you to ask yourself the same questions and blog about them. It was an interesting exercise.

What’s a simple activity that consistently makes you happier?

It probably doesn’t qualify as a “simple” activity but I absolutely love it when we are off somewhere in the motor home.   Food is simple, dress is casual, attention is more reciprocal, and bed time is earlier. 

Simpler than that would be a dark chocolate truffle from Amber Lyn Chocolates.    I keep them on hand and hidden away for emergencies.

What’s something you know now about happiness that you didn’t know when you were 18 years old?

People my age are happier and more satisfied with their age than I thought they were.    Each age and era of your life has its own unique challenges and thrills.    Learning from the challenges adds to a happiness bank you can withdraw from in the future.

Is there anything you find yourself doing repeatedly that gets in the way of your happiness?

Probably my biggest frustration since retirement is that I procrastinate more.  It is too easy to put things off now that my motivation factor has changed.    It’s not so bad day by day but at the end of the week when there is no progress on the “to do” projects I get grumpy. 

Is there a happiness mantra or motto that you’ve found very helpful? (e.g., I remind myself to “Be Gretchen.”)

For years, since my children were very young, I have stuck with “Don’t sweat the small stuff, and most of it is small stuff.”    This came about when I realized that if I worried my children about every little thing (hairstyles is one of those little things) they would already be tired of hearing me harp when something more important came up.   I used this as a motto for the twenty years I served as the Executive Director for The Arc of Washington County.     I still try to use it now when I don’t get to have things the way I want them.    

If you’re feeling blue, how do you give yourself a happiness boost? Or, like a “comfort food,” do you have a comfort activity? (mine is reading children’s books).

Little things boost my happiness quickly: a visit with one of my children, a conversation with a 2 year old, being around grandchildren, loves from my sweet little Bichon Frisce, watching a movie with my honey while snuggled in bed, listening to a grandchild play the piano, a phone call from a sibling.

Is there anything that you see people around you doing or saying that adds a lot to their happiness, or detracts a lot from their happiness?  

Service rendered in love, with no expectation of something in return, reaps a big reward of happiness all around.   It can be to the community, a family, or an individual … even to an animal.   

Sometimes people form habits in friendships that can turn out to be a very negative factor in their relationships: complaining and gossiping are easy habits to fall into.      In an even bigger perspective of this we have radio and television talk hosts who consistently come across as angry  and combative.   Their purpose is to create an atmosphere of distrust and indignation for their listeners.   It spreads across the airwaves like an infectious cloud and how can it help but detract from happiness?   

Have you ever been surprised that something you expected would make you very happy, didn’t – or vice versa?

When I spend money impulsively on something I don’t really need (or maybe don’t even want) it brings me down.    I love a surprise bargain when it is something I would normally buy, but a bargain isn’t always a bargain.