Happiness #7 Challenge yourself

Leisure time is more satisfying than work, but you should considerate what you spend your leisure time on. After a long day at the office it can be very tempting to drag yourself home and collapse in front of your flat screen TV. But: you become happier leading an active life. Start training and work out, set a goal. The goal must be a challenge, yet realistic.

I don’t think I would mind coming home after a long day at work only to collapse in front of the flat screen tv. I'm almost certain I then had become a happier person. Don’t misunderstand me: my job is incredibly rewarding. I have wonderful colleagues and I get to be with great youth throughout the day.

The thing is, though, that I privately I do not live in a pink bubble by myself. I believe that parents have the responsibility to take care of their children, and the time between work and bedtime is pretty much the time you have with your children. It is the time you have to take care of your house and home in a way that we live as well as possible. Food has to be prepared, clothes washed, you have to dust, homework should be done and it really is quite a bit a complex solitaire to make time for everything.

Naturally one can plan the day more organized, you can always be more structured. But, and there is of course always a but: I depend on being a bit impulsive, it is a must for me to be able to. I need to feel I can drop whatever I have in my hands and just do something that occurs to me at that time. For me it is more important than having fixed times when I exercise. My body bears the marks and dents that tells of past problems and childbirth because I don’t exercise (that’s probably why, right? The decay sets in).

I know it's not fashionable to be older or have scars, but I think that after all they tell the story of my life, and it's not certain that everything has been just a voyage on a pink cloud. Nor do I think that plastic surgery to pretty things up is all that beautiful, either.

I walk the dog and use it as an excuse for me to move a few meters outside, but he can’t see very well anymore so he runs with his nose in the asphalt all the time and the pace is somehow not fast enough to get my heart pumping faster. It would be unfair to call it exercise. Even though I don’t work out, I would say I am reasonably active in my spare time (especially when the clock is tilted midnight and most people are sleeping).

That said, I am a little secretly jealous of those who manage to treat their body as a worthy temple. They exercise, sleep and eat right, and find happiness in seeing the results. In all fairness I have to confess I haven’t got enough self-discipline to actually do that... but I have a goal, and that I keep, I have to stay in shape to be able to tie my shoes myself, without sitting on a bench or get short of breath! That’s something, right?

I have no idea what the right answer to what happiness really is, but ... although I shiver and tremble with freezing cold (perhaps not that strange as it is, after all, winter, and the wind has been whistling cold and hard for over a month now) spring is already well underway within me. I thaw and feel warmer inside, and although this is not the correct definition to what happiness is, I am sure it applies?

Happiness #8 Volunteer and participate in charitable work.

If you want to help yourself, help others by volunteering or enlist to a charitable organization. You will feel you do something valuable, and you will see the benefits of doing good deeds.

Voluntary community work. The concept is apparently very Norwegian. Spring 2004, the Norwegian word "dugnad "  was voted the national word, in a slightly informal competition in the TV show  “Typisk Norsk” (great series on NRK, I liked it).

I have to admit I get a little stale taste in my mouth when talking about Voluntary community work. Voluntary work is somehow something we do when forced. For some reason I don’t understand why it sits so deep with to enroll voluntarily community work. Voluntary work is so social! It’s nice and usually both coffee, tea and good conversation are a big part of the task. Things that I otherwise would be annoyed about are getting done (I don’t like garbage, worn paint, filthy windows or any other signs of decay. It is unnecessary, because it takes very little effort to get it fixed.
Voluntary community work is usually in our own interest. It is our children who do sports, go on trips, have a nice neighborhood with playground, At the end of the day someone will have to do a lot of odd jobs, that would otherwise not have been done, if noone made an effort. It may be tedious work, but work that makes everything so much nicer for everybody. I know it’s not right to count on someone else to do it, so I really should participate more. I know.

Non-governmental organizations have little resources, they depend on maintenance, modifications and upgrading to be done for free, or nearly for free. Costs must be limited to a minimum and users need to step up to keep the activities up. There is so much evidence that being involved in all these organizations soon become more of a lifestyle. I need to ask myself then: In order to secure my boys play sports, am I willing to change my lifestyle? It is both rewarding and useful, even though it’s an ungrateful job. Yet it’s an ungrateful job many do. In many ways it’s like the job of being a cleaner: I can’t see myself doing it, but I am ever so thankful that someone is doing it. Yeah, I know, it is a dilemma.

To correct the impression a tiny bit: I'm really good at buying tickets. I buy from most everybody coming to my door selling... when I have cash (they don’t carry around apparatuses for cash dispenser card… yet). I also pay for the Christmas cards, gift tags and calendars I get sent every Christmas from organizations training guide dogs, the handicapped artists painting with their mouth and feet, rescue company and a few other dedicated organizations. I pay my way out to have a good conscience. It may not taste as good, but I feel good enough to not be ashamed of myself and my effort. I tick off the list and feel ok after all.

I have no idea what the right answer to what happiness really is, but ... although I shiver and tremble with freezing cold (perhaps not that strange as it is, after all, winter, and the wind has been whistling cold and hard for over a month now) spring is already well underway within me. I thaw and feel warmer inside, and although this is not the correct definition to what happiness is, I am sure it applies?