Do What You Love and Do It Often - Part 1

I've heard it said that the secret to happiness is actually rather obvious—do what you love and do it often. How simple does it get? But there are many obstacles in our way, obviously, because I daresay most of us are unhappy to some extent.

In this blog post series, I'll tackle a few reasons why this phrase doesn't work out so well in my life, and maybe in yours, too.

writer friend caught in action, a photo by ♥ roco julie on Flickr.

1. We don't know what makes us happy. 

I always thought that the idea of "finding yourself" was rather ridiculous. How can you not know yourself? As Oscar Wilde said, "Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."



But the fact is that many of us—me included—have a habit of drifting through the day doing the bare minimum, taking care of the "musts" and "shoulds," getting burned out, then collapsing into a vegetative heap before we ever make it to the "wants." The "wants" are those things that make you you, they define your personality. They were put there by God.

How about keeping a happiness journal, or at least a really big sticky note? Every time something makes your heart sing, take a moment to write it down. Maybe these snippets will form a recognizable pattern that will lead you on a wonderful journey.

Write down something you do that you love, and put it in the comment section below this post. Tell us why that makes you happy. I'll start the conversation and you can keep it rolling!