Saturday, March 24, 2012

Impractical Happiness

Happiness is a very individual experience. One of my favorite blogs these days is The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. She talks about "Secrets To Adulthood" and one of her recent blogs focused on this statement:


It's a thought that has resonated with me quite a bit lately as I've been thinking about what really makes me happy in life.  I also think there is a complementary idea that goes along with this same concept as it applies to decision making:

Just because it doesn't make sense to someone else doesn't make it a bad idea for you.

In the past few years, I have fallen in love with ice hockey. I didn't grow up watching hockey. I split my chin open and ended up in the ER with stitches the first time I ever tried to skate. I've never played hockey myself. There is no logical reason why I should be such a fanatic about this sport, yet I am. Because it makes me happy. Going to games, talking about hockey, blogging about hockey -- I love everything about it.

I also love hockey players -- in particular Drew Doughty from the Los Angeles Kings. So every time the Kings have something signed by Drew on a silent auction or in a raffle, I bid on it. Ever since his rookie season in 2008, I've been practically obsessed with acquiring a very particular autographed Drew Doughty item.


That, my friends, is a dog bowl. A Drew Doughty themed and signed dog bowl. The team does them every year as a fundraiser and this year the beneficiary was the ASPCA. I have tried for the past 3 seasons to get Drew's bowl. Every year I've failed -- until THIS ONE.

I don't have a dog, and even if I did I wouldn't let it eat from this bowl. My bid was more than some people spend on groceries for a month. Does acquiring this dog bowl that makes sense to YOU? Probably not. Does it make sense to me? YES IT DOES. Because every time I look at this bowl sitting in it's place of honor on my kitchen counter, it makes me smile. It makes me happy.

So the next time you're making a decision about something, ask yourself it it will make YOU happy? Not anyone else, but YOU. And if the answer is yes, go ahead and do it. Happiness isn't always practical, but it is always good for you.

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