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Weekly Photo Challenge: Happy!

05/10/2012

“If you want to be happy, be.” Leo Tolstoy

Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it. Groucho Marx

I was not your typical happy child. I was shy, serious, bookish actually, and only found happiness when I escaped to that place of fantasy all children harbor within. It was a colorful, vibrant, and blissful world populated by people with sunny smiles and warm embraces. That inner world was also filled with music, delicious food, kids who shared toys, and kind folk; their kindness was palpable, and now that I think about it, their kindness was compassion. I’ve tried to capture the mood/colors in the collage above. Hope you like it.

“A man is happy so long as he chooses to be happy and nothing can stop him. ” Alexandr Solzhenitsyn

Weekly Photo Challenge: Happy! Happy Faces…

When I was in grade school, they told me to write down what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down happy. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, I told them they didn’t understand life – Unknown

One quality I’ve always had is optimism. I could take a perfectly rotten day and find a nugget of hope in it. When kids were mean to each other or a teacher dismissive of our efforts; a thought would pop up to turn it around and make it into something positive. Over time, I’ve come to understand, somehow intuitively, that being happy is an inner state, a feeling inside, a choice, not an object outside. External things add to our joy, but they are not the primary source of it…

“Be happy with what you have and are, be generous with both, and you won’t have to hunt for happiness.” William E. Gladstone

Weekly Photo Challenge: Happy! Happy is varied….

Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties. Helen Keller

Smile more. Recently, a wise friend said that smiling triggers happy feelings. What about fake smiles? We asked. “That’s okay too, keep smiling; even if you fake it till you make it… The biochemistry of a smile leads directly to happiness,” he said. I like that. Are there situations that make us unhappy? Sure. It’s not that we should pretend everything is honky dory, but that we must ask: Where is the lesson? How do I move back to that place of equilibrium? Every day, I choose to – be happy. More below!

“The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.” Epictetus

Weekly Photo Challenge: Happy!  Happy Food Collage

Many people think that if they were only in some other place, or had some other job, they would be happy. Well, that is doubtful. So get as much happiness out of what you are doing as you can and don’t put off being happy until some future date. Dale Carnegie

In college, I remember meeting a guy; a talented, albeit tortured artist with a gigantic ego, who promised that he would make me the happiest woman in the world…  He didn’t because he couldn’t. The thought of it made me cringe because others can’t make us happy in the truest sense of the word; they can add to the happiness we already feel inside. They can add to the memories of happy moments we carry inside. Just my two cents. Every day, I choose – to be happy

Reminder Notes: Happiness is never stopping to think if you are.” Palmer Sondreal
Most people would rather be certain they’re miserable, than risk being happy. Robert Anthony

Thank you for stopping by. What are your thoughts? What photos did you share on Happy to fit the challenge? Was it easy/hard to find photos that supported your perspective on the subject? Were you drawn to certain types of photos for the prompt? Do share? Thank you! 🙂

*Please bear with me as I continue to catch up on reading and commenting on your blogs… I’m halfway there.  Thank you all for your patience! 🙂

My fellow bloggers were equally creative with their selections. I will list some when Zemanta offers them up! I added a few from WP Daily Post below. (I will update it and add more). We all appreciate trackbacks/ping-backs and Likes from fellow bloggers too! Check out how others interpreted the theme – Happy – also below. ***

This post was inspired by a prompt from WP Daily Post: Weekly Photo Challenge: HAPPY. Happy. I can’t believe we haven’t done this theme before! That alone makes me happy. But there are so many things which could make you happy, so why not group them together to multiply the happiness? Here are some images which make me happy: a sunny day, Mums for Mom, exercise, coffee (of course!), a Vespa by the sea, a Popsicle, funny signs, and more coffee! Share (many) pictures in a gallery which mean HAPPY to you!

Positive Motivation Tip: Be present. Be compassionate. Be true to self. Be happy. 😎

PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos from my personal collection.

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet

116 Comments leave one →
  1. 06/10/2012 1:28 am

    Wish a happy happy-day… ‘big smile’

    • 06/10/2012 1:37 am

      TY and I’ll add a link to your post when I come back from my class today… Will also catch up on everyone’s Challenge posts then…
      Merci to all! 🙂

  2. 06/10/2012 1:38 am

    I have to go out in a sec. but am coming back to read this brilliant post again – thank you and I am smiling!

    • 07/10/2012 8:36 pm

      TY and I understand… Between my classes and household demands, it can take a while. 🙂

  3. 06/10/2012 1:44 am

    wonderful collection, Eliz!
    My favorite: cat on notebook = Oh Happy Day –
    maybe I should try that on guitar?
    P.S.:
    Don’t be disturbed: I’ve changed my webdesign again 🙂

    • 07/10/2012 8:38 pm

      TY! that woudl be lovely to play… Thanks for the heads up… every time I visit, there’s a new template… Play on! 😆

  4. 06/10/2012 1:48 am

    What a great spread you have here. This is beautiful. Still don’t know how to do multiple gallery shots though that are separated across themes. Hmm… must fiddle with this function more.

    • 07/10/2012 8:41 pm

      TY Myra! I created the first collage with the WP gallery, then I created the rest with Pixlr.com. I will be checking in with you soon! 🙂

  5. 06/10/2012 1:58 am

    Lovely! The pictures and the words and the quotes!

    • 07/10/2012 8:42 pm

      TY Deepa! It was another fun one to do! 🙂

  6. 06/10/2012 2:38 am

    Your quotations are to be treasured. Photos wonderful too. Thanks for the mention. Reading your WPC makes me happy.

    • 07/10/2012 8:42 pm

      TY Rutheh! Will be by to complete the process. 😉

  7. 06/10/2012 3:15 am

    Lovely quotations & photos 🙂 Thanks for the pingback x

    (Still haven’t worked out how to do that yet!)

    • 07/10/2012 8:43 pm

      TY so much for checking in Barbara! Will stop by soon. 🙂

      • 08/10/2012 2:20 am

        You did didn’t you!! I have lots of great comments to reply to now 🙂 Thanks for the visit!

  8. 06/10/2012 4:38 am

    Cats must be the happiest animals on the planet – they just don’t show it like dogs do 🙂
    Love the photos of all that deliciously decadent food, Elizabeth – yum.
    And I couldn’t help but smile (possibly in self-recognition) at that Robert Anthony quote 😉

    • 07/10/2012 8:44 pm

      Glad you loved the R Anthony quote… me too. I laughed at your cat/dog comment. So true! 😉

  9. 06/10/2012 4:40 am

    What happy collages and some quotes from my favourite Russian authors!! I agree..you choose to wake up with a smile!!!

    • 07/10/2012 8:44 pm

      TY! Until you mentioned it, I didn’t realize I had a couple of my favorites on the post too. 🙂

  10. 06/10/2012 5:20 am

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a37bBm8pXSk Thank you ! 😉

    • 07/10/2012 8:45 pm

      TY for the video link. They did a wonderful job with the hymnal. 🙂

      • 09/10/2012 2:50 pm

        And I added it to one of my new posts. TY! 🙂

  11. 06/10/2012 5:32 am

    Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it. Groucho Marx what a great way to wake up today, thanks so much!

    • 07/10/2012 8:45 pm

      I love that quote… It spoke to me directly! 🙂

  12. 06/10/2012 5:37 am

    LOVE the collage! I always look forward to your photo posts.
    b

    • 07/10/2012 8:46 pm

      TY Barb! You can create them too on Pixlr if you don’t have WP access. 🙂

  13. 06/10/2012 6:30 am

    Your Blog often brings me smiles. I Love your collage! I also enjoyed your quotes. :+)

    • 07/10/2012 8:47 pm

      TY Star! You are always so kind… Appreciated. 😉

  14. 06/10/2012 6:34 am

    A vespa by the sea that does sound wonderful!. :+) I feel content just thinking about it. I think I might stop and have some of those lovely desserts and pretty fruits and some coffee too. Thank You for the moment of peace.

    • 07/10/2012 8:48 pm

      A vespa by the sea sounded wonderful to me to… 🙂 TY for the kindness.

  15. 06/10/2012 6:48 am

    Excellent post and excellent application of the new options. When I scrolled through the images with the slideshow function, the cat on the keyboard was especially heartwarming!
    Thanks for the pingbacks!
    z

    • 07/10/2012 8:49 pm

      TY for your feedback… I love the slideshow function too because it gives us closeups of the shoots… 🙂

  16. 06/10/2012 7:27 am

    Beautiful post. I completely agree. My blog is all about joy so I think we are in a similar mindset!
    I’m not sure how to do it but I left a link on your Solitary post. WordPress closed comments on Solitary and I was unable to post it there. If I leave my link in your comments section is that how to do a pingback or is there another way?
    Thanks again.
    Peace,
    Alexandria Sage

    • 07/10/2012 9:12 pm

      To send a pingback, you need to add a link to the other person’s blog on your post. If you look above you’ll see I added a link to yours in my post. 😉

  17. 06/10/2012 7:27 am

    Thanks for another smile!
    Beautiful photos.
    Happy Thanksgiving

  18. 06/10/2012 7:28 am

    Oh, I forgot to say thanks for putting mine in your list. I’m very honored!

  19. 06/10/2012 7:48 am

    What makes us happy is so varied. I think you caught that well with the photos you selected.

    • 07/10/2012 9:14 pm

      Aye captain! Glad to see you here and happy you agree. 😉

  20. 06/10/2012 9:17 am

    Thank you for the pingback. I love the quotes you attached on the post 🙂 Thanks for bringing them up.

  21. 06/10/2012 12:48 pm

    What a cheerful happy post! Made me feel cheerful, too.

    • 07/10/2012 9:16 pm

      I’m glad you found good cheer in it. TY! 🙂

  22. 06/10/2012 2:27 pm

    This is absolutely wonderful Elizabeth. Made me smile! Well I do love to smile but have been feeling down lately as my son has been sick for four days and we are all exhausted. But he is on the mend Nd your beautiful post reminded me to smile! Thanks! 🙂

    • 07/10/2012 9:17 pm

      Sorry to read about your son… Wishing him a speedy recovery… I know the feeling. Stay strong! 🙂

  23. 06/10/2012 4:02 pm

    Happy post…thank you. I love all your images especially, is it Tangy hard at work by the computer?!? Lol…

    • 07/10/2012 9:18 pm

      Yes, it’s Tangy and he thanks you too! 🙂

  24. 07/10/2012 1:17 am

    Beautiful happy images and thoughts, Ekizabeth. Love it. 🙂

  25. 07/10/2012 8:02 am

    You made me think, Eliz, of my childhood and whether I felt happy. I suppose I was too busy going about all the things children do to think about it! I knew you’d have a nice collection of photos for this topic–love your kitty sleeping on the computer. Mine does it too, even while I am using it, she parks herself atop it!

    • 07/10/2012 9:20 pm

      TY Terri! I had an interesting childhood; complicated too. Good to know someone else has a cat who loves lying on open laptops. 😆

  26. 07/10/2012 3:32 pm

    So many wise people quoted here. Lovely thoughts and happy photos. Thanks for the ping. I just LOVE Polar bears pic. 🙂

    • 07/10/2012 9:22 pm

      TY Angelia! I love Polar bears too… I will catch up on the rest soon! 🙂

  27. 08/10/2012 12:28 am

    I know it is possible to make yourself happy, but you have to want it 🙂

  28. 08/10/2012 4:53 am

    I keep having to un subscribe and re subscribe to you because I still don’t get you in my reader! i’m at work at mo and system to slow but will try again later at home 🙂

    • 08/10/2012 5:45 am

      I have noticed that sometimes when I click on a blog, I’m no longer subscribed… kinda weird… Our wireless service has been slow all week and it’s made it harder for me to move through the blogs as I’ve had to login and out a number of times… Is this global or coincidental? TY Gilly! 🙂

  29. Veronica Roth permalink
    08/10/2012 5:30 am

    You know Elizabeth, being able to feel optimism is such a great gift. How lucky to have that since childhood. 🙂 Showed your photo collection to my daughter Chloe and now she wants to tie dye all her sheets rainbow, peace sign!

    • 08/10/2012 5:41 am

      How funny about the tie-dye! As you can imagine, they are everywhere in Woodstock, NY. I took the photo there. Might be easier to just buy a tie-dyed sheet… TY for your comment… Optimism in the face of adversity is what we all learned during the war… 🙂

  30. 08/10/2012 6:21 am

    Thanks so much for becoming a Follower.

    • 08/10/2012 6:23 am

      TY! Funny though. It sounds like I joined a cult… “follower” 😆

  31. 08/10/2012 7:09 am

    Oh my–what amazing food. I’m on a gluten-free diet. It’s like eating cardboard half the time. Not happy.

    • 08/10/2012 1:38 pm

      Oh Sorry to hear that… Are you allowed fruits and salads? 🙁

  32. 08/10/2012 7:41 am

    Great interpretation for this week photo challenge my friend ,Thanks for sharing 🙂

    • 08/10/2012 7:55 am

      Hi Jake! TY for your feedback! 🙂

      • 08/10/2012 7:56 am

        your welcome my friend 🙂

      • 08/10/2012 8:05 am

        I was just thinking, Jake must have a Tweetdeck for WordPress. You are able to respond to everyone from everywhere so quickly… You rock man!
        Word to WordPress, come up with a Tweetdeck for WordPress so we can comment on multiple blogs simultaneously… I like the notifications but that would be the next level… Ask Jake for insights! 😆 TY Jake! 🙂

  33. 08/10/2012 7:59 am

    Trying to pick favourites but finding it a challenge. Lovely collection of happy photos. Great idea on the food gallery – comfort & happiness. 🙂 Love the colours in the first gallery as well – and the cat! – Suzan –

    • 08/10/2012 8:08 am

      TY Suzan! I was going for the colors of my childhood fantasies… It is kinda psychedelic…. I love vibrant colors around me and you’d think, why does she live in NY instead of Santa Fe or San Fran with the painted homes…? Who knows! 😆

      • Photos With Finesse permalink
        08/10/2012 9:57 am

        Calgary has pretty boring exterior colours too – so I jazz mine up inside – red dining room wall, mango coloured around it and on a feature wall. Apple green in the bedroom – definitely a colour person – then there’s my wardrobe LOL.

      • 08/10/2012 1:39 pm

        Good for you to add color to your home; love the colors you described. 🙂

  34. 08/10/2012 10:35 am

    I don’t know why you keep disappearing from my reader, Elizabeth, but I need to keep track from my email. Too many delays, and I enjoy your positivity! You are so good at keeping up with the photo challenge, and I love the prompt “Happy.” You’re so right that the word elicits different responses from each of us, but I particularly like the photo collage of faces. There is nothing like smiling faces to lift my spirits. I can honestly say my family makes me happy. These days, though, my two young granddaughters send me into the stratosphere with happiness. Their little smiles can melt my heart! 🙂 Love this, as always, Eliz.

    • 08/10/2012 1:42 pm

      TY Debra! reading your comment put a smile on my face… Your joy is palpable… This was an uplifting challenge and even though there are bitter sweet memories attached to it, the overall thrust is a happy one. I don’t know what’s going on with the reader… but Que sera, sera. TY for staying connected. 🙂

  35. 08/10/2012 10:54 am

    I’ve subscribed by email this time,we’ll see if that works!
    this is a real feel good post, love the hippy kit and that food . . . I’m starving (well a tad hungry) and it looks lush 🙂

    • 08/10/2012 1:46 pm

      TY Gilly for staying connected through thick and thin… I appreciate it very much. There’s much I don’t write about on my blog for privacy reasons but I appreciate the loving support that comes from bloggers like you. TY! 🙂

  36. 08/10/2012 11:10 am

    Wow. Lovely post. Smiles all around 🙂
    “If you want to be happy, be.” Keep smiling!

  37. 08/10/2012 11:17 am

    Great quotes! It’s nice to know that so many people have found the secret to happiness.

    • 08/10/2012 1:49 pm

      Hi there csroth3! What a lovely surprise… How have you been? long time no see… TY for stopping in and I will be by to catch up on your blog too. 😉

  38. 08/10/2012 8:00 pm

    The happy vibe in your post is contagious. 🙂

    • eof737 permalink*
      08/10/2012 8:24 pm

      TY! I’m glad it came through… 😉

  39. 08/10/2012 10:34 pm

    All very happy and colorful pictures! 🙂

    • 09/10/2012 9:36 am

      TY ioanna! I enjoyed visiting yuor blog too! 🙂

  40. 08/10/2012 11:15 pm

    A visual feast of happiness. The colors jumps with joy and the item selection just perfect to bring out the smile on my face. Thanks sharing such beautiful thoughts. Happiness is somethng that we have tp choose…

    • 09/10/2012 9:37 am

      TY IT! Glad to see you here! Hope all is well… We do get to choose our state even when things are tough and it hasn’t been easy. Stay blessed! 😉

  41. 09/10/2012 6:17 am

    Beautiful post! Effective use of the gallery format.
    I want to thank you so much for all your visits to my blog, the comments, follow, and the above mention. I am so honored! How could I not follow you back?
    Thank you, my new-found friend!
    Peace,
    Alexandria Sage

    • 09/10/2012 9:39 am

      TY for doing same for me… Blogging is about reciprocity, and we do the best we can with the limited hours we have to blog… Stay happy! 😉

      • SimplySage permalink
        09/10/2012 9:45 am

        Thanks. I plan on it!

      • eof737 permalink*
        09/10/2012 9:48 am

        🙂

  42. 09/10/2012 7:23 am

    HI! I love the happy food collage! This week’s challenge is right up your alley,your blog is always so bouncy and bright 🙂 You have inspired me to lighten up my own blog a bit more.

    • eof737 permalink*
      09/10/2012 8:34 am

      TY for your comment… There’s enough pain in the world that I don’t want to add to it… Glad you are choosing to lighten the load for yourself too! 🙂

  43. 09/10/2012 12:27 pm

    yes, we only have today use as possible. 😀

    • eof737 permalink*
      09/10/2012 12:28 pm

      Thank you and it is indeed all we have… the here and now. 🙂

  44. Suzanne permalink
    09/10/2012 2:37 pm

    Thought provoking response to the challenge and great photos. 🙂

    • 09/10/2012 2:48 pm

      TY Suzanne and I appreciate the reciprocity! Have a great week! 🙂

  45. 09/10/2012 3:16 pm

    Wonderful photos! I especially love that sleeping cat by the notebook. You’re absolutely right – happiness is a state of being and a choice.

    • 10/10/2012 12:04 am

      Thank you for your comment… This was a fun one for me because it is a subject close to my heart… TY! 🙂

  46. 09/10/2012 3:47 pm

    I knew I’d see that cute little Tangy in here somewhere! I love the Dale Carnegie quote. This was a beautiful and inspired post, my friend. 🙂

  47. 10/10/2012 5:08 pm

    A wonderful feast of words and images. This post made me happy! Thanks. 🙂

    • 10/10/2012 7:05 pm

      Thanks dear one! Your comment put a smile on my face… 🙂

  48. 10/10/2012 9:59 pm

    Wonderful photographs, I loved the cat pic.

    • 12/10/2012 7:26 am

      TY Indira! Our family cat rules the house and would be glad that you love his photo. 🙂

  49. 10/10/2012 11:45 pm

    Fantastic photo collection, yes you are happy 😛

    • eof737 permalink*
      11/10/2012 12:25 am

      TY Della! I try to be happy most of the time… and then humor helps. 🙂

  50. 11/10/2012 12:23 pm

    I also am a self-proclaimed happy-go-lucky kind of person. Though sometimes, being positive has its negative connotation to it.

    AWesome post!

    • 12/10/2012 7:28 am

      I hear you… and sometimes people think that being positive means you are in denial about life which is so far from the truth… happiness is a choice and we choose it to stay faithful to our possibilities… TY! 😉

  51. 12/10/2012 8:14 pm

    Great collection of happy photos! Often, the things that make us the happiest are things that cannot be bought.

    • 13/10/2012 12:26 am

      Precisely! We know the difference too. Thanks again for sharing your photo tips the other day. Much appreciated. 😉

Trackbacks

  1. Weekly Photo Challenge: Happy | Project 365 Challenge in 2012
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