DISCOVERING SUMMER HAPPINESS THAT WORKS FOR YOU WHERE YOU ARE.

I was re-reading my favorite book, FLOW, as a way to reduce my screen time. I felt my heart pause as I read this:

“What I ‘discovered’ was that happiness is not something that happens…but rather how we interpret them. […] Happiness, in fact, is a condition that must be prepared for, cultivated, and defended privately by each person. People who learn to control inner experience will be able to determine the quality of their lives, which is as close as any of us can come to being happy.” – FLOW by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

The use of the word “discovered” made me sit still and really think about where I am and where we are as a society. When I first read FLOW back in 2014, I realized I was living my life as a passive actor. I was depressed in the job I loved and I let life happen to me. I was upset and unsure because I thought I couldn’t do anything to change.

FLOW is one of the books that continues to remind me how powerful my mindset is.

Instead of being a bystander, I can choose to be the protagonist in every single moment of my life.

I can discover what brings me joy and wonder why something does not. That’s powerful stuff.

I know this summer looks nothing like what we all anticipated. I was supposed to be in Asia doing lots of cool things. But as Mihaly said, “It’s discovering happiness where you are with what you have now.”

So while I haven’t been to the airport since February, I’ve traveled virtually every day. I’ve made so many new friends, reconnected with so many colleagues and old friends, learned how to use a lot of new tools, and honed my core skills in online experience creation and facilitation.

I realize how much happiness I’m discovering every day in my new routine. My summer, while different, is as enriching as ever, because I’m the protagonist and will choose to discover happiness where I am right now.

Will you join me?