Saturday, January 23, 2010

Ten things that make me happy



"If you observe a really happy man you will find him building a boat, writing a symphony, educating his son, growing double dahlias in his garden, or looking for dinosaur eggs in the Gobi desert. He will not be searching for happiness as if it were a collar button that has rolled under the radiator. He will not be striving for it as a goal in itself. He will have become aware that he is happy in the course of living life twenty-four crowded hours of the day."
~W. Beran Wolfe



I have been tagged and asked to make a list of the ten (10) things that make me happy. I’m glad I have been asked to do so, as it gave me the chance to really look and distinguish in between the things that really make me happy and the ones that are not that meaningful.
So, I let my heart do the talking, my hands do the writing and my soul to do the observations. After thoughtful deliberations the ten things that make me happy were spelled out and written down.

1.Teaching Yoga: each class is a journey, each student is different, some are very flexible but not strong, others are strong but not flexible, while others are both or none. Some get frustrated, some embrace the challenge, some struggle but keep trying and others give up. But at the end of each class we all have the same peaceful and content face, a perfect portray of how we feel when a quiet balance has been achieved.

2. Writing: I ponder about everything; I’m a seeker, an observer, an investigator, a risk-taker, a moderator, communicator, provocative and a passionate person. Writing is my way to convey all that and more. I’m very happy and thankful every time I get comments in my blog or someone is willing to talk about some of my posts.

3. Love: being in love and making love without boundaries and reservations.

4. Being me: living life to the fullest, knowing that I’m special in my very own way, expressing who I am without uncertainties or fears. Trying not to take life for granted and ensuring that this is my chance to become who I want to be, while respecting that others have the same right too.

5. Family and friends: for loving me just the way I am

6. Photography: rediscovering the magic and beauty of the unseen world, bringing to light the unnoticed, paying attention to the details, appreciating the whole universe. Recognizing that everything is unique and special in its very inimitable/unusual way.

7. Conversing: having a great tête-à-tête with a good glass of wine with anyone that is up for it.

8. Reading: Reading takes you to places, opens your mind, feeds the soul, liberates the spirit and broaden our choices. Each book or written text is unique, each of them introduces us to different worlds, ideas, realities, cultures, adventures, passions, miseries, etc. I have been reading books since I was eight years old, books have been, and still are my best teachers.

9. Traveling: knowing and experiencing different countries, races, traditions, languages, religions and realities are one of my biggest passions in life. Traveling is like reading a book, with the bonus that one is one of the main characters in it.

10. Flowers: I do believe that flowers have feelings, and that those feelings extend to the human beings who tend them. Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light.

Those are some of the things that make me happy. What about you? What rocks your life?

I’m tagging you! Yes, you, the one reading this post, the one that is right now pondering about what really makes you happy. So, take a few minutes, write them down and promise yourself to enjoy at least one of them once a day…

I would love to know what makes you happy.

loveNlight
Gabi

20 comments:

Unknown said...

These will of course change for me from time to time. I have a growing appreciation for people. Their cultures, their beliefs, and their dreams.

I enjoy weather, physics, biology and psychology. I want to know what make things work. The more I learn the more fascinating the universe is.

Great topic Gabi. There is so much going on that I'm glad you are becoming a member of my extended family.

Gabriela Abalo said...

Thank you for participating Tag, I deeply appreciate that you consider me a part of your extended family.
Glad to know you are also a passionate seeker of the mysteries the universe is still holding from us.

loveNlight
Gabi

S. Susan Deborah said...

I absolutely loved reading your 10. They are so soulful and present a picture of you.

Thanks for sharing.

Joy always,
Susan

Gabriela Abalo said...

Thank you Susan for stopping by.

Are you writing down your 10? ;-)

loveNlight
Gabi

Kass said...

Thank you, Gabi, for responding to my Tag. I don't think I realized you were a Yoga teacher. It's fun to learn more about you. I'm deeply honored that you appreciate and follow some of my bloggies. My life is richer because of these people. Isn't the sharing aspect of this blogging world amazing?

Gabriela Abalo said...

Kass,
I teach yoga during my free time, but I'm planning to do it on a full time bases.... soon very soon!!
Thank you for introducing me to your bloggies, I enjoy reading them and you.

loveNlight
Gabi

Maria said...

In no particular order:
1. Surfing
2. Practicing Yoga
3. Teaching Yoga
4. Dancing to phenomenal music
5. Listening to music
6. Long passionate kisses
7. Time spent with Luke, swimming etc
.8 Chocolate Strawberry Ice Cream Italian Kisses
9. Spending time with my family and their kids
10. Being in the presence of incredible friends who inspire me, make me laugh, cry with me and love me as I am
xxx

Gabriela Abalo said...

I love your list Maria, it describes you very well.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your 10!

loveNlight
Gabi

maria said...

Love your blog Gabs:-)

Gabriela Abalo said...

Thank you Maria for telling me. The blog has been one of the best things that happened to me in 2009 (and becoming a Yoga instructor ;) ). It's the place where I can express and share my feelings and observations without makeup, fears and/or boundaries.
I’m grateful to the people who encourage me with the Blog, they are the charming gardens who make my soul (and blog) blossom.

Thanks for the support!

loveNlight
gabi

FreshGreenKim said...

Hi Gabriela!
Your list showcases the light that surrounds you~ I like the part about a good conversation.

Sometimes I think the process of commenting back and forth on the blogs becomes a bit of a long distance conversation. All we need is a glass of wine or tea!

Cheers...
~k~

Gabriela Abalo said...

Welcome to the blog Kim!
I do agree with you, blogging is like a long distance conversation. It's wonderful to be able to share our feelings and observations with people from all around the world. Thank you for being part of my growing blogging family.

loveNlight
Gabi

Lisa said...

Once in a while I come across a blog that I have to google for words to describe it. Nice wouldn't do it, beautiful does not match it.

Yours is yoga, all embracing.

Anonymous said...

Things that make one happy differ and change from time to time. However i believe that for them to have a bit of permanency they have to be as natural as you have put them.What makes one happy may not necesarily make another happy.It is important however to be happy and to adore and cherishn the things that make you happy.

Noni said...

Gabriela!
thanks for posting the list. its inspired me to do my own and i have forwarded this to a friend for her to do her list.

keep well
Noni

Gabriela Abalo said...

@Ocean Girl
Welcome to the blog!! Thank you for your encouraging words. I love the way you described my blog: Yoga
It's perfect, Yoga does embraces all.

@Anonymous, Welcome to the blog!
I completely agree with your description of happiness. It is so true that we do not find happiness in the same things... such is the beauty of human diversity.
Happiness is a choice not an accident, our attitude towards life establishes our level of joy.

@Noni,
My dear friend, I’m so glad to know you are writing your own list!! It’s a wonderful exercise it helps to put things under perspective.
Thank you for forwarding the post to your friend.

loveNlight to all

Gabi

Anonymous said...

Dear Garb,

As others have mentioned, this is an encouragement to all of us to have something to make us happy. This script will help us to think of the things that make us happy. It has caused me to think what really make me happy.

Hameja

Gabriela Abalo said...

Writing the list down is a good way to recognize all the things that make us happy but that we usually take for granted.

Thank you Hameja for passing by.

loveNlight
Gabi

Sherry Bakhtian said...

Dear Gabi,

Love your list! What came to me as I was hanging out in your blog, was in that moment, the photographs of your flowers. I guess beauty shared makes me happy.

Thank you,
Sherry

Gabriela Abalo said...

Thank you dear Sherry,

I'm glad to know that the pictures of the flowers make you happy... then I'm very happy too!

Thank you for your constant support.

loveNlight
Gabi