A Note on happiness, and a playlist to boot
If you know me personally, you probably think I’m a happy person. I am, it’s true. It’s no secret, it feels like being “happy” has been a part of me since childhood. When I was young, maybe four or so, I would shout greetings to anyone my mom and I passed on the bike path. I vaguely remember doing this, and remember also that I knew, as a small child, that someone as cute as a small child saying hello would probably brighten that person’s day. In my memory, it did. They all smiled back.
At times, I am annoyingly optimistic. Gratingly good-natured. Nice to a fault. In fact, this quality of mine has even ended friendships in the past! (Which I find funny now, it was years ago and there’s no ill-will.) I’ve gotten better at listening in recent years, and calming down around new people. Mostly.
But “being happy” isn’t something that came naturally to me, especially as I grew up. Starting in high school, I started reframing my life to “make happy.” I believed then, as I believe now, that happiness includes a lot of hard work.
After guarding my mental health doggedly for years, it has settled into something dependable and light. Thank god, really. The work hasn’t stopped, but it’s my life now, my life that I love. I sing in the car, I regularly work out, I find peace when I hike… I am completely new-age woo woo, when it comes down to it. I’ll meditate my problems out. My diet choices are influenced by foods I know improve my gut health. I sort of believe in soul mates, and I sort of believe in past lives. But maybe that’s because I like the thought of meeting my friends and loved ones again (or already!).
All of this to say is that, if you’re not feeling great yourself, it isn’t your forever; it’s just your present. Change can happen, and one can even nudge change along, if they have the energy. I have created the playlist below, “Make Happy,” for when I might need a kick in the pants to get the day started. I hope a few others can find it useful too.
20 songs populate this playlist, each one as upbeat and roof-shaking as the next. They are songs of optimism, loss, and continuing on even in the face of hardship, Or, if it’s “Birthday Suit” by Hey Steve, it’s about being naked. Also important!
Link to the playlist is below; it’s also listed publicly on my Spotify profile, under “DoomLord.” (It fits me, yes?)
Anyway, please enjoy. The playlist is on Spotify, so if you have Apple Music… have you considered not doing that? Xoxo, love you.
“Make Happy” Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Rd8zGLmkKeqs98Z7gHbQR?si=2f1b5fdc3db44e9c