Five Steps to Happiness

I fight the urge to hyperventilate as we get close to the trailhead. I wish the cause was adrenaline and excitement, but that’s not the problem. Self-recrimination runs wild. How could I do this to myself again? What was I thinking when I said another yes to this kind of trip? Did I forget that I’m not in my twenties anymore? I take deep breaths and force a tremulous smile as we disembark from the van and I’m quickly thrust into the role of experienced, calm hiker with our group.

I zip my comfortable flip-flops into my pack with my other thirty pounds of essential supplies, slather myself with 100 percent Deet, and lace up my hikers. There’s no turning back now. The only question is how much happiness I’ll be able to wrestle out of the climb.

The first section is always the hardest, I tell myself. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other, taking one more step and then one more. The hot sandy trail leads through streams and slowly slants uphill, becoming rocky.

As I take what must be the 18,209^th step, I draw in another deep breath, look up, and pause to fully soak in the beauty around me. The snowy peaks of the Wind River Mountains rise above the trees on either side of me. My heart swells as I hear birds chirping, and I feel the soft breeze on my skin. All this must have been here as I was trudging along, but I hadn’t noticed until I looked up. Only 18,209 steps could bring me to this beautiful place near the Continental Divide, where purple flowers push themselves out of rocky cracks. Only a change in my gaze could allow me to see the flowers and the mountains instead of just the ground at my feet. Only a change of my gaze could bring happiness.

Every single day of my life is like that. Moments happen. Circumstances swirl out of my control. My feet get wet, I have miles left to go, and the load is heavy. But often, at those very same moments, birds are singing, a warm breeze is softly touching my skin, and a view I forgot to notice is before me.

The simplest path to happiness most often requires only a shift of my eyes. When I apply the lessons of the Wyoming wilderness, I’m surprised by how much happiness lives in each of my routine, everyday moments.

I’ve discovered five simple ways to boost my happiness on most any day.

1. Take five full, deep breaths. Yoga has taught me the power of deep breathing. It’s also made me realize how often shallow breathing compromises my thoughts and feelings. We hold our breath without realizing it too often. We were made for oxygen—the more the better. As you feel the oxygen reach your fingers and toes, you’ll be able to think and choose in new ways.
2. Take a walk outside, whatever the weather, without headphones. You will find beauty and peace out there. Look up and notice the sky. Feel the wind. Hear the noises of nature. Slathering the balm of God’s creation on your soul always boosts your mood.
3. List three ways today is reflecting your dreams. Our dreams often hide out in the corners of our ordinary days. They tend to not sparkle as much up close as they did when they were far away, so they’re easy to miss. Even so, each day is likely to have a piece of one of your heart’s desires coming true in it. Look with eyes to see.
4. Take one small step toward a goal. Momentum spurs more momentum and further progress. Both feel good. Taking one step toward a new goal, no matter how small, will infuse today with more happiness and tomorrow with more hope.
5. Look into the eyes of someone you love. The aches we carry feel instantly lighter when our eyes connect with those we love. It’s like deep breathing for the soul. We gain strength and brightness with a simple, momentary action. Connection matters. We don’t mean to forget that, but we do.

The little moments strung together in a row create how a day or a life feels more than the big events do. And because little moments are more likely in our control, we can change them by doing something as simple as taking a deep breath. Each moment carries happiness waiting to be found by eyes that look, expecting to find. Each day is pregnant with satisfaction, hoping to be brought to life by awareness and acceptance.

The mountaintops are surrounding you today, and they are beautifully capped with snow and infused with purple flowers. Have you looked up?

Lori Florida lives a life that is all about her people. She’s convinced that being Mrs. to one and Mommy to eight will be her most significant way to serve Jesus. She wants to use her life to cheer on and coach the women around her. She is on staff with Project Hopeful working to give a hand up to moms in poverty in Ethiopia. You can find her at loriflorida.com.

Photograph © Kristina Wagner, used with permission