My Pursuit of Peace and Happiness.

With the large changes my family and I have gone through this last year, I often wonder what truly makes us happy.

1.  Money:

An article by Time magazine says, "People say money doesn't buy happiness. Except, according to a new study from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School, it sort of does — up to about $75,000 a year. The lower a person's annual income falls below that benchmark, the unhappier he or she feels. But no matter how much more than $75,000 people make, they don't report any greater degree of happiness."

2.  Family: 

My family right now is pretty amazing.  I don't have kiddos, but my pups bring joy to my life daily.  Friends who have started families say there is no greater happiness than the birth of their children.  I'm jealous of the unconditional love they have for their children.  I hope I can feel that someday. I said Someday!

Who wouldn't want kids if this is what they looked like and how they acted?

3.  Sex:

I just read an article published on The Nest that says sex can make you feel happier.  The authors go into pretty explicit detail, so I'll let you read the article yourself to find out why sex can make you happier, feel richer and sleep better.  I sent this article to my husband because I knew he would love reason number 7!  Girls, I know your are curious! :)

What were we talking about?... oh yeah, true happiness.

4.  Knowledge or experience:

A long time ago, I must have known having as many experiences and gaining knowlege was what is going to make me truly happy.  In high school, I was in love with a very nice guy.  We dated 4 years.  I broke things off my sophomore year of college for really no good reason.  Looking back, I knew that if I didn't, I would be living in my home town for the rest of my life.  I knew I wanted to experience something else.  I've since received 2 Bachelor's degrees, 1 Master's, a moderate understaning and knowledge of Spanish, and a whole lotta life experience.  But I was scared to leave everything I knew.  I'm scared now to go to Mexico again without my friends and family.  I know that if I completely surrender and give this opportunity a fair chance, it could lead to some pretty amazing things.

 When I'm looking for peace and happiness, I read.  It is my escape from reality for awhile.  Recently, I came across a few quotes.   They are random, but I didn't say I was reading anything educational. 

"In the end, I've come to believe in something I call "The Physics of the Quest." A force in nature governed by laws as real as the laws of gravity. The rule of Quest Physics goes something like this: If you're brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting, which can be anything from your house to bitter, old resentments, and set out on a truth-seeking journey, either externally or internally, and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher and if you are prepared, most of all, to face and forgive some very difficult realities about yourself, then the truth will not be withheld from you." - Eat Pray Love


"Let go of all you fear to lose"- author unknown.  Do you think this would make a great tattoo?

"We better start saving up for the things money can't buy"- Bruce Springsteen

What makes you happy and brings joy to your lives?  Readers with kiddos or pets, I want to see pictures.  Here are my babes.