How to Find Happiness A-Z: Z

Zeee END! 

After this month of awesome I'm going to Zzzz land. What will you be doing?

Essentially, I'll be catching up on sleep, eating at a table instead of computer, and adding to my WIP (work in progress). Between beta reading, editing, and pre-publishing excitement, I'll be here once to twice a week--and I hope to find you here.

So what does that have to do with happiness?

All good things must come to an end. The rest, or Zzzz's, that result from a job well done are a part of the process. We have to take the time to sit back, rest, and appreciate what we've accomplished. This last month I've made so many new blogging friends, rubbed shoulders with old ones, and experienced so many laughs, smiles and memories. Thank you everyone who participated, and all my wonderful new friends and followers. YOU ARE AWESOMESAUCE!!!

If you missed any of the awesome, here's your shortlist to get up to speed.

How to Find Happiness through:

A: Attitude

B: Belief

C: Communication

D: Determination

E: Education

F: Friends

G: Gratitude

H: Humor

I: Integrity

J: Jumping

K: Kindness

L: Listening

M: Music

N: Novels

O: Organization

P: Perspective

Q: Quality Time

R: Respect

S: Smile

T: Trust

U: Unique

V: Values

W: Work

X: X Marks the Spot

Y: You

Z: Zzz and Enjoy

I'll see you back here May 6th to close out the Gratitude challenge. What? You missed that one? Check it out with letter G. 

Here's a huge wedge of cheese to all you A-Zers who made it to the end. You are awesomesauce! Will you continue posting every day? Why/why not?

How to Find Happiness A-Z: A

You might wonder why I chose to focus all of April on Happiness. It seems no matter how desperately you grasp after it, it can slip through your fingers like grains of salt.

Granted, I'm not happy 100% of the time because there have to be downs if you're going to appreciate the ups, but there are a few key things that can help anyone find the silver lining, even through the rough patches, and that's what I hope to share through this A-Z adventure.

So "A" is for Attitude.

We've all had the experience of being bullied, right? Well for me that period of life was 4-6th grade. My maiden name is Hicken, and my first initial "C". Can you imagine how much of a hay-day kids had with that? People constantly taunted me with the insult--even some of the nice kids. There were even pledges to the rubber chicken in honor of humiliating me! Looking back on it, I know they were just being kids and following the pack, but at the time it was the only reality. I was a freak. --And I hadn't done anything to deserve it.

But then a strange thing happened: I moved on to middle school. I knew I couldn't leave my name behind, that people would connect the dots no matter what, so I changed my attitude. "Chicken" became a cool thing. Oh yes, people snickered when they first heard it, but when I introduced myself that way with a grin and outgoing warmth, what could they do? By High School, "Chicken!" was a greeting that echoed down the halls after me. It had come to represent the opposite of its demeaning roots. It was my title. It was my prize.

True happiness comes from taking the bad and seeing the good in it. If "chicken" can become a badge of honor, what can you do with your dark moments?

AND a quick thank you to Arlee Bird for pulling this awesome challenge together!

April A-Z Theme Reveal

Yes, I'm always ranting about cheese. Laugh if you will, call me crazy, scratch your head and shrug, but ah, did you know there's a psychology behind the cheese?

*gasp*

See, cheese is a symbol. What's the last thing that photographer says before snapping a shot? *cupping ear* That's right. "Cheese." So what is he asking you to do? 

Now, to deepen the meaning. Cheese was my special needs brother's favorite food in the world, and you'd never have met a happier person. You get it now? If I'm offering you cheese, I'm offering you a ray of sunshine and a wish for your happiness. (Plus one of the best darn foods on the planet!) 

So, to introduce my A-Z Blogging Challenge theme....

*drum roll*

How to Find Happiness: from A-Z

Yup. It's all about the cheese.

Awesome, right? I hope you'll join me throughout April and add your amazing insights about the power of happiness and how to find it. 

Where do you find happiness?