I think choosing a life that is interesting to us and choosing a life that makes us feel happy are probably very different choices.
A couple of blog posts back I wrote about how a lot of people are talking about how to be happier, and I wondered if it might be better to be content.
In the post linked above Penelope Trunk talks about how she would rather be "interested" and have a lot of choices in her life than to be vacuously happy.
Interest. I think her blog is fascinating because so much of what she writes I disagree with. And I always enjoy disagreeing with things. LOL!!!
At this point in my life (and remember I have a chronic illness, 2 rambunctious kids, and a full time stress filled job) I kind of dream of simplicity. Not that I don't love choices, and I really love gathering facts and being an "interested" (if not interesting) person like Ms. Trunk talks about. I do. Simplicity for me is an out of reach goal. My brain is not wired for simplicity. Simplicity takes a kind of discipline that a pack rack like me lacks. But a girl can dream...
Back to the happiness thing. For me my level of happiness is directly related to two things. 1. How clean my house is. and 2. How well I can ignore my perfectionism.
When I am upset about things not being perfect, worrying, and generally obsessing about stuff, then I am not so happy. When I can let it go and enjoy the way things are, imperfect as they are, then I am happy. Actually, now that I think about it, that is pretty simple.
Maybe I can achieve this simplicity thing after all. Especially with the help of my fantastic housekeeper Antonia.
