Finding Happiness

I’m proud to say my blood runs thick with Italian ancestry. Besides having a plentiful supply of tasty carbs in my daily diet growing up, I was also the recipient of what some might consider ‘angry happiness’. Loud conversations were the norm, involving anywhere from three to 20 or more people. But in each of these, everyone was blissfully happy. Thick sarcasm and practical joke-playing were always accompanied by constant demonstrations of affection. 

We weren’t wealthy.  We didn’t even border on it. But what I remember was happiness.  Aside from the normal spats with my mom and my futile attempts to get my sister in trouble, I was happy.  I played sports – constantly. I played musical instruments, I loved reading, I went on camping and skiing trips and I was a junior lifeguard on the southern California beaches.

How was it then that I never knew my parents’ challenges to keep us clothed so perfectly (for every activity), fed so fully, and active so regularly?

After making it through an intestine-twisting training session recently, and then whining about having to pay some bills, I received a message in my email: “There is always something, Tanya, to be happy about. Truly happy.  And if you have the audacity to find it and the courage to make it your focus, in spite of the countless temptations to do otherwise, you will have learned well, your life will be transformed.”

What the heck was I whining about? I’m gifted with the company of healthy, positive, supportive friends, family and business colleagues. I’ve started a company in order to give that gift to women athletes. And I live in one of the best places on earth. Sheesh.

Tanya with little sister, nephew, and brother-in-law.

I think my family appreciated and celebrated the things that I now take for granted. So I thought about those lately. And it was a short list.

1. Huge pasta dinners at home with family and friends (and a few practical jokes thrown in)
2. Celebrate your health. Going out for a hard training session, practice, or game this weekend? Lucky you. Smile about it. You can train, play and practice. And aside from being able to play, you get all those residual goodies with it; new friends, new opportunities, more strength.
3. Share your food and good health. Don’t hoard all this happiness to yourself. Pay it Forward with others who want a piece of your energy, your positivity and, if you’ve got it, good humor.

Some have gone to extremes in that search. Leann P, whose story was featured here a few weeks ago. She recently found her happiness after she thought it was out on vacation.

Courage? Audacity? She had both when she jumped on her mountain bike, loaded up with gear, and cycled across the USA to remind herself what happiness is.

Leann, enjoying a burger and fries at the Pacific Ocean - 15 minutes after hitting the beach from Florida. (Trusty steed in background)

I recommend starting slow.  Have a few peeps over for a big pasta dinner.