:Designed Happy
  • Blog
  • Speaking
  • About
  • Blog
  • Speaking
  • About
Search

Practice Happiness

5/18/2016

6 Comments

 
Picture
I haven’t written about happiness here in a while.  This particular moment in my life is the perfect time to change that.  Happiness is a practice - you need to work at it every day, especially when life gets complicated.  Right now, my life is complicated.
 
I want to be great at my job.  I want to make my clients’ lives better.  I want them to be happier than they were before we started working together.  I want to be attentive, proactive, and thoughtful.  I want them to have a better experience than they ever could have imagined.  I want my personal brand to grow so I can better help to support my family. 


I want our new home to be amazing.  I want it to be a place that my family is proud to live in.  A place that my kids can’t wait to invite their friends to.  We are so fortunate to be able to build this house.  This is likely the only time in my life I will be able to do this.  I want to enjoy the experience. 

I want to be an amazing husband and father.  Pancake and I are about to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary.  When I think about all that we’ve accomplished in that time, I’m shocked.  She is an amazing partner, and I’m so fortunate to have found her so early in my life.  Meeting when we were freshman in college gave us the chance to grow together; for her successes to be mine, and mine hers.  We’ve built such an incredible life together in such a short time, and I am so appreciative of everything she is.  One of those things is a wonderful mother.  Stinky Face and Monkey are the greatest gifts in my life.  I love watching them learn, seeing their personalities take shape, talking to them about their days and listening to how they answer.  ​

It’s easy to forget all of this - to push it to the back of my mind.  It’s easy to focus on the toilet that got ordered wrong, the shipping delay on the cabinet, the house detail that got installed differently than what the plans showed, differing parenting styles, the silly arguments about sharing toys, or any of the other thousand things that comes up every day.  

Without dedication, it’s hard to be mindful and present, it's hard to practice gratitude, and to focus on happiness.  By focusing on the little things that pop up throughout the day, it’s impossible to focus on what is really important.  If I want to be great at my job, build a beautiful home for my family, and be an amazing husband and father, then happiness must come first.  

Bye for now,
TJ
 
If you liked this post, SUBSCRIBE to the free newsletter - it's a
​weekly dose of :Designed Happy delivered right to your inbox
SUBSCRIBE
6 Comments
Ryan Monahan
5/18/2016 04:11:22 pm

I just want to say that I loved reading this and getting an insight to your thoughts and current emotional state. You and Kat (my beautiful pancake-in-law) are truly an inspiration to Meg and I. Even though I'm your younger brother, I am so PROUD of you. You guys rock as parents and are excelling in your professional lives. I can't wait to see the house finished and hear about the process. Even more exciting than that is getting to watch your kids grow into the amazing and charming little beings that they are. I'm going to practice more the things you mentioned too.

"It all begins and ends in your mind. What you give power to, has the power over you. If you allow it."

Love you Brother

Reply
TJ
5/18/2016 06:46:14 pm

Well that's super sweet. Thanks, Ry. I love you too.

Reply
Paula P in Silver Spring
5/19/2016 11:06:51 am

TJ, you are awesome! I'm right there with your brother on all the admiration, etc. ... What you are saying reminds me of that quote attributed to Aristotle, "we are what we repeatedly do." And what he actually wrote: ""These virtues are formed in man by his doing the actions." Like your brother's quote there, too. Thinking and acting, forming habits that make the virtue of gratitude/happiness. Not focusing on the niggling difficulties. Thank you for this timely reminder! :)

Reply
TJ
5/19/2016 03:41:36 pm

Thanks, Paula!!

Reply
Claudia Gaffey
5/22/2016 01:48:15 pm

Well said. I am so glad you and your family soon will be living on our street.

Reply
TJ
5/22/2016 06:57:38 pm

Thanks, Claudia!! So are we - we can't wait!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

      Subscribe to happiness.....

    :D

    Archives

    January 2019
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014

    Categories

    All
    Addition
    Bathroom
    Design
    Gratitude Journal
    Happiness
    House Tour
    Just One Picture
    Kensington
    Kitchen
    Modern
    New House
    Nursery
    Recipes
    Remodeling
    Steal This Look
    The Veg Life
    TJ Monahan
    Video
    Welcome Home

Pages
Blog
Speaking
About

Subscribe


Resources
Houzz

TJ Monahan
​
BOWA
Contact
Facebook
Instagram

Email
Copyright 2014-2019 by Designed Happy, LLC         .
  • Blog
  • Speaking
  • About