#happinessworkshop

It sounds so self-helpy. So new-agey. So much so that I pictured my Dad of Suburban Philadelphia laughing about me even attending a “Happiness Workshop,” hosted by @YogadudeNYC.

One of the most transformative lessons I’ve learned living in New York City, in the midst of the most overtly expressive culture I’ve ever encountered, is to do just that – follow your interests, passions and goals and do so a big way.

Internalizing this lesson only more recently, the least I could do is attend a “Happiness Workshop” when the advertisement sparked a pang of interest in actually attending my first yoga workshop.

I have some personal goals right now that really require confidence. I’ve always been a visibly happy person – quick to smile and share a laugh, but that giggling, giddiness can act as a mask of my insecurities.

So, I set one intention for my 2-hour “Happiness Workshop.”

To find confidence in Happiness!!

When I signed up for the workshop I was only thinking of myself – to learn skills to cultivate happiness within me.

No sooner did I enter the workshop did I realize how wrong I was about the basic essence of happiness, as the focus was taken immediately away from me, and rather to what was going on around me, to others in the room.

We tend to think of happiness as a personal thing. Something we possess, or we don’t…something we work on cultivating for ourselves, not necessarily for others.

We go to therapy, yoga, the gym – to improve our own happiness. Oftentimes we don’t even pay attention to those around us, so focused on our current dip in mood, rather than making eye-contact with a stranger or sharing a comment on the recent spike in warm weather.

Somewhere amongst the Sandstorm dance party, staring into other yogis eyes, a giggly “Happiness Yoga” circle and the laughter waterfall – I found true happiness, or at least the recipe of true happiness.

It’s not about me. It’s about how I fit into the bigger picture – how I show kindness to others, how I make another individuals’ day a little brighter.

I took this lesson into the holiday weekend that I spent in my hometown in Pennsylvania. On Monday, I pulled into my grandmother’s neighborhood and saw a lady in the shade of an evergreen patch with her dog laying on its side panting. One of the first hot days of the season, I figured the dog was dehydrated or over-exerted herself. In my head, this VERY LOUD, hard-to-ignore voice said, “YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!” I finished driving to my grandmother’s house, ran inside and filled a plastic jug with water and came back to help the lady and her dog.

I found out the dog’s name is Gabby, and she perked right up after downing the entire jug of water. The neighbor, Deirdre and I had a nice conversation and I went home.

About an hour later, there was a knock on my grandmother’s door and it was Deirdre with a bouquet of beautiful spring flowers. I certainly didn’t expect anything when I decided to help, I just couldn’t let the dog suffer, and it appeared there wasn’t help on the way. But, the gesture of flowers put a huge smile on my face, and Deirdre came in to meet my grandmother and offered to help her anytime she needs anything because they are neighbors and my grandmother lives alone.

I carried the bouquet on the bus back to New York City and placed it on my dresser. When the flowers reach their peak, I plan to hang it upside-down to dry out so I can keep them around longer as a reminder. I’m going to call them my “Happiness Flowers,” reminding me of the beauty of random acts of kindness and how it can contribute to a boost in happiness for a community.