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Happiness is baked in

box of baking mixture, christmas tree branches in background.

It’s the time of year when people think, reflect, take time – to do things, be with people, and to dream. The New Year is around the corner. There’s something -a magic ingredient- in the process of doing, making, and being with others… Perhaps happiness is baked in.

On that note I have a story to share.

Last week a friend finished working – as in had their actual last day on that job before moving house – and they were given little presents. One of these presents was a bake-in-a-cup, all-in-one gingerbread mix. On the top right of the box the company slogan read ‘happiness is homemade’, which I thouhgt was rather nice.

When my friend showed this to me, someone else saw it and said: ‘Hey I knew the guy who started that company. He used to have an office job and then decided what he really wanted to do was start a baking company – and it looks like he did.’ (this was recalling some 10 or 15 years ago)

I thought – huh. Did what he really wanted to do. Made it happen. yeah. His happiness wasn’t just homemade, he baked it in. made it happen. I can do that. Yeah. I can do that too.

I CAN DO THAT TOO.

Now, I’m not going to make a baking company, but I am going to take my brain and think. (sounds very simple, and not very active or energetic, but it’s possibly one of the most important and potentially life changing things to do)

I’m going to think about the what, the why, and the how. ALL of those – in little tiny bits. That’s how to make something happen. Thinking is the start. The forest grows with the water of single drops of rain.

Thinking alone doesn’t do things, but rain doesn’t happen without a cloud. The cloud gathers out of seemingly nothing, and we’ve seen the power of what weather can produce. I often say my thoughts ‘percolate’. I can feel them grow and bubble around, and with hindsight I can see ideas or projects develop over years.

Thoughts percolate to precipitateraindrops on flower seeds

raindrops

to grow forests.

My morning inspiration was brought on not by something grand (no storm in my teacup), but by a gingerbread mix for a mug.

Bake it in. Create your happiness. Be the chef.

One raindrop (or dollop!) at a time.

#YesICan (<– read the book!)

ps someone suggested I might write a ‘YesICan’ newsletter wiht weekly stories on the topic of Yes and Can, stemming from my book, and, well positive stuff. Would you read it? This website has been a repository for ‘stuff’ but not specifically organised like that, and I’d do it. I’d could even be pursuaded to record an audio version. Vote below!

Seed/Raindrop image CC BY-NC-ND by Prab Bhatia

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