Category: happiness

The Picture of Happiness – My Grandmother’s Purse

It is The Picture of Happiness Month!

Today’s guest is Kelly Behling, she says:

This purse was my grandmother’s, and every time I use it I think about all of the good memories I have of her.  I was told once by a woman at an antique store that it was too old and too valuable to actually use, but the joy it brings me on a special night out far outweighs the monetary value.

Memories of Grandma + Her Special Purse = Happiness for Kelly Behling

Memories of Grandma + Her Special Purse = Happiness for Kelly Behling

My name is Kelly Behling, and I am Dr. Stephanie's younger sister. My husband and I live in Westminster, CO and I am on my way to becoming an environmental engineer. In my free time I love to hike, craft, read, and explore local breweries.

This is Kelly Behling climbing the Rocky Mountains.  She is currently in graduate school at the University of Colorado studying to become an environmental engineer.  In her free time she loves to hike, craft, read and explore local breweries.

The Picture of Happiness – Knitting

It’s  The Picture of Happiness Month!

Today’s guest is Caroline Moore, she says:

Knitting makes me happy.  I love going to the yarn store and picking out something beautiful from all the gorgeous varieties of wool, synthetics, cotton, alpaca, and bamboo.  I enjoy the feel of it in my fingers and the warmth it creates.  From picking out a pattern to casting on the first stitches to giving a loved one (or myself) a finished product, I love the whole process.  I enjoy solitary knitting or with dear friends in my “craft group” which I have been doing for the last 20 plus years.  Knitting keeps my hands busy and my head clear.

Knitting makes me happy. I love going to the yarn store and picking out something beautiful from all the gorgeous varieties of wool, synthetics, cotton, alpaca, and bamboo. I enjoy the feel of it in my fingers and the warmth it creates. From picking out a pattern to casting on the first stitches to giving a loved one (or myself) a finished product, I love the whole process. I enjoy solitary knitting or with dear friends in my "craft group" which I have been doing for the last 20 plus years. Knitting keeps my hands busy and my head clear. I am a wife, mother, and grandmother. I am a retired occupational therapist who is loving this new stage in my life with the gift of time and health to pursue new interests and old. Travel, volunteering, exercise, grandchildren and family, reading and crafts fill my days.


Caroline is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She is a retired occupational therapist who is loving this new stage in her life with the gift of time and health to pursue interests, new and old. Travel, volunteering, exercise, grandchildren and family, reading and crafts fill her days.

I am a wife, mother, and grandmother.  I am a retired occupational therapist who is loving this new stage in my life with the gift of time and health to pursue new interests and old.  Travel, volunteering, exercise, grandchildren and family, reading and crafts fill my days.

The Picture of Happiness – Home

It’s The Picture of Happiness Month!

Today’s guest is Julie Jungman, she says:

The view from my back deck represents happiness, stability, and peace for me.
 
As I was growing up, my family moved every two years or so.  From ages 0-15, I lived in six states, eight cities, and eleven houses.  I attended four different elementary schools, and started a new school in a new city for 6th grade, 8th grade, and 10th grade.  So, okay, you get it–I moved a lot!
 
For me, buying a home with my husband represented the first time I was able to establish roots of my own.  We have lived at our home in Erie, Colorado since we were first married; this fall will be eleven years.
 
Though lots has changed for us since we bought our home (we’ve become parents to two kids since then!), our deck and view have remained a continued source of happiness for me.

Views + Home + Family = Happiness for Julie Jungman

Views + Home + Family = Happiness for Julie Jungman

Julie Julie is married to a great guy named Chris and is mom to Cora (5) and Colin (2). She works at a job she loves, providing integrated behavioral health at primary care offices for Boulder Community Health. Julie likes to bake, read, and watch mindless TV like Top Chef and Project Runway.

Julie is married to a great guy named Chris and is mom to Cora (5) and Colin (2). She works as a licensed clinical social worker, providing integrated behavioral health at primary care offices for Boulder Community Health. Julie likes to bake, read, and watch mindless TV like Top Chef and Project Runway.

The Picture of Happiness – Dance Jam

1 Comment

May is The Picture of Happiness month on Dr. Stephanie.

Today’s guest is Sarah Zook.  She says:

Pure happiness is sweat, laughter, loud music and choreography. I teach a class called Dance Jam three times a week at Life Time Fitness. We have dancers, stay at home moms, working women, men, wallflowers, all ages – all young at heart. Whether or not they think they’re the worst dancer or best dancer, it never matters. We just come to have fun, and burning lots of calories is the added bonus. You can be whoever you want in a Dance Jam. Dance Jam doesn’t care, Dance Jam helps you let down your hair!

Sweat + music + choreography = happiness for trainer Sarah Zook

Sweat + music + choreography = happiness for trainer Sarah Zook

Here's me at at "Wear your wedding dress bunco party" where we didn't play a lick of Bunco. Just more like wear your wedding dress because it's fabulous. I am a group fitness instructor and personal trainer at Life Time Fitness. I've been fitness teaching and training since 1997 and love seeing people get stronger, more fit, become empowered inside their bodies and be able to have a good time while doing it.

This is Sarah Zook at at “Wear Your Wedding Dress Bunco Party” where she didn’t play a lick of Bunco – but looked fabulous.  She’s a group fitness instructor and personal trainer at Life Time Fitness. She’s been teaching fitness and training since 1997 and loves seeing people get stronger, more fit, and more empowered about their bodies -  and to be able to have a good time while doing it.

The Picture of Happiness – Fresh Air and Hard Work

It’s The Picture of Happiness Month!

Today’s guest is Pam Mellskog, she says:

Working with my Dad on the farm in Galena, Ill., where I grew up makes me happy because it gives me a practical way to thank him and my Mom for all the ways they have loved and helped me over the years.

I shot this photo on April 23, 2006, during my first visit back home to the Midwest from Colorado after becoming a new parent that February with the birth of my son, Carl.

I took off my gloves and took a break from repairing a barbed wire fence in the field with Dad that afternoon to shoot this photo and others — reminders of the countless afternoons we have spent working together in the fresh air since I was a kid.

Fresh air + childhood memories + giving parents = happiness for Pam Mellskog

Fresh air + childhood memories + giving parents = happiness for Pam Mellskog

Pam Mellskog has reported for Longmont’s newspaper, the Times-Call, since 2001. In 2008, she ventured into writing in the first person. She posts her “Mommy Musings” parenting blog on the newspaper’s website at http://mellskog.pmpblogs.com/. Between the lines, readers may sense how the bedlam her three young boys bring to family life simultaneously shreds her nerves and blesses her to the core. For this reason, she likens childrearing to breadmaking. However tedious the kneading, however long the rise time, nothing satisfies her yen for wholesome living more than smelling bread baking, buttering it hot out of the oven and sharing it around.

Pam Mellskog has reported for Longmont, Colorado’s newspaper, the Times-Call, since 2001. In 2008, she ventured into writing in the first person. She posts her “Mommy Musings” parenting blog on the newspaper’s website.
Between the lines, readers may sense how the bedlam her three young boys bring to family life simultaneously shreds her nerves and blesses her to the core. For this reason, she likens childrearing to breadmaking. However tedious the kneading, however long the rise time, nothing satisfies her yen for wholesome living more than smelling bread baking, buttering it hot out of the oven and sharing it around.

The Picture of Happiness – Cookies

It’s The Picture of Happiness Month!

Today’s guest is Megan Schimmelpfennig, she says:

No food brings happiness to me like a warm chocolate chip cookie!  So when we discovered our favorite restaurant while living in Arizona, I fell in love when I first tried their pizza cookie dessert… a half-pound of a half-baked chocolate chip cookie topped with vanilla bean ice cream. YUM.  Since we have not found anything that compares here in Colorado, I’ve learned to make them at home and I may or may not make them on a weekly basis!

gooey cookie dough + ice cream = happiness

gooey cookie dough + ice cream = happiness

Megan lives in Erie with her husband and three kiddos and is excited to be coordinating her church's very first MOPS group this year. In her 'spare' time she runs her online children's boutique, Trendy Tots ~n~ Polka Dots (trendytotsnpolkadots.com) and enjoys writing on her blog, Cherishing Motherhood through Faith, Friendship & Happy Hour (faithfriendshipandhappyhour.blogspot.com).

Megan lives in Colorado with her husband and three kiddos, and is excited to be coordinating her church’s very first MOPS group this year. In her ‘spare’ time she coaches her daughter’s basketball team, runs an online children’s boutique, Trendy Tots ~n~ Polka Dots and enjoys writing on her blog, Cherishing Motherhood through Faith, Friendship & Happy Hour.

The Picture of Happiness – Photo Therapy

1 Comment

It’s The Picture of Happiness Month!

Today’s guest is Dr. Deborah Serani.  She says:

I love using photos to help give a lift to my mood. In fact, I call the experience “Antidepressant Photo Therapy.” I have hundreds collected that make me happy, but here’s the one I keep as a screensaver.  This beautiful black kitty makes me smile because he totally kicks ordinary curbside dwelling up a notch with his top hat.

Cat + Top Hat + Good Photographer = Happiness for Dr. Deb Serani

Cat + Top Hat + Good Photographer = Happiness for Dr. Deb Serani

 

Dr. Deborah Serani is an award winning author and psychologist. She spends her time writing about depression and trauma and has made finding positivity in life her motto.

Dr. Deborah Serani is an award winning author and psychologist. She spends her time writing about depression and trauma and has made finding positivity in life her motto.

The Picture of Happiness – My Apple Tree

It’s The Picture of Happiness Month here on Dr. Stephanie.

Today’s guest is Dr. Kaycie Rosen Grigel.  She says:

Our apple tree blooming in spring is a sweet reminder of my daughter’s birth and of the fruits yet to come.

 

For Dr. Kaycie Rosen Grigel, Springtime + Apple Trees = Happiness

For Dr. Kaycie Rosen Grigel, Springtime + Apple Trees = Happiness

 

Dr Kaycie Rosen Grigel owns the Golden Naturopathic Clinic, LLC in Golden, Colorado. She specializes in hormone balancing, digestive disorders, immunity, and head and neck pain. She loves gardening and cooking and can often be found having outdoor adventures with her husband, two daughters, and dog Sultana.

Dr Kaycie Rosen Grigel owns the Golden Naturopathic Clinic, LLC in Golden, Colorado. She specializes in hormone balancing, digestive disorders, immunity, and head and neck pain. She loves gardening and cooking and can often be found having outdoor adventures with her husband, two daughters, and dog Sultana.

The Picture of Happiness – My Container Garden

It’s The Picture of Happiness Month here on Dr. Stephanie.  To find about more about the event, click here.

Today’s guest is Angel Brownawell. She says:

Happiness is my container garden of vegetables and herbs. My favorite day of the year is when I trust that spring is finally here, and I can play in the dirt and make things grow.

 

Spring + Container Garden = Happiness

Spring + Container Garden = Happiness

 

Angel Brownawell is an animal-lover who lives outside of Washington, D.C. She is the Integrated Media Manager at the American Psychological Association.

Angel Brownawell is an animal-lover who lives outside of Washington, D.C. When she is not fostering dogs, gardening or watching Glee, she is the Integrated Media Manager at the American Psychological Association.

The Picture of Happiness

6 Comments

What is happiness?

Is it the absence of sadness? The presence of contentment? Freedom from mental illness?

When I was in graduate school over a decade ago, I had a professor who frequently said:

Happiness is not a hot dog

I have pondered the meaning of that statement ever since.  Does it mean that hot dogs really aren’t that delicious? That the pleasure you get from eating a hot dog isn’t real happiness? That happiness cannot be achieved in the consumption of material things?  It remains a mystery.

In the interest of unraveling that mystery, I am dedicating the month of May to learning more about happiness. I have invited colleagues, friends and family to contribute pictures of what makes them happy – even if the happiness gained is only momentary.  They couldn’t send pictures of kids, pets or lovers – that’s too easy! But had to come up with other things that made them glow with pleasure.  I can’t wait to see what they come up with!

In the meantime I will be looking for the one thing that makes me the happiest.  Here are a couple runner – ups:

I took this photo while at the top of a ladder and holding the camera over my head. Is there anything happier than robin's eggs?

I took this photo while at the top of a ladder and holding the camera over my head. Is there anything happier than robin’s eggs?

The are few things that make me happier than paddling a canoe or kayak.

The are few things that make me happier than paddling a canoe or kayak.

Weddings: The bring me happiness. So do white shoes, good photography and lace

Weddings bring me happiness. So do TOMS shoes, good photography and the color white.