Monday Moxie: Can't nothing bring me down - I'm happy
It might seem crazy what I'm about to say
Monday: The day voted most likely to make you want to stay in bed Moxie: Confidence, determination, force of character Monday Moxie: A tiny spark of “Go get ‘em!” curated by yours truly to help you get your day (even a Monday) off to a good start
This morning’s message is simple:
Being happy doesn’t make you stupid.
It feels a little ridiculous that I even feel the need to say it out loud, but — and please, please don’t let this just be me — I have often felt self conscious about expressing happiness.
Is that weird? It feels weird.
But it’s also true.
I haven’t got to the bottom of exactly why this is, but I think it has something to do with the fact that cultural stereotypes often depict happy people as, at best, really naive or, at worst, actually dumb.
The logic seems to go something like this: The world is on fire and we’re all doomed, SO if you’re happy, that must mean you’re too stupid/delusional/shallow to recognize this hellscape for what it actually is.
Sometimes the main dish of supercilious sneering comes with a side of bless-your-heart condescension that assumes happy people simply aren’t sophisticated enough to think critically. (I suppose this is why children and dogs get a pass.)
The bottom line: We’re often made to feel bad for feeling good.
What the hell?!?
I’ll have more to say about this in Thursday’s piece, but until then,
How do you perceive happy people? (Be honest!)
And have you ever worried about how you would be perceived if you let your happiness bubble over?
Oh! - and here’s a deliberately over-the-top happy song to start your week. I promise that listening to it will not drop your IQ.
See you Thursday!
Happy
(Pharrell Williams, 2013 — Track 4 on the original motion picture soundtrack for Despicable Me 2)
It might seem crazy what I'm about to say Sunshine she's here, you can take a break I'm a hot air balloon that could go to space With the air, like I don't care baby by the way Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth Because I'm happy Clap along if you know what happiness is to you Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do Here come bad news talking this and that Yeah, well, gimme all you got and don't hold back Yeah, well I should probably warn you I'll be just fine Yeah, no offense to you don't waste your time Here's why Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth Because I'm happy Clap along if you know what happiness is to you Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do bring me down Can't nothing (happy) bring me down My level's too high (happy) to bring me down Can't nothing (happy) bring me down I said (Happy, happy, happy) bring me down Can't nothing bring me down My level's too high (happy) to bring me down Can't nothing bring me down I said Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth Because I'm happy Clap along if you know what happiness is to you Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth Because I'm happy Clap along if you know what happiness is to you Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do bring me down Can't nothing (happy) bring me down My level's too high (happy) to bring me down Can't nothing (happy) bring me down I said Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth Because I'm happy Clap along if you know what happiness is to you Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth Because I'm happy Clap along if you know what happiness is to you Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do Source: Musixmatch Songwriters: Pharrell L. Williams Happy lyrics © Warner-tamerlane Publishing Corp., Emi April Music Inc., More Water From Nazareth, Waters Of Nazareth Publishing, Universal Pictures Global Music
I love happy people!! And I have never worried about being perceived negatively. I’m an optimistic person who is usually in a good mood. A coworker once asked me why I was always happy and I said “medication!” Which was partially true at the time, but I am generally a happy person. Even when I’m not, at work at least I try to do my part to foster a positive atmosphere by being positive. There’s enough negativity in the world. I believe part of my purpose is to shine my light brightly and spread love and joy. So I adore this song, and it’s part of my morning inspiration playlist to get me in the right frame of mind.
Yes, we get a bad rap for enjoying our lives while those around us are so convinced that it's helpful to be angry, afraid, resentful, and negative.
Being happy most of the time, I seem to annoy the sticks-in-the-mud who are busy watching the news, studying the depths of hell out there, and planning how they will be depressed. I get the whole "People need to pay attention to what's going on in this country," speech from the father-in-law. And I ask him "Why? Will my life improve if I watch the news?" And he admits that no, it won't, but at least I would know what's going on. He usually trails off in puzzled silence, and I go back to noticing that every leaf on the nearby tree is perfectly formed, and the sun feels warm, and I enjoy the rest of the day.
I know he thinks I'm being stupid for not grumping about how the world is worse than it ever was. As if that's even possible...