Bring On The Happy

If you think July is hot, just wait until October…

This fall, Sourcebooks cranks up the heat. On October 1st, Sourcebooks will release its first erotic romance title and I’m so happy I could play air guitar! In public. I know, I know, you can’t take me anywhere.

The first in a series of five, my debut novel, Backstage Pass, features the lead guitarist of the rock band, Sinners. Romantic, sensual, and talented in many, many ways (sigh…. I envy his lucky heroine, Myrna), Brian Sinclair is hot enough to cause soaring temperatures all by himself, but he’s currently on tour with his four yummilicious band mates who add a sweltering mix of personalities and, erm, talents. *cough

Publication is obviously a huge milestone in any author's pursuit of happiness, but I find if I base my happiness on the big things, the huge accomplishments, I’m not happy very often. A new love, a graduation, a birth, a job promotion, selling a five book series (still squeeee-ing over that one!), winning the lottery (still waiting on that one)—these things don’t happen every day or even every year. So if a person focuses on only big events in their pursuit, the happy is going to be spread pretty thin.

I’m not sure how many times I’ve heard the key to happiness and contentment is: “don’t sweat the small stuff”. It’s sound advice, but dang it, if you tell me NOT to do something, it makes me want to do it even more. Yoohoo, look at me. I'm over here sweatin' the small stuff. Whatcha gonna do about it?

One philosophy states people are more likely to obey rules worded in a positive way, rather than a negative one. Yes, I actually paid attention in that educational psychology class in college.

An example of a negative rule: Don’t throw bricks at your sister.

Granted, it’s a good rule, but because it’s saying not to do something, it’s considered a “negative” rule.

Instead, try: Do not throw bricks at your sister or I’ll ground you until college, you little...

Wait, wait. That’s not what I meant. It’s still negative. sigh... But does state consequences.

Okay, I’ve got it. Here is an example of a positive rule: Throw bricks at your sister.

Dang it, that’s not right either. It’s positive, but not a good rule.

One more try. A positive rule: Only throw things at your sister that you want thrown back at you. (Here’s where you hope the kid doesn’t like to have bricks and knives thrown at him/her.)

Right about now you’re probably wondering what positive rules have to do with pursuing happiness. Here’s a suggestion. Instead of living life by a negative rule: “don’t sweat the small stuff”, why not try a positive one: “celebrate the small stuff”. Celebrate those little everyday things that brighten your day. Things like these:

A baby’s laugh. Or in this case, four of them. I cannot watch this little video without laughing. It’s a bad-day cure-all for me.



A dog’s tail wagging in greeting.

A favorite song on the radio.

That first sip of hot tea (or coffee) in the morning.

Hitting every green light on your way through town. That’s serious elation right there.

The fact that this guy exists somewhere. Have mercy.
Yes, he is the inspiration for my fifth hero, rhythm guitarist, Trey Mills, thanksforasking.

Chocolate. Enough said.

Blooming lilies. The way rain droplets cling to their silky petals and their mingling, sweet scents drift to the porch swing. I can sit there for hours, plotting my next novel, and listening to the windchimes. Well, until the mosquitoes descend.

Finding out the second cover in the Sinners on Tour series (to be released April 2011) is even hotter than the first.


Okay, I admit, that’s one of those big stuffs to celebrate and I can spread out the happy over a large chunk of time.

Some days you won’t have any big stuffs to celebrate, but if you try, I bet you can find dozens of small stuffs to bring on the happy.

What “small stuff” do you have to celebrate today? Which “big stuff” events brought you the most happiness?