G and I have been tossing around the best way to present the idea of happiness jars for 2014 as well as for this blog. We both wrote about our experiences and we ended up with a nice mix of Sunshine AND Sarcasm. Could it be more perfect? Today, you can make your choice, if you’d like your bolt of happiness with a sarcastic, humorous twist, keep reading. If you’d like your happiness with a little more sunshine skip on over to G’s Post.

I mean no disrespect for G’s Happiness Jars.  In fact, I LOVE the idea.  I am a self-professed gratitude junkie and this is right up my gratitude alley!  I also happen to have a sassy, snarky family that keeps me real.  I, like G, feel like keeping these moments of gratitude and happiness are important to maintain an attitude of gratitude in what can be an otherwise hard, cynical culture.

However, in the real moments of our day, introducing the idea of a happiness jar goes something like this:

Me: Hey guys, I know you will probably think this is another pie in the sky idea, but I think it’s really important to keep gratitude a priority in our lives.

Husband:  Trying not to laugh, but all out laughing…

Girls:  Rolling their eyes simultaneously like two synchronized swimmers!

Me:  (Ignoring all of their negativity.) Seriously, I think we should all have a happiness jar this year.  It’s very simple.  We just have to write down on a piece of paper when something special, joyful or happy occurs, along with the date and put it in the jar.

Husband & Girls:  Laughing…

Me:  I’m serious, it’s not that difficult and then on New Year’s Eve we can look through the jars and think about all of the happy moments we had.

Husband:  I think I need a jar about something a little less than joy, laughing more… Maybe something along the lines of a “Least Negative Jar.”

Girls:  still laughing and encouraging the antics of their father.

Me:  Okay, fine.  I am making myself a “Happiness Jar” and I am making you a, “Least Negative Thing That Happened to Me Today Jar.”

Middle Daughter: Can we have a money jar for every time someone is negative? And then the least negative person gets to collect the money at the end of the week… you know they say the middle child is always the most positive so maybe we can just call it my allowanceJ

Husband & Girls:  Rolling onto the floor laughing…

Me:  Laughing because I know really, really deep down they love the idea. J

So, how did it end?  I made my oldest daughter a “Happiness Jar” for her to take to back to college.  She thanked me and sent me this.

And?

I made a “Family Happiness Jar” and a “Least Negative Thing that Happened to Me Jar.”  Regardless of what we call it, it’s all about gratitude.

I’ll keep you posted on our progress.

Peace & Gratitude,

Lowi