Happiness Isn’t at the Bottom of an Ice Cream Cone

Most of us get that we don’t overeat because we’re merely hungry.

Some of us developed a bad habit of overeating as kids. Others because of stress and/or trauma. And then there’s my personal favorite (and I know I’m not alone).

But before I go into my preferred reason for overeating, you should know that I tend to live as risk-free as possible. As in, not only do I wear a seat-belt, but I once floated the idea to friends that we should all wear crash helmets when we drive.

They rolled their eyes.

My Favorite Reason for Overeating

Turns out, when you’re ultra-cautious in life you’re also ultra-bored.

Back when, I was eating out of sheer boredom. And it wasn’t like I was bored for an afternoon. Entire days and weeks were snooze-fests.

The Prince is Bored Too

Many of us look to our life’s partner to put fun into our days. And I get it – we were raised on Disney princesses –, it’s tempting to think, “My prince is so boring.” But even if my husband booked a five-star cruise to Hawaii for a week of magic, the cruise ship would soon turn back into a pumpkin and I would return home . . .  still me (ribbet).

Your boredom belongs to you. Mine to me. And that’s the best news ever.

Why?

Because if boredom belongs to us alone — we can impact it big-time.

Six Ways to Drench Your Life in Excitement

Here’s what I’ve found that puts more excitement into my days:

The road to bliss

We’re all creators. Some of us cook and bake. Others knit, crochet or embroider. I write articles. A friend writes books. Another makes jewelry. One son draws. The other creates scores on his piano.

Unlike animals, human beings love to create. We build chicken coops, paint furniture, and fashion a beautiful photo arrangement over our couch in the living room. Each time my sister-in-law and her family move (Coast Guard), she transforms each basic home into a super cool, Pottery Barn-like jewel box, but without the insane price tag.

I’m committed to the idea that we don’t give enough awe and respect to the power of creating and how it affects our happiness. (Take me, at this very moment I’m stoked to be “talking” to you.)

Do you go for the gold?

When my boys were small, I wanted to be home with them 24/7 and thought being a professional writer would be cool.  

But then I realized – no — what I really wanted was to be a professional travel writer.

So for fourteen amazing years, I had the best time traveling with my goofy family.

That said, what is your golden dream?

Write and write and write about your dreams. Give your brain time to share the many nuggets that will spill forth.

Bette Midler Was Right

The older I get the more I want to re-connect with people I grew up with. I found one via Linked In, and another through her “old” email that still works.

Then there’s new friends. Dog park, Starbucks, library: people are everywhere (and everyone is looking for connection).

Why I scare myself daily

This one might seem like exploring your golden dream, but golden dreams are big like taking college courses aiming for a new career.

I suggest scaring yourself daily on a much smaller scale for maximum fun.

I was raised by a dad with sky high anxiety. Back in the day my dad would see rain and announce, “Everybody take cover!! Stay home!! People drive like maniacs in the rain!”

So for years, rain kept me home. But today I see rain and think, “Woo-hoo! Empty stores, banks, and post offices!!” Initially I was a little fearful re: driving in so-called bad weather, but today I love seeing rain clouds overhead. 🙂

Only you know what’s scary for you. Within reason, scare yourself every day and watch life become more interesting.

Your new hobby

We all have clutter-projects that need our love and attention. Mine is the fourth bedroom (packed boxes).

Chunk your projects down into baby projects that you can visualize actually doing. Put on your favorite tunes and putter your clutter.

A few of my favorite things

For many of us, reading a really amazing book is one of life’s greatest pleasures.

If you’re a book-lover, turning great reads into a new form of evening dessert is one of the smartest moves ever (here’s three to get you started: Cutting for Stone, A Thousand Splended Suns, and Pachinko).

One way to locate incredible books: check out a Facebook page called Bitter is the New Book Club.

Want to go even deeper?

But if you want to hear the most interesting talk on true happiness, listen to the Tim Ferris podcast on happiness hacks by Naval Ravikant #136. Super good!

I’d love to hear from you! What is your favorite way to bring excitement into your life?

♥, Wendy

P.S. Are you new to the Inspired Eater? Welcome!! This blog won’t make much sense until you first read the Aunt Bea post (and you’ll find Aunt Bea on this page to the right under my short bio). On your cell you’ll see it immediately following the first post. After you enter your email address, the Aunt Bea article will be sent to your email’s inbox. If it’s not there, you might check the spam folder. And always feel free to email me at Wendy@TheInspiredEater.com and I’ll get Aunt Bea right to you!

You know the scoop: I’m an Amazon affiliate. If you buy from a link in my post, I’ll receive money, but the arrangement won’t cost you a dime.

My favorite cold-tote

The best book-desserts on the planet