At the beginning of this week I did a Vlog, I called it a Video Newsletter asking you my dear readers, what makes you happy. Do you ever ask yourself this question? Is it something you worry about, being happy? Personally, I do think about it from time to time. Sometimes in passing, because I might be doing something I enjoy and experience the happy feeling you get when you feel a sense of satisfaction and contentment. And also when I wonder if my children are happy, especially if they seem to not be having a good time, well, anywhere. You know how kids can be. They never seem to be satisfied. If you have a teen girl, I think you know what I'm talking about.
So back to the word "Happy" how do you define it? If you think about it, there are so many definition to that word, mostly because, much like beauty, happiness is in the hands of the beholder..how you feel, how content or satisfied you are.
There is also quite a few analogies with the word happy at the heart of the meaning. I took a look at dictionary.com and found the following expressions that people use quite often:
"Happy as a clam": what exactly is one referring to when we say this? It would mean that someone is so filled with happiness, they are in happy-mode non-stop. The writer of the article mentioned that perhaps it's because the clam being half-open is like having a smile on, 24/7! Thus the phrase happy as a clam.
"Happy hour": This is a favorite phrase of quite a few people. I know this because it's a favorite of mine too!lol! It comes in handy when you are out and about and know that anything you want to eat or drink is at half price! But this phrase actually started out with an interesting meaning that still lives on, and has been around since the 1600s! (I'm linking the article at the end so you can read more)
"Slaphappy": This is an interesting phrase, it means exactly what it says, you are outright crazily happy, emphasis on the word "crazily" as in too much of a good thing maybe?! Not because you get punched or slapped though!lol!
"Trigger happy": This word reminds me of those Westerns my dad and I used to love watching. Those trigger happy people are not just holding a weapon though, it could be for anything. It just means that one is pretty much crazily impatient and cannot wait for whatever it is they want.
"Happy-go-lucky": For me, this word means someone who has no worry or care in the world. They don't worry about anything, quite unconcerned. The phrase started out differently though, and dates back to around the 1800's, wow!
"Happy medium": I use this expression quite often...in trying to find a balance in my life. A happy-medium refers to exactly that, finding a balance between something; life, a disagreement, as in "agreeing to disagree", to save an argument between friends.
"Happy camper": This is another word that is used to describe someone who is always happy and satisfied. The article does mention that it's often used in the opposite way, when people are not happy! You know, that's exactly true! Why do we do that? Use a positive word or phrase in a negative way?
I am sure happy that I read that article. It got me to reflect and realize that we do take some words and phrases for granted, and we definitely use a few of these happy phrases the wrong way. How about you, have you decided what makes you happy? Or even which phrase is your favorite? Have you ever used any of these phrases in a negative way? Do share!
To read the full article, watch the slideshow by visiting the link here.
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