The Happitalist
In a heated debate with my 21-year-old son during Covid, I was praising the virtues of minimalism and criticizing the benefits of hyper-capitalism and consumerism.​
He asked me,
“Mom, what are you? A socialist? A capitalist? A minimalist?”
​
Without a second of reflection, I blurted out,
“I am a Happitalist because that is the best -ISM!”
​​
And thus, the journey that brewed up The Happitalist had begun.
I met a videographer named Kirk Douglas (Tucker), who helped bring my words to life in imagery, and the rest is history!
01
Minimalism is a result of intentional living. Don't follow the herd, instead follow your heart and your intentions to find your own brand of minimalism.
02
When some people think of cleaning, they may think of the time it will take them and how they could use that time on other things. From the Happitalist point of view, however, cleaning is an opportunity to tidy both our living space as well as our minds. Tidying is a time to create harmony and find clarity.
03
For a Happitalist, second-hand or discarded items are an opportunity to bring joy into our lives and the lives of others. There is first the joy of discovery. Then, the joy in refurbishing or repurposing. Finally, the joy in savings provides us new opportunities to save or give a gift to someone we love.
04
The Happitalist way of decluttering brings peace to both the eyes and mind. Organizing your physical space allows the mind to solve difficult problems, leaving you more time to focus on what makes you happy.
05
It can be easy to feel sorrow when we lose something we have worked hard for, or cannot obtain or achieve something we wish to own or be. But as a Happitalist, it is important to always have a grateful heart. This means having gratitude for things big and small and knowing how to dig deeper and be grateful for things we might otherwise take for granted.
06
As a Happitalist, when you encounter challenging times, you learn to bend like the cypress tree, rather than break like the eucalyptus. Nature has a way of illustrating these behaviors all around us, helping us better understand what we must do to find happiness.
07
Lasting friendships know no geographic bounds and are not limited to schools of thought, political affiliations, or religious beliefs. A Happitalist knows this and embraces a wide variety of friendships that help us learn about ourselves and one another. With this way of thinking, we never lose sight of our true friends and family. No matter our challenges or the distance between us, like a fine wine, our bond grows stronger with time.
08
During times of confinement, it is easy to long for a holiday or feel anxious about not being able to travel freely. A Happitalist, however, knows how to harness the powers of memory and imagination to inspire moments of joy, even in the worst circumstances of solitude.
09
A Happitalist knows that a true gift is one where we are able to transfer our feelings of joy and gratitude to someone we care about. When we observe and listen to the person we want to give to, we are able to give thoughtfully and make something for them they will enjoy. Gift-giving then becomes about sharing our feelings of appreciation for them and not about monetary value. When we do this, we open ourselves up to receiving in the most delightful, and sometimes surprising ways.
10
Sometimes it takes decades of life experience to develop an understanding of the wise words our elders have bestowed upon us. After years of being puzzled by the concept of a "secret garden," as it were once described to me, I now fully understand and want to share with you the power of this healing place we retreat to within.
EXTRAS:
Join us as we reflect on the first 100 days of The Happitalist with gratitude. Thank you to our many inspired and inspiring viewers, friends, and collaborators who have helped us make this channel and our content possible.
EXTRAS:
Introducing The Happitalist... A journey to the core of intentional living.
