a wholesome life vs a happy life

I recently read the below and I think it is a really refreshing way to look at things. Some food for thought for the week ahead...

I actually attack the concept of happiness. The idea that—I don't mind people being happy—but the idea that everything we do is part of the pursuit of happiness seems to me a really dangerous idea and has led to a contemporary disease in Western society, which is fear of sadness.

It's a really odd thing that we're now seeing people saying "write down three things that made you happy today before you go to sleep" and "cheer up" and "happiness is our birthright" and so on. We're kind of teaching our kids that happiness is the default position. It's rubbish. Wholeness is what we ought to be striving for and part of that is sadness, disappointment, frustration, failure; all of those things which make us who we are. Happiness and victory and fulfillment are nice little things that also happen to us, but they don't teach us much.

Everyone says we grow through pain and then as soon as they experience pain they say, "Quick! Move on! Cheer up!" I'd like just for a year to have a moratorium on the word "happiness" and to replace it with the word "wholeness." Ask yourself, "Is this contributing to my wholeness?" and if you're having a bad day, it is.

—Hugh MacKay, author of The Good Life

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Carla Zampatti turns 50

This year marks 50 years of the iconic Carla Zampatti fashion label. After being denied a pay rise from her £13 a week job designing blouses for a wholesale fashion house in 1964, she launched her own label a year later and the rest is fashion history. The fashion house celebrated yesterday with the 2015 Spring/Summer showcase in Sydney at the Opera House. A beautiful, elegant and gorgeous collection. Well played Ms Zampatti.

Music memories

I have the office to myself this afternoon so I can ditch the headphones and am turning up the music. I used to be really up to date with music, read music blogs and keep up with new songs, artists, go to gigs.. but this has sort of faded out in the last few years. These days I seem to rely a lot on Spotify and their playlists and recommendations which is great for busy people! But this afternoon I am feeling a bit nostalgic so reminiscing and playing some songs played at our wedding back in 2010 which is bringing back some beautiful memories. Walking down the aisle: First dance:

step back....

[...] Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt. Chase after money and security and your heart will never unclench. Care about people’s approval and you will be their prisoner. Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity. - Lao Tsu Some great words of advice c/o Sarah Wilson's blog (another fantastic blog to read!). As Sarah so wisely says, " The trick, of course, is to know when your bowl is comfortably full, to know when you’ve done enough work. I think you only know that once you step back quietly. In actuality, work is never “done”. There is more we could always do. But we need to realise backing off, releasing control, letting things be for a bit is as essential to creating as doing is." Sometimes we just need to stop and step back for a bit...

{bubble tea love}

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