How do we find happiness? The proper frame of mind is often touted as the key. This can leave people feeling like a moral failure. The bills cannot get paid, the heat is turned off, or a loved one has just passed on. The idea of happiness can seem ludicrous to those in hard places on their journey. How do you find joy despite life’s challenges and struggles? Here are some thoughts for those of us who are trying to find peace amidst the storms.

What brings you pleasure and escape? Some run. Some drink. Some sleep. Some read. The list goes on. Our choices might bring temporary respite, but in many cases the pleasure and escape is short lived. Our choices might also be the lynchpin that holds us together. My lynchpin is my creative process. Its benefits are long lasting, and it gives me both pleasure and escape. Just a couple of hours painting gives me the energy to face whatever is next. When my mother died, I painted my way through the sad moments and eventually my process brought me to a place of joy. I am regularly mindful of how my artistic process gives me clarity, peace, and a positive frame of mind.

In my paintings there is often a little bird and the bird often represents me. In this painting, below, you see how my process shapes my attitude. Just look and ask yourself, “Do I need a little of that kind of happiness?” If “yes” is your answer, I suggest finding a creative outlet. What can you create that will bring you some pleasure and escape? What process will lead you to joy? If you find answers to these questions, share your discoveries here or elsewhere. Inspire others to find their lynchpin: their creative key to a little more happiness.