This month: A little coaching from the Bluebird of Happiness

I was sitting with my mother, having tea, and we watched the winter birds stop on her back deck for a snack. The deck is about ten feet long and is a true bird buffet, with feeders, a table scattered with seeds, suet snacks hanging, and the Christmas tree—put up on the deck -because my parents imagined the birds would enjoy it much more outside, and they would enjoy watching the flying and changing decorations through the window.

“Look, Mom, there is a bluebird,” I said.

And in the way of mothers everywhere, she replied, “It can’t be—it’s too early for bluebirds.”

But there it was: a bright blue jacket worn over an orange shirt. Then another, and a female. We watched them cavort, call, and flit among the more soberly dressed tufted titmice, goldfinches, and chickadees.

Spring is on the way.

Bluebirds are associated with happiness in the Western world, where they are native. Their color is eye-catching. They migrate, so when they return to their breeding grounds, you know the worst of winter is over—and that makes lots of people happy. They are also delightful to watch as they nest and rear their young.

Being associated with happiness is a pretty brave stance to take.

Happy people have often been considered uninformed or unsophisticated, or willfully ignorant of the circumstances around them. Happiness can be confused with complacence by the less content and more sophisticated among us.

I have made a study of happiness for the last five years. I have read books and research papers, listened to podcasts, and even created my own workshop on happiness, along with daily practices to increase my feelings of well-being.

I do not feel complacent or uninformed. However, I do consider myself cheerfully unsophisticated. I tried being sophisticated—it made me tired and wasn’t for me.

One of my favorite quotes on happiness is:

“Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times.”

It is attributed to Aeschylus, the Greek playwright who, ironically, is considered the “Father of Tragedy.”

We have heard a lot about how we create our own happiness. Folks from Aristotle to the Dalai Lama have said something along those lines. What is harder to hear is this:

No one is happy all the time.

Some circumstances must simply be gotten through.

Even the bluebird of happiness finds a place to shelter in a storm, or a safe place to rest at night. And when things are less threatening, the bluebird of happiness comes out—to sing, to flutter about, and to take care of the business of living.

Happiness can exist even in difficult circumstances—not instead of them, but alongside them.

This month, as we contemplate Bluebird Spirit Happiness, the invitation is simple:

When hope blooms, step into it fully.

Look for the little and large things in your world that make your heart lift—and savor them.

✨ Your Courage Practice for This Month

If we take Bluebird Spirit as our happiness coach, here are a few action steps to try:

1. Notice one bright thing each day Like spotting the first bluebird, train your attention on one small sign of goodness or beauty daily.

2. Create conditions for joy Eat well. Get outside when the sun appears. Open the window. Happiness grows better in a welcoming environment.

3. Wear something that lifts your mood The bluebird’s bold blue-and-orange pairing is no accident. Choose colors or clothes that make you feel alive.

4. Allow happiness alongside difficulty If life feels heavy right now, don’t wait for everything to be perfect. Look for moments of light that can exist right next to the hard things.

5. Be visibly, courageously happy Let people know you as someone who notices joy. Your permission to be happy often gives others permission too.

I have come to believe it takes real courage to be happy—to be known by your friends, your peers, and yourself as a happy person.

This month, gather in all the happiness your heart can hold—and be bold about it.

You will find yourself happier.

And you may allow someone else to be happier too.