We asked some of the happiest folks we know to tell us their secret.

Mandi O’Connor | Business Owner & Photographer

I feel genuine happiness when I know that I am capturing memories for people and making others happy. As wedding photographers, we often remind our couples that their wedding is perhaps one of the only times everyone they love and cherish will be together (both sides of their families, distant friends…etc.) and being able to capture photos of that time is an honor we don’t take lightly. I know that both the traditionally posed family portraits and the candids of the day are something that they will be able to look back on and feel happiness when they are reminded of that time. Read more>>

Jerylann Warner | Dance School Director

Being productive makes me happy ;creating , innovating , nurturing and artistically providing for a dance community. It makes me very happy to see where people go with the opportunities. It makes it real when over time your vision is sustained by others because it is meaningful to them , that makes me happy. Read more>>

Lindsay Von | Abstract Artist

As it pertains to art, I am most happy when I am inspired with an artistic idea and I am quickly able to pick up a brush and start painting. I can’t wait to see how the idea unfolds on the canvas and what I might discover while creating. I think my best pieces of work are often created when I am happy, focused and free! Owning my work and my thought process brings me so much joy and freedom. When a customer can see that in my work, it is even more satisfying. The process of creativity also brings me the freedom to express myself and when a client purchases my works it brings me such happiness to know that a little piece of my inspiration is in their home. Read more>>

Sandra Teepen | Artist

Waking up is a good start to being happy I can arrange my day with or without commitments and my studio time is a big part of how I spend the day. Deadlines happen when I want to get into an exhibit I love the idea of a competition and I can be very critical on my own because I am competing with me first and foremost! I am happy when I get the notes from folks that have my items as gifts or send a photo of the installation and tell my how happy they are with my art in their settings. Read more>>

Jas Ingram

One thing that makes me happy with my art is the opportunity it gives me to show generosity. I’ll include a friend in a sketchbook drawing or Inktober piece, or send art to someone unexpectedly… Once I had a booth at a popup art market and people were looking at my prints and realized I had thrown some original art in there cheap just for fun. My art gives me something I can use to bring joy. I think at my funeral it would be cool to have a box of art with a sign that says “Free – Take One”. I have piles and piles and piles of drawings, and a few of them are actually not too bad. Read more>>