Someone I know recently has been asked to do a T.E.D. talk
about happiness, and their life as of now.
And it got me thinking... What is happiness?
I don't think I've been truly happy for a long time. But the
thing is, what is being truly happy? And what is getting in the way?
I personally think it has many definitions. And I've been
zoning in and out of those elements... Perhaps if I could find a balance
between all of them, it would be good.
Is it being carefree? Is it doing the things you love? Is it
not worrying what other people think about you and embracing who you are? I
have to believe it is.
Stress builds. Hecticness speeds up. The ominous Cloud of
Judgment descends over us, and we're constantly worried about what people
think. We get lost chasing what we think is important and we get stuck in the
boxes society tries to shove us in. And happiness leaves us.
But you know what? I want to find it. I would like to find
it again and not let go of it. Life is too short to be unhappy.
Just a day ago I spend practically all of my time after I
got home from school with my computer, tired after a long day, searching for a
way to de-stress. I turned to blogging,
reading other blogs, and attempting to fix my own (I got sad temporarily
because I realized I don't know how to code at all and really wanna make my own
templates..but hey! Another thing to put on my "to-learn" list) and
you know what? I was completely absorbed, entranced in trying to figure things
out and lace things together... And I enjoyed it. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
A couple days earlier, I got home and started my homework
only to interrupt it with a music break--I simply had my music on shuffle,
singing loudly and obnoxiously to every song that came on--from show-tunes to
Gaga to the Beatles to John Mayer... after a while I returned to my
studies. But it felt great. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
A week or so ago my mom asked me to make a birthday card for
a relative, seeing as she knows they love handmade cards. So I dug out my art supplies, blew the dust
off my sketchpad and went to work. I
spent an hour or so, bent over my work with music floating in the air around
me. It was heaven. My hands were free to
create whatever magic they desired on the paper, something they hadn't been able
to do in a long time. When I was finished, I had a wonderful sense of
accomplishment on my shoulders. It felt
amazing. And I enjoyed it.
This past week I was not able to see J much at all, outside
brief moments in school. My schedule was
packed, as was his. He ended up coming
to where I worked for a few hours on the weekend. We had only been talking for about 5 minutes,
but it was honestly some of the best 5 minutes I've had in a long time. We were just so happy to finally see each
other, and I felt at peace. I enjoyed
every second of it.
Sometimes, we are held back from doing what we love, be it
by barriers of time or places or people or stress.. And sometimes we are just
told "NO", and to stay focused and be serious and get the job done,
only to take a brief rest and get back in the same vicious cycle. Happiness, I
think, is being able to overcome that.
You know, somewhere deep down, what, what and who makes you happy, and
you should by all means be able to go out and grab that, no matter the odds or
walls put up against you.
So you know what? Sometimes, the stress isn't worth it. Some say that the meaning of life, or reason
to living is to happily lead a life of significance. How can you do that when the happiness is
missing?
So I challenge you to think about it-- Where is your happy place? How do you define
happiness?
And I challenge you to do.
Take a break. Cuddle
with a sketchpad. Turn up the
music. Take a long bath. Read an engrossing novel. Sit outside and watch the sun set. Fall asleep in the arms of someone you
love. Bake cookies. Eat chocolate (you won't get too fat, I
promise (; ) Have a funny face contest with someone and throw makeup, judgement
and care of appearance out the window. Join a yoga class. Learn to program. Build a Lego tower. Go for a run.
And just do you. Even if it's
only for 10 minutes.... I'm learning more now than ever that if you spend too
much time disconnected from yourself... you'll have trouble connecting with
others. So take the time.
You've got all the time in the world to be happy.
xoxo
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