. .the pursuit of happyness pt.2. .
2:19 PM
why is it that as humans many of us are constantly in search of something that seems to be forever just barely out of our grasps?
why is happiness seemingly so hard to find?
i feel like i'm constantly be searching for happiness. in retrospect there seems to be so many happy memories. and looking forward, to events that i hope for, i anticipate happiness.
so why do i sometimes feel so unhappy?
as i was on my run the other day i realized that my happiness cannot be dependent on future or past events. i realized that i have everything i need to create my happiness. and when i team up with the happiness expert (my Heavenly Father) there is no way that i cannot succeed in being happy, not just in the future or in the past, but in the NOW.
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul. . .
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul. . .
ultimately, i choose what will make me happy.
because i was made to create, i can create my own happiness. now before i get ahead of myself, this doesn't necessarily mean that i need to go out and get all the material things that i think will make me happy. trust me. i've tried to find happiness is those things- nice clothes, cool vacations, being "cool." but it doesn't add up. the more you try to fill the cup, the more it just empties right back. that kind of happiness doesn't last.
so, happiness comes from doing things that make us happy- things that make us feel loved, fulfilled, of worth. sounds pretty simple, eh?
then why are we constantly unhappy?
i think it's because we choose to do things that we know won't make us happy. we change ourselves in order for others to like us. we try to find happiness in things that can't ever make us happy.
and i'm not just talking about the morally offensive things that obviously are not on the path of happiness. i'm talking about the self-deceptions, the self-betrayals. the moments when you keep doing something even though you feel like you swallowed slugs. these aren't bad things, but they betray who you, as a unique child of God, are created to be.
creating music might make someone insanely happy, while driving another person into the ground. science might be one person's mojo, while causing another person major stress. some people like sunshine and others like rain. some prefer crowds, others are home bodies. some are introverts and some are extroverts. just like all the sneetches on the beaches couldn't be happy if they all had starts upon thars, we just aren't tuned to be happy doing something that we don't love.
so what's the secret?
do what you love and love what you do.
and don't care what others may think or say.
in the last couple months i've been searching for what will make me happy. and i've discovered it's not going on fancy trips, it's not having tons of friends, it's not just being in a relationship, it's not having a high profile degree.
happiness is in sunshine days spent on a park bench. happiness is in cupcakes. happiness is in dancing the night away with friends. happiness is not caring what stupid dance moves you might be doing. happiness is hiking and enjoying the beautiful earth i live on. happiness is seeing my niece and nephew. happiness is in finally doing those things that i've always wanted to try.
so this is going to be a journey. of discovery. of trying new things. of finding what really makes me happy. and hopefully, hopefully, i can tune out they naysayers, the doubters, and the haters (even if they are my own thoughts). i've got the dream team here- me and God. and i trust that with His help, i'll be able to discover my own great potential, my mission, my purpose- what He knows will make me happiest.
so here's to the dreamers.
to the ones who don't give a darn.
to the movers and shakers. to the adventurers.
life is what you make it (as Hannah Montana would say) so let's make it rock.
but rock it your way.
1 comments
Not only are all your posts good but they're also cute :) ha okay sorry I always comment. I love this because this is EXACTLY what I am learning right now-learning to love myself who I am, to believe I am worthy of love how I am now and stop being so ridiculously insecure about things I've always thought were embarrassing. To learn to fill my own needs through the Savior and stop looking for others to fill those needs for me. You're great. Thanks for posting :)
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