Musing: Finding Happiness
Have you ever felt like you’ve let who you really are slip away? I have. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about my life, and the times I’ve been the happiest, and I’ve come to realize that the happiest times of my life were when I was immersed in learning (school, research, etc), creating, and helping other people. I’ve spent a lot of my life volunteering for causes in which I believe. In recent years, however, I’ve become swallowed by the day-to-day, and the corporate machine. And I’ve been miserable in it. Instead of feeding my soul, I’ve been draining it of everything that’s so important to me.
Why do I bring this up? Because I believe that everyone should take at least one moment in their lives and consider what really makes them happy. Find that part of yourself that says “I am happiest when I___________.” The blank can be anything. And you’ll be surprised to realize that at some point in your life, you had exactly what made you feel happy and fulfilled. But, if you’re like most people (myself included), you’ve let that slip away in the raging river of what’s expected from you. Now, ask yourself one question: When was the last time I expected something of my life?”
Notice I said “I”… Not “what everyone else thinks I should expect from me.” Look deep inside yourself, and you’ll see that the number one expectation you have of yourself is to be happy. And are you? Are you genuinely happy with what you do every day? Do you want to be more, to feel more, to experience life more fully?
If your answer to any of those questions was “Yes!” then you’re already on the right track. Sometimes, it’s difficult to break out of the constraints of what we know everyone else expects of us. But consider honestly - do you think anyone expected the Wright brothers to build flying machines that would actually give us flight? No. They were expected to build bicycles. The dreams others laugh at, scoff at, or disapprove of are sometimes the things that turn out to be the greatest steps we can take.
My point? Be willing to dream, and UNwilling to give up on those dreams. Be willing to stand up for what you believe in, even if the rest of the world thinks you’re crazy. Be outrageous at least once in your life, do something unexpected every day, and find the part of yourself that children understand, and adults bury away - the part that still believes.
