I want to talk to you about the power of doing things that you love to do.
In this busy world, Many of seem to be so focused on doing things out of necessity and not out of joy. It's a shame really, we only have this life to enjoy, so why waste it. Have you ever watched a movie or read a book about someone that just has a zest for life. How did it make you feel? My guess is AWESOME! I know I enjoy watching someone really and truly enjoy life. It inspires me to want to be more like that person, but who has the time for it these days?
When I was in my third year of studying I put so much energy into studying and passing that I really truly looked horrible and not for lack of trying. For some reason my skin always looked bad, my hair looked limp and dead and no matter how hard I tried I could never put together a cute outfit. I didn't have time to go out and hang out. I didn't have time for that movie that I really wanted to watch or to even find out what was Rihanna's latest single. And you know what I didn't even do well at my studying, because I was so stressed out that I was consistently at a low level of concentration. I couldn't completely focus on anything because I had so many things to focus on. Before I knew it, the year passed by as one big blur and I woke one morning feeling dead inside.
Why did I put myself through so much stress and why did I allow myself to not be the person I know that I am? Why did I stop the flow of happiness into my life? I guess I would say that I had a goal and I would have stopped at nothing to achieve it. I wanted to succeed at my studies more than I wanted happiness. The truth is that I am not the only one that went through something like that, nor will I ever be last person to feel this way. Maybe your goal is to become a fantastic singer or big movie star? Maybe you want to get rich or maybe you want to win a gold medal, or to be the world's best wife and mother? We all have ambitions. There really is nothing wrong in wanting to achieve something.
But the real thing is, what is the cost of achieving these goals or dreams? For me the cost was my happiness. I had forgotten that life is the journey not the destination. In fact those words had no meaning to me at all. I mean who cares about the journey once you've reached the destination?
Well now those words are extremely important to me. Arriving at my goals is not worth losing myself along the way. When I get to my goals in life I want to get there whole and in one complete piece. In fact I believe that if we allow the happiness of the journey into our lives, it makes the destiny even more joyful.
Besides, what is the point in placing all our happiness into achieving one or two goals? Say you goals in life is to become financially secure and to get into a relationship so that you can one day get married. Nothing wrong with those ambitions. But these two things are some future event, you will get there one day, but today is not that day. Why can't we be happy with today as well as tomorrow? And just because we stop to smell the roses along the pathway doesn't mean that we won't reach the house.
I, for one, have decided that I will fill my life up with doing things that give me happiness. People say prioritize and decide which is more important. Going out with friends won't help you pass the exam you have been stressing for, but it will ease the stress, help you to relax, bring some happiness and laughter into your life that will help you focus on that chapter that you can't seem to understand, which will then help you pass that exam better than you could have if you spent the night reading and rereading words that you couldn't completely focus on. So yes I agree, prioritize achieving your goals, but also don't neglect the things that bring small amounts of joy into you life.
Do the 5 year test. Close your eyes and picture yourself in 5 years from now (if your goal will take you longer than 5 years to achieve then try 10 years). See the person you are, not just the achievements that you have but also your personality and your lifestyle. Are you happy with the person that you will be? Are you surrounded by people and things that bring you happiness? Now that you have achieved your current goals, are there new goals that you must achieve in order for you to be happy?
I want to end this post off by saying that once we achieve a goal, the happiness of that moment won't last forever. Life is continuously moving forward and therefore the happiness of one moment will fade away. Many of us make the mistake of assuming that if we just achieve this or that then we will be happy, but the truth is that once these things are achieved will need a new thing to make us happy and to drive us forward. This is why I have chosen to fill my life up with as many things as possible that will make me happy now. Writing this blog for example, makes me very happy. I take small pleasures from various things every single day. I don't want to become that single-minded, unhappy person again. In fact, I achieved my goal twice over since I adopted this new attitude towards life.
Peace, love and blessing :)
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