The day is cold. The sun is shinning but the warmest thing in my studio apartment is the sugarless coffee on my desk and beat of my heart. I should be working, but the calls have momentarily stopped and I have a moment to share my thoughts with the two of you who read this blog…because why the fuck not. If you are anything like me, your mornings usually begin with a million thoughts fighting for priority in a day with endless possibility. The trash needs to be taken out, my cholesterol is high and my car should really be paid off before I agree to all of this travel. After meditation and playing with my incense it dawns on me that life could always be this way. What way am I referring to you ask? The way it is now…whatever that may be. Let’s revisit my existential crisis and a question as old as time itself: Are you happy?
What is happiness anyway? Most 30 somethings my age are running in the rat race and falling into more debt, trying to convince themselves they are living a good life. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that if you don’t. It all just makes me wonder about the alternatives and what life would look like for us to truly be happy within. Remember when we were young and passionate with hopes and dreams under our pillows? What a time. Remember wanting to be an astronaut when you grew up? Remember paper dolls and soccer tournaments? What do your hobbies look like these days? Through a glass dimly I remembered I LOVE reading, writing, and painting but have made zero time to include these things in my busy schedule. I love being outdoors and it wasn’t freezing on Monday, so I went for a walk on my lunch break. Good times. After all: all work and no play makes Jewel a sad girl, or so they say. Do you prioritize the things that make you look good on paper over your own mental health and freedom; for example, the high paying job, the returning to school for the 800th time etc? Do those work related accomplishments make you happy?
I’m a self proclaimed guru in stating the obvious, so I encourage you to take a moment and reflect on what makes you happy. Shit, consider what your life would look like to be truly happy. I’m just getting started in the spirit of “seize the day, free your mind” and all that jazz. Take this as your sign to breakout of the routines that are killing your joy and get happy…whatever that looks like.