The concept of happiness has become so interesting to me over the past couple years. The more I’ve read and reflected about it, the more I’ve come to realize that it’s really all about how you react to situations and appreciate the little things in every simple day.
A lot of us fall victim to assuming the “next step” in life is going to be better. So we’re constantly just trying to get past today, because we’re anticipating that next stage to be where we’ll finally be happy. This is something I’ve noticed in myself since I was young.
- In high school, I couldn’t wait until college, because that was where I could finally be myself and enjoy life.
- Once I was in college, I couldn’t wait for the next summer or school year, because then I would be older and have better opportunities.
- Though I was terrified to leave college, I couldn’t wait to finally put school behind me and feel like a real adult.
- Once I was out of college, I couldn’t wait to move to San Diego to finally be with my boyfriend again and hopefully get hired for a job relevant to my college majors.
- Now, here I am 7 years removed from college, and I often find myself just going through the motions, waiting until I can enter the next stage of life.
While I think it’s important to always be excited about what comes next, I think it’s too easy to get lost in the attitude of simply…”getting through” the present—like somehow the next stage of life will be where all our dreams come true.
A quote I read recently by Alfred D. Souza really brought this problemed “grass is greener” mindset into perspective.
Happiness is a journey, not a destination. For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin—real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.
Every single stage of life has its challenges. When we’re in each stage, we can’t help but romanticize about the future, where the problems are few and the reward is many. I know I, personally, tend to live each day for the future, but at a certain point, you have to just realize…today is my life, and I only get one, so I’ve got to enjoy it now. This brings me to my quote of the day:
“There’s no better time than the present to be happy.” Although you might be excited to see how life will change when you…lose weight, graduate from school, get married, have a baby, go on that trip, or experience some new life adventure—the magic is in the details, so don’t wish it all away!
I’ve been actively trying to appreciate the little things in every day, no matter how small, and just…be content with where I’m at, while working towards the good things the future will bring. It doesn’t always come naturally to me, but I’ve found it really changes my attitude for the better. It helps me be more thankful and inspires me to make the most of where I’m at.
So as we embark on another week (which may feel hectic or mundane at times), I encourage you to just…embrace the present and choose to be happy. Seems simple enough, right? 😉
Do you tend to live by the “grass is greener” mindset?
