How much time do you spend worrying about things you cannot control? How often do you wish you could skip ahead to future moments in your life, like someday when you make more money, have lost weight, or are finally married? What if it were possible to stop wondering and worrying and find happiness in the present?
Today I came across an article on a friend’s wall titled “How to Get Flat Abs, Have Amazing Sex, and Rule the World in 8 Simple Steps”. Um, yes please! This is exactly my life goals; how did they know?! Well, when I opened it, I found that I had been duped into realizing what a vain little first world girl I have truly become. I have spent so much of my life working toward having the perfect body, the cutest fashions, financial stability, and becoming the best girlfriend anyone could ever wish for. Why do I do this? Because if I can do these things, I believe that I will find true happiness. The funny thing is, none of these things can guarantee happiness. Happiness is a state of mind that you can access at any time during the journey. And with my mind overwhelmed with work and financial stresses, I really needed to remember this today.
"When you make up your mind that no matter what life deals your way you're going to stay calm and in peace, all the forces of darkness cannot keep you from your destiny."
-Joel Osteen
Kate Bartolotta hits the nail right on the head with her 8 tips, but I have to take a minute to focus on her tip #5: Stop with the crazy making. You know, when you think of a possible problematic scenario in your head and it continues to spiral on and on and on until you are completely freaked out about something that may or may not ever happen? If you don’t do this, you’re lucky. It’s a behavior that I am guilty of engaging in daily and is surely robbing me of so many precious moments.
Therefore, I am making myself a personal promise to stop driving myself crazy. When I start to hear the wheels in my head turning in a negative direction, I will think about a positive situation instead. After all, what am I gaining by worrying about something that hasn’t happened yet? It may not happen at all. And if it does happen, I’ll have to relive the worry twice. I’m not saying that I’m going to stop setting goals or planning for the future to some extent, but I’m definitely going to make it a point to chill out and experience gratitude for the life I’m living right now.
Honestly, if you have not read the article in it’s entirety, do it. It will improve your outlook on life guaranteed. Because right now I am laying in a comfortable bed, with roof over my head, watching TV and accessing the internet simultaneously, life is good. Right now.
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