Recently someone told me I looked great so I quickly thanked them and assumed they were talking about my weight loss (33 lbs and counting). But they interjected and said “no you look happy” and since that compliment I’ve been really thinking about happiness. Obsessing about it really. I realize I’ve always defined happiness as a destination. It’s been a lot of once I graduate and settle into my career, I’ll be happy. Once I’m married, I’ll be happy. Once I’m a mom, I’ll be happy. Once I’m a homeowner, I’ll be happy. But, treating happiness as a destination can lead to one of two places. 1) Disappointed, if the happiness we were banking on never came or just not how we imagined it would and/or 2) Complacent, where we stop striving for anything more past destination happiness. I am sure, I don’t like either. 0 stars out of 5. Wouldn’t recommend.
Society teaches women from the time we are just girls that there is a magical happy ending to achieve (most involving a man). We watch countless characters who spend their entire lives trying to obtain this happily ever after. Shape their entire existence on an idea of what may be instead of focusing on what is. Girl. Don’t be a character live your happily ever after now. Like right now !
There is such a freedom in being able to find happiness every day with things as simple as making your favorite breakfast or spending time at your favorite place. I have learned to start appreciating everything and I mean everything (still a work in progress). I have started offering myself praise and compliments and lately your girl has been feeling herself. I have started respecting my choices, my boundaries, my body and my mental health. I’ve decided to live with intention and as cliche as it seems, live each day as if it was the last. And these are just some of the things that have proven to make me happy.
While there are always things I want to achieve and always things to fulfill me, I know those things are ever changing. Things that would have made me happy last year may not this year. And that’s ok, because if you aren’t changing you aren’t growing. As we grow, we define what happiness looks like to us. Not to our parents, significant others or friends, but to us. No one gets to define your happiness sis.
Be happy today, there’s no need to wait until tomorrow. I promise you can find something worth being happy for in this moment. Do you have it in your head? Great.
As always, thanks for reading !
Flowers Need Rain 