Today I Choose to Make My Happiness a Priority
Today I choose to pay a little more attention to myself, to take care of my inner garden of happiness, to not fall victim to the selfishness of others. I want my days to be void of dark moments; I want the suns of happiness to shine.
We all want to be happy, but in reality, we don’t always start off on the right path, which involves taking care of ourselves, listening to ourselves, being the protagonists in the play of our lives, instead of sitting behind the curtain where life passes us by and neglects to embrace us.
You deserve to be happy, you deserve to touch the moon on dark nights, to fly through the clouds when you feel trapped and anxious. You are the love of your life, and that’s why, today and always, you should choose to be the leading actor in your life.
Nobody should call you selfish for saying “no” when you need to, for seeking oxygen and freedom in times of pressure, for cutting ties with the people who hurt you. Nobody has power over you besides yourself, because we all arrive in this world alone, and we all leave the same way. So why not start now and be happy?
Happiness is an adventure that should last a lifetime
Choosing to be happy is the first leap that will bring you closer to your goals, because whoever makes that choice will turn their thoughts into reality, into everyday life.
The art of being happy starts with a simple decision: believing in yourself.
However, in order to be happy, more than just a simple decision, it sometimes involves having to prioritize, and realizing that maybe we should put ourselves before certain things and situations. It sounds radical, but in reality, it’s all about maintaining a balance between other people and ourselves. To do so, consider the following:
Surround yourself with people who bring you light, not suffering
Just like we said before, the key lies in balance. You should be okay with yourself first before you take care of anything else. You should ensure that everything you do lines up with your expectations, your identity, your essence.
There are people who cause us to lose that inner balance: they distance us from our values, they violate our integrity, they exhaust our energy, they manipulate us with sarcasm and demands, and give us affection that’s surrounded by thorns.
Surround yourself with authentic people who always let you be yourself. However, throughout our lives, we will meet people who don’t exactly fit with who we are and what we need. In that kind of relationship, whether it’s with a family member or a coworker, you can’t give them authority over your life. Limit the amount of control they have. Don’t let the people who upset you have influence over you, and once again, prioritize yourself first.
Be yourself and detach yourself from everything that you don’t need
When was the last time you had a conversation with your true self? You should experience that inner dialogue more often, because if you distance yourself from it, you are distancing you from essence and with that, losing track of happiness.
Dear self, you deserve to be treated better, and that’s something I’m going to do from now on. I’ll stop pitying you, telling you that you can’t do it, or that you don’t deserve it… Dear self, today I’m going to challenge you to be happy.
There are many artifices that we hide ourselves behind. And be careful, because those extra layers that suffocate you come from the environment, but also from yourself.
You have to be careful with those limiting attitudes where you label yourself with phrases like “I can’t do this,” “this isn’t for me,” “I’m going to fail,” or “I’ll never find happiness.”
If your way of thinking puts up walls and your attitudes creates barriers, you’ll never let the winds of happiness in. Be authentic, be yourself, take care of you inner self and free it.
You also have to be careful with external influences that sometimes diminish your self-esteem. For example, partners who try to control you, limit you, take away your personal space, and inhibit your personal growth.
We also can’t overlook the burden of certain families, those authoritarian models of child-raising, those fathers and mothers who construct real bubbles that impede the maturation and freedom of their children.
Sometimes, in order to be happy, you have to go on an inner journey to heal the wounds of your past. Once you’ve freed yourself from your fears, it’s time to open the eyes of your heart and believe that you truly deserve to be happy.
Don’t wait for the good times to make you happy; be happy and the good times will come themselves.
Images courtesy of Abigail Dela, Pascal Campion, and Devianart Jenny White