Why I'm Happier Than You (And How You Can Be Too), Health, Inspiration, Happy, Joyful Life, Ideas for Happiness

I Don't Look Back

Stuff happens. Good stuff and bad stuff. To everyone. You aren't special (a phrase my husband hates hearing me say). It's true though. We all have had crappy parents, bad jobs, terrible partners, no good rotten days, liars, cheats, health hurdles, etc. You don't escape these things in life. They are just part of the art of living. The thing that I do differently, that makes me happier than you, is that I just accept the things that have happened, try to make changes and amends when applicable and then I move on. No grudges, no plots of revenge, or scheming to make it better. No pity parties or violins. Life can suck. I admit that. It is also awesome and beautiful in ways that astound me every single day when I am fully focused on the present. Get there and you will be happier too.

Go Your Own Way

Most of the people I grew up with still live within a 30 mile radius of where we grew up. Granted, Southern California, is awesome, but there is a big wide world out there and they didn't go explore. There is a real pull to go to the same school everyone else is going to, stay in the same social scene, not pull away from your family (this is a big one for most people), but if you have a burning desire to do something go explore it. Leave the nest or at least explore further than the 30 miles you grew up from. You will be surprised that people are irritated that you are not staying, at least I was, but it doesn't matter because they were doing their thing and I was able to go do my thing.

Let Go of Shoulds

I gave up Christmas with my parents, Thanksgiving with my whole family, staying in a "good job" and conventional marriage to live a happier life. I love my family and friends who wanted me to do what they thought I should, but if I had done it their way I would never have been happy. It wasn't that any of those things were bad, but I knew that they weren't right for me. Every single day there are things you think you should do. Obligations that have no real meaning and might actually be causing you pain. What would happen if you stopped doing them? Would the sun fall from the sky? Probably not. Sure. It might piss someone off because you are defying their need for you to be a certain way, but you are stronger than that. You can follow your own path to happiness.