Don't Put Off Your Happy Life

Don't put off your happy life. What does that mean? If you're like me, my life usually feels like I'm on a 100 mile-per-hour roller coaster that doesn't seem to slow down. Slow down? Who does that? Where have the good old days of sitting on the front porch sipping a root beer float gone? Well, we live in a different time, no doubt about it, but that doesn't mean we can't sit back once in a while and enjoy ourselves.

When I break down my life, I realize I can do or be anything I want, therefore I can choose to have a happy life. Most of us want to be everything to everyone so people will look at us and say, "Wow! She/he really has it all together! I wonder what their secret is?" But, does it really matter that we 'appear' to have it all together?

I have to wonder what's more important, the time spent trying to keep up with the facade, or the time spent actually doing things that matter, and support us in being better people. We all hold a responsibility not only to ourselves, but to the people around us to do and be better. That old adage "Improve upon your parents", holds a wise underlying message.

How We Act Affects Other People

There are many pressures and life stress we face today that no other generation has ever had to face, so it's easy to get in the 'overwhelmed' mode. This can create a frazzled disposition that affects how other people respond to us. Our mood can quite literally change our interactions with people.

I mean, I really don't think our children wake up in the morning and say to themselves: "Hmm, I wonder how I can get under mom's (or dad's) skin today"? But if our reaction to them is one of frustration and frantic energy, most likely they will answer back with frustration and frantic energy. What we put out matters.

If you think about it, we really put the pressure on ourselves to try and accomplish the impossible. I mean, really, who is demanding we hold down 3 jobs, while being the perfect parent, spouse and friend, while trying to mentor, participate and volunteer? What I have found out over the years is the biggest pressure I face every day, is exactly what I put upon myself. We truly are our own worst critic most of the time.

Try Kindness

One way to choose a happy life is to be kind to ourselves. Now, to me, that doesn't mean quit taking responsibility or stop progressing, quite the opposite. I think being kind to ourselves means simply recognizing when we need a break and having the decency and respect for ourselves to stop and take it. There isn't anything we do that's going to hurt us or stop our progress more than to feel unappreciated by ourselves. Finding happiness doesn't have to be that hard.

So, the lesson and challenge for me (and for you if you choose to accept it) is to:

• Take time to stop and smell the roses, or coffee, or whatever.


• Take time with my family, and enjoy simply being around them.


• Take time to be grateful for what I already have, and hope and work for better.


• Take time to be a good influence on the people around me.


• Take time to laugh, sing, praise, and smile.


• Take time remembering to give myself a break, and be kind to myself.


• Take time to have fun with the people I love!

The result of simply doing these things, I presume, will be a happier, more productive, kinder person, who is more able to handle the challenges of every day life.

Imagine what kind of world we would live in if we all did this even half way...

Take The Challenge!

I challenge you to do one thing today for yourself that is kinder than the way you were yesterday. All you have to do is make a choice.

Don't put off your happy life!