One thing I'm figuring out more as I'm getting older, is that happiness is a choice.
I can't wait for my preferred circumstances.
I used to blame my unhappiness and years of depression on everything around me.
I was living under "the bell jar" for years. In case you haven't been under the bell jar before... I will just say it isn't easy to breathe under there.
It's up to me to break the glass and crawl out.
I don't go around looking for a boyfriend, and new dress, a piece of cake, or a bottle of pills to get me out of it.
None of those things work because I've tried them all.
I pull myself out of the bell jar with determination and the grace of God.
I choose to focus on things that make me happy and just BE happy.
Lipstick, coffee, singing, drumming, baking biscuits, coloring my hair red, Seinfeld re-runs, my dog Toby, wearing cowboy boots, talking to my chick friends, listening to the Beatles, watching Freaks and Geeks, reading a book, driving through the country.
These are the things I do now to make myself happy.
My grandmother lived to be in her 90's and I will always credit her longevity to her good attitude.
That's what I aspire towards.
(last photo from JaneAsherPhotoblog/blog title from "Clouds up"-Air)
Girl I love this blog and I love you too
ReplyDeleteI really love this post - I identify with it a lot. I read an editorial a few months ago about whether or not people deserved to be happy. At first, I thought it was really harsh that the author said no, people don't deserve love. But the more I read, the more sense it made. I'm going to get really corny right now, but US was built on the idea of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness - NOT life, liberty and happiness. We are granted the pursuit, not the outcome; the journey, not the destination. To be happy isn't a right, its a product of living one's life to the fullest. It's still really hard for me at times to get out from underneath my "bell jar," but the older I become, the more I realize that I'm not going to get the life that I dreamed about if I don't fight for it. No one is going to hand things to me. A lot of people think that this mindset is jaded, but I don't think that I've lost any of the optimism that I had when I looked at the world through those rose-colored glasses several years ago.
ReplyDeleteWell, sorry that I've just treated you like a couch at a shrink's office, but your post inspired me so! haha but this is a great post :) love
Thankyou Trish! I love you and your blog too of course:)
ReplyDeleteAlexis, I completely agree with your entire comment and I actually love that you always leave in depth ones!
So right. We aren only guranteed the right to PURSUE happiness. It's something you have to work for and fight for which makes it even more fulfilling once you achieve it.
Thankyou for the great compliments on this post as well!
Pretty much makes my day:)
we are*
ReplyDeleteYour blog is so inspiring :)xx
ReplyDeletethankyou so much!:)
ReplyDelete