You can be happy even when your life is shitty
I like to think that generally I am a happy person. I do my best to always look on the bright side and turn negatives into positives so I can embrace life.
Why wouldn’t I?
Life is not about perfection, which is what the idea of constant happiness conveys, or the notion of a problem free life.
Perfection doesn’t exist. Being flawed is part of the human experience, otherwise we would have nowhere to move to.
Underneath our human self, however, does lie perfection. It’s that thing we see when a sunflower follows the vivid orange sun to bed.
We have that perfect side to us, but our humanity flaws it.
The trick to life is learning how you can remove yourself from your problems, rely more on that underlying perfection to give you peace, and to stop striving for perfection.
Instead strive to be better than the day before.
Problems arrive. Sometimes it seems as they never stop coming. Life can be shitty, very shitty.
But that doesn’t mean we have to duck for the nearest hole shouting,
“Chicken Little, the sky is falling down.”
It’s not and neither are we.
I’m not here as someone who’s never had a real problem preaching. Maybe on the outside it seems like that because I am happy and positive and laugh a lot.
But I also cry a lot.
The past four years have been horrendous and threatened to topple my belief that life really is good.
Pure happiness
A financial disaster so bad I can’t even think of it without my eyes pricking and my stomach rolling around in the mire of pain and regret.
Health issues, job issues, relationship issues, I’ve been there I know it I get it.
Through it all I’ve learned that the problems aren’t me and cannot define my existence or my future path. They are just there to strengthen me.
I have control over my emotions and how I respond to those events that seem out of my control.
I choose to own the happiness rather than the shit.
What do you do?
Comments
Lisa Wood
Oh I am so going to be taking on that thought….you can be happy even when your life is shitty 🙂 Yep that is my new saying!
Caz Makepeace
Yes! It is. Just got to look for the rainbow. It is hidden there.
Martine@themodernparent
and I love the saying “strive to be better than the day before”. Everyones achievements can only be relevant to themselves, and by continuing to improve ourselves each day we are less likely to fall into the trap of comparison with others. 🙂
Caz Makepeace
Spot on Martine. It’s so easy to fall into that trap because we are taught from a very early age that this is what we do. You have to learn to compare yourself with yourself
Hannah
I have to admit, I am not a naturally happy person. I have to make a conscious effort to be happy, unfortunately. We have had a rough run of it recently and it has been really hard to reframe things and be happy. My partner is good at going ‘Okay. Shit happens. Onwards and upwards’. I am not so good at it…but I am learning to make lemonade with lemons and it certainly makes life happier. I suppose my desire for ‘more’ in so many senses can either stifle me or spur me on – I am choosing for it to spur me on, these days.
Caz Makepeace
I so understand the rough run Hannah. It really causes you to question so much, which is a good thing because it shows you are willing to learn and grow. Find the strength in it. Keep desiring the more because you deserve it and there is nothing wrong with it. the more we have the more we can give and do.
Liz
I love this post. I’m a big believer in energy and everything happening for a reason, and lately words like these have been making their way into my life on a frequent almost daily basis. I’ve always been a very positive person, not necessarily always confident – but do try and see the brighter and happier side of things. I’ve had an experience recently though that has really tested my faith in my own self and that of the universe which has knocked me a little. I feel though that since this experience and taking stock of events, I’ve learned so much and am very grateful for it in a relatively short space of time. You do own your feelings and you choose how to deal with situations, people and consequences. I’ve learned that confidence is one of the sexiest things that any man or woman can have. I loved the sentence: “I choose not to own the shit” it will be a new affirmation for me 🙂
Caz Makepeace
YAy Liz, so glad you are taking on the new affirmation! I was listening to a podcast today that spoke about the road blocks and challenges of our lives and how they are really there to provide us feedback and to let us know that we are currently on the right path and need to find a new direction. We just have to be open to listen and find the lesson. So the shit is good if you own the good to it.
Karla
It’s like the saying goes below! I have to tell myself this a lot. I’ve had some pretty crappy things happen in the past 6 years – sometimes it feels like your all alone in your self-pity and life just keeps going on around you, but you have to keep getting up and going and trying to find that peace within. Because there will always be challenges – no one ever told us it would be easy – right?
Courage doesn’t always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice
at the end of the day saying,
“I will try again tomorrow.”
– Mary Anne Radmacher
Caz Makepeace
I so LOVE that quote. Thank you for reminding me of it. It’s a constant challenge to find that peace. But it is worth it.