One important lesson I continue to learn in this life is that I hold the power to cultivate my own happiness, even when challenges and stressors are present.
This past year has been full of upheaval for me: I’ve experienced a breakup, relocated to a new state where I’m only familiar with my parents, dealt with persistent tax problems, mourned the loss of my grandmother, faced a health scare, and struggled with chronic back pain and mental fog.
I have grappled with feelings of grief, confusion, anxiety, and loneliness, which made it difficult to find moments of relief this year.
I keep hoping for a shift. I reach out to the universe, asking it to help me turn a new page in my life, to help me feel whole again, and to bring me the happiness that I know I (and everyone else) am entitled to.
Yet, just when I believe I can catch a break, another issue arises. I find myself questioning what past actions I need to resolve. Am I somehow being punished? Or is it simply that I am a person navigating through a series of challenges?
The reality is that waiting for life to be perfect means I’ll likely miss out on chances to find joy, laughter, connection, and enjoyment.
On the days when I catch myself thinking, “I will be happy once this phase of my life is over,” I remind myself to look for even the smallest ways to find joy right now.
I have to create that happiness for myself rather than relying on others to hand it to me. The longer I wait for someone else to fulfill my dreams, the longer I deprive myself of those very dreams.
And what exactly is joy? What does happiness mean?
It starts with appreciating the little things.
I reflect on the foods, music, activities, films, places, scents, and colors that bring me joy.
I ask myself what uplifts my spirits.
Then, I look for opportunities to experience some of those pleasures today.
One trait I possess is persistence. I am ready to confront challenges, though I prefer to do so peacefully. Sometimes I struggle with the inherent isolation of the human experience, but I still want to engage with it.
That’s why it’s crucial for me to discover whatever joy I can, whenever possible. I don’t want my days, my personality, or my life to be dominated by the wish that things could be different.
Ultimately, I must learn that I can’t postpone joy until life feels flawless.
Instead, I need to keep showing up and crafting that joy for myself.