“Do what makes you happy.” It sounds so simple, it just rolls off the tongue in the same way that “can you pass me the salt please?!” does but it’s something my wonderfully indecisive mind has always struggled with. There are many reasons that my poor little brain fumbles over such a simple request; some are selfless wishes such as not wanting to disappoint or upset anyone; though for the most part it becomes a struggle as my brain seems to think its hilarious to keep me awake at night with many an indecisive thought that juggles any simple decision from every angle. As the hours of night time dwindle into the wee small, my brains starts imagining all kinds of scenarios that make me around 95% certain that I read too many books and watch too many sci-fi movies. The past few months I have decided to change all of this, to let go of past guilt and anger, move on with my life and be happy with whom I am and the choices I make. I have come to realise that the only person to ever stop us from being happy is ourselves. In order to BE happy and to feel great it’s your personal responsibly to take charge of your life and skip merrily towards your dreams.
Now this isn’t where I blather on about a 10 step programme concocted in America where you must attend seminars lead by a squeaky clean enthusiastic man that tells you to stand up and shout “Hell YEAH” until you feel a sense of euphoria. This is simply me stating for the record that I’m bored of over-thinking every little decision and from now on I’m taking responsibility for my own happiness! (I think the crash of turning 25 is going to hit me hard!) This new life plan started out with me vouching to give up alcohol and chocolate for lent, and I must say, after getting spiked in an Italian Discoteca full of old people waltzing and completely blacking out, the first part of this deal I made with myself is shaping up wonderfully towards success. My quest to self happiness has also been guided by my investment in a ukulele which I have been caring for as if it were a small child between sessions that consist of me strumming along to the completely enticing vocals of Eddie Vedder. Singing at full volume in the shower has also taken a key role into my journey to re-self discovery, and I must say, after being heard belting out “eye of the tiger” whilst drying the kids hair by my boss I am now more than content to sing along to my iPod in the shower.
Today however, I decided to take a more pro-active step in the right direction. I decided to… wait for it…. Go for a run. The fact that said run turned into more of a pathetic t-rex mimicking jog and power walking session is besides the point! I felt great to have completed 2 hours of forward motion without stopping to moan even once! After all, my quest to a happy me involves a skinny me and that’s not going to happen if I continue to whittle away my free time typing out blogs and editing pictures to give them that much aspired “artsy edge.” That’s not to say that I don’t intensely enjoy such endeavours, I love nothing more than putting on my thinking cap and letting the creative juices flow but the brain and the body both need an equal chance to be happy, balance after all is the key to success!
So this is my advice to you my friend, or complete stranger reading this here blog: Do what makes you happy! Really do it! Don’t just think about doing it, go ahead and be a clown. Remember that it’s ok to dance like a lunatic, play air guitar and find toilet humour amusing every now and again! Laugh until you cry, have a deep and meaningful where you are truly honest with yourself and your friends, apologise for that past mistakes that haunt you and then laugh about it, sing your favourite songs as loudly as you can in the middle of a field or just scream from the top of a really big hill. Whatever you want to do, believe me, when you set about doing it, you will feel great! So what are you waiting for?! Take a step in the direction of your own happiness. Put yourself first and don’t stop until you are so happy people think you are constantly stoned or have just had Botox!
