Arguably, I’m not the brightest bulb in the shed. Sometimes, my brain works at a bit of snail’s pace in terms of “getting” things.
Like most folks, my life is a bunch of ups and downs. Things can be good; things can be not so good. It usually seems pretty convenient to point the finger to explain why. But, there’s one thing I know for sure; there is always one constant to the equation, me.
External factors don’t really change day-to-day for most of us. I still go to the same job I appreciate, sleep in the same comfy bed, have the same awesome truck and cherish the same relationships. Granted, you might be a bit down because someone ate your lunch out of the work refrigerator or you might have an extra bounce in your step because you get to wear your favourite shirt. Largely, things kinda don’t change. So?….
On this particular day, that couple of weeks ago, I was feeling less than great. Nothing had happened to get me there; it was just an average day. Only, on that day I had a different response to how I was feeling. Instead of being just crummy, I was being crummy and thinking about the other days that I hadn’t felt that way. I remember thinking that hiding in my bed wouldn’t help. Putting on my favourite shirt and going for a drive wouldn’t do it, either. Seeing a loved one or getting a hug would probably be nice, but ultimately, I felt like I was just stuck in that rut. At the same time, those days when I was feeling great, it wasn’t really because of any of those things, either.
This realization wasn’t really the easiest spot to be in. Basically, it was a complete toe-to-toe of “discouraging” versus “promising”. Discouraging because it seemed that there was nothing I could run towards to help me. Promising because it became apparent that I didn’t need to run from myself to help me.
Lightbulb – I think I finally got what “choosing happiness” meant.
Am I doing it? No. Well, not every day. But, knowing that it really is a choice is the only way to give yourself the opportunity to be there. It’s not to say that you should pretend and put on a happy face if that’s not who you are that day. It’s to say that it can be you, and it is you. Just not right now. Above all, just know that being you, with what you have and don’t have, is your happiness.
I think we often believe that material factors, someone else’s actions or companionship shape our happiness. Those can all definitely help. But, in the absence of those things, then what? Well, it’s your opportunity to acknowledge that you can choose whatever you want to be. We all have something different that really fills our Heart. But, the common thread is that whatever it is, it will be whatever is true in your Heart. And, daunting as it may seem, YOU’RE the only one that can find it. The great thing, you’ll never be without you!
be Love.
Everyone has ups and downs. When I feel down and I know it is going to be temporary. I used to think talking to a friend will make it better, but then I realize that by telling them the entire story is like making me go through all that again. So why should I make myself feel that bad feeling a second time? Isn’t that stupid? Then I will buy myself an ice-cream and eat those all bad things up and re-charge myself. Finally I will be back to my happy mood. It works for me as I know in my life I do have my parents and my friends. However, no one knows better than myself does. We all kind of live in a life by ourselves. So we have to learn how to deal with those things by ourselves and how to be strong, and how to make ourselves happy by ourselves. If I feel happy (most of the time yes), then everything will be good; if I don’t, that is fine as that means I am a human being that like the rest of others and I will heal it up by myself. I don’t hide my feelings, but I won’t let it affect me. Because it is me who control my feeling, not the other way around. Life is too short and also the friends around me today may not be with me forever, so I have tried my best to make sure I am happy then I can make others that important to me happy. You are one of the most positive people I know. By saying that, I don’t mean you can’t feel down sometimes. There is a difference between feeling down and feeling negative. Feeling down is normal, but feeling negative is bad that means we have to think why we feel that way and need to get out of that negative zone ASAP. Take care and be happy.
One more thing, there may be a “the brightest bulb”. However, the word “brightest” have different meaning for different people. If a person stuck in an elevator or a deep hole (like a trap in the forest), even a weak light from a small bulb is the brightest for that person who was in that situation. You have no idea how bright you are! You don’t need too many people to realize your brightness and as long as there is one person thinks you are the brightest, then that is all you need. I am sure there is more than one 🙂 Take care and be bright. Haha 🙂
What we focus on, we make stronger. Like you said, for what purpose would it serve you to go re-live whatever it is that is making you feel down? There would be no purpose. The direction is to find the silver lining or whatever makes you smile or your ice cream! Finding the way to our happiness is what those negative instances give us the opportunity to do. You have a wonderful perspective on being positive and have a very resilient attitude. I admire that very much. However we find our happiness is only for us to choose.
By the way, your analogy of how “the brightest bulb” can be something different for each person or each situation, is really fantastic. Thank you for sharing that. 🙂
be Love!