How to be Happy

Hey guys!

So, as some of you may know, I've been sick for the last few days.

When I get sick, I tend to start wallowing in self pity and thinking of all the terrible things that have happened to me in my life.

I'm just going to go ahead and point out that my life hasn't exactly been one long happy story, I've certainly had my fair share of downers. If you were to look at my life story, it would be easy to understand why I tend to get upset sometimes.

But you know, nobody's life is one long happy story. You can't expect to have happiness without some bad stuff along the way.



Today I am feeling much better, and since talking to two of my very dear friends, I am able to see what a sad-sack I've been lately (yes, I just called myself a sad-sack).

Now, I'm not saying that you have to be cheerful all the time, because that is impossible. Sometimes everyone gets down, and sometimes you just need someone to hug you, listen to your problems, and not try to fix them, but to tell you that it's all going to be alright in the end (and maybe watch Doctor Who with you).

But eventually, we all have to get back up out of the mud, take a shower, and face the world once more.

Of course, in my case, having friends and family who really love you and want to see you happy again really helps.

We all get upset sometimes. Not always for the same reasons of course, but sadness, anger, depression, fear, it all hits us sometimes. The question is though, how will you handle it?

I've recently decided that, because it's my life, I shouldn't let anyone else control me. And by that I mean, nothing that another person does or says to me should be able to get to me unless I want it to.

I'm in control of how I react to things.

Of course, there are some things that I can't control. Like, if something scares me, my heart is going to start racing whenever I go near it. Or if I find someone attractive, my heart is going to start beating really hard and I might blush if they're around.

But I can control how I act. If I'm mad at someone, I don't have to let it affect how I treat everyone else.

If I'm sad, I don't have to let my mood influence me so much that I make everyone else sad too.

Here's something else I learned (literally learned this like, last night): I. Don't. Have. To. Care.

I know, that sounds really not nice. But you have to understand, I spend a lot of time worrying about how what I do will affect others.

This is not necessarily a bad thing! It's important to realize that your actions will affect other people. It's also important to care about that, and try not to do things that will hurt people.

But what I've done is gone and cared too much. I can't do anything, at all, without worrying endlessly about how what I've done could hurt someone else. And so in the process, I've began to waste away, hurting my own self.

In my mother's words, I've cut off my arm to avoid feeling the pain of the splinter.

Well, I've decided to be done with that. I'm not done caring about other people, but I'm done letting everyone else use me to their advantage.

Now, don't get me wrong, nothing will stop me from loving my friends and family, and I will still take into consideration the feeling of others. But it's my life. I can't destroy myself on someone else's whim.

I love my life. I love my family. I love my friends. I'll still try and do right by other people, but I'm not going to let the whim of someone else control me.

To anyone who feels like they have to be perfect and happy all the time for someone else: be yourself! Don't let anyone else tell you how to think or feel. Find your happiness in the Lord, not in making other people happy, because you will never be able to please everyone all at once, and you will always be miserable. There is literally so much freedom that comes with just being yourself and not trying to make everyone else happy. Be happy with who you are, don't worry about how other people see you.

I just want to say a huge thank you to all the people who put up with me when I'm complaining about everything. Thanks for not giving up on me. You guys are all awesome.

There's no way I could do it without you.

Cheers!