We live in a crazy world. A world
overfilled with negativity, hate, pressure, and just about every other
self-defeating energy you can think of. To live happily, to live abundantly and
to live freely (i.e., on your own terms) doesn't always come easy. I should
know, as I lived almost 20 years of my life not realizing that I had a choice
in the above matter. I saw happiness as a reward to achieving certain
(superficial) goals. I told myself things like "If I could just lose 10
more pounds, I'll be happy" - I reinforced the idea that I was not worthy
of living a beautiful life, while letting this crazy world we live in get the
best of me.
So, when Margo asked me " "what
makes your heart sing, what puts a smile on your face, what do you do when you’re
feeling down and how do you turn that frown around" I immediately
knew the answer: Remembering that everything in this world is choice. We choose
how we feel, we choose who we are and we choose the kind of life we live. Sure,
there are catastrophic things that happen without our control, but we have the
ability to choose how we respond to those events.
This past year, I've embarked upon the
most emotionally nutty journey of my life. I've pushed myself to the limits
emotionally and physically and as of right now, I understand that this won't be
letting up anytime soon. However, in the emotional chaos that my life has
become, I'm finding happiness in reminding myself that everything in this world
is choice. Just knowing that I have the power to feel any emotion at any time
is truly what puts a smile on my face. Although, I have not mastered this
concept (I am human after all), the hope of it's possibility keeps my spirits
lifted. It's somewhat tough love in nature, as most people don't want to except
that where they may be in life (emotionally or physically) is a result of their
own choices, but it's as simple as that. I constantly remind myself that no matter how bad the situation may be,
I have a choice in how I perceive that situation - I can go crazy and pull the
"woe is me" act, or, I can make lemonade with dem' lemons. Let me
tell you, sanity requires the latter.
One choice I've personally made that has
impacted my emotional self the greatest, was when I chose to Let Go (or at
least, embrace this concept). Being in such a transitional point in my life, I
have found the most peace with a simple reminder to 'let go' and have faith.
I've stopped fighting the unnatural, I've stopped trying to control how people
perceive me (no matter my actions) and most importantly, I've stopped living by
what I expected my life to look like 10 years ago - as those expectations were
preventing me from finding happiness in a different path. I no longer fear the
future as much as I once did, because a) I truly believe everything happens for
a reason and b) I can't exactly control the future, so why be miserable trying?
Rather, I make smart decisions in the moment, while letting the rest fall (or
not fall) into place.
Moreover, I find happiness in constantly
asking myself "If I were to die tomorrow, would I be ok with what I've
done so far?". It may seem dark in nature, but by constantly asking myself
this question, I find it helps me live more in the moment - as opposed to
living for tomorrow. A lot of times, I let fear of rejection hold me back from
doing things, and this concept (what if today were my last?) has helped me
break through that fear. In the grand scheme of things, I don't want leave this
world with any regrets. Because after all, isn't that what's it's all about?
Choose to be happy, learn to let go and most importantly, never let anyone keep
you from fully living your life.
Much love,
Callie
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