Everything in life doesn't go as planned, other people influence our lives, blah blah blah....I know I know; there's a billion other outside factors that take away our happiness every day. The world can be a dark place.
But....
Saying YES to happiness is a personal choice. It's all about our personal outlook and what we chose to surround ourselves with. This includes people, places, thoughts and objects.
Let's look at objects for a sec. Most of us don't give any consideration to how the mundane things in our lives affect our daily moods, stress levels and our very happiness.
Is too much material stuff bogging you down? Does the clutter and constant disorganization drive you nuts? Then it's time for a serious change. Take a step back and evaluate everything you've accumulated.
If this is an overwhelming task for you break it down into different days or weeks where you do one area at a time. Most importantly make a promise to yourself (and share it with others, they'll hold you more accountable) not to add anything else to your collection until your weeding is done.
Donate everything you haven't used in the last 3-6 months. If you've never used it then why are you keeping it? Ask yourself why you're holding onto it, what it means to you and how it makes you feel. Be upfront and completely honest with yourself. If it doesn't make you happy or isn't incredibly meaningful to you, let it go!
Take baby steps and remind yourself you'll get there if you keep at it. When your ready, take a look at what you have left.
Now, maybe you're on the other end of the spectrum and you only keep minimal stuff. Do your material belongings mean anything to you? Do they spark happiness every time you look at them?
Take these things for example: reusable shopping bags, hand soap, pens/pencils, shoestrings, hand towels, binders, journals, drinking glasses, laundry baskets. They are mundane things everybody uses. Most people don't think about them at all when they buy, they just grab what's cheap and go.
But what does that plain old laundry basket, pen or binder do for you? Is it just another something you need? Does it energize you? Make you smile? Make you want to brag about it to all your friends?
Why does everything mundane have to be so boring?
Oh that's right, it doesn't!!! I'm not condoning going crazy and spending tons of money you don't have on things you don't need or only buying the expensive stuff but making a conscious effort to examine how every SINGLE thing in your life, no matter how big or small, makes you feel is incredibly important.
The world sucks away plenty of our happiness without us sabotaging ourselves, don't you think. If you surround yourself with things that speak to your soul and truly make you happy, bumps from outter-forces won't seem so bad.
So if it's not doing anything to promote your happiness or worse (you hate it) get it out of your life.
'Til next time,
Misty
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