Happiness

First things first, this is about the only time you will ever see me get serious on this blog. Second, I really struggled with the idea of posting this or not for a few reasons. Third, this is just my opinion and I need to get my thoughts out, maybe somebody else will find it helpful or at the least interesting. If you are still reading I appreciate that. This blog post is a continuation of my brain as of late.

I have been doing a lot of thinking about happiness and how we get and stay there. This has been a process for me that started about two years ago. I have a lot and so do a lot of other people but that isn't a key to happiness. I realized I was unhappy and for the simple reason that I was allowing myself to be unhappy. When it comes down to it happiness is in internal thing, it's up to us. We simply have to decide to be happy, to choose a path of peace, love and joy. There are things in life that we can't control. One of those things is other people. I have only recently begun to accept this. It was hard for me, I thought I could. If I only showed enough compassion, forgiveness, love, surely I could help them change. Now I realize that free will is what makes us, be that good or bad. Sometimes all you can do is forgive, sometimes forgetting is not good for your own health. I am by nature a person who forgives and forgets, so this is hard for me. I'm not perfect, I don't claim to be and I know I never will be. But I am choosing happiness. If that means making some hard choices to stay on that path for myself and my family, I will deal with that. I am on a journey to wisdom, love and peace. Change happens within. I am not the person I was ten years ago, five years ago or even one year ago. Hopefully I am changing for the better. I feel like I am on the right path, I have more patience, more wisdom, more peace than I have ever known. I hope that I can continue on this path and know true peace someday. When my first child was born I said I would know success as a parent if I taught them one thing, empathy. I have added to that, now I hope to show them how to know happiness within them selves, to seek out wisdom, to know that patience is a virtue and peace a blessing.

This is my mantra:

I am choosing to let go of those things which I can not change. I am choosing to know love and let go of hate. I am choosing to find peace and tame chaos. I am choosing to listen to my heart and hear what the hearts of my children and husband have to say. I am choosing to remember the gifts I am given everyday and to show gratitude. I am choosing to see the beauty in simple things, to cherish moments of quiet and solitude. I am choosing to surround myself with wonderful hearts and beautiful smiles. I am choosing to embrace life, to ride the wave and know that I gave it my all. I am choosing light. I am choosing forgiveness. I am choosing happiness.

So if you have managed to stick with me through all of this, I hope it makes some kind of sense. I wish you joy today and always.

Kim