When Will You Be Happy?

“You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy.” - Jane “Nightbirde” Marcz I heard this powerful statement a few years ago while watching Nightbirde audition on America’s Got Talent and ever since then that quote has been hanging on my fridge. It is a daily reminder that the timing of when I am happy is up to me. And it is up to you. We live in a world that is constantly focused on the externals of life. The job, the money, the looks, the physique, the clout, the accomplishments, the status. There is so much endless noise being shouted at us, claiming that the measure of a happy, successful life is found in all the things outside of us. Have you ever stopped to consider what that means? If happiness is found in your external circumstances, you have a higher chance of grabbing hold of the wind than you do of living a continuously happy life. It’ll never, ever happen. And while that may be uncomfortable to hear, deep down we all know it is true. We have all experienced the reality of that. The tighter we grasp at the externals of life to fulfill us and make us happy, the faster they seem to slip from our hands, leaving us unfulfilled and disappointed. So, what’s the alternative? Choose to be happy now. Right where you are. Does that mean necessarily liking where you are? No. Does that mean never wishing for more or different or better? No. Does that mean not pursuing your dreams or working hard to make changes? Of course not. It means choosing, right in the midst of now, to be happy. To see the good. To learn the lessons that the challenges and pain are offering to you. It means choosing to be content, joyful, and at peace no matter where you are or who you are with. And that begins by investing in the inner things of life just as much as (if not more than) the external things of life. Investing in gratitude; in developing a strong, resilient mind; in identifying victim mentalities that shift responsibility for your life onto other people and instead developing healthy mindsets that exercise ownership over your feelings, actions, and choices. It begins by setting healthy boundaries around your body, your time, your energy, and your resources, and being intentional with how you invest each one. It begins by discovering that you CAN choose to be happy, to be content, to be joyful, even in the midst of the crazy world all around you! The truth is, we can choose to wait until life isn’t hard anymore to before we decide to be happy, but we all know how that story would end. So why not choose to be happy now? Stop giving into the lie that you can’t be happy until everything around you is “perfect” and decide right now to be happy. Smile. See the good. And watch the ripple effect it has on the people around you as you inspire happiness!