Progress.

As a busy mom, now at a new stage in life, I felt for a long time that I was exploring uncharted territory. No one could have prepared me for my life as it is now. I think I was in a state of shock for the last couple of years. My life has been great, no real complaints at all. Something was wrong, and I knew it, but it was pretty easy to ignore. Then, a few months ago, I finally began to snap out of it. Like I told my good friend, it's like slowly awakening from a deep sleep.. and feeling lost. Everything is fine, truly. And everything is a mess. Some of you can relate. Others think it sounds crazy. I understand, and I honestly don't think I can explain, so I'll just move on. One day, it might make perfect sense to those who don't understand today.

Yesterday, I was at Family Dollar buying some things, and noticed a small book, called "a Taste of Chicken Soup to Inspire a Woman's Soul." It's from the authors of "Chicken Soup for the Soul" and there is a full version of this book, but this little 'taste' just costs one dollar, so it goes in the cart, plus a copy for a friend. These are the words I found in the first two pages… in the introduction to the book:

"If you use this time to re-evaluate your life – to question anything you've been doing on autopilot for a long time, be it in your career, family, or relationships – then you can begin to unearth the secret wishes that will take you back to a more authentic sense of yourself" (Canfield, p. vii).

"How can you make this time of your life rich in self-discovery, growth, and transformation? To start, you can honor where you have been and what you've done; you can acknowledge the challenges you have endured, the strengths you have accumulated, and the knowledge you have extracted from your experiences. In other words, you can celebrate all that you are and all that you are becoming" (Canfield, p. viii).

At this, I experienced several sensations in unison – relief, awe, confirmation, and propulsion.

Feels nice.

Do what makes you happy.

Do you ever wake up wondering about your day?  Asking what the day ahead holds?  Sometimes, I do.  Sometimes, I try to get to the bottom of the day’s purpose, thought pattern, or even decide upon a theme for the day or week.  Well, I don’t do it very often, but it’s a practice I’d like to begin exploring.  What if I started each day with the question, “Ok, What’s today gonna be about?”  Of course, in my case I’m asking this question part to myself and part to another strong force, to be soon disclosed herein (ha, I love using words like that sometimes…. soon disclosed herein – that’s funny).

 Any how, today, as I was getting ready for my day, I was looking in the mirror (while brushing my teeth) and thought “So, what’s up with today?”  After a pause, I heard a small, still voice say, “Today, do whatever makes you happy.”  My immediate reaction was, “Wait a minute… that seems a little extreme and selfish even… possibly careless.”  So, the voice said, “Oh, let me explain…” And I realized the true message.  And it’s not just for me, and not just for today.  It’s for everybody, every day. 

What I thought was my own inner voice telling me to just live it up, because, hey – life is short, was actually the Holy Spirit whispering for me to look ahead, and use each day to create happiness, not just for today, but for life.  Let me say that again in other words:  Live each day in pursuit of happiness.  Do today what will make you happiest in the long run.  If this includes different things for each individual person’s pursuit, that makes perfect sense.  My pursuit of happiness includes a strong relationship with God, a close and loving relationship with my husband, a tight bond with my daughter, the health and longevity of my extended family, financial security, creative outlets, educating myself and others, personal fitness (feeling and looking my best), and much more.

Today, and for everyday, I hope I will always remember to Do What Makes Me Happy.