Being Present and The Road to Happiness

As I drink my morning coffee and look out my window from my room I notice the white snow that lies so peacefully on the grass. I see cars drive by as people hurry on with their crazy lives never noticing the simplicity of the world around them. Over these last few months I have spent time journeying through many new emotions, ideas, and ways of life unsure of how I all fit together. One of the things that I have started to do in my daily life is to take 5 minutes a day, just 5 minutes to sit in silence and observe the world around me. In those five minutes I often sit on my bed which looks out a window onto part of my college campus. I just sit and watch to take in everything. Sometimes I sit with peaceful music other times just with pure silence. Through these reflective 5 minutes each day I find myself re-energized and restored to continue with my day. These 5 minutes have started to transfer into my every moment. I notice the simple things much more quickly and have slowed down my thought process so I am not pulling myself in 10 different directions at once. It allows me to focus on the moment that I am in. I can live in the moment and enjoy all that the moment has to offer. As I have heard many times in the past while sitting in church listening and taking in sermons being present is one of the most powerful and wonderful things that can happen for you and the people around you. It is hard to be present in this world with all the technology and distractions we have of the ‘more important’ things in our lives but really is an empowering practice. Being aware of what is going on, enjoying the people you are with, and the world around you has a relaxing, stress free affect which we all know I need a little bit of (or a lot of). In my 5 minutes I see the world through a whole different lens. One that is peaceful, slow, and relaxed, something the world doesn’t offer easily. In that time my phone is away, my computer is off and I can truly spend time with myself, listening to my thoughts, feelings, and needs. When my 5 minutes are up I can address the rest of the world and the things that need to be done but for those 5 brief moments out of the 1440 minutes in the day I am with me, myself, and I. It has helped me to recognize and place where I am at that day; how I am feeling, and is there anything I need to do to direct myself in a positive direction.

Yesterday was an extremely trying day for me emotionally. I didn’t really know where I stood, I couldn’t figure out what I needed to do to help my negative thinking turn into positive uplifting thinking to get me through the day. When I finally got the chance to take my 5 minutes in the day, which happened to be very late last night because of my busy day, I realized what was going on. I was living in the craziness and fast paced ways of the world rather than living in the moment and enjoying what was in front of me. I wasn’t taking the time to notice the simple things and enjoy the simplicity that life has to offer. I was worried about what had to happen next and what was I doing next, it raised my anxiety levels through the roof and to be honest turned me into an unpleasant monster. I was ‘superficial’ and concerned with the luxuries of life that sometimes pull you in so you never experience the slow paced happiness that comes with simplicity.

I will be the first to admit this world has a way of pulling you into needing and wanting certain things. You have to live up to society and what everyone is thinking to fit in. But what if for once you didn’t try to fit in, what if you just did what made you happy, what worked for you? Where would that lead you? It’s a question I am still asking myself and trying to figure out. So here is to another day of trying to recognize the simplistic things in life and find my happiness through doing what makes ME happy not what makes society happy. I dare you today to try and notice the simple things in your life, be present and enjoy the people and events you are experiencing. Best of luck in finding your true happiness!!