To “go live” is to be in active pursuit of living. Not simply existing or surviving, not going through the motion’s day in and day out, but to live with purpose and passion in a world bursting with optimism, joy and opportunity.
One of my favorite questions to ask people is “What’s the dream?” and one of the most common answers I’ve heard recently is “I want to be happy” which is beautiful answer and not necessarily a direct indication that they are currently unhappy. However, I think it is an incomplete answer and one that is pretty complex to unpack, especially for it being such a seemingly simple and innocent answer… Let me explain.
I believe that being happy is a choice. It’s a decision that regardless of the circumstances today brings, I am going to choose to hold onto the things that bring me a deep sense of joy and gratitude. I am going to hold those things above the circumstances of the day regardless of the people around me, and approach each moment with that outlook. Easier said than done right! I don’t believe everyone has to be happy though. We live in a gnarly world, and there are some terrible things that happen. I don’t think everyone has to be happy all the time and when there are terrible things that happen, there are times it’s not appropriate or even natural to be happy. There is a time to be sad, that is real. It doesn’t take away your choice though. You can always choose to be happy and in my experience, that seems to be the direction that leads to the best days.
So, if happiness is more of a decision thing, maybe it is more about discipline and less about the typical happy thoughts of rainbows, sunshine and vanilla lattes. When most people say their dream is to be happy, I don’t think they are dreaming about a soft experience where their every need is catered to, there is no adversity, minimal effort and endless comfort that required zero growth. The happiness they are expressing is one of fulfillment and a deeper experience in the world around them. The funny conundrum is that those things typically come from overcoming challenges, hard work and discipline. The part that can be confusing and unsettling to live out, is when we are chasing the end feeling while avoiding the journey of the experience that leads us there. All of us have the opportunity of experiencing adversity, overcoming challenges and practicing discipline every day. It’s easy to avoid them in the pursuit of happiness, unknowingly skipping over the path that, while challenging, leads to the happiness we desire most. So, as we read this on an ordinary day of the week, what does this mean to experience an extraordinary happiness that comes from discipline?
We can choose to pursue happiness. It may be more natural on the days you wake up to a sunny morning and a text that makes you smile as you go drink a great cup of coffee out of your favorite mug and more challenging on the days we spill that coffee on our favorite shirt. The opportunity is present nevertheless. It’s the intention that leads the charge in progress. Being intentional about letting things go a little quicker, choosing to be the one who says hello first in the elevator or give a compliment when it isn’t necessary. Not because it is easy or natural, but because you made a decision to be happy today and that is something you do when you are happy.
We can recognize that discipline is a beautiful thing. In concept, most people like the idea of being disciplined in one way or another. In practice it isn’t quite as romantic… Discipline is saying yes to what you want in the future even though it doesn’t feel like what you want in the moment. Discipline is the kindest thing you can do for your future self. It truly is an act of love to yourself you get to unwrap another day. When we change the way we see discipline and decide that happiness is an important part of who we are becoming, making the decision to be happy is something that pays dividends long term in so many ways.
A perspective shift is just a little gratitude away. When we feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day and we wish things were different in the immediate world around us, sometimes it means that we just need a perspective shift. We should all be in the business of getting bigger problems. We live in an imperfect world and there are as many problems around as we are willing to look for. That’s why businesses exist… someone saw a problem and tried to solve it. People started getting sick and someone though of a place with people who had the tools to help make people better. Boom! the invention of the hospital. But just because there are problems all around us, doesn’t mean we have to be weighed down by all the issues of the world we live in. If we are lucky enough to still be alive, well… that is exciting! If you have loved ones around who are healthy, you’ve hit the lottery!!! The reality is, life is short and there are a lot of crazy things that happen in the world, and at the end of the day we have it pretty freakin great even if there are things that hurt and we wish would change. I don’t want to dismiss the hard things in life that people are going through, that stuff is real. But something else that is real is the fact that we have the opportunity to put more focus and gratitude on the things we DO have that will lead to a deeper sense of joy.
Maybe it’s time for a little more happiness in life. Don’t forget that you are unique in so many ways, and a happy you is a great gift to the world and the people around you. A genuine smile is a powerful force, and a life that is lived fully alive is one that can send ripples of inspiration that always seem to have a way of coming back around on the days we need them most. Go live and be happy my friends.