We all must walk our own path in life.  No one person in this world can live our life for us.  That means that we all possess an immense amount of power, starting at birth.  However, most don’t even know the tools that they are equipped with to help them on their journey through existence.  Think about even the most basic of tools such as tear ducts.  Who knew that we would have a tiny hole on our bottom lids to release fluids?  When we are upset, hurt, happy, etc. we can release those emotions through tears.  Imagine if you had to keep those emotions inside; how weird or traumatized would our bodies feel?  Let’s take it a step further.  What about our limbs?  We have limbs to help us run, walk, jump, crawl, roll, dive, swim, hike, flip, etc.  In danger, we can move fast.  In competition, we can excel. We are able to work, play and survive.  Humans have intricate organs to keep them alive and healthy and are given the most important muscle of all; a brain.  This isn’t an anatomy class; this is understanding that we have everything we need, to make decisions for ourselves and to work for the things we want in life.  So, why are people stuck in their unhappiness when they can essentially create any situation that they want to be in?

We are attached to personal things and create a false sense of value for ourselves that eventually clouds our judgement.  We work crazy jobs with long hours and unhealthy environments, just to be able to pay bills.  Daily routines are established that produce robots out of people who are meant to be extraordinary.  So, I ask the question again…would you be willing to give up everything for personal happiness?  All of the things and people that you are personally attached to, could you let them go?  Could you jump out in the world with only your God-given tools and make something of yourself?  Instead of working to pay bills, could you work to travel and enjoy life?  True happiness isn’t being able to afford the best things, it’s being able to feel fulfilled without.

I’ve heard this preached to me many times, I’ve read books to explain this concept, I’ve tried to adopt the principles of such a lifestyle.  However, I just never allowed myself to fully live in the premise because I was too attached to what I thought was happiness.  It wasn’t until I lost the “things” that I was attached to, that I began to think in a different way.  All of the attachments I had used to make me feel safe and protected.  I was able to pay rent and bills, I had friends whom I became dependent upon too much, I was comfortable.  My world was shaken when I lost my comfortable job of four years.  I had no clue which way was up and I was devastated.  But, then I realized…it was a sign.  I would have never left my job.  I was good at it, it paid my bills and I had my routine down.  Now, I realize that I was just going through each day with no sense of living in the “now”.  Days, months and even years had passed and I didn’t have much personal happiness to show for all of the time invested.

Fast forward to present day.  I’m in a basic job where I serve.  How much money I make is dependent upon the level of effort that I want to put in.  I don’t work everyday, I pretty much make my own schedule.  I don’t have an apartment anymore that I have to pay an extreme amount of money for.  I have a very tight circle of friends whom I just appreciate for being in my life.  I don’t have it all, but for the first time EVER, I feel so free.  I can pick up and move where I want to, I can take as much time off of work that I want, to just travel and explore, I’m not tied down to material things.  I have so many moments that I didn’t have before.  I don’t just feel happy; I AM happy.  Can you say the same?

“We don’t grow out of comfortable situations…we really start to grow when it’s uncomfortable for us.” ~A Friend