By Design, Not By Accident

We will spend, sometimes months, designing our week long vacation. We go through every detail. Plane or drive? What hotels will we stay at? What shopping and restaurants do we want to take in? What new activities do we want to try? Why do we spend so much time planning for a week of our live and yet so little time planning a happy life? Happiness doesn't always come from "just going with the flow", because what might be right for a few might not be right for you. A life filled with happiness doesn't happen by accident. It happens by design. You have to put work in, to achieve a happy life. Happiness takes effort. Happiness comes from making and executing a plan. That plan may include changing your personal circle, your job, or even where you live. Sure, some things will still go haywire but that it just a part of the human experience. Design, execute, and make the adjustments along the way in order to live a life of happiness. Once you determine what level of happiness you want and deserve, maintaining it is the easy part. Notice that I didn't say anything about settling for a level of happiness. Raise your standards and don't settle for less. Don't attach your happiness to any one or any thing. Attach your happiness to you and you alone. People and things are only there to add to our happiness not define it. That job, house, car, or significant other are only there to add to your happiness. To many time we believe that if we get these things or accomplish that goal, we will be happy. You are setting yourself up for failure and disappointment. You and you alone are in charge or your happiness. When I finally realized this, my life began to dramatically change. I began to live my life differently. Stress and drama began to leave my life. That's not saying that I still don't get drama and stress in my life, but I get to choose how big of a role they will play in my life. People and things will let you down and when you place your happiness on them, that is when you live a life full of drama and stress. People wonder why their life sucks and why good things never happen for them. Take a few moments and see what you have attached your happiness to. Make sure that your happiness it only attached to you and everything else is only there to add to your happiness. If you have something taking away from your happiness, it's time for a change. It might mean that you need to change or that you need to change or remove something that you have allowed into your life. Sure change can be scary, but without it, we a destined to life a life of misery. What is your happiness worth and what are you willing to do to have more happiness in your life? Take the time to design what you want your happiness to look and feel like. Execute your plan. Make adjustments a long the way. Never lower your standards, because you deserve the best.

Dream Big...Pursue Big...Live Big