I posted the following on my main blog and thought I’d share here as well:
It’s funny… people oftentimes ask me, “Stephen, how are you so happy and optimisitic ALL the time?!” I’d respond, “I don’t know… I have times when I’m not happy, but I don’t dwell on them too much.” After giving some thought as to how I do it, I realized some a few things.
First, why would I not be happy?! I have friends and family who care for me, and I enjoy that I help others as much as possible. I have the necessities for survival, and quite honestly… I don’t think it takes all that much to maintain. I think it’s easy for us to foster a skewed image of what it is to truly be happy. We’ve become consumed with obtaining material possessions, but in reality, what do these possessions really do for us? To me, it’s the forging and fostering of relationships that provides me with the most meaning in my life.
I recently read a great post at CoolPeopleCare (www.coolpeoplecare.org). If you’re looking for ways to help others (read: maintain happiness), be sure to subscribe to the daily updates. One particular post was about thanking your teachers. I took action immediately after reading it, and I sent thank you emails to two of my teachers whom I feel have had the most impact on my life.
Mrs. Stidger and Ms. Clift (11th grade advanced English and 5th grade, respectively) have been the most amazing influences in my life. It’s been forever since I’ve seen either of them face-to-face, but I always value that I can email them whenever I please and get a thoughtful response in return. They’ve gone above and beyond the average teacher, and for that, they are to be commended. Mrs. Stidger taught me how to love poetry and to explore all possibilities. Ms. Clift taught me that learning new things can be fun… no matter how difficult it may be. It’s weird… both have commented on how they knew I’d end up being successful. I wonder how? Needless to say, saying thank you to them made me happy. Score two happy points for me.
As I write this entry, I am listening to Audio Adrenaline. For those of you that may not be familiar with this group, they’re Christian and pretty much amazing. The message of the Bible is presented in a way that anyone can understand. It takes me back to a time when I was in high school and looked forward to going to church. I was surrounded by people who had my best interests at heart, and it just felt good. I may be many years removed from high school, but it’s amazing how music has the ability to take you back to the happiest moments of our lives. Score another point for me.
Simply recalling times in our lives when we were the happiest proves to be quite powerful. If you’re struggling with maintaining your happiness, take a step back and think about the happiest moments in your life. The feelings you had back then can be replicated and help with the now. Give it a try. I dare you.
