Picture this: You're standing at the edge of a metaphorical diving board, wearing your most dazzling swimwear, ready to plunge into the refreshing pool of life. The only problem? You keep telling yourself, "I'll dive in when the water is just the RIGHT temperature, and the sun is at the PERFECT angle." Spoiler alert: that perfect moment may never come.
LIFE is a grand theater, and we're all players with front-row seats to our own show. The curtains are drawn, the lights are dimmed, and there you are, waiting for the perfect cue to make your entrance. But guess what? Life isn't a Broadway production with a meticulously scripted schedule. It's more like improv, and the best moments often come when you least expect them.
As we journey through this whimsical circus of life, let's take a detour to explore the roots of our "If / When" game. It turns out, the circus tent we find ourselves under has been pitched since our early days, and the ringleader of this peculiar show is none other than societal expectations.
Now, let's talk about the notorious "If / When" game. We've all played it, whether we admit it or not.
- "I'll be happy WHEN I LOSE 30 pounds.
- I'll be happy WHEN I HAVE a better job.
- I'll be happy WHEN I FIND the right partner.
- I’ll be happy with the family photo shoot WHEN my hair is the PERFECT length. "
It's like creating a happiness treasure map, complete with X-marks-the-spot goals. But what if we traded the treasure map for a magic carpet and SOARED through the skies of contentment right NOW?
Consider this: "I'm working to get a healthier body, but I'm happy that I have legs that allow me to walk, a body that does so much for me in a day's time, and a spouse that loves me." It's like APPRECIATING the view from the magic carpet while still heading towards the treasure.
And let's not forget the whimsical scenarios we often tie to our happiness.
- "I'll be happy if I have a MORE attentive spouse.
- I'll be happy if I get a BETTER job.
- I'll be happy if my husband STOPS drinking."
It's like saying, "I'll be happy if my pet unicorn learns to tap dance."
While it's good to have GOALS, let's not forget to revel in the JOY of the EVERYDAY, even if tap-dancing unicorns are in short supply.
This is where the conditioning begins. Our young, impressionable minds are taught that WORTHINESS and BRIGHTNESS are MEASURED in grades from Kindergarten/Nursery to Middle School, High School, College, or University. Fall short, and suddenly you're not worthy or considered bright. The trapeze of SELF-CONFIDENCE and SELF-ESTEEM begins to sway, threatening to send us plummeting into the safety net of societal EXPECTATIONS.
Life, much like a rollercoaster, is a thrilling ride with unexpected twists and turns. If we keep WAITING for the stars to align, we might MISS OUT on the loop-de-loops and corkscrews of excitement happening right NOW. So, let's throw away the script that says we can only be happy under certain spotlights.
In this relentless pursuit, we forget that kids need to be kids. The spotlight should be on their laughter, curiosity, and playfulness, not the incessant demand for perfection. We're inadvertently setting the stage for a circus of self-doubt and anxiety.
This pattern is a familiar tale. I, too, grew up under the big top of academic expectations. By the time I graduated from the University big top and stepped into the world beyond, I carried the weight of doubt – AM I GOOD ENOUGH? It's a recurring theme, a haunting melody that plays in the background of our lives. Today, I know I’m good enough and worthy but all it takes is someone mentioning something and those doubts creep in! I’ve learned that MINDSET is the KEY because it’s the only way to stay POSITIVE and in CONTROL of my own HAPPINESS.
Release the shackles of conditional happiness and become the wizard of your joy. It's a radical concept, like turning frogs into princes or discovering that your laundry can fold itself. You have the wand – use it to choose happiness, not someday, but today.
DON’T WAIT:
- To use the fine China for a special occasion, use it NOW, or
- To go on that beach vacation or safari in Kenya, book it TODAY
- we always wait for everything but none of us know what TOMORROW holds.0
JOIN ME on this journey where we celebrate the small victories like:
- CONQUERING the dragon-sized pile of dishes or
- FINDING a parking spot right in front of the grocery store or
- My favourite is when you pump EXACTLY $25:00 of petrol and not a cent over!
Let's ACKNOWLEDGE the potential for magic that exists within us, the small WINS and sprinkle a little fairy dust of GRATITUDE on the ORDINARY moments.
The truth is life's circus doesn't have a linear script. It's a DYNAMIC, CHAOTIC, and BEAUTIFUL performance where each act contributes to the grand spectacle. We don't need to achieve something before we can start something else. We can juggle DREAMS, balance GOALS, and walk the tightrope of self-discovery WITHOUT waiting for the applause of external validation.
In the grand tapestry of life, each thread contributes to the beauty of the whole. Your happiness is like the glitter in the fabric, adding sparkle to the mundane and radiance to the extraordinary. So, let's kick off our shoes, throw on our invisible capes, and dance through life with the understanding that the right moment is this moment – the one you're living right NOW.
The stage is set, the spotlight is yours, and the time is NOW. Don't wait for the right moment – it will NEVER be RIGHT.
Dive into the pool, ride the rollercoaster, and embrace the chaos with a smile. Life's a circus, and you're the RINGMASTER of your HAPPINESS. The circus of happiness starts with the first step on the tightrope of embracing the PRESENT.
