Today was a great day.
Something I have realized over the years is that good days are usually not the result of some big, exciting news or a sudden windfall of cash or prizes. Although, those can be fun to dream about.
Most good days are the result of appreciating what we have presently in our day to day lives.
If we wait for everything to fall into place, such as losing those last 10 pounds or finding that ‘perfect guy’, we may never feel content because we are constantly longing for more. We are never enough as we are right now. Even as you read this, you might be thinking, This doesn’t apply to me. I won’t be happy until I have ‘x’.
And you are probably right.
A couple years ago, I decided that I was going to appreciate myself, my life, and my circumstances for what they were. Of course, appreciate doesn’t mean that you can’t strive for growth and change, it just means that you understand where you currently are in life.
Even when we are between a rock and a hard place, these difficult circumstances are often for a reason even if we cannot see it at the time. I have been through some pretty rough times in my life, but when I look back on them I see what each situation has taught me and how they allowed me to grow.
When I was struggling with a career and grad school that made me miserable, I didn’t know it at the time, but they would serve as a major turning point in my life. The unhappiness I experienced eventually woke me up and suddenly, I was determined to never settle for mediocrity again.
After my parents divorced when I was 17, my mom and I started a new chapter and we moved across the country from New Brunswick to Ontario. I would have been entering my last year of high school with all of my friends (and long-time boyfriend) in New Brunswick, but instead I took a leap of faith and I chose to move and to challenge myself. My mom got a job transfer to Ontario and we moved shortly thereafter with our life stuffed into a few suitcases.
Things were rough, especially for the first few months before we found an apartment to live in. I was living with nearby family for the first while and I was trying to begin at a new school and also juggle my studies and social life while living out of a suitcase.
My mom and I shared many tears together that year.
But as they say, hindsight is always 20/20.
While that time was filled with many challenges, it was also quite remarkable to see the progression over time. By stepping out of my comfort zone, I grew as a person and I matured a lot. Slowly but surely things started to fall into place. I started my last year of high school in a new school where I didn’t know a soul, but as luck would have it, I ended up meeting my future husband during my first day of class.
Sometimes a leap of faith has a hidden four leaf clover.
So yes, today was a good day, for no particular reason except for the fact that I decided it was.
The skies were bright blue with fluffy white clouds and the leaves were blazing orange and red, after several days of cold and rain. I hit the pavement, not even overly wanting to workout, but once I got out there I thanked my lucky stars that I had. I ran a fast 4 miles listening to nothing but the crunching of the leaves under my feet and the crickets chirping in the woods.
That is not my picture, but perhaps in a couple more weeks?! ;)
I must mention that it took putting my music player in the washing machine (and breaking it) it for me to run without music, but I digress. As I said, sometimes clouds have a silver lining. ;)
When I wrapped up my work for the day, I decided to bottle the fluffy white clouds and create my own silver lining in my kitchen…
But more on that tomorrow.
Do you ever look back on a tough time in your life and see the hidden four leaf clovers or life lessons that it brought to your life?
Hard times help you grow. I must keep this in mind when I think about my current work situation. But as cliche as it sounds, if I can get through this rough spot, I can get through anything. And in the end I will come out stronger.
Angela, thank you for sharing your story! It’s inspirational when someone we know overcomes certain obstacles and becomes a beautiful human being.
Growing up, I went through a lot of obstacles, such as teasing and being bullied for not being able to hear others, but those times have shaped me into the person that I am today. I’m emotionally stronger, confident, and willing to beat the everyday challenges. It’s difficult on some days, but the loved ones around me are the ones who help me get through it.
Great post, Angela!
That is incredibly sad about the music player,
But it sounds like you turned a bad situation into a situation that was just fine :D
Agreed! Happiness is being able to see the blessings we currently have and then sharing that love and joy with others. Great post!
It is funny how people can think alike sometimes. I wrote about appreciating the little things today on my blog as well. :)
Angela this is such a remarkable post! I love the depth of personal info, insight, realism, real heartfelt words you shared. Thank you for keeping it real :)
I totally agree with you on “mind over matter” and deciding to be happy or not. Life is about choices; and I am not a fake person at all, and I am not a ra-ra cheerleader type, but overall, I try to be upbeat and positive. Well I don’t “try”, I choose to be. Not every day is perfect, but it’s how we view the world, our circumstances, etc etc.
You and I both have psychology backgrounds so could talk about the junction of cognitive-behavioral influence all day long with ya Im sure :)
Seeing the rainbows and the bright spots? Well, I spent 10 months in Phoenix and hated every single second of it. It was awful, not for me and I longed to get back to San Diego after making a silly real estate purchase in Phoenix. With much blood sweat and tears, and just making it happen, we got back to sunny So Cal, we are home. And never plan to leave!
:)
Great story, Angela. You are very inspiring and you just made me feel so much better!
great post, i look on the brighter side of life. it’s much happier here!
that bread looks INCREDIBLE!
A great post. This speaks of thanksgiving – of the act of ‘giving thanks’ & of having gratitude. Beautiful!
What a beautiful reflection :) And you are so right – sometimes even the smallest things can make a day something wonderful :)
Oh my gosh I want to eat all of those biscuits! They look so flufffffffffffy.
I know for a fact that my day would be perfect if I ate those biscuits.
Great post! I need the reminder every now and then!
Oh, and did you just recently “wash” your ipod? If so, try sticking it in a bag of rice overnight. It helps to remove the moisture and has revived many water-logged electronics in our household. :)
What a beautiful post Angela! I would have to say when the husband and I broke up a few years ago while we were dating, it was something that was one of those things that seemed like it was the absolute most horrible decision in the world (which i suppose it was) but it forced me to really focus on myself and take control of who I was. Thinking about him every day of my life for a year and a half is more than enough for me to decide he was the one I couldn’t live without.
What a great post! I think it is great that you take the time to add inspirational and thoughtful messages to your posts, and they are so on target. Nearly all of us can relate to them–I guess that is why your blog is so popular! Keep up the great work!
Jen
LOVE this!!!
I’ve been through some difficult times in the past and now I see the good they came from it. Now, I’m going through a VERY difficult time and struggeling to see the four leaf clover.. but I have faith it’s there.
Thank you so much for sharing!! That’s not something everyone can do, but I feel most can relate to in some way. My undergrad was seriously a struggle for me, and it’s taken me until now– moving across the country, starting a masters program, and not knowing a soul, to realize how unhappy I truly was back then! I am in a whole new territory of life, but I am truly enjoying the challenge, and discovering more about me!!
And I fully agree with you, it is the smallest of the small where you find happiness!! Some days I can’t even explain what made them great, they just were! :)
I am actually going through a tough time currently. I just broke up with my boyfriend of 3.5 years. I was the one that initiated it because I was no longer happy, but that doesn’t mean I’m not upset about it. You form a lot of habits in those 3.5 years that I now need to break! I wrote about the experience on my blog, so I won’t go into details here. But already, I am feeling more at peace and like this hard time will turn into a four leaf clover for me. Thanks for this post, I needed it :)
Angela,
You’re right about happiness. I’ve noticed that conditional happiness always remains that way. People who can’t be happy until they have X often decide, as soon as they get it, that they then need Y, and then Z, and then the rest of the whole dang alphabet. Best to be happy with what you’ve got, however much there is of it.
I’m hoping that what I’m going through right now will serve as an opportunity for growth. I’ve had severe shoulder pains (impingement) for five months, and I can’t do much of anything, including exercise or the hundreds of creative things I used to do. I can’t brush my teeth or sleep without terrible, horrible ouchiness. Nothing has helped so far, in terms of treatment. I’m using this time to learn to take care of myself, eat better, rest when I need to instead of push myself, and to realize just how much I have in life, even if there’s not much left at the moment. I’m hoping I’ll just have a big growth spurt as I go through all of this. I’ve already decided that optimism isn’t mindless and frivolous the way I used to think it was, but the only way to survive with my sanity intact. I’m hoping to make this more than pretty words and put it into action. And it’s scary! And I don’t know how to do it! But now happens to be the right time to start.
And… this is so sappy. But I have you to thank for that last realization. Reading your blog has helped me in more than just my eating habits. Thanks. :)
Beautifully written, Angela. You are so inspirational. Having a good day is only a matter of deciding to make it one :)