It sounds silly, doesn't it? Are there actually people out there that are afraid to be happy? Believe it or not, there really is. And I know it's true because I used to be one of them.
Sometimes life hits you really hard. You didn't get the job that you've always wanted and were probably more than qualified for. A family member gets sick or passes away. You have to say goodbye to a good friend. Or the relationship you thought would never end does. It hurts. And it feels like it will never get better.
But then it does. You wake up one day and suddenly, life doesn't feel as unbearable. You start to smile and laugh again. Someone can ask you how you're doing, and you don't feel tears forming in your eyes immediately. Days go by, and you realize you haven't thought about it like you used to. Life feels good again. And you start to remember what it feels like to be happy.
But then life happens again. You finally reach a high point, and then something else happens that brings you back down. And you feel lower than low. You just started to recover from the last punch life dealt you when it decides to hit you with an uppercut you never saw coming. You feel angry. It's frustrating. Actually, it's worse than that. It's infuriating. Can't life just give you a break already?
Have patience. The dust will settle. And yes, life will give you a break. But you have to realize it will be just that. A break. Because nothing in life is permanent. There is no such thing as a pain free life. It just doesn't exist. The happy days will come to an end. But the good news is that means the bad days will always come to an end, too. And we should take comfort in that.
Think about all the bad days you've had in your life. Did you ever have one that you didn't make it through? Obviously, the answer is no. You've made it through 100 percent of your bad days, and that's a pretty promising statistic. You will make it through this one, too. And if you wake up tomorrow and things just aren't going well still, keep holding on. You'll keep making it through because you have to.
But do you really want to just make it through your day? Of course not! Have the courage to actually enjoy your life! Most people don't realize how much courage it really takes to do that. Because what's the point of being happy if bad things are just going to keep happening? The point is that good things are going to keep happening, too.
Life is a roller coaster. It will be full of highs and lows. But the low points don't make the high points any less enjoyable. In fact, those moments of joy make it easier to get through those times of despair. Because if you keep your gaze forward on the downhill, you'll see another peak off in the distance. It might be far away, or it could be closer than you think. But the point is that it's there. And you have to stay on the ride in order to reach it. Let go of the rail and enjoy the journey. It might sound cliche, but it's cliche because it's true.
Use this hard reality of life to your advantage. If you understand that everything is temporary, including happy times, then you'll learn to appreciate everything when you have it. It's unfortunate how many of us don't realize what we have until it's gone. Don't let yourself be one of those people.
Life is a big beautiful mess. But it's beautiful all the same. It's okay to be afraid of the pain. Being vulnerable is easily the scariest obstacle all of us will face. But remember that courage isn't the absence of fear, but deciding that something else is more important than fear. And living your life to the fullest should always be what's most important. Happiness will be found as soon as you open your mind and your heart to it. So open that door. You won't ever regret it.
"Every song ends. But is that any reason not to enjoy the music?"
