If you’re new here, Hi! I’m Bridget! (I will keep the introduction short and sweet since this is my THIRD blog post and you should know ALL about me by now.) However, in case you are late to the blog game you can get to know more about me and my family in my last blog post here…
“You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore to be happy.”
This was a quote I heard from a heartwarming, authentic, and ethereal America’s Got Talent audition. Nightbirde, the performer, is a young 30-year-old, beautiful woman who was given an unfortunate life sentence of two months due to a progressive cancer. (Seriously, this audition is a must-see watch here). During her audition, after announcing her ill-fated diagnoses, she let the audience know that the aforementioned quote is what keeps her going. She describes herself as, “Being somebody that could sing through a dark time because I was so full of hope and assurance that there would be a morning.” I was instantly inspired, touched even. I have never seen someone so grateful for life. So grateful to be standing on that stage, singing her heart out, even if that was her last day on this earth.
Nightbirde (post Golden Buzzer performance).
Why is it that the people who are handed the worst in life are the most positive about life?
Can you imagine being told you have a 2% survival rate, and still be a happy person?
Happiness truly is everything. It’s like inner beauty. Those who are happy in life radiate a positive glow from within, which can be backed up with fact-based evidence. A scientific study actually found that happiness is linked to lower heart rate and blood pressure, and also protects against stress, (all things pertaining to outside beauty). Being happy or being surrounded by people who radiate happiness and positivity is contagious and refreshing. As refreshing as jumping in a pool in the 105-degree South Florida summer weather.
But… happiness is tricky.
Why is a simple five letter word such a difficult feeling to convey?
Maybe it’s because at some point the true definition of happiness blurred with the definition of money and success. Maybe the invention of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok worked to blur this definition. I think the prominence of social media in this generation has allowed people to compare themselves to others, not always in a positive way. Majority of people in this world only post on social media to announce an exciting life accomplishment or to post their vacation photos, highlighting their “perfect” lives. Scrolling through endless photos of men smiling next to their fancy cars or a group of beautiful girls in designer clothes throwing their designer handbags in your face, does not equate to their happiness. As the famous saying goes… “Money doesn’t buy happiness”. And neither should level of success. Life is not meant to be easy, and success should not be measured by the amount you direct deposit every month. Going though these hardships in life is normal, common, even. I personally don’t know one person who has not struggled with some sort of affliction while trying to navigate the tricky path of life. Hardships are different for everyone, but you can’t compare your trauma with others, just as you can’t compare it to your level of happiness. Whether it’s a death, failing, losing touch with someone, COVID, sickness, etc., everyone’s trauma is important. But also, how you deal with that trauma is important. Instead of miserably waiting for your misery to pass- why not help that misery pass sooner by killing it with happiness?
Happiness – Family dinner together
For me, happiness has always come in waves… especially within the last year of COVID, which prompted fear, loneliness, and depression. But I have learned that only way you can make yourself truly happy, is to practice being happy. It’s to face your hardships and bad luck, head-on with happiness. And once you have that – you don’t really need anything else. Happiness opens the gate for many different positive emotions, so by not waiting for life to be easy before you can be happy- will change your life.
Happiness – My friends
I believe that I finally can say that I am happy. Is that because I have tried harder to make myself happier? Is that because instead of pity I decided to implement self-growth into my life? I am not sure if my happiness realization came from maturity, mental health check-ins, finally landing the job I wanted, or just deciding that I am important and I matter- but I can say with absolute certainty that I have the emotion of happiness within me, even when I’m sad. Or angry. Or frustrated. I choose to combat those detrimentally, unhealthy feelings with being happy. And not waiting for my life to be easy at every step has, as I’ve mentioned before, been life changing.
Happiness – Traveling to new places
Happiness – My boyfriend
Things that make me happy:
(In no particular order- except maybe #1)
Mexican Restaurants
My Family
My Boyfriend, Matthew
My Best Friends
My Job
The first sip of coffee in the morning
Dogs. All of them.
The sunshine on my skin
Traveling
Happy Hour
Music
Sunsets
