I had been feeling a bit down lately, for no obvious reason. Had my Gucci rose colored glasses slipped off a little and I was more aware that the rest of the world seems to be in an existential crisis where villainous characters from childhood tv shows are taking over the world and being transparent about how bad their intentions are while we lay around in our pajamas eating candy corn? (What, I can’t be the only one that stress eats last season’s candy corn?)
Really, how am I expected to enjoy my own happiness without feeling guilty about it? According to everything we read and hear, the world is going to hell in a designer fanny pack worn crossbody style!
I was raised to believe that happiness lies in sharing it with others. The problem with this old chestnut is that there are some people that don’t feel the same way, at all! They are the ones that make everything so difficult!
Know who I’m talking about? We’re surrounded by “them” and sometimes we are “them.” Some people are miserable, so they try to make you feel bad about your happiness. This comes in the form of jealousy of accomplishments, trying to stomp any positive attitude down, gossiping, or anything that they can do to bring you down.
I have learned a lot of things from these types of people. Can you imagine that they need love, too? They need loads, and loads, and loads of love! I know, it’s a hard one to swallow because it’s so easy to vilify and discard them, but is that going to really increase your happiness? The sad truth is that there’s a reason they are unhappy and sometimes it goes deep — we have no idea what battles they are fighting and how hard it is for them to keep on marching. We need to remember that, and find it in ourselves to not only connect with them , but let them know that we love them.
Another thing I have learned is that no matter what you do, there will always be a critic to say something about your annoying positivity.
Laugh it off, brush it off, or as my little girl Kien says “ Let it roll of your back like a big bird poop!” Sometimes that’s the only answer. Shut your ears to the negativity and don’t give it anymore attention then it’s already taken from you. The art of being happy lies in loving and letting the poop roll off.
Like I said in the beginning, I had been feeling a little down. To be productive, I took my kids to the local mall for shoe shopping and ended up running into an old friend. As we were catching up, she thanked me for all of the past encouragement I had given to take herself seriously and pursue a dream career. She had started her own firm, and I had hooked her up with her first big client! She made me feel so good that I had a positive effect on her life (and ironically) was giving me back positive energy when I needed it! Odd how the universe works, right?
We live in a world with an awareness of every bad thing that exists and it’s very easy to be weighed down . We alone can’t change everything. But maybe the art of being happy in an unhappy world lies in understanding that it’s not your responsibility or ability to change it all. You can have a positive influence in the sphere of people around you. That’s the gift you can give.
So time for me to throw away that candy corn— after one more handful.
