Many people wait around for happiness to find them but if you really think about it, it’s really only a positive thought away. Being happy can be a choice you make. With all the chaos that life brings into our lives, it’s really difficult to find a way to be carefree. With so much on our minds, I can see how one can get caught up feeling stressed, angry, confused, frustrated or lost.
For me, I’m at a point in my life where I’ve come to realize that I have to stop, live in the moment and appreciate everything that I already have and everyone who is around me. I try to be optimistic even when the deck is stacked against me because there is always something positive to be gained from all the hardships I’ve gone through.
Everyday that I wake up, I thank God that I get to enjoy another day regardless of how good or bad it is. I don’t worry about the past or the future…now is what’s important to me. I look around and enjoy the small things in life that give me joy.
Yeah it’s easy to say all this and hard to do, but with enough practice it can be done. It took me awhile to get this optimistic attitude but I did it. Enjoy your life, be grateful for your family, friends and pets, be content with what you have and bask in the little things that make life worth living. You’ve come this far, just imagine what the world can offer you.
So don’t wait for happiness to find you, grow it yourself…it’ll do wonders for your life.
Grateful
What I’ve Learned
There were many things that I’ve seen
but none could be more important than
what was in front of me
My DAD worked hard
to provide us with everything,
so I’ve learned to be…
RESPONSIBLE
My MOM tended to
my illnesses and injuries,
so I’ve learned to be…
CARING
My SISTER had a severe handicap
and dealt with ridicule
so I’ve learned to be…
TOLERANT
My WIFE gave hugs with a smile
through all the good and the bad,
so I’ve learned to be…
LOVING
My DAUGHTER was friendly
to everyone she met
so I’ve learned to be…
KIND
My SON sought out things
that were unfamiliar and unknown
so I’ve learned to be…
FEARLESS
My DOGS kept me company
when family was not around
so I’ve learned to be…
LOYAL
My FRIENDS were there
to hear every problem and gripe
so I’ve learned to be…
a good LISTENER
My FAMILY and FRIENDS
have been with me
through every step of my life
so I’ve learned to be…
SUPPORTIVE
These people that I’ve encountered,
made me who I am today
and I’m grateful
for the lessons I’ve learned
through their
unselfish actions.
Mid-Life Reflections #10
We live in a world where the hustle and bustle of life constantly keeps us on the move. It’s like we shift our focus from one thing to the next without a chance to rest. If we’re not doing something that keeps us preoccupied then we feel nervous, anxious even; a feeling of being unproductive comes into play. No matter what station in life we’re at, we should always take the time to stop, breath and soak in our surroundings. Pause our life for a moment to appreciate anything and everything we take for granted. It’s so easy to overlook the little things that’s a part of our lives…nature, air, water, family, friends, pets, the place we live, technology that helps us to communicate with others, vehicles that transports us to faraway places, electricity. It’s just some of the stuff that makes our lives comfortable. Taking a time out helps us to reflect on our lives and gives introspection on what we value most dearly. It’s a way of pressing the reset button and re-energizing ourselves to fight the good fight that all of us are doing just to get by and survive in this chaotic world that we live in. So stop and smell the roses, take in a deep breath and soak in that sunshine; relish being alive and be thankful for all the things that get us through the day.
Life’s Blessings
Every day when I wake,
I take stock in what I have…
the strength from loved ones,
devotion from my family,
support from my friends,
affection from my pets,
my strong faith in God
Because of these simple things,
I take comfort in knowing
that I can take on…
any challenge,
face any dilemma,
make life changing judgements
without hesitation and total clarity
Because life is all about…
seeing what’s around us,
having an appreciation for all that we have,
a sense of gratitude for things we are given,
and the knowledge for making a difference,
not just in our lives
but in that of others
It is only then,
when we realize this
that we will truly feel
we’ve been bequeathed with
life’s blessings.
The End of an Era
When all things must come to an end
How do you say goodbye
to the friendships formed through years of…
laughter,
good times,
rough patches,
sorrow,
arguments
The bond that was created was unique,
one that can never be broken
A rapport that can never be extinguished
Is it possible to find that in the unknown?
A place where
you’re new,
vulnerable,
scared
Is there hope in finding
that special connection
with another person again?
One who’ll share
Your smiles,
sadness,
concerns,
fears,
joy,
You can never go back,
you can only cherish that special memory
of a past that you can no longer relive
You can only be grateful,
appreciative,
and carry on
By the grace of God,
with some luck,
you’ll stumble upon a new era
and experience new things
that will resemble the past.
Midlife Reflections #3
The past couple of days, I’ve pondered on my life’s journey and what it took to get me here today. It was a smooth ride that had numerous speed bumps and detours along the way.
I’ve had days when I hit the jackpot and everything went my way; even my mistakes and miscues resulted in a favorable outcome.
AND THEN there were those days where anything and everything went horribly wrong; where life put me in a loop and a series of jokes slapped me in the face one after another.
Regardless of what kind of day, week, month or year I had, I somehow survived; I lived to tell the tale and more often than not, I remembered in detail all of the good that I encountered.
Throughout all of my life’s experiences, I’ve come to the realization that sometimes my greatest memory can be my worst enemy. Relishing and reminiscing about all those happy times brought about a false sense of thinking; that everything would result in something wonderful.
It was good to have a positive outlook but I needed to embrace all the bad that happened in my life wholeheartedly. With every failed attempt I grew closer to success.
With much introspection, I’ve learned to value everything that crossed my path. It helped me to be strong, wise, compassionate, focused, determined and grateful. Life is way too short, so “Find the beauty in every moment” and bring out the best in yourself.
A Spark Of Hope
Ever have one of those days when things just don’t seem to go your way or situations pop up that test your limits? We’re all faced with that time and time again; believe me, I’ve had my share ten times over and then some. There are other that have it even worse.
What I’m most curious about is how others cope with their personal struggles. How do they keep positive in light of all the bad things that are happening to them? What gives them the drive to face their dilemma head on and never give up?
When problems arise in my life, my “doom and gloom meter” starts to rise and my mind starts to go into overdrive about all the things I could’ve done to avoid this mess. My outlook starts to look depressingly hopeless and my daily routines are all out of whack.
I start to do normal things on auto-pilot all the while racking my brain on how to solve my problems or obstacles so that I can get back on track and live normally again.
When this happens, I start to get into a funk and feel like “Why does this always happen to me and when will it all end! Can’t I just get a break?!” Just when I see there is no solution to my turbulent mess, “a spark of hope” appears out of nowhere.
For me, that can come in the form of my dog greeting me at Mach speed with unconditional love and adoration. A big bear hug from my wife. It can even come from watching my kids simply do their homework or observing family members go about their daily routine. It’s amazing how something so small and mundane can make a difference.
Just the mere sight of them snaps me out of my much misaligned chaotic demeanor. It’s weird but seeing something like that, just soaking in those positive things gives me hope. Remembering all the good times and feeling so blessed to have a family like mine helps a lot; knowing that I overcame previous predicaments helps in the process. Maybe subconsciously I know that I have their undying love and support in my corner and I know I’m not facing my predicaments alone.
Can’t really explain it; I get a renewed sense of energy and endless possibilities about my life explode in my head…AND it’s all good. It feels as if nothing in the world can stop me from accomplishing anything and everything!
It’s funny how something so simple can become a beacon of unbridled optimism. Life doesn’t appear so bleak and I’m enthusiastically anticipating what’s in store for me in an hour, a day, a week or months from now. I begin to envision a more desirable and successful future for myself which might or might not happen. Who cares?!
My “spark of hope” is all that matters in driving my life forward. As long as I have that grain of reverie then everything is fine.
I can’t fathom how this process works but I’m just truly grateful that this “spark of hope” can do wonders for me. I just pray that this sparkle continues to light all of the dark and hard times that I’ll encounter in my life.
Eyes Wide Open
When something life changing happens in our lives, we no longer see the world as it once was. We tend to take things a little slower, take deeper breaths, smile more and soak in all the mundane and ordinary stuff that we normally overlooked in our hectic lives.
Why does it have to take something so drastic for us to stop and truly appreciate all that we have in life? We get so caught up in paying our bills, material things that we don’t really need and disregarding the time that could be spent with friends and loved ones.
Our society has us so desensitized as to what we really should be paying attention to. That’s just wrong. Granted there are a lot of terrible things happening in the world today but that shouldn’t stop us from really taking stock in what’s most important in our lives.
A good laugh, reminiscing on all the great times we’ve experienced, watching your kids growing up, hugging and kissing your spouse, spending quality time with your parent, give thanks for our parents for raising us, cuddling your pet, getting soaking wet in the rain…just the simple things.
We all need to get out of daily routine once in a while and truly enjoy what we have around us. If we could just do that every so often, our lives will have much more meaning…much more value.
Please don’t let a tragedy occur in order for us to really see all the great things in front of us that we ignored. Enjoy life because it really is too short. Do what makes you laugh, smile, sing or dance. Thank God for the life you’ve had and for what you’ve got. Help those around you in need of assistance. Create a bucket list and starting living before life has passed you by.
Love Hard, Laugh Hard and Live Hard! Live for yourself, live for your loved ones…live without fear and unabashed enthusiasm!
Midlife, Maniacal & Me 