I decided to stop waiting to be happy and I’m happier than ever

One thing that I have really learned recently, especially over these past few months, is how an attitude can make all the difference. Negative thoughts travel in clusters and if you let one in then many more are sure to follow. If you keep finding excuses to not be happy then that is what will continue to happen. This is a concept that seems fairly obvious and yet so many people, including myself, are guilty of pushing off happiness.

The simple excuse phrase begins with..

‘I’ll be happy…’

And ends with…

‘…When it’s the weekend’

The weekend comes, I go shopping or see a movie, but the dreaded Monday approaching which downs my spirit. It’s just not enough time.

‘…When it’s summer’

As a student, I am especially guilty of this one. With less responsibilities and more good vibes, life is just better in the summer. The sun is out and the winter blah’s are a real thing that happens. However, when you come from a state like Wisconsin, that means winter can take up to around half of the year. If you spend over half the year counting down to summer, you’re wasting so much time.

‘…When I get an internship/job’

I was getting awesome experience and/or money, but I found myself getting hung up on the negatives like needing to wake up early in the morning. Since then I have just tried to keep everything in perspective. For example, sure I may be tired today but I am getting this skill that I can use forever. I try to realize that at one point, I was fighting for that job in an interview, I wanted it for a reason and why I am truly lucky to have the opportunity. Plus, there is always more coffee!

‘…When I’m done with school’

I have thought this more than I would like to admit throughout my college career simply because school isn’t really my favorite thing and I felt like I would rather just enter the workforce already. Now as I am about to enter my senior year, I realize how many amazing things happened and all of these incredible people that I met, but I kind of took them for granted at times.

The list of these limitations kept going on and on. Until all of the sudden, I woke up. I realized that I can’t continue to let my mindset live in this negative place. It’s a never-ending ladder that I will never get to the top of, so I needed to stop trying to reach what does not exist. I can’t keep waiting for these things to happen to be happy. It’s awesome to have goals and know that I want these things in life, but if I sit here waiting for them to be happy then I will likely end up feeling down for a long time.

Happiness is all around me whether or not I choose to see it. It’s cheesy but it makes a huge difference if I try to see everything that comes at me in a positive light rather than a negative one. I urge all of you to try this as well, at first it may seem forced but over time it will become much more natural. I am trying to find something special in every moment because every second is a fleeting thing I will not get back again. I am done waiting for my dream life, instead, I am creating it.