Looking back on the times I’ve been unhappiest in my life, I have realized that my unhappiness has stemmed primarily from two things-- loss and fear. This realization led me to wonder what it is I can do to avoid unhappiness in my life, and I found the solution to be rather simple. Sadness from loss comes from dwelling in the past, and sadness sourcing from fear comes from focusing on the future. So, in order to remain my happiest, I discovered that I must simply focus on the present.
Each moment of my life is filled with incredible people, places, and experiences, so why focus on the people and things no longer in my life when I can be thankful for the ones in my life now? Why spend time fearing what I may lose or what problems may arise in the future when I can instead appreciate the things I do have while I still have them? If you focus on the blessings that you do have rather than the ones you have lost or the ones you fear losing, you will find that you have millions of reasons to smile and far fewer to be upset. Enjoy each moment while you have it, and give your full attention to the present rather than allowing your mind to wander to the past or future. The past has already ended, and you will have the chance to focus on the future when it comes, so embrace each second while it unfolds.
It’s okay to remember the past and the memories and lessons it has brought us, and it’s okay to plan for the future and create goals for our lives. However, we shouldn’t allow the past or future to overshadow the present, and we should keep ourselves focused on our current blessings rather than the ones we have lost or the ones we fear losing or never having. Life gives us a countless number of reasons to smile, we just have to be sure to count our blessings while we have them in order to achieve the level of happiness life gives us the opportunity to reach.
