Monday, July 21, 2014

Motivational Monday

Have I used this before? Maybe. But, it's true. I am thinking more and more that I need to focus on things that make me happy and less on what I think I should be doing.

Case in point - I love riding my bike. Two years ago hubby and I would ride almost every Sunday afternoon for miles. We had a blast, saw some pretty sites, participated in some trail rides with the city, and burned lots of calories. Then winter came and it was too cold. No biggie.

The following year I bought a new hybrid bike. It's pretty spiffy and I was excited to ride it since my other bike was 20+ years old and heavy. Then...we didn't ride. The bike sat in the basement all summer. I wanted to ride it, but we never did.

This year we got the bikes out and have started riding again. We had a fantastic ride yesterday going south on the local Rail Trail to areas we'd never been before. They were gorgeous areas with streams and flowers.

Riding this path is so peaceful.

Why did I not ride my bike at all last summer? I love it. I think it's fun. It makes me happy. Sadly, I didn't get the bike out once. This summer the bikes have been out twice and I'm happier. I'm looking forward to my next ride. I want to find ways to sneak in bike rides in between the weekend ones we plan.

I need to take this one example of happiness and bike riding and write it large. I need to continue doing the things that make me happy, not just what I think I need to do. I need to change my mindset that doing the things that make me happy is permissible and desirable. It's not just something you get to do because you earned it, but you get to do because you are you.

Losing weight makes me happy. Which means I need to eat better and workout.

Learning makes me happy. Which means I need to dedicate time to research.

Writing makes me happy. Which means I need to spend time writing and finding an outlet for it.

Photographing makes me happy. Which means I need to take photos, share them, engage others in them, print them.

Traveling makes me happy. Which means we need to go out into the world, even if it's just day trips exploring the areas around us.

Supporting local businesses makes make happy. Which means I need to buy local more and concentrate on local restaurants and stores.

These are just some things that make me happy and are easy to do. They are not things that I need special skills or lots of money to do. I can do these things everyday or at least every week. They make me happy and that is the goal - to find what makes me happy and concentrate on that. 
What do you do that makes you happy? How often do you do it? Are you actively trying to find ways to incorporate into your life?


2 comments:

  1. All of what you listed makes me happy, too! Yet, I never seem to do enough of it. Excuses, excuses. I love running so I should run more. Same with cycling. I love to write, yet all I managed to write for my blog was one post in 6 months! I think we get stuck in a rut and the same old cycle so we lose sight of what makes us truly happy. Why is that? It's pretty easy to pick up a piece of paper and put a pen to it. Less excusing ourselves from the activities we love, and more spending time on what makes us smile - that's what's needed. :)

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    1. Exactly! Doing things that we enjoy is just important in life as making a living, keeping a clean house, etc. It's sad that what makes us happy so often gets set aside so we can "live." But what is living than doing what makes us happy? Aren't we living a full life when we are happy? Gotta start enjoying life more!

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