First of all: What this blog IS NOT.
This blog is not a “one size fits all” prescription for happiness. In my opinion, there is no such thing because the things that keep us from feeling truly happy in our lives are different for everyone.
This blog is not a blueprint for how to live happily ever after because I think we all know by now that’s just a myth.
This blog is not meant to be everyone’s cup of tea. I hope it will resonate with some people so that we can support each other, but if it’s not for you, that’s just fine.
This blog is not meant to replace mental health treatment.
Now, what this blog IS.
This blog is the result of the fact that I’m fed up and ready to make a change.
I’m tired of carrying around the weight of so many meaningless worries every day.
I’m ready to let go of the voice in my head that tells me I’m not thin enough, young enough, smart enough, successful enough, (fill in the blank) enough. That I have too many wrinkles or too much gray hair. That everyone around me has it all figured out while I have no idea what I’m doing.
The voice that says I have to be perfect to be happy with who I am.
Here’s the thing: I’m sick of listening to that voice. Perfection isn’t attainable, but acceptance is. I’m ready to dig deep, do my homework, and figure out how to silence that voice for good.
It’s finally time to finally accept myself for who I am, faults and all. I want to be able to look in the mirror and feel grateful, not hateful. I want to interact with others without wasting energy on worrying that they might not like me.
I want to learn to treat myself the way I strive to treat others – with kindness and compassion.
I think that with some (home)work, I can accomplish my goal. The homework I envision will involve identifying the thought patterns that have been sabotaging my confidence and well-being for most of my life. As I identify those thought patterns, I will try out different things to try and change them. Doing this will require consistent attention and dedication, so it will be something I work on every day. There may also be longer projects that I will commit to for a period of time in order to create a new habit – like journaling or meditation. I’m not sure yet how it will work because I’m just starting out on this journey, and I plan to figure it out as I go.
I’m extremely grateful to be able to embark on this journey. I recognize my privilege. I know that I’m lucky, and I hope that what I learn along the way will help others as well. I have no doubt that more happiness in this world is a good thing for everyone.
This blog is essentially a diary of my personal journey. I am choosing to share that journey to keep myself accountable and possibly reach others who would like to come along. I plan to be open, honest, and vulnerable – things that I struggle with in my day-to-day life. I anticipate that some of the things I try will work, and some won’t. I know that I’ll learn from it all, and I hope that if you choose to join me, we can learn from each other. It would be wonderful to create a positive and nurturing community free from judgment. That seems awfully hard to come by these days.
If you’d like to leave me a comment, please do! I’d love to hear from you.
One more note about me and about this blog:
I want to reiterate that I know I have a wonderful life and I am very grateful for that. I get to do a lot of fun things, I have amazing family and friends, and I’m healthy. Unfortunately, the negative running dialogue in my head can get in the way of fully appreciating those things, and I just don’t want to listen to it anymore. Life is too short and I want to enjoy it to the fullest extent I can.
Also, I am not an expert. On anything. I have a background in both Counseling and Health & Wellness Coaching, which may prove useful, but nothing I say here is intended as any sort of professional advice or treatment. Join me or not, try the things I do or not – it’s all up to you.
Finally, I am well aware that I am imperfect and may make mistakes. It is never my intention to say anything insensitive or hurtful to others. If I inadvertently do, I will take responsibility and strive to learn from those mistakes in order to be a better person.