Category: Joy In Your Spirit

Glad, elated, thankful

Unhappiness Is Our Fault

“Unhappiness is best defined as the difference between our talents and our expectations.” — Edward de Bono

There are many ways to start talking about this.  And initially, I was simply going to let the quote “speak for itself”, without any additional dialogue.

However, me being me, well, that obviously didn’t happen.

But compromise is in order and I will end this Mid Life Celebration blog post with a top-of-mind thought.

Once I started writing, consistently, back in March, a transformation began. As if something inside me was awakened and began to grow. And then suddenly realized, I hadn’t even begun to discover what was possible.

Talk about a joyful experience.  Undiscovered joy, newly found, was remarkably  humbling.  And humility brings incredible joy.

Oh, and by the way….

“Unhappiness is best defined as the difference between our talents and our expectations.”

Simplicity Key To Joy

“Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!  I say let your affairs be as one, two, or three and not a hundred or a thousand… We are happy in proportion to the things we can do without.” — Henry David Thoreau

Amen.

Happiness Is Your Nature

“Happiness is your nature.  It is not wrong to desire it.  What is wrong is seeking it outside when it is inside.” — Ramana Maharishi

Yesterday’s post spoke of escape, implying that when faced with an overwhelming obstacle, we may run from it, try to avoid it, ignore it, medicate it, deny it, etc.

We are always going to be faced with life’s challenges.  And the proverbial mid life crisis is more or less a universal phenomenon for virtually all adults.

We get to a place, don’t like it, and then think we can take a short cut to move past it.  Maybe.  Maybe some can.  I certainly couldn’t.

However, when I started to look inside for the answers instead of outside, my life began to transform.

Consider this, there is infinite joy to be had, to be discovered, to be shared.  I mean, happiness is our nature.

When I dream without any limits, I dream of others having this wonderful mid life celebration, instead of the proverbial midlife crisis.

Mid Life Escape?

Maybe escape is the wrong word. And if it’s not the wrong word, it certainly seems like a strong or desperate word.

I’m in no position to tell anyone what to do.  Duh, right?

Mid Life Celebration is the escape route I took.  Rather than feel defeated and hopeless, it seemed like a good idea to rise to the occasion and be the change I wished to see in the world.

Perhaps my story will help you with yours. Perhaps not.

Can you start to see how this works?

For me, honesty is the first step.

And the fruit of honesty, eventually, is joy.

Joy Is A Choice

Joy is a choice I get to make every moment of every day.  Same with you, even if it doesn’t seem so.

Did I mention that I have a pile of emotional baggage as big as many of you?

Did I mention that my wife and I are disabled?

Did I mention we spent our life savings to become parents?

Did I mention our son has an incurable disease?

Did I mention that I’ve overcome addiction?

The list goes on and on. So please, please don’t say, “But you’ve got it made.  You are living the dream.  You are so fortunate.”

This would generally be considered an insult, and completely disrespectful.  And maybe the beginning of an excuse.

But forgiveness rushes in and all that’s left is joy.  Almost unspeakable joy.