Gross Personal Happiness
I can’t remember which of my Make it Happen posts it was that evoked this response from my friend David. I’ve had his comments sitting on my inbox since that time because it’s both enlightening and gratifying for me. So I thought I’d branch out from it and write a post.
Here’s what David had to say:
Darryl…it’s never easy to make “living in the present” a priority. To put aside those things that make our lives “easy” and truly live a life that makes you happy, is actually harder than it seems.
But you make it look easy…and that’s why a lot of people, I imagine, envy you. Keep on doing what you’re doing…happiness, whether easy or just perceived as easy, is worth all the effort….as I’m sure you know!
Hmmmm, do people really like to take the easy route and push off true happiness while doing so? For me it’s not really a decision. I guess I must have some sort of internal “Gross National Happiness” strategy like the country of Bhutan. I do what makes me happy first….all those other things come secondary.
I’m not sure about the envy part. If people do envy me, I hope they realize that where I am and what I’m doing with my life can be achieved by anyone. In fact, this whole concept of living outside of the rat trap and living life to the fullest (on and off the bike) is what our weekly Loving the Bike TV episodes are designed to do. Be sure to have a look if you haven’t already.
Is it “actually harder than it seems”? Yes it is, David, if your belief system feels that way. Change it, and you just might find yourself making decisions based on your own Gross Happiness strategy.
Speaking to a group of young professionals about choosing life over suicide, I said, without owning a time machine, what choice do we have other than living in the present? Looking into the past prevents us from seeing what we have and wasting time worrying about tomorrow as if it’s promised keeps hidden how much we really have…life is a gift and each day you wake begins with the present. Understanding this allowed me to experience happiness, and I realized it wasn’t anything I was going to find, but rather a way of being.
This subject, to me, is one of the cornerstones of the lovingthebike blog and your philosophy. It is the undercurrent that runs through your messages. It is why this place and your thoughts are a touchstone for me.
Thanks, my friend. It actually took me doing this post to recognize that I base my decisions on my Gross Personal Happiness. I hadn’t really thought of that before. Thanks again for all your support, Eric.