What do we want from life?

Yesterday I took some time to do some free writing. Free writing helps me clear my mind. It's the best way for me to express my feelings. When I free write, I just let my thoughts flow. There are no guidelines. If I think it. I write it. And it's okay. As I was writing there was a common theme in what I was trying to convey and I was able to figure it out as I started reading this new book I got from my CLC community called The Rhythm of Life by Matthew Kelly. I was trying to figure out what I want from life. What I have always wanted from life. And I realized that what I want from life, what I have always wanted is to be happy. But not happy by the things I achieve or the things that I have. I simply want to be happy. What exactly does that entail? I don't know...

But I'd like to think it's much simpler than it appears. This happiness I'm talking about is authentic. It's not temporary. It comes from perspective. From the approach a person takes on life. For example how we start the day off. It's the same routine every morning. My alarm clock goes off, I press the snooze and struggle to get up 15 minutes later. I rush to pick out my clothes, brush my teeth without emotion, I look at the calendar and memorize everything I have to get done that day. I've only been up for 20 minutes and I've already been consumed by the superficiality of life. Instead I want to wake up and smile because I got to wake up. I want to enjoy the morning routine of picking out my clothes and brushing my teeth instead of worrying about everything I have to get done that day. I want to enjoy the simple moments. I want to stop going through the day. I want to stop looking forward to Friday when Monday comes around. I want to enjoy the present. I want to enjoy every single day.

And I know what you are thinking (especially if you're my older brother reading this) could you be anymore cliche? But I ask you to look deeper and see what I am trying to get at. We have one life to live. I want to enjoy it. I don't want to rush to the next chapter because it's supposed to be the best time of my life. Why can't the chapter I'm currently in be the best time of life? And the next one too? And the one after that? Why do I have to find a reason for everything that happens good and bad? Why can't it just be because it is? Why can't I just be happy because I can be? I don't know about you, but I want to be happy now and every day. And I can be. We can be. It's all about the lens we choose to look at what life throws at us. Cliche? Okay you keep giving me a hard time about it, but I will continue to argue there's actually so much truth to it. We are just afraid to admit that things are much simpler than they appear, that we are the ones who make it complicated. 

Give it a try....

What do you want from life?

Citations: Man on top of mountain. http://www.infpcareers.com/category/featured-2/