Defining Happiness.

06/21/2011

Days until Con : 72

It's very important to have goals when motivation is a factor. Goals may be the most important aspect of our lives, without them it's hard to gauge progress, or success. How do you grade such a thing as success? This may be too deep for a simple health blog, but it's an aspect you should really dig into if you want to achieve any amount of long term happiness brought by a healthy lifestyle.

Happiness is the ultimate motivator. As it's the constant ebb and flow of smaller and greater things whose sum parts equal the quality of your existence  Overcoming challenges, having life long ambitions come to fruition, getting a kick ass parting spot, people complimenting your appearance. All are how we generally judge matters in our relatively small time here. You must ask yourself if being healthier will provide you enough happiness to offset the work you'll be doing to get there. I think the answer for most is, of course, yes...yes it is.

I mention this because sometimes while we're on our weight-loss journey we forget how miserable we feel whenever we were extremely unhealthy. It's easy after some progress to go back to that flamilar late night diner and order the foods that we remember fondly. It's way too easy to just not work out, to take the easy way out of life. This isn't just for health, it applies to education and careers, family, relationships, friendships. Sometimes we don't remember just how much more happy we feel after achieving something wonderful for ourselves, and that goes for me.

Times are tough, money isn't exactly flowing and I'm working long hours. I live in the middle of nowhere and my commute to work seriously threatens my sanity. My gaming group hasn't touched dice or geeky storytelling in over a month, maybe two. The single life, while I haven't been here long, has certainly reared its' ugly head, leaving me with more lonesome nights then I care to admit. Of course there are good things in my life, sure, and I know for a fact I have far less drama orbiting my life than your average person. But these are factors that effect me and my emotional drive.

This obviously effects everyone, if you're human, if you're not then I hope you find it in your heart (I'm assuming you have a respiratory system) to not blow this planet up. As I've done tonight after suffering a motivational hit these last couple of weeks, I hope you do the same in thinking of yourself and what makes you happy. For me it's simple...

I feel better, to my core, when I'm pursing a healthy life and I was, on so many levels, miserable when not. I had to catch myself before I fell, and I hope you can do the same if you're falling. Today I smiled, a real one, a first in awhile and it's because I know I'm on track to doing something amazing with my life. These are the moments that make me happy, and I will try not to forget them.