it was just over a year ago that I returned to Perth, and with 12 months to process everything that has happened, I finally feel as though a fog of some kind has lifted; there is a renewed clarity and understanding.
I have been trying to put my finger on it; why was I so happy on the road, and yet not quite able to replicate that in my everyday life? what was it about that simple basic existence and physically punishing activity that created a state of happiness?
not that things haven’t been good since returning – once I had re-adapted to “normal” life it was very enjoyable. but things have been nagging in my brain. things like setting up HAA, having a lifestyle business that gives me freedom to train and travel and spend time with my kids. things like getting some other aspects of my life sorted.
and that’s it. I know that on the road I didn’t worry about things like work, paying bills or even worrying about the cost of buying supplies etc. (having a redundancy cheque bankrolling your adventure is quite liberating in that way!) – but the real difference was living in the moment, creating memories, making the most of every second of the adventure, just being happy.
since returning, old ways of thinking and being have crept back in. thinking that everything needs to be planned out, that if I am not working on building the empire, or sorting out various things, ticking items off a “to do” list etc. then I am wasting time…
reality is, happiness is available right now. it doesn’t need anything else to be in place. it doesn’t need my bank balance to suddenly look a lot healthier. it doesn’t need anyone or anything!
and of course I already know this. I’ve read and listened to countless books and articles that talk about this very thing. yet knowing something intellectually is not the same thing as doing (or not doing) something about it.
this week, with these insights and revelations in mind, I’ve made more of an effort to simply enjoy life. to just be happy. it’s quite possibly the toughest thing anyone can ever attempt, requiring years or decades of social conditioning to be undone, but it’s one of the simplest things you can ever do. you just decide to be happy.
this week, why not try it? you might find you like it!
Leave a Reply