Happiness

I have a new kind of post for today. (I know! Not food... Shocking!)

It's something I've been thinking about a lot lately. I've been trying my best to do the right thing all the time and to be kind and have courage (thank you if you know what movie that's from) and all that good stuff.

But sometimes trying to be perfect is tricky. It's definitely something we all strive for, but it's sure a hard thing to accomplish. So I decided that there's a good way to help balance out all of the things. It's not perfect, but it seems to work pretty darn well.

Basically, we just need to step back and realize what is important. If you're deciding between two things, think about what you will remember and have the best memories about. There probably won't always be a "good" and a "bad" choice. Sometimes it's between "good", and "better".

And what I've realized is, when you're switching to an eternal perspective, it's the "little" things that seem to matter the most. The moments when you're not worrying about anything-- from spontaneous dance parties to painting your little sister's nails are usually fonder and better remembered memories than the things that seem to be the "most" important. (Prioritizing well is key.)

Yes, studying for the "big test" is important. And so are sport tournaments and competitions. But it's when that crosses over the smaller things, and they get ignored as the "not important enough" category, that it gets stressful. You're trying to hard to do everything sometimes. It's good to occasionally take a walk, or sit outside and listen to the rain, or look for a rainbow when the sun comes out. It sure helps me clear my mind of all earthly distractions and just think about things that are important-- both kinds of important.

Whether you realize it or not, something you do (even if it's very small) can impact someone else's life very greatly. Recently someone said something quite nice to me. Even though it was short and they probably didn't remember it afterward, it made me feel so loved. I go through the day when I'm laying in bed or taking a shower, and sometimes I'll be smiling so hard in the dark because of something someone said or did to me. I wrote a note to my mom recently, and she wrote one back. When I received her note back, I felt all warm and cozy and loved. I didn't realize that my note could have had that impact on my mom-- the small things really count.

And sometimes you need to take a break. For yourself. If you have been trying too hard to get everything done and are starting to stress, that's when you need it. It might seem weird to some people to not ever take a break for yourself, and weird to others to be doing something that isn't to help someone else. But you need to let yourself calm down and take a breather. (Baths, walks, a good book, a movie with a blankets and popcorn, and writing a letter to someone are always very good options. Try not to let your phone get involved).

"Life by the yard is hard;
by an inch it's a cinch."
Take everything a day at a time-- and sometimes the little things matter most.