In some ways, I’m a stranger to myself. And I wonder what it would be like if there were no sad me, just me — the person that’s always happy now.
Would I eat healthier? Would my grades improve? Would my smile shine brighter? The truth is that life isn’t the same before and after you’re not sad anymore. And it can be a reality even when you feel as though nothing has changed since then.
If you’re happy, you do things differently.
I’ve heard it somewhere before: Actions speak louder than words. Maybe it’s a cliché, but clichés are clichés for a reason. It’s the truth! When you’re happy, everything is more fun. You find yourself smiling in situations that used to make you cry. But if you’re sad, everything is just black and grey and dreadful. You don’t feel like doing anything. You’re depressed, and I don’t mean in the way that Internet memes like to say.
If you weren’t sad, would you eat healthier? Well, there’s an easy way to find out.
Checking for Sadness
The best way to test if you’re sad is to look at the state of your room. Does it feel gloomy or dark? Does it make your heart sink when you open a window on a hot day? You might not think so, but your room is reflecting on you. It’s much easier to lose things in a mess, and it’s much harder to study with dirty dishes or laundry lying around the room. If you’re sad, the chances are that your room is in a worse state than usual. Even if you don’t like cleaning, you’ll do so.
What if I told you that I was okay? Would you believe me?
Everything is Better When You’re Happy!
The truth is that when you’re happy, your life is different. For example:
- You laugh at things other people find funny. But when you’re sad, you laugh at things that aren’t even funny.
- You don’t eat because it’s a habit — you do so because you want to.
- You don’t work harder just because your parents want you to; instead, you do it because it’s part of your identity.
- Your friends like hanging out with you not just because they want boyfriends or girlfriends but also because they know they won’t be bored when they spend time with you.
- You find yourself doing the things you love and not the things you don’t.
- You think happy thoughts; you don’t dwell on sad ones.
And the hardest part? It’s in your head … but it can go away with a simple change. I was always told that happiness is a choice, but when I realized this, I started seeing what a good choice is.
But it’s not just the things that are different. I’m a lot more focused when I’m happy too! That’s why my grades have gone way up! People with bipolar disorder have an academic disadvantage. But when you’re happy, everything is pretty easy to handle. It’s hard to focus on difficult subjects when you’ve got a storm of emotions raging on in your head.
If you’re happy, you can be yourself for the first time.
The easiest way to see who you are when you’re happy is by looking at your Facebook profile. But I can tell you right now that whoever that person is, there’s a big chance you’re not that person anymore.
When I’m happy, I won’t lie to my parents. I tell them the truth. And it’s incredible how much more respect they give me because of this! It’s also easier to admit your mistakes and fears when you’re not sad anymore. I used to be so scared of failing at school and being made fun of. I’ve realized that no one cares about that.
Being Humble
If you’re happy, you think differently than you used to. You start to see things from other people’s perspectives, like how they seem to get overwhelmed, but you don’t. It’s not that hard to be humble when you’re happy! And then it becomes easier for people — especially your parents — to trust you when you tell them what your goals are for the future.
When I’m happy, I don’t worry about being called a spazz or anything like that. It’s the other way around! People look up to me now. It’s the weirdest thing that ever happened to me. I don’t have an answer for you, but all I can say is that if you’re always happy, people will naturally wanna spend time with you and be around you. Even if they aren’t always as happy as you are …
They can feel your happiness.
You should be the type of person that others want to be around. This is what gives you confidence and makes you smarter than your friends. It doesn’t mean you have to be perfect all the time, but you’ll feel better about yourself if your flaws are few and far between.
If you’re happy, you’re always genuine about who you are. You don’t lie or pretend just because other people expect it from you — even if it’s hard sometimes. And you never have to tell yourself that it’s wrong to be who you are.
What’s sad, you look others in the eye when they’re sad. And when you’re happy, the last thing you do before falling asleep is stared into their eyes and smile. That’s because happy people can feel the happiness of other people all around them, and it makes them want to do things for others too. It’s like a circle of happiness, so I wanted to write this in the first place.
I wanted people to realize that being happy isn’t something that happens once, and then you’re good for the rest of your life. It’s an ongoing process, and it takes a lot of hard work, but it’s worth it.
The Happiness Advantage
Yep, that’s right. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, and I have never felt happier than I do right now.
For the first time in my life, I feel like a normal person! This is what people have been waiting for. They’ve been waiting for this to happen for years … and it’s finally happened. But don’t ask me why it happened; I just know that it did.
I’m not trying to sell you anything. All I’m trying to say is that if you’re sad, you can be happy too. There is a small chance that you’ll have to wait for someone else’s happiness (like a relative or something), but it’s worth the hard work.
If you’re constantly unhappy, I want you to tell yourself that it’s normal and the best way to handle it is by working hard at staying happy. It isn’t always easy, but when things get rough, remember this article. Remember your reasons for wanting to be happy, and then go out there and make it happen.
I’ll see you on the other side. Don’t give up!
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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White Fragility: Talking to White People About Racism | Escape the “Act Like a Man” Box | The Lack of Gentle Platonic Touch in Men’s Lives is a Killer | What We Talk About When We Talk About Men |
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Photo credit: Matthew Henry on Unsplash