What comes first happiness or chasing your dreams?
This is something I have been pondering a lot lately. After over twenty years in the accounting and finance industry, I have recently begun a new chapter in my career that includes writing, life and fitness coaching and teaching group fitness classes. These new skills didn’t come easy for me. I was resistant to these opportunities for so long. I have been asking myself why I waited until now to pursue them. I have come up with a couple of reasons. I want to share in the hope that it will benefit others in similar situations.
First off, I have a habit of changing jobs every three to four years. I was even conscious of this choice being directly related to the fact that I was bored of the routine of month end closes, year-end budgets and quarterly forecasts. In order to keep my job fresh and exciting, I would seek out new challenges where I could learn a new software package, business model or meet new people.
It worked well for a while, but in the end, I found that the daily grind left me feeling burned out and like a fish out of water. It wasn’t until I accepted what I look back on as my “job from hell” that things got really bad. This particular job turned out to be the job I stayed at the longest, and in the end it was hitting my rock bottom that got me really thinking about what my dreams were.
I had to hit 198 pounds, be diagnosed with hypertension, high cholesterol and hear the words “clinical depression” during a meeting with my therapist before I hit rock bottom. Gratefully, I used my rock bottom to turn this boat around and I couldn’t be happier now.
What I am learning more and more everyday about happiness is that feeling good is critical for me to seek out my dreams.
When I feel good, I have more energy. When I have more energy, I have more discipline. When I have more discipline, I have more motivation to pursue my dreams and take more risks. One might think that having the goal of feeling good is selfish. I disagree. Feeling good leads to me being happier. When I am happier, I have more to give. Not just in pursuing my passions, but more to give to my family, my employer, and my clients. It is my firm belief that the world needs more happy people! Happiness leads to peace.
The problem I had when I was miserable in my last job, was that I was far from being happy. I tried affirmations, and they did help somewhat. In retrospect, however, I believe what helped me the most during that dark period was gratitude. I was noticing that the affirmations were so far from my reality that often they made me feel worse. I understand now that it is critical for the affirmation to feel good in order for it to have a positive effect, otherwise it can have a negative effect. In compiling gratitude lists each and every day, both on paper and in my mind, it started to shift how I was feeling. It made me realize that despite my current job situation, I could be thankful.
As a result, I began to see glimmers of happiness which led me to volunteering in a local prayer ministry. I would receive prayer requests by mail and would join in prayer with people who, as it turned out, were going through extreme life circumstances. Seeing the difficulties other people were dealing with only increased my own gratitude because it made me realize how I had more control over my own situation than I previously realized. I began receiving thank you cards telling me how my words touched their hearts and minds and while expressing appreciation for me. At the same time this appreciation inspired me in my own life to do the best I could where I was, with what I had, in the present moment.
If you are reading this and seeking to chase your dreams, I want to invite you to be sure you include something every day on your to do list that is just for you. Make sure it is something you enjoy and makes you feel good! I believe it is also important to acknowledge the truth of your situation. Just be careful to use the situation as fuel to define what you want more of in your life; rather than spend too much time dwelling on the negative aspects of your situation. Focus on where you are going, not where you have been. Happiness is truly found in the journey. When you wake up each morning with the enthusiasm that comes with chasing your dreams, you realize that at the finish line is another dream. Life is about learning and growing. Inevitably when you are expanding your comfort zone and growing you can’t help but feel more alive and happier!
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