Why We Don’t Have to be Happy All the Time

Contrary to popular belief, we don’t have to be happy all the time.

In fact, I think it’s dangerous if we’re happy all the time. What is life without some variety? As they say, you can’t enjoy the height of the mountains without the lows of the valley. No one knows that more than me. My life has been up and down. I’ve had money and I’ve gone hungry for days. I’ve lived almost entirely on the charity of others and I’ve been able to save people and enrich their lives. Most importantly, I never expected myself to be happy all the time. In fact, most of the time I’m not what I call happy. I’m neutral; neither happy nor sad. I have many things to finish and bevy of new projects to deal with in the coming days. I’m glad that business is moving (1 point for happy) but I’m also steeling myself for the amount of work it will take to make it all happen and the long hours in front of the computer and on the phone that it will take the see my projects come to their full potential. Am I happy to be in a place of such opportunity? Yes. Does that mean I will be happy the entire time to reach my goals? I think not.

Take right now for example. I’ve been working hard all week on content. I’m right at the end of bringing things home. I’ve had to order a bunch of new equipment for the talk show and I’ve had to work really hard to create content and product this time around and have had to overcome many obstacles including learning a new program and having other technicals issues. I wouldn’t describe myself as happy insomuch as I’m ready to move onto the next project and bring this part of what I do to a close for the time being until it’s time to re-approach it again.

That is ok you don’t have to exist in a constant state of bliss the entire time you are working towards something, even if it is mundane tasks like cleaning.

Here is what I know, I will be very happy when I can crawl into bed, put on a movie and know that I don’t have to think about tedious tasks for awhile. There are appropriate times to be happy like beginnings and endings and joyful moments when things are really right or you are able to achieve something. There is also a great chance to enjoy some of the everyday jobs. I have an amazing life that is far different than anything I would have expected 10 years ago at the tender age of 18. I live in a great place with people who genuinely care about me and my well-being (which is good when you live in a state far away from any family) and I have you, my readers and fans. But these things don’t render me in catatonic happiness. But they do warm my heart in the evenings and mornings when I awake and I ask myself, “Is this really my life?”

You don’t have to be happy all the time, and that is really OK, I promise!