Choosing Happiness.

Those who know me well, know that I'm a complete worry wort. I constantly worry about everything. And the one thing I obsess over is the future to the extent that I wonder if I'm living in the present at all. Because with all the constant worrying I do, it seems like I'm living in my head. This black abyss of mental space that does nothing, but mentally and physically drains me.

Being the youngest of five daughters, I am in the position where I am able to learn from my sister's mistakes. Out of my four older sisters, it seems as though only one is happy with her job/career. Even though the others are financial well off, it doesn't do much to compensate for their lack of happiness. Not only that, I've realized that the more money you have and the more you invest in material things (that you believe will make you happy) simply accumulates and causes more distress. An example of this would be a house or a new car. You think you'll be happy having things thing to call your own, yet it just gives more financial stress to keep and maintain them. Thus, the material things become shackles or reasons that you use to justify to stay in a job or situation that you don't like.

And so, my sisters tell me often that I am so young, there's no need for me to immerse myself into a career right away. They tell me to do things that will make me happy so that when I reach their age, I won't have any regrets. For this, I am truly thankful. They are urging me to choose happiness. They support my dreams, even when I lack the confidence to pursue them.

So in response, I want to say to them and to everyone else who's finding themselves in an unhappy situation: it's never too late to chase after your dreams, it's never too late to be happy. Choose happiness, because what is life without it? A life that hasn't been lived. Don't waste anymore time being unhappy because we never really know how much time we have on Earth, so might as well choose to spend the time you do have on something worthwhile, something that you're truly passionate about.

Thus, take off the shackles of material things (since they really aren't a source of happiness), forget the notions of practicality and what society expects of you, and start doing/being "you".

It'll be the hardest thing you'll ever do, but choose happiness. Free fall into life. The journey and struggles will be worth it in the end.