Last Drop Blog

This is from a book I just started. ” Happiness is not how many things you do but how well you do them. More is not better. Happiness is not experiencing something else; it’s continually experiencing what you already have in new and different ways. Unfortunately as we’re taught that passion should drive our every thought move and decision, we’re basically impaled with the fear that we’re unhappy because we’re not doing enough.”

The underlying lesson in nearly everything I have read or experienced in my self help journey has been the correlation of being present to being happy.

I find myself staying busy just to stay busy often. There is no real purpose behind what I am doing. I can easily distract myself from the present moment by filling my time with activities, errands, phone use, TV, etc. I find myself starting a movie or show that I may want to watch and not making it even halfway through because I get antsy and check my phone or go out and do something.

There are plenty of times where I recognize I am lucky to be in a certain situation and I want to be present but I struggle because of my mood. “Your mood is a filter through which you experience life”. Working on how you feel on a day to day basis should be the top priority… not doing as many things as you can to have fun. I have traveled quite a bit the past year and have been incredibly lucky to see a lot of the country and travel outside the US too. Those trips and experiences should as enjoyable as possible and it starts with you and your mood. I learned I shouldn’t wait for a trip, the start of a new month, after a holiday, etc. to begin working on myself and my mood.

The more I stay disciplined and on top of my mood the better I will be able to experience life in the present moment.

The best ways to be present for me and for plenty of others I have learned through reading is with a routine. It doesn’t matter what your routine consists of but it does matter that you make a decision in your mind and stick to it. Build up your self respect and watch your confidence grow. Most things that build genuine happiness are not hits of instant gratification they come with discipline and time.

Meditation is part of my routine and I absolutely notice how my mood changes when I stop meditating consistently. I am not the biggest fan of sitting still and focusing on nothing but it breeds discipline, forces me to be patient, slows me down, and makes me realize that at any point in time I can take a break.

If you struggle with finding enjoyment throughout your day and look externally to find that enjoyment, maybe take some time to ask yourself “what can I do to change my mood?”.