The Joy of Life

I believe authenticity is one of the pillars to joy. Because it is in essence self-love. There’s a reason we’re attracted to people we deem authentic. The no bullshit people who have a good grasp of who they are and what matters to them. They are unapologetically themselves and because they are so obviously comfortable with themselves, you automatically feel a sort of pull towards them.

Building yourself to that state is a long path full of self-reproach, understanding and forgiveness. But it needs to start somewhere. The first step to that is letting go of comparison. We all know that comparison is the thief of joy. We’ve heard so many versions of that. The day you compare yourself to others is the day that path to happiness stops. Just practice it. The next time you find yourself comparing yourself to others, remember that not everything is as it seems and that you just need to focus on yourself. Be content and grateful with what you have in the present moment. Appreciate the things you’ve done to get here. Because no matter where you are in life, you got yourself here and the fact that you’re here in the present means that life can be full of endless possibilities for you.

The other thing you need to do is let go of the constructs of so-called happiness that the world has instilled in us. The definitions of success and happiness that the world has defined for us. In the end, ask the elderly what they were most grateful in their life or what they wish they’d done more of. It’s usually going to be about the things in life that touch the soul. It’s not going to be money, fame, climbing the career ladder, or the things you’ve bought for yourself. I don’t know what happiness is for you but I guarantee that it isn’t what the world is telling you it is.

Let go of these two things and try to find yourself and your soul. Be unapologetically you. You might lose some things. But you might gain what was meant for you all along.