What are the paths to happiness and peaceful living everyday? This has been a question that I have pondered for years. Throughout the years, I have slowly chipped away many things that I thought were “me” but were not and started substituting the space with behaviors, people and habits that enrich me. I discovered that my life has indeed been quite happy and peaceful. This doesn’t mean I am never upset or angry or judgmental; It just means that I get over it much quicker nowadays. More often, after looking at it deeper, my upset has turned into some wonderful golden nugget insight. I end up feeling quite grateful afterward for the broader perspective I discovered because of it. But I still couldn’t quite put my finger on articulating what the path to happiness and peaceful living really looks like.
LET GO OF DRAMA!
This morning, as I was roaming about in my home and looking into my empty frig., fretting over what the rest of the day is going to look like, a thought came into my head. I am done with all these dramas around me! If I want a happy and peaceful life, I need to learn to be drama free!!! Wow, the thought shook me to the core. What would that be like? The idea seems so foreign to me! How do I live a life without drama?
One thing that really made a difference for me is when I finally decided to stop being interested in dramas around me. It was the day when I stopped feeling obligated to participate or engage in the drama that is unfolding in front of me in any shape or form. I decided to walk away instead taking sides, gossiping, joining in making others wrong or someone right. I also stopped feeling I absolutely need to participate in any drama just to fit in this world.
It feels weird in the beginning. Then it feels kind of liberating. Surprisingly, I didn’t miss anything. I found when I just allow myself to just be and not focus on how others perceive me, happiness and peacefulness flows.
CLEAN UP TIME
As I stopped giving my interest to my friends’ sob stories, my own sob stories … a funny thing happened: my own sob stories disappeared. Even more interesting, those friends who used to love stopping in to share their sob stories for hours disappeared.
I really thought I would miss those friends a lot! But the incredible thing is I discovered that I really didn’t! I thought I’ll be really lonely with no friends to “fill” my life anymore. But instead, I found my life got all filled up with one idea after another and one dream after another that I couldn’t wait to go execute them! (This website being one).
HAPPINESS AND PEACE FROM BETTER FRIENDS
I discovered what’s great about living a drama free life is that different types of friends start showing up in my life. I love friends that want to discuss their ideas, their dreams and what they are up to with me, not just their sob stories.
In the new open space, I got to rekindle my passion to continue learning about human conditioning and growing. I got to look at everything I am in touch with with a totally different set of lenses and perspectives. Life is now full of multiple projects that I care deeply about. It’s such a blessing to play with and create with people that share my visions.
Wow, in hindsight, I should have made this trade a long time ago!! 🙂
FOR ENTERTAINMENT, GO SEE A MOVIE
I decided I still love dramas, but just not in my life and in my surroundings. If I want drama, I happily pay the $15 to go see a movie in a movie theatre. If I’m too lazy to go out, I just give myself permission to play couch potato and catch up on some soap opera on TV instead. But in my own life, I’m declaring a drama free zone.
Feature photo: Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay