My Guide to Happiness

Let's take a look inside my purse. It holds my wallet, my camera, my phone, my pina colada tic-tacs, and most importantly, my planner. No more than two weeks ago did I get this planner and it's been one of the best things to ever happen to me. Now, most of you would think about having a planner and remember the days of homework from high school, the days of having your parents flip through it, or the days where your teacher would glare at you if you weren't writing the daily objectives from the board.

Me, personally? I hated the thought of toting around a book filled with daily activities. It seemed unnecessary in my daily life. I could see it for someone who had appointments, or had a busy schedule. But for me? I didn't think I needed it.

Regardless of my thoughts on it, I purchased one anyway with the good intentions of writing down my homework for my new school. It turned into something much more. I now call it, "My Guide to Happiness". Everyday I look at it, and I feel more enlightened. "Do something new everyday" is labeled across the top. A new quote is written down everyday and it becomes my daily philosophy.

As some of you may know, I've been going through a rough patch. Scratch that. It's not a patch, it's a field. Anyway, if you didn't know, I am. Or at least I have been for a while now. For years, I haven't been the girl that I liked. I haven't been the good person that people should get to know. I have been living this alter-ego who isn't me. I have some people to thank for that and I have some people to thank for getting me out of that funk. The funk that has consumed my life for years now. Call it adolescence, call it "finding yourself", call it experimenting. Whatever you may call it, it wasn't me. The person that I have always prided myself on has remained dormant, hidden under this unstable shell, and finally, she's reappearing.

Now, I'm not saying that this inanimate object has been my epiphany and I'm not saying that if you go buy one it will suddenly change your life as well, but it has, however, helped me. It's been my guide. You can look at it, know what you've written, look back on those intentions and say, "Yes, you're right." It seems silly to try to uplift yourself, but when you are sitting in the hole you dug yourself, that's what you have to do.

Today's daily philosophy?
"To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom." -Bertrand Russell