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Health & Fitness

How to be Happier? Don't Worry.

Has "worry" affected your overall ability to be happy?

After living six decades, I have made some observations that work for me. (They may not work for you ) I have realized that through the years my day-to-day personal life is not drastically changed no matter whom or what gets elected into office and no matter what laws or Bills are passed. That’s not saying my life isn’t affected by those things. I just don’t notice and don’t really care as much as I used to. One of the personal philosophies that works for me is, “if I can’t control it or change it….just move on”. Of course that’s easier said than done. I suspect that if I were being audited by the IRS or had my medical insurance premium doubled I’d probably have a significant reaction, but for the most part, I really try not to worry about things as much these days. Is it working? Yes, so far I feel more relaxed and happier.

So what is there to worry about? Job security? Having a roof over your head? Money? These are definitely legitimate things to worry about. Especially if one is under 50 years of age. If you’re over fifty, I think it’s just easier to coast and think about those things only when you have to…which, amazingly, isn’t really as often as you’d think. 

I came to a couple of realizations that may be a form of denial to some, but for me, they are readjusting my life’s philosophy. I try to enjoy the day I’m in and not give too much thought about tomorrow. Fate or God or karma or whatever you live by will determine tomorrow when it comes. I have made a choice to enjoy the day I’m in and the present as much as I can. Sure, I have some major concerns that could weigh me down. But I try to shelve those and do what needs to be done today and nothing else. This crazy approach to life is amazingly liberating. It allows me to enjoy what I have now and not worry about what I don’t have or may not have tomorrow.

So far this weird approach to life has worked well. Is life just how we perceive it or should we allow our concerns and worries about the future to weigh us down? I don’t know. Maybe my age has something to do with how I view things. Obviously, I’m on the downhill side of life and so have less to worry about in some peoples’ eyes. But I have the same daily concerns and problems everyone else has. I have just decided that I don’t want them to control me or my level of personal contentment. I look around at what I have and where I am in life and I focus on how great that is. As to the problems of the future, I quote Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone With the Wind”…”I’ll think about that tomorrow!”

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