Be You.

Currently I am enjoying the read of "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin, that I picked up about 1 month ago. I am about 100 pages in and so far, it has sparked my interest and really opened/refreshed my mind to the old/new concepts, perspectives and view points of the human condition on happiness.

The ideas that spiral out of my head from this book are overwhelming.

The author and I overlap similar themes in our visions of self-fulfillment.

Alas, this post is not about the book - but an idea stemmed from it.

Be Melissa

All you can be in this world is the best possible version of yourself intrinsically and extrinsically.

Lots of people tend to have some sort of idea of who they wish they were, which can obscure the understanding of who they actually are. (Gretchen Rubin)

We are bombarded via media, social networks, traditional practices, etc. that sometimes I think we forget to really look at ourselves, our true wants and desires, rather than what we should be and should want etc.

I have always been fairly strong about who I am and what I want to be, but I know that this can always be worked on, as I am not completely unimpressionable (whether I am consciously aware of it or not) nor is anyone else.

That is not to say to completely disregard factors that influence your decisions because that would be dismissing the concept of learning - but stay with me here....

It is just an acceptance that things can always be worked on and improved.

Self-improvement is not black and white - it isn't as simple as saying a person is confident or not-confident, happy or not happy, there are layers, levels and continual growth, hence the purpose of the journery of life.

i.e. I am happy but I am sure I could work on elevating that happiness to another level
i.e. I take good care of myself but I am sure I could take time out of my day to ensure that more (i.e. Love Me Do's)
i.e I spend quality time with my friends - but I am sure I could re-define what quality time means to our friendship

and so on...

Just because you want to be happier does not mean you were not happy to being with...it is a page turned in a book.

Instead of always chasing the dream, or thinking about what could make you happy...live it, be present, do not fall into the "arrival fallacy", because most of the time we are so worked up about arriving at the destination of our dreams, we forget to enjoy the journey in getting there.

Recognize that if you are already happy - seeking the want to be happier is not dismissing the knowledge of your existing happiness. Then when you seek new forms of happiness - it will be more gratifying - because you are not relying on a particular variable to complete you but rather, to enhance an already amazing version of yourself.

"Take pleasure in the atmosphere of growth, in the gradual progress made toward a goal, in the present" - Gretchen Rubin

Therefore - this current book I am reading and the message I initially conveyed at the inception of Love Me Do's both are from similar beliefs.

I am enjoying the growth process of this blog and the self-reflection that it is providing, and it reminds me everyday to enjoy me for the sake of just being me, and everything else and the contributing factors, is a part of the journey.

So don't forget, as crazy as this world can get and as hectic as life can seem....

Be You.

xo

M