After last week’s post about life’s crazy twists and turns, I really got to thinking about happiness and life. It seemed like a good time to have a seat and try to figure out all this crazy curiosity and questioning.

Now, by all means, I’m no expert on how to find happiness because that is truly something you must find on your own. But what I can tell you is that I tend to pretty much over analyze everything and most of the time it leads me to a dead end street, while other times it leads me to some clarity. I’ve asked myself 3 questions, and I can only hope that maybe my clarity can help lead you to your own.

1. Who am I trying to make happy?

When I first asked myself this question, I immediately thought, “DUH! I’m trying to make myself happy!”

But am I? …Are you?

Think about it. Think about all the pressures you face daily. Pressure to make your boss happy, your friends happy, your professors happy, your significant other happy, your family happy, and whoever else you’re trying to make happy.

But when did we forget about ourselves? When did we start putting everyone else in front of us?

This completely baffles me. I think about it, chuckle, and then promptly respond with “I don’t know.” I have no clue when I stopped putting myself in front of others…in fact, I’m not sure I ever even started. And for that, I’m just going to say, be selfish. Do things for YOU, and by all means, realize that is okay.

2. Why am I rushing it?

I know that growing and changing as a person is a process – that it takes time. And when I think about this, my mind kind of wanders to those diet pills that “GUARANTEES WEIGHT LOSS IN 2 DAYS!” Come on…we all know that even if you lose the guaranteed weight in 2 days, the second you eat some delicious ice cream or pizza or sushi, you’re going to gain it all right back.

So, just as losing weight (and actually keeping it off!) takes hard work, time, and persistence, so does finding happiness. You won’t find it over night and you surely won’t find it in 2 days.

3. Why haven’t I taken out the trash?

Often times there are things or people that linger in your life and just won’t go away. It’s that smell in the kitchen that lingers and you can’t seem to find it. Or you think you’ve found it and then a few days later, it comes right back, stinkin’ up your whole house.

If you think it’s not good for you, it’s probably not. So, find it. And get rid of it. For good.

I don’t know if you agree or disagree but regardless, take the time to realize that you matter – that your happiness matters.

And hey, if nothing else, just swim.