Are you doing what you love?
manuelita otero
I love swimming. I didn’t always know how much because I didn’t give myself enough time to really think about it, or maybe because I didn’t consider that it required time to ponder over. I mean it’s just swimming, what’s the big deal?
Some months ago during one visit to Florida I felt so happy, and we didn’t even get the opportunity to go to the beach, then I realized that I swam every morning. I gave myself the time to savor what I felt on that trip. The pool made all the difference! Something so simple filled me up with so much joy that it was hard to understand. You may be thinking that I am exaggerating, but put yourself in my position. Think for a moment about what makes you happy. It can be a place, a thing, or something you do. It can be something small and simple that others wouldn't even consider. Can you relate a little more now?
The things that make us happy are usually small, everyday things. We have come to believe that big expensive experiences will make us happy, and they do, but for a short while; instead, doing what fills us with joy on a regular basis can have an immense impact in our lives. So, why don't we do them more often? We actually may not know what we enjoy on our own. We know what we love doing with friends and family, but somehow it is more difficult to pinpoint the things we enjoy by ourselves. We may know what we think will make us happy, that big trip or a promotion, but in the end they don’t deliver the lasting satisfaction we crave. Or we may know exactly what we love doing or the places that we love visiting but we may say that we don’t have time. Life is busy; we may not seem to find that “free” moment to dedicate to ourselves. And really, nowadays, who has time to do “simple” random things? People who want to be happy, that’s who.
Once I realized how happy swimming made me, I thought about it for a little while, but then went on with my life. I didn’t look for ways to incorporate more swimming into my week, I didn’t try to be proactive about it. Knowing is not enough, action from my part was needed for changes to happen. If you want to give yourself time to do what makes you happy you are going to need discipline, boundaries, and commitment. It may sound tough, because it is. Many things are trying to compete to gain your attention, to take your precious hours and distract you from what you actually want to do. I know there are many things that we have to do whether we want to or not, but there are many others we do because we “feel” we have to, because we have not decided our priorities, and because we have chosen not to ask for help. You still have the power to choose what you do with your time.
After several conversations with friends, I realized I needed to be more committed about my swimming. I found an aquatic center close to my house; bought a 10 day packet and realized it was less expensive than I thought it would be. I organized my schedule and I went as often as I could. Then, “life” started getting in the way. I had appointments that interfered with my swimming schedule, I made plans within those hours not respecting the plan I had made for the thing I love doing. One morning I was driving to the mechanic to fix an unplanned issue with my car. I was already in a bad mood thinking how much this repair would cost. I had my swimming bag and thought I would go after visiting the mechanic, but in the middle of the drive I changed my mind and headed toward the aquatic center instead. I said to myself, where are my priorities? I have to first do what makes me happy, so I swam my laps and headed to the mechanic in a better mood. If I am honest, I must tell you that my good mood didn’t last all day after I waited for hours at the mechanic and had to spend more than I expected, but… I swam, I put myself first and that taught me a lesson. Defining your priorities is important, defining your non-negotiables is key to finding that balance we all search for.
When I swim I feel stronger, I feel that I am doing something positive for my body and that makes me feel good. How about you? What are the non-negotiables you want to make time for? What makes you happy? I hope once you find it, you make it part of your daily life and savor those moments for yourself, by yourself.
Manuelita