Recently, my 3 year old has started to voice how he feels when he is not happy about something by stating “This is not making me happy”. Usually this statement comes up when he’s asked to finish eating his dinner or pick up his toys. Nevertheless, he will voice his discontentment throughout the day once in a while when he is not happy with a certain situation. I find myself trying not to laugh when he expresses his unhappiness at such a young age and will ask him why he isn’t happy and what would make him happier which usually ends with him still having to eat his dinner or pick up his toys. I have to say though it makes me happy to hear him express how he is feeling and that he recognizes when he is experiencing a specific emotion.
Every so often throughout the week, I find myself saying silently these same words, “This is not making me happy”. This makes me stop and think why am I feeling this way and how can I change it. Is it just a matter of changing my thoughts at the time to something that will lift my spirits or does it run deeper than that, perhaps a much greater change may have to take place. Regardless of what action I have to take “to make me happy”, it is a reminder to check in with myself throughout the day to see if I am on the right path. Your feelings act as “GPS” to help you remain true to yourself and live the life you’re meant to live. We are often influenced by other people’s opinions on how we should live our lives and before we know it, we find ourselves feeling unfulfilled and discontented. As well, often we are simply so busy running the treadmill of life with trying to balance work, family and life’s commitments, that we forget to check in with ourselves to see if we are truly happy. Is our life headed in the right direction and are we living the life we want to live?
So take a moment each day to stop and ask yourself how you are feeling, if the words “This is not making me happy” are ringing in your ears at any point then take some time to reflect and look inward as to why you are feeling this way and what you can do to change it.