Enjoy Life!

As I continue to age against my will, I find myself acting more and more like an adult.

And it really irritates me.

I don’t like being an adult. Too many responsibilities. Too many worries. Too much laundry.

I mean, I didn’t really like being a kid, either. That comes with its whole set of problems, no?

Aside from all the fun stuff that comes along with adulthood, like bills and traffic, there are some good moments in there. I mean, there are happy moments like spending time with my kids when they’re not fighting (YEAH, RIGHT,) spending time alone, and getting a good night’s sleep. HAHAHAHAHA!!!

Seriously, people. U’z gotz to sleep. 8 hours minimum.

Oh, oops! I better write something nice about spending time with my husband, or else when he reads this article he’s gonna be pret-ty mad… Ummm, okay I’m drawing a blank here… Let me think…

Okay! I love spending time with my husband! Especially when it means we get to spend time alone, preferably enjoying someone else’s cooking. Although he always tells me that he doesn’t enjoy going out for dinner because I’m such a fabulous cook, to which I must wholeheartedly agree. Whatever. I just need someone else to do the cooking once in a while, ya know?

One of the problems with being an adult, from what I can tell, is that things tend to get too serious. People tend to get too serious. So dry. Numb. Zombie-like, even. Sometimes I feel compelled to wave my hand up and down in front of people’s faces to see if they’re really human. Alive, I meant.

People! What happened to us?? When did we get so old, so grumpy, so serious??

You know what the problem with this is? We stop having fun. We stop smiling and laughing as much.

We stop living.

I mean, really living. Really feeling every moment, being totally present. Not letting our worries about the future or regrets about the past take away the moment that we’re supposed to be living.

We also stop putting effort into doing things. I see people all day long drag themselves around, no energy, expressionless. They look like they’re just surviving. And how many relationships are like this? Husbands and wives barely functioning as a couple? Putting just enough effort into saying a few words to each other and maybe eating dinner together? And when they eat dinner together, they’re not really together because they’re not saying a word to each other as they look around the restaurant.

It's like some part of us gets shut off when we turn into full-fledged adults.

What’s the saddest part of all this?

We stop enjoying life.

Really enjoying it. Yes, there are moments that make us happy. But those moments are overshadowed by all of the stress, pressure, demands, anxiety, worry, resentment, and all that good stuff that we feel on a daily basis. We get caught up in adulthood without even realizing it. And we may not even realize what we have lost.

And I’m not even going to get into the wrinkles and gray hair. That could be a whole article right there.

Do you remember what it was like to smile? Run around laughing? Bubbling with excitement at the scandalous secrets you shared with your teenage friends? Or is that just a girl thing?

Well I, for one, am protesting. I refuse to let adulthood get the best of me. I refuse to let my personality be sucked dry by the ravages of old age. I refuse to stop smiling like I have no care in the world, even though I am far from carefree.

So, I am going to do my best to enjoy my life. And I encourage you to do the same. I know you’ve heard this before, but happiness is a choice. It’s not a default emotion. And it never will be. We’re adults, remember?

We have to choose to be alive, to laugh, to smile, to really appreciate each day that we’re given.  Even with all of our challenges – and I know that many of us have impossible challenges – we can always find something to smile about. Something to be grateful for. Those things are what keep us sane and able to keep on going.

As soon as you’re done reading this article, SMILE! Force yourself if you have to! Make yourself smile as much as you can! Before you know it, your mood will improve and you’ll start this whole snowball effect of happy/smile/happier/smilier and on and on.

Hope you make it a wonderful day!