PMS: To Live A Happy Life

We were tasked to write at least 2-page personal mission statement as a partial requirement in our Natural Law I class last semester. It took me a week to figure out my mission in life. Aside from pursuing happiness, Ican't think of other things. Hence, it became a challenge to me to have this Personal Mission Statement (PMS) of mine:

…to live a happy life in my colourful world

Live a happy life.

It may sound cliché but that is what I really want to do with my life, and what we all want to do with our lives. It may sound so easy, but there is a long journey to take to be happy. There is a long way of discovering what happiness is all about.

Sometimes we expect happiness to come from ‘big things’, things which are most often than not out of our reach. That is why some people claim they are not and they cannot be happy in their lifetime. But one needs not to be so wise nor to be so rich, to appreciate the beauty of life for you will see that happiness comes from unwise scenarios, from little crazy things actually.

Ever since I was a child, I always go for what will make me happy. I take risks and I laugh, I love and I giggle, I face my problems and then I smile. People call me immature for getting so excited and extremely cheerful over small things, but I call it having fun and not caring what people think about me. After all, I just live my life. We will die anyway so why spend the rest of your life on sorrows and regrets and on worrying things that do not worry you? But the real question is, am I really happy?

On the other side of me (I am a Gemini sir, so please bear with my dual personality), I have this habit of complaining about everything especially when frustrated of not getting what I want… I once been called a black sheep of the family because again, what Ariane wants, Ariane should get… Sometimes, I cannot fight over this brat girl inside of me... I have a tendency to play safe on everything… I tend to wear this “wala ko labot” attitude… JUST TO BE HAPPY. And there I was somehow thrilled by  shallow happiness – one that can only last for a short moment, because when everybody’s gone and I am alone, my troubles and worries can almost swallow me alive. Worst, I started to hurt people I love the most, so I stepped on my brakes and did some self-reflection, how can I be happy without them? Is this a happy life I wanted, a happy life to the expense of the others?

I know life is not that simple, not everything can be solved by loud cracking laughter, heartily giggles and sweet smiles. But believe me, sometimes, they do the trick. They can mask the pain until you completely forget about it. For my not-so-long-twenty-two-years-of-existence, I have learned that when you rant about your problems, few people actually care. But if you share a laughter, everybody laughs with you. So I master the art of turning my frown upside down and the science of letting go of the things that hurt me. I decided to go for what makes me happy. Yes, I may never have everything I have wanted in life, but for as long as I have everything I needed to be happy, I will genuinely live a happy life. How?

To live a happy life is to be a friend . I will be the shoulder to lean on rather than it is me looking comfort from somebody else’s shoulder most of the time. I will listen to them. I will try to understand that world is not just about me. I will learn how to compromise. And I will enjoy every single moment with them. The fear of being attached with somebody else should be ignored. I will happily give whatever I can give without expecting something in return. I will be a true friend, because nothing can be compared to a good laugh over some crazy chitchats.

To live a happy life is to be a ‘white sheep’ of the family. As time passed by, and perhaps it comes with age, I already settled whatever differences I had with my siblings and parents. Hopefully, our relationship as a family will forever be smooth as like what we have right now. As a daughter, I will listen to my Papa and Mama especially when it comes to money matters. I know parents’ words are always right and they will always lead you to the right path. So I will take their words with me in whatever I do and in wherever I go. As  their Manang BG, it is a challenge to me to be a role model to my brothers and sisters, but I will whole-heartedly accept it. I will grow up and stop acting like a kid. I will set as a good example to them, not just by letting them follow what I have done but also to learn from the mistakes I made. I will always be here for them, I will spend time with time as much as I spend time with my friends. My family is my weakness, and I will do everything for them. I know they know it, because I know that they know how much I love them all. It is just that I hope we can see each other very often yet for as long as I know that everything between us is okay, then that is a total happiness!

To live a happy life is to be loved and to love. I want to experience that kind of loving someone who can love me back. Now, I am battle-scarred yet I am working so hard to get back to who I used to be - someone who is not afraid to love and to be hurt. By next time, I will give my heart to someone when I am absolutely ready and not just because I am lonely. I will eat up my pride and just, love. I will not build a wall of “what ifs” around myself. I will be good girlfriend. I will be wiser without complicating simple things. I will not over rationalize love. I will try to understand men, and marry one of them someday.  I will be brave to love, because to love is to make one’s heart happy and healthy.

To live a happy life is to be a student of life. I will always be a student of life. I will work on my assignments that my dreams tasked me to do.  I will accept the seatwork that my mentors have asked me to accomplish. I will pass the examinations that life will give me no matter how hard it is. I will stop complaining about the realities of life. And I will be patient to this never-ending journey for success and excellence, because true happiness can be achieved in every step of the journey you make.

To live a happy life is to do the things I love the most. I will try bungee jumping. I will keep on on writing blogs and journal articles. I will collect different species of butterflies. I will pursue law no matter what it takes, for I know that it is what I want and what I love to see myself years from now. I will be extremely patient and diligent. I will look for a job and establish my career on something that I really love to do regardless of the salary.  After all, what is the point of doing something which does not makes you happy? Nonsense, right? Life is not supposed to be nonsense. 

To live a happy life is to be me. I am already contented for who I am, I only need to show to the world who I really am. I may be misunderstood, but I will live a life full of fun and fancy-free. I will laugh as hard as in can, I will giggle no matter how flirty it may sound, because I will just live my own life and not to conform with the lives of other people who do not care about me in the first place. I will just be me. But a little modified one because I will stop spending too much on shoes and earrings, I will stop buying all the things I crave for an instant, I will not be impulsive in making decisions, I will limit my travels, and I will develop self-discipline in almost everything, because I will have to realize that there is a wide array of cheaper things which happiness can be derived from.

What more can I ask for? My family gave me all the love I needed, that I have nothing else to wish for. For as long as I know that they are with me, life is just a piece of cake no matter what happens. My friends supported me to experience life as it is, no matter how harsh it is. For as long I know that they are with me, problems can be solved with a  good laugh. My teachers and mentors equipped me of wisdom I need to know to survive life. For as long as I know that they are with me, I know that I am always guided on the right path. Actually, this is not a matter of luck to have these people, but it is how you appreciate the people around you and the little things they did for you.  Thus, to live a happy life is to forever appreciate and value these wonderful people and the little things around me. They may not know that they are  and will always be the reason behind this smile I constantly wear.

Life, after all, is inconvenient, unexpected, unscripted, unplanned, always messy, never on time… but it is so beautiful. Yet, it is too short to be sad. So yeah, from now on (coz any moment I can die) I will live a happy life in this perfectly colourful world. J