I firmly believe that life’s what you make it. This was brought to the forefront of my mind recently during some conversations with friends.
Life’s What You Make It
How This Came Up
I had a discussion earlier this week about how Covid had clipped our wings and the collective ‘we’ couldn’t do anything. Someone said they felt trapped. Another person was reminiscing about missing out on travelling and holidays and how restless they felt. Yet another is glued to the television all day as there is ‘nothing else to do’.
And it struck me how easy it is to let ourselves fall into the mindset of being unhappy with what we have. When we actually have so much that we don’t always appreciate as much as we should. Something I wrote about in an earlier blog.
Attitude
We don’t have a great deal of choice over some of the things that happen to us. Sometimes we have no control at all. But, we have more choice than we perhaps realize over how we deal with those things and our attitude towards them.
Acceptance
Part of that is accepting what is happening. Instead of always fighting for change, fighting for something better, criticizing ourselves for our failures we can develop compassion and love for ourselves. Looking after ourselves instead of beating ourselves up. Because life’s what you make it.
If we always have the attitude that the big holiday, party, night out with friends, the latest fashion or gadget, is what makes us happy. And we let ourselves be guided by what is ‘normal’ on Social Media. We will never be happy because we will always be striving to be better than we are. Instead of just accepting ourselves as we are. Human, fallible but capable of great love and compassion.
Take Time To Just Be
When was the last time you really sat in peace and quiet? Or you actually felt your breath as it comes in and out of your lungs? It is so automatic but when did you last actually feel it? Something so simple we take for granted.
When was the last time you sat in nature, a garden, or park and just listened to the birds, watched the movement of the trees and felt part of it all? Or watched insects buzzing around flowers. Hands up those of you who would do that and keep checking your mobile phone???
Appreciate The Simple Things
The simple things in life really are free. But we have to switch off that constant chattering mind that demands more input, more stimulation and something better than we already have. Because, you know, you might be surprised to find that thing you are searching for already exists, closer to home than that exotic holiday. And perhaps even inside of you.
Life’s What You Make It by Talk Talk
I leave you with this wonderful track ‘Life’s What You Make It’ by the group Talk Talk. My favorite verse:
Baby, life’s what you make it
Celebrate it, anticipate it
Yesterday’s faded, nothing can change it
Life’s what you make it
Before you go
My name is Dorothy Berry-Lound an artist and writer. You can find out more about my art and writing at https://dorothyberryloundart.com.
You can follow me on Facebook.
Thank you for reading!
A great post and one that resonates with me Dorothy! The one thing I’ve learned in the past two years is living in the moment and appreciating each and every single day and taking control of what I can and not what I’d like to. Thanks for sharing.
Jodie, I am so glad it rang a bell with you. Thank you for your comment.
Such a great read and I think it resonates with everyone right at this moment. WHat helped me get through has been noticing the small things that unless we would have slowed down, I would have never noticed and cherished them x
Absolutely Cristina, there are some positives in being forced to slow down. Thank you for your comment.