THE JOY OF LIVING seems to be a privilege few people enjoy. In the midst of the daily hustle and bustle, pressing need real and imaginary, and the frustration of unsatisfied wishes, we deny ourselves the right to be happy don’t think about brevity of life on this planet. In his book Por el placer de vivir [For the joy of living] , Cesar Lozano says, “There are people who exist but literally don’t live, and much less live happily; we’re living just to live. While time passes by, little by little boredom and routine take over our actions.
If you stop and think about the things that rob your peace and tranquility, you will realize that most of them are insignificant compared to the great number of simple pleasures God gives us every day through His blessings. Bread on the table, peaceful conversation with someone we love, sunset colors in the sky and brightness at dawn are amazing sights we don’t enjoy because we spend too much time sitting in front of the TV; our eyes glued doc to our cell phones or out minds fixed on yesterday’s burdens or tomorrow’s problems.
Watching tragic news all day predisposes you to uneasy sleep; likewise, listening to gossip, improper jokes and making fun of others causes emotional toxicity. Add positive people who trust in God to your list of friends; these people convey peace, positivism, motivation, optimism and unparalleled joy. Enjoy again that simple happiness that perhaps has been fading in your life because of those hustle and distraction habits that separate you from what really fills the soul.
And when you face hard times, don’t use complaints as tools to get rid of them; far from helping you, they will play against you. You should seek God for the strength you need to take action when facing injustice, and also look for people who understand how you feel and are a source of comfort to you.
Stop automatic negative thoughts that come to your mind and empower those that help you find a way ti improve and learn from the hardship you are going through.