A time will come for those who want to chase their dreams. The joys of life are placed on the back burner. This may come during college, military career, parenthood, or whenever our upmost focus is needed, and there is no time for dilly-dallying. 

For me, I turned my back towards happiness while I served in the Navy. Why would I do such an unthinkable thing? Because I knew the good time of the economical ’90s couldn’t last forever. I needed security, a career that could stand the test of times. Thus, the reason I joined the military. Yes, the pay was less than adequate until I made E5. But I was working towards a military retirement that I could draw without being in my golden years. My goa consisted of getting paid for the rest of my life by sacrificing a part of mine.

Parenthood has a similar effect. Though I have no children of my own, I have watched friends and family focus on providing the best for their children. Time and time again, I observed these heroes put their wants and dreams on hold. Selfless sacrifice such as this is noteworthy. After all, it’s in our children’s nature to take without fully understanding the cost on our behalf until they become parents. 

This brings me to my point. When do we plan on being happy? For me, It was after the military. I’m not going to say I was “Joe Navy,” not even close. But I held my tongue and kept my posture. Each day was another day of uncomfortable conformity. With patience, wisdom, and much focus, I made it. But here’s the kicker, I became accustomed to the military lifestyle. My life was about to become upside down upon my retirement.

Here is where we stumble when it comes to our happiness. We never stop. I took the time and asked, “what made me happy?” I kept the list simple. A steady job and a house in the semi-rural area were my priorities. My anxiety was high, but I kept a level head. I needed to complete my list of objectives. I took the proper steps, and every day, I reminded myself to be happy. To some extent, I had to learn how to be satisfied.

When transitioning from one lifestyle to another, allow time for adjustment. If we backslide, that’s all right. It’s part of growing. The main goal is to start something, do something, and be something. We will grow towards our focus point. So be mindful of what is in our sights.

Know when the task is complete. There is always room for improvement or excuses for why we should stay engaged in our work. Don’t fall into this trap. Define a stopping point. Although parenthood never ends, Setting a date for when our focus will be on us is crucial. Stick to the date. This may mean that our children will learn how to “adult” on their own. Yes, it’s scary. But that doesn’t mean that our plans are derailed. We deserve to be happy.

“I will be happy when…” will never come into effect if we don’t allow it. Weeks lead to months lead to years lead to never happening. There will always be a reason why we can’t start. Make a reason and tell the world why it’s our time. The moments for sweat, toil, and tears are over. It’s time for us and our happiness. Doing so is vital for our health. No one has extended their life by staying stressed out. Find your happiness. You deserve it. 

Until the next blog, live life and be happy.