Happy Enough

Today, I want to stop the race to happiness as if happiness is out there to be found. Because, if happiness is out there to be found, it means that I am not there now.

And if I’m not there now, where am I? And what really lies in the space between where I am now and where happiness is? How will I know when I find it? Will I ever find it?

If I’m not sure how to recognise happiness once I’ve found it, then how do I know I haven’t already found it?

What if I just step out of the race for long enough to see if I could be happy enough?

What if I don’t give my kids a Pinterest party to make myself look good, but instead a party that they would love. What if I didn’t give them a party at all but just kept them to myself for a day? What if instead, we went to the zoo, or a museum, or a play group where we could spend uninterrupted time together? What if I left my phone at home and lived the day without taking photos and allow them to have a day where they felt so connected to me that it wouldn’t matter if they didn’t have a photo to remember the day. Could that be enough?

What if instead of trying to have a perfectly clean house for when friends come over, I leave the washing for a day and I meet friends in a coffee shop instead? I wouldn’t have to clean the house, or bake a cake, or wash the cups afterwards.

What if we woke up to reading a book instead of just going to bed reading a book? What if we sang instead of listened to music?

What if I had personal time with my husband without waiting for the perfect time? What if we sneaked in a kiss while the kids are having breakfast?

What if we went for a quick coffee instead of waiting for a day we could go on a proper date? What if I told him I love him when he least expects it? What am I waiting for?

How would my life be different if I decided to be happy enough instead of chasing the ultimate happiness?

I would certainly be earning enough money because I would need less. And if I had less, I wouldn’t constantly have to work absurd hours to earn enough to maintain what I have.

I would have more time with my family. I would look after the things I have better because I wouldn’t have the money to replace things all the time. So, I guess I might have more skills on how to fix things like furniture, clothes, etc.

I would choose better materials for the things I buy because I would want them to last longer so I would live a more sustainable life. I would have less things but they would be if better quality.

I would buy less food because I wouldn’t want to waste since I would be earning less money.

If my kids were sick during the night I would care for them better knowing I wouldn’t have to go to work at five AM to earn more money than what I actually need.

I would dare to do my dream job because the money I could earn from that would make me happy enough.

I would invest heavily in time to teach my children well because I would want them to be able to look after themselves well. I would help them to be as independent as possible as soon as possible. I would rather spend time to clean up the mess from teaching them skills now than having to help them clean up their lives later on.

I would rather teach them to save a little bit constantly even when you don’t have much yet, than to think they don’t have enough to save.

They would grow up knowing that their report cards are good enough for me because everything about them is good enough for me.

I would feel less guilty as a parent because I wouldn’t expect things to be perfect. My kids don’t need to grow up learning that we constantly have to feel guilty over the things we cannot give each other. They would learn that it’s OK to give their best. They would grow up less entitled and would be better off because of it.

If I take the time to stand back and live a life that is happy enough then it means that happiness is already here. Happiness is now. I don’t feel that I’m losing out. Instead, I’m gaining so much more. Life really is simpler from this view; it seems slower, less rushed, less stressed. It gives me more satisfaction living a happy enough life that living a life looking for happiness.

How would your life change if you decided to be happy enough?