Journey to Self-Discovery & Happiness: Part 2

One particular book that drove me to start a big transformation in the way I viewed myself, the world and the people around me was Eckhart Tolle’s – A New Earth. Reading it I found myself agreeing with so much it said. It made me realise that I needed to reflect on the past to not make the same mistakes I had made before, but not to relive and dwell on it. The only time I ever truly had was “Now” this moment.

Facing who I really was and why so many things had happened to me in my life was also a step in the right direction. Realising that a lot of the bad feelings I had experienced and situations I’d been in were in most part my own fault wasn’t easy, it was hard to believe I would put myself through so much heartache and pain. But my negative perception on certain situations and my ability to convince myself that I was a victim and everyone was out to get me was all an illusion I had created in my own mind, and elevated to a point where I destroyed and pushed away a lot of important relationships and people in my life. This realisation was a massive stepping stone in the right direction; it changed my outlook on life completely and had me looking at people and my environment in a completely different light.

My negative side had taken control so often in my life and I now made it my mission to recognise it and put it away when it appeared. Another realisation I had was that everyone has experienced many different situations, emotions, past heartaches and mishaps, upbringings, cultures and the list goes on. To me this meant people are just trying to get by with what they know just like I had been for so many years.

Another idea that has helped me is by realising that most people want the same things out of life, love – either from a partner, friend or family which also includes acceptance, and happiness. Sometimes it is easy to feel like someone is going the wrong way about finding these two things but who am I to tell them how their journey should be? Have I not made and still make mistakes in my own life. I now try to be honest but not judgemental. Now tattooed on my wrist is a heart with the word happiness through the middle of it to remind me, as it is very easy to fall back into old habits and judge others without knowing their whole story.

Happiness appears to be the meaning of life for a lot of people but it’s not as easy as simply acting as though you are happy all of the time. Bad habits die hard and it is easy to begin slipping back into my old ways, but when I can push the negative thoughts away I am definitely a happier and better person for it. My journey of self-discovery isn’t over, who knows what the future holds; but with a more positive outlook on life things don’t seem as scary or hard anymore. My hope is that in reading this, you realise finding happiness doesn’t have to come from a big life changing event or situation, all it takes is to really want it, and not be afraid to find it and face who you really are.

My original tattoo