Reflections - Are you happy on your own?

I sat watching the waves crash for hours sipping hot chocolates, beers and coffees. It felt very peaceful. After a year of not traveling, here I was finally on my own, doing nothing and feeling content. I was happy!

It has been 2 years of uncertainty, no clarity of what the future would be post pandemic and watching the world suffer immensely while many lost their loved ones.

In retrospect, many of us still have a lot to be grateful for – simply being alive and having all your loved ones around was just more than what you could have asked for.

We underestimate what life offers more often than not. We also place a lot of pressure on others around us to keep us happy, keep us content and keep us going when happiness is an internal job – it is our own responsibility.

How many of us can shout out a yes if someone asks you if you are happy? How many of us can travel alone, sit still alone, watch a sunset or waves crashing and feel content?

Why is it that many of us need more people, circumstances and “chaos” around to create that safe, happy place for us? And when that doesn’t happen, how many of us complain that life is unfair and unjust?

A question that I get asked often is how and why do I mostly travel alone and enjoy? It has taken years, many days and nights of feeling lonely for me personally to realize that the world will always be unfair and will not always play right by you, your ideals, your values and expectations. Let it be work, passions, hobbies, relationships or friends & family – they all let you down at a point. It is life. Realization and the acceptance of this is the only way to live a fulfilling life.

Something we are not taught or trained is to be happy on our own. Learning to be the best self in every situation, giving your best and letting the nature take its course is not something human beings find comfort in. The more uncertain the world around us become, this brings a lot of unhappiness, dissatisfaction, sadness and anger into our lives.

If I have learnt something over the last few years, it is to know that pain and sadness in whichever sense is temporary. The more we learn to find happiness in our own self, simply our existence will lead you to be the best self and content all your life.

So next time, don’t hesitate to go on that trip alone, climb that mountain alone, take a course you like alone, just be alone and find that happiness that exists within you. Be happy with yourself first. Find happiness in solitude. Find the happiness in simple things – a sun rise, a sun set, a smile, great weather, a good meal, the workout you got in, a hug, a kiss, a kind word – feeling grateful should be a daily task – in fact the first task in your day.

Just stay away from anything or anyone who takes that happiness and uniqueness away from you.

You’d realize there is a lot more energy you can share with others when you find that light in you. It is not lonely. It is nothing but powerful and it can change the world.

Life is also too short! Make it worth! Live a life which is a story worth writing about.

xoxo