Eudaimonia: A Contented State of Being Happy and Healthy and Prosperous

Do you ever have days that are so busy that they seem to be over before they even begin. I recently had one of those days, and I, seriously, went to bed in the same outfit that I had woke up in. I remember asking myself, "Is this really what life is all about? Is life just an endless amount of things to get done? Days that go by in a blur of bussy-ness, and then end, unintentionally passed out on the couch. I was sick of all the guilt and uneasiness I felt. As a mother of 3, life can be extremely busy. Normal, everyday tasks such as trying to get my work outs scheduled seemed nearly impossible. But that's when the guilt crept in because I felt morally torn between the little time I had to spend with my family or my over all health and wellness. The uneasiness showed up in all aspects of my life. When I got too busy with work I felt guilty that I wasn't spending enough "quality" time with my kids. Heck, then throw in trying to find alone time with my husband. Between all of life's chores and caring for the children, this all seemed to be, pretty much, impossible. The thought of taking what little time I could find for myself, instead of using it elsewhere, brought on a sense of guilt. As all you mothers can relate, after getting everything I need done, I was lucky if I was able to wash my hair. So I found myself asking, is life just an endless amount of things to get done? I refused to believe this was it. So the next morning I went in search of a solution to find joy in even my craziest of days. It seems that the the older I get the faster my days pass me by. 

People always ask me how I am able to get everything I get done in a day. Honestly, I don't get everything done. I will never get everything I want to get done in my days, but what matters is that I attempt. Doing what I can, when I can, and setting high expectations, puts me WAY further ahead than if I procrastinate just because I know it's going to be a struggle to get all these things finished. The truth is, life is far too short. I want to get the most out of my life. So I went in search of how to find joy in the chaos of being so busy.

It was then when I found a video by Tai Lopez, where he explains about integrating your life. I've put it into play in my life and found it to be very beneficial. The theory behind it is to stop compartmentalizing your life and integrate it. Who made the rule that we had to set aside specific times to work out, to spend time with our kids, to go on date nights, to prepare meals, to dedicate to self development, to go to church on Sundays etc... Don't get me wrong, I understand that all these things are very important and need to get done. But if you schedule out specific times and places for each thing in your life then you are isolating your potential for happiness.

Why can't we integrate our life. I love the concept of making every aspect of my life part of who I am. I never understood why people say not to work with friends and family. Why not surround yourself, everyday, with the people you enjoy being around? Some of my favourite jobs were because of the people I was surrounded by. I have begun to integrate many things in my life. I often, work out with my children so that I'm spending quality time with my kids while taking care of my own over-all health, instead of leaving them for hours everyday to go a class.  I go for walks while listening to an audio-book (sometimes I actually read while walking). I cook supper with my husband as a date night, or with my kids as hang-out time. Why does it matter what your doing for date night, isn't it about the time spent with that person. One of Jason's and my favourite things to do together is cook. At night we sit together, he reads to me while I fold laundry. These are the times I cherish with my husband. I long for time with him not the things we are doing. 

So I challenge you guys to try changing your perspective around compartmentalizing your life. Personally, this has allowed me to bring joy to every aspect of my life. I hope you choose to bring it to yours. In the comment section below, I would love to hear how you integrate things in your life.

True Happiness: What is it?

Lately my family has been hit with a few road blocks, and in times of hardship I ask you this, do you ever find yourself wondering what true happiness is? To continue from my last blog post about; Does Everything happen for a Reason, I found that everything I have been faced with in my teenage/ non mothering years, that I felt at the time were the end of the world, has prepared me for times like these. Being a mother has made me reevaluate what happiness is to me and what values I need to instil in my children. Happiness isn't about the things we have, or how big our bank accounts are, or having all your dreams come true. Those are all definite bonuses in life, but they are nothing more than that. I wouldn't feel any more, or less, happy with or without them. Maybe for a moment. Have you ever wanted something so badly it hurt, but when you finally got it, within a few weeks, it had lost all its value, it slowly becomes another staple in your life, and lets face it, we eventually take it for granted. The journey, we take to get there is where all the growth and dreaming happens. We are forever growing and learning in our lives and I found that not one thing will ever lead to happiness because you already have it. Happiness shows up in everyday, even the days you don't think it has. Its a mind set. I challenge you today to try it. Truly take a moment to smell the roses. Make a conscious effort to STOP, and absorb the moment. Appreciating it for what it is. Making the effort to find the beauty in everyday has changed my life. I am so grateful for every moment in my life. Even if it,s not how I imagined it to be. Yes I'm also talking about those down days you wish would just be over. I appreciate my struggles, as odd as that sounds, they are what lead me to finding gratitude in everything I have. Without the lows you wouldn't have the highs. Without the lows you wouldn't be you. I deep down in my soul believe everything happens for a reason. If you're someone who is in a time of struggle, where you just can't figure out why things are going the way they are, have faith that there is a reason. You have nothing to lose, but everything to gain when thinking this way. Life is about the now. Not your past, not your future. You have the power to your own happiness; It's all a matter of changing the way you see it. 

DRESS: Zara

Photo Credit @maria_lang  www.marialangstudio.com