words to live by: do more of what you love

"do more of what you love"

i don't think this is a quote that can be attributed to any one person... i've seen it pop up all over the place, but correct me if i'm wrong! anyways, this is something that i've been trying to prioritize a lot more since the beginning of this year.

i can't speak for everyone, but i've been realizing that in many cases we've been almost 'programmed' to think that doing something we enjoy is inherently not a worthwhile way to spend our time. i've also realized that is an absolutely ridiculous way of thinking. is it not the primary goal of virtually everyone to be happy? and how do we expect to be if we don't fill our lives with things that make us feel that way? i want to spend most of my time doing things that fulfill me and make me happy and inspired. i think most people do, but as time passes i have been realizing that (a) it's something you need to actively work at if you want it to happen, and (b) i haven't really been.

that being said, of course there are responsibilities everyone (well, most of us) must attend to. i'm not saying go quit your job and/or drop out of school... though i know there are people out there who have done just that, bought a plane ticket, and never looked back! i'm not quite at that level of risk-taking yet, but i am trying to snip away the bits of my life that are bringing me down, so to speak, and replace them with things that do the opposite.

it's quite the task, though it might not seem like it. i mean, just do things you enjoy... how can that be hard, right?! and maybe for some people it isn't, but for some of us breaking habits like procrastination and long-standing feelings of obligation to things you don't want - or need - in your life isn't just a snap. it's a process of gradually re-forming your life so the centre, not the outskirts, is what you're passionate about.

because, the thing is, life is going to pass by regardless of how you spend your time. and i can be honest: that thought terrifies me a bit! however, to keep this self-constructed responsibility of achieving fulfillment from filling you with anxiety (because that's a bit counter-productive), my advice would be to start with small changes. changes that will slowly re-construct any preconceived notions of your priorities, and re-affirm the fact that you are truly in control of your own life and happiness (read some more of my thoughts on that here). at least, that's what i'm trying to do... we'll see how it goes :P

overall, actions speak far louder than words... and i think that doing more of what you love is a great example of this :)

read more of my 'words to live by' posts here!