Do what makes you happy

When you’re used to something it’s easy to keep doing it or allowing it in your life when you actually don’t have to. For instance we have this idea that we have to keep up with current events and therefore have to read the newspaper or watch the news. If you do it a lot it can even be addictive. You might even find yourself disappointed that there has not been breaking news in a while when breaking news usually means a plane has crashed or an attack has taken place somewhere. That means people have died. And when that has happened you are not impressed when the death toll is not high enough or excited when it is high. “What’s the death toll?” is what many will ask first after they hear of a tragedy. What does that matter? Even one life being lost is a grave loss.

I don’t like watching the news anymore. I might find out about what’s happening through other means and then look for that particular story. Watching a 30 minute or an hour segment where 90% of what is being said are things that are sad or gruesome or generally negative is not good for me so I avoid them at all costs.

My hearing about a plane crash and the death toll does not add anything to my quality of life, to my emotions. All it does is make me sad. Why should I allow things that make me sad into my life voluntarily. There are things that happen that I have no control over so I accept that and deal with them however I have to. But where I can choose not to be exposed to it, I do exactly that. Many of us act as though we don’t have the option.

If you’re going to follow your dreams, then you can’t be surrounding yourself with things that take away from your joy. If it doesn’t make you happy, don’t do it.