Goal Digger

I'm currently undergoing a purge of stuff (exciting news coming soon) and came across an old notebook from my first management position after graduation.  It was from 2009 and one particular page of notes was from a seminar where I was urged to write down 5 and 10 year goals.  I was so lost and confused then on what I wanted to do with my life.  The job market wasn't fantastic and I couldn't find a job in PR, which is what my degree is in.  This was obviously before my choosing happy movement and there it was in black and white; my first 5-year goal was to be happy.  I don't remember writing this, I didn't even remember this notebook existed.  The amazing part upon reading this with tears welling up in my eyes is that I got it.  By 2014, 5 years exactly, I found my happy.

I knew, even back then, that happy was what I wanted to be through this life.  Of all the words, of all the statuses, I just want to be happy.  I have someone in my life who is extremely money focused.  He equates happiness and success with having a lot of money.  In describing my happy life I said, "Happiness to me is sitting on my living room floor surrounded by puppies and kids and someone I love laughing beside me.  That's the life I want.  It's not sitting in a pile of money."  A few years ago I probably would have painted a different picture of happiness but, at almost 30, that's what I want now.  I am the product of a happy family and they are a huge part of why it's such a trait of focus for me.  You know what money can't buy you?  It can't buy the pure joy I get from seeing Oliver (my pup) when I get home from work.  He's tail-wagging-squeaking-from-excitement-jumping-up-for-a-hug happy to see me.  It can't buy the overwhelming love I feel when my godson smiles at me with his, nearly, toothless grin.  It also can't buy the exhaustion from chasing him while he crawls trying to sneak behind employee gates at Disney.  And money certainly can't buy the feeling you get when your cheeks hurt from laughing so much with your ridiculous friends.

I may not have it all the time but happy is still the goal.  It was 7 years ago and it still is today.  Chase it, choose it, live it.