I found this book by David Niven a few years ago and recently saw it sitting in my bookshelf and figured it would be a perfect day to revisit it. It's a very quick read and incredibly enlightening. The lesson that hit home today was:
#37 - Don't let your entire life hinge on one element.
"Your life is made up of may different facets. Don't focus on one aspect of your life so much that you can't experience pleasure if that one are is unsettled. It can become all you think about, and it can deaden your enjoyment of everything else - things you would otherwise love."
Feeling a lack of success and satisfaction in my personal life has been hindering me from enjoying my work life, my exercise life, my friends, my family, my vacations. I keep thinking, "it would be really nice if I had someone to share this with," or "it would so much better if I had my significant other with me on this vacation."
Low and behold, I could have had a really great vacation enjoying my family and friends. I *did* have a great vacation, and I probably would have enjoyed it more had I gotten the whole "I'm sick of being single" thought out of my head the entire time. Because the funny thing is, one of my girlfriends that I spent a lot of time with over vacation has been married for 4.5 years now and her husband does not enjoy traveling or doing things with her friends ... and she LOVED the time away from him. Here I'm wanting to be with someone and she's reveling in the time AWAY.
Smile, laugh, have fun ... enjoy those around me that mean the most to me. Now ... while I have the chance.
