What makes you happy tends to be what makes you feel safe. Redefine your sense of safe.
Please discuss. How does this play out in life?
I’ll start us out. In a time of uncertainty and upheaval, we’ve been looking for routines to provide structure to our lives. Generally, we’ll seek out comfortable activities from the past: prayer or meditation, happy hour, regular workouts or walks, watching television or reading books, gardening, hobbies, volunteering. We’re a bit more limited in our list of favored go-tos by social distancing and masks—its simpler to do things at home—but if asked, most of us could easily name a few safe activities that help us be happy. It is a good thing to enjoy healthy habits.
Today’s message invites me to to expand outside my comfort zone a bit. If I tend to hold disquieting thoughts at bay by keeping physically busy, I might learn something by slowing down and getting still. If I lose myself in TV or fictional books, it might be useful to try and activity that engages the present reality, like activism or learning more about current events. If I’ve been indulging, and perhaps overindulging in food and drink, it may be helpful to find a pastime that feeds my mind or soul. It’s time to branch out into lesser known territory. My safety doesn’t lie in adhering to a familiar and cherished list of activities. I am my own safety, and I carry the seeds of happiness inside me wherever I am and whatever I’m doing.
How about you? What defines happy pursuits for you and are you ready to expand that definition?