Drawing my happiness both from within and without

I remember seeing much happiness in my lady when I showered her with gifts and money, especially. This is one major pacifier that works almost every time, at least reducing the weight of grievances or offenses. But coming down to myself, I have established some basics. Enjoy the ride with me.

Happiness is subjective, a mixed feeling of jubilation and satisfaction, and I can only wish to be happy forever. Alas! Like a wave or a leaf blown by the winds, it comes and goes, erratic, unstable, and temporary. I have met cheerful friends who are always smiling. Sometimes I wonder if anything makes them sad. Damilare is a typical example; his life motivates me often. He does not have excess but remains thankful and content with what he has. Whenever I remember his cheerfulness, I'm constantly reminded to have a positive outlook on life. My motivation for happiness thus comes from grateful lifestyles like Damilare's.

I have enjoyed seeing people happy, but the best moment for me was the smile I saw on Daniel's face about two months ago. He is a sickle cell patient, and his packed cell volume (PCV) was 11%. I went out of my way to even befriend the laboratory scientist, just to get pints of blood arranged for Daniel. Getting the fourth pint for him was the toughest, as it was a weekend and donors were observing Ramadan fast. We needed to shoot his PCV above his stable PCV. I was called in the early hours of the morning, about 5 a.m., by the laboratory technician, and freshly donated blood was arranged. I woke Daniel out of bed about 6 a.m. to show him the pint of blood before handing it over to the nurse, who would hang it. First, he had lost hope of getting that pint of blood, and secondly, it was a weekend, and he would probably be staying longer than necessary since he had not gotten the blood. Immediately he saw the pint of blood, and a broad smile navigated through his face like his best meal had just been offered to him. He was happy, and so was I. This was my way of making myself happy. The kindness I render to people who probably cannot repay it always kindles flames of happiness within me, and thus, I try to make life a little less tiring for people, and that feeling of accomplishment gives me the utmost joy.

What benefit is it if I make people happy and I end up not being happy? As much as my heart yearns to help the world, I know I am limited and can only do what is within my capacity. I have pleased people at my own detriment, and oftentimes, those people do not value the worth of my sacrifices. Though it lies in my nature to act like a superhero, a little caution comes in handy right before I volunteer myself on a platter.

Though my possessions are only a handful, I find my happiness from within. First, my clothes are often washed and pressed, so I have clothes to wear for about two weeks if I choose not to wash them. My pattern is to pick my clothes for the day from those that I probably wore almost two weeks ago. This way, I stay neat and on top of my game. Though I am not a fan of pictures, I give myself occasional shots of them, starting my day on a happy note and being pleased with my outfit. Those compliments that come during the work hours surely help to keep the momentum of my happiness a bit overboard. I have been learning to smile often these days, though it's difficult when life constantly throws challenges. I take pictures before setting out each day to work and even steal moments at work to gauge the level of stress I am undergoing or the happiness I need to find. Admiring myself in the pictures I take gives me both courage and happiness. My self-esteem comes from being well-dressed and presentable.

You found me arguing? It's unlikely, especially after hearing my voice so loudly. I have a knack of avoiding anything that could stress me or make me feel sad. It does not always work for me to stay away from sad news, but having a hamper of joyful moments and a positive approach to life helps to significantly reduce the impact of factors that would dampen my happiness. Identifying and avoiding triggers that would dishearten me are often avoided, and this could even come from discussions about the poor system in my country. My happiness lies in distancing myself from anything that threatens my peace of mind.