Don't worry - Be.

I'd like to make it abundantly clear that it is my sole intention to utilise this platform as a journal for myself, to better understand my complexities and to clarify my thoughts, fears, desires. I do not offer advice but I will on occasion share opinions and sentiments on various subjects, what you take away from those opinions is completely subjective, I am not here to debate or preach, I am here for me and I hope you are here for you. I may come across a little cynical in this post, I don't apologise for it. I can be cynical at times and that would be due to my skeptical nature. I strongly believe that in order to function in this society you must be skeptical, it's a pity more people are not, particularly when it comes to religion and more recently, spirituality and its countless affiliates.

The strongest message being sprouted online by new age advocates is the notion of happiness or more specifically, that it can be a permanent state of mind which we must all aspire to. I must confess, that a once, more naive me, swallowed this idea for a while, and as I recall, I was never more miserable. Happiness cannot be contrived. A daily deluge of positive affirmations, profound quotations, frisky kittens or sob stories featuring down and outs, still blissfully happy despite their challenging circumstances, do not hold the key that will turn that frown upside down. You might feel grateful, you may be momentarily amused or comforted...but this cannot be sustained all day, every day, particularly if you're quite content to be sad for a while. Happiness and joy are fleeting and human emotions are fickle, don't fight it, you'll be happier.

Another ubiquitous, new age message that has been eagerly embraced by the masses is living in the moment, the now. Not all extant moments are ideal, most are challenging, pathetic, miserable, lonely, depressing, painful and the last thing you're going to feel is happiness and that's ok. What prolongs the misery, is that we have convinced ourselves we're not allowed to be miserable and for the same reason, others won't allow us to be. We must hurry up and 'get over it'. Does happiness have a tight schedule?

Happiness is nothing more than an elusive mirage on the horizon, if you fix your gaze upon the mirage, you will pass by many oases. In life those oases do not come by often, there are long, hot, thirsty expanses to traverse before we arrive at another, the key is, that we must keep moving.

Here's a thought, a rather ironic one, given the deceptively pessimistic tone of my post - try optimism. Optimism is far more easily attainable. Happiness is not a decision, it is a consequence of optimism. Optimism, now that's a decision.