A Sunday well spent…..

While I was walking the dogs today I realised something; I’m genuinely happy. Actually properly happy. I have everything I want.

This is a bit of a self indulgent blog post about how wonderful everything is at the minute for me despite some of the rubbish stuff thats occurred over the past few months. I have a feeling that every section of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs has been for where I currently am in my life…..let’s do a check

I eat and drink well, I rest enough and all other basic human needs are met so thats the physiological needs are met:

I have my own house, good permanent job and I have control of my own life so thats the safety needs met

That’s the Basic needs ticked. Time to level up.

I feel like I belong where I am in all the things Im doing. I have wonderful friends who I trust. affection is given and received (granted its in the form of canine affection but its affection none the less), thats belonging and love needs being met.

My self esteem is at an all time high, Im happy in my own skin and Im happy with the person I am. I also am happy with the way people see me and perceive me, I feel like I’ve build up a good reputation for myself. That’s the esteem needs met.

Thats the psychological needs ticked. Time to move onto the final level and tackle the boss man….

Whilst walking the dogs today I found myself just being present, listening to the birds and the wind, watching the dogs play and feeling happy this was my life. I realised  how much I’ve grown as a person all my past experiences have led to to where I am today and despite the negative past life I’ve had I’m still a good person and Ive not let that change me or how I see people. I am living my fullest life and feel like I am using the skills I have to the fullest potential. That’s self-actualisation being met.

Thats the self fulfilment needs ticked. Boss man defeated and game completed. (For now)

And let me tell you it’s actually a really lovely feeling when all the stars align. A genuine bonifoed bloody lovely warm fuzzy feeling.

It’s a far cry from where I was about 12 months ago. I think I only just about had the first 2 layers of that triangle met. Feeling like you don’t have any control of what is around you is awful, feeling like you don’t belong anywhere is awful, not believing in yourself and the thought of others around you thinking the same is rubbish and feeling like you are not at your full potential and not knowing if you ever will reach it is soul destroying.

Mindfulness has helped me to get where I am and meditation has massively improved how I think and given me headspace too. I have started to trust my own intuition about things and people and I’m learning to let things just happen. I’ve stopped chasing things, I’m happy with what I have now and happy with the current plans I have in place. No point in chasing things and people I don’t have. If it’s meant to be in or part of my life then the universe will find a way for that to happen. I’s also not wishing my life away, just enjoying every day.

Life has a funny way of kicking you when you’re down and when you’re down you have two choices; to stay there and carry on being kicked or to get up, dust yourself off and stick two fingers up to the things that were kicking you when you were on the floor.

It sometimes seems like you don’t have a choice or a way out when its bad however you do. You always have a choice, you’re always one step away from a totally different life. So if you don’t like your job, get another one. If you’re in an unhappy/toxic relationship (friendship or romantic) leave. Now I know it’s not technically as easy as that but it actually kinda is too. Once you start believing in yourself and the power you have over your own life you’ll realise that no-one else has power over you and you’ll very quickly come to the conclusion that anything is possible. The people you choose to share aspects of your life with should enhance it not hinder.

Life is far too short to be unhappy. It can be over in the blink of an eye. Why would you not want to have all the levels of Maslow’s hierarchy filled?

So live a little, eat a cake, go on the holiday, post the selfie, send that 25th consecutive text (they may not have seen the previous 24), get a dog, have that 5th tequila shot….what’s the worst that could happen….