A smile is a choice.
Life creator VS Victim of circumstances.
It’s amazing, how many people believe, that we can only smile, if everything in our life is good according to our standards.
It’s amazing, how many people believe, that to smile one needs to have a special reason, a special occasion.
“What are you smiling about?”
It’s amazing, how much more freedom and joy you feel, once you understand, that a smile is a choice, not a reaction to circumstances and external environment.
It took me quite a while to figure that one out. To learn that lesson of choice instead of reaction.
It took me going completely broke, going homeless, losing respect of many people to learn that lesson.
We don’t smile, because it’s all good in life — it’s a reactive behavior of someone, who always gives in to circumstances, whose life is defined by others, by the world, NOT created by one’s choices.
We smile, because we intend to make it good — that’s the behavior of someone, who decided to take life in their own hands, and make it different, make it into the one you want to live.
I remember, it wasn’t long time ago, I was walking down the street around 5 am in the morning. I was walking to the gym to work out, completely broke, like completely, $0.
I remember catching myself feeling measurable, because it wasn’t working, whatever I was doing. And it’s not the best thing in life to experience — to be completely broke and have no money for basic stuff. it’s not something I would wish to anyone, but I’m grateful for being there. I had to learn that lesson — even when I’m broke, I have no reason to feel bad about it, to treat other people and the world with less enthusiasm, less kindness, less gratitude. I never have a reason to be ungrateful, to be pissed, upset, unenthusiastic, sad, broke in my spirit.
Why did I allow money to define how I feel? How I treat myself and others? That’s how anyone ends up miserable — allowing circumstances to dictate how one feels, and that’s not what a leader would do, it’s not what a person, who wants to create their life, despite the circumstances would do. Why am I doing this?
My state, my energy, my enthusiasm — it’s a choice, a choice, that creates my circumstances eventually through my work, through my words, through my thoughts, through the relationships I build with that kind of energy. It was powerful to realize that.
Since that day I don’t suffer. And you rarely see me without a smile.
Because a smile is not a reaction. Or the result of being lucky and having it all figured out.
Because a smile is a choice.
So is our life.
You don’t get healthy and stay healthy.
HEALTH is a DAILY PRACTICE. One bite at a time.
Daily Bite of Health
