Greetings!
Being overwhelmed with disturbing thoughts is something that, as humans, we cannot completely avoid because the world is designed in such a way that life’s problems are bound to happen. Whenever I find myself in such a state and need to get my mind off that zone to find happiness, I don’t go far; I get it within. The following are the steps I adopt:
Reflection and Gratefulness:
For the past few years, I’ve adopted the habit of taking and keeping photos of my life, my family members, friends, and things around me. Anytime I’m down and see those photos, my heart fills with happiness, and I feel grateful for the people I have and the achievements so far. This method currently tops my list because it’s what I’ve been doing recently.
Throughout my parents’ lives, there have been struggles upon struggles. We’ve been living in our grandparents' house because building a house is damn expensive. But earlier this year, my dad started a project. I went home in April, and I took a clip of the site. Every time I come across the photo, there’s a special kind of happiness that envelops my heart because, in a short time, we are going to be living in our very own house. Every time I see those clips of my dad, mom, or siblings at the site, clearing things, I feel butterflies in my heart.
Being grateful for life and how far we’ve come is a big flex.
There’s a common and popular slogan in the place I worship that says, “If you lost something, there’s a reason you didn’t lose everything.” Yeah, that’s it. There’s a reason I didn’t lose everything. There’s a reason it took us this long to get to this stage, and I’m happy we are here.
Not just with this house project—reminiscing about past achievements is one of the things that fills my heart with happiness and gratitude because I know that greater things will surely come.
Connection with Nature:
Maybe it’s because I was brought up in a rural area where bushes and trees were common that I tend to feel a kind of tickling in my heart whenever I come across nature scenes in the city where I’m currently living. In this place where I live now, the only beautified place one could visit to experience nature is very far away, and it takes a good amount of transport fare. Because of that, I don’t bother; I settle for the bushy areas, which give the same pleasure.
Whenever I feel like taking a walk, it’s usually towards the end of my street where there are trees, bushes, and farmland. Passing through these places not only gives me the feeling of connecting with nature but also takes my mind back to the days when we were at home, farming. I often reminisce upon seeing those cassava plants and palm trees, and I find myself smiling and forgetting whatsoever that was disturbing my soft mind.
Each time I go to buy fuel for my generator, instead of taking the busy roads, I prefer to take the lonely bush roads, enjoying the vast landscape that has no buildings but is full of plants. I see birds flying across my face, as if they don’t know I’m a human. The scene is always lovely.
Music:
Can I talk about lifting my spirit without mentioning music? No way!
Music has a way of igniting my heart; it keeps it going and is something I always rely on. My kind of songs are those that resonate with my soul, and they have a way of making me either sing along or dance along with my head whenever they come on. That does the magic for me.
I also avoid deeply emotional songs that might make me feel down; I love songs that are danceable, which, when they start playing, make me nod my head without even realizing it, helping me forget my worries.
The only deeply emotional songs I have on my phone are Enya’s collection, which I’m very sensitive about when I choose to play them. Lol.
Thanks for reading.
This is my entry to #KISS prompt.
Photos used are mine
