{3} Chasing Away The Heavy Heart: DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY

You know how they say, that the little things in life are what make you smile, well I am all for that!

Just for a moment, think back to a time when you were happy, or the simple moments you were happy in. 

Actually, scan through your mind and try to pinpoint activities/actions/events that you remember that had put a smile on your face. There must be something!

In my case, there were two things which would put a smile on my face.

One being reading - even though it did not necessarily mean it made me smile all the time, I can guarantee that when reading a sad book there were definitely moments I had tears streaming down my face. But those were the kind of tears I did not mind.

Another being writing!

So recently, I have tried to make time for these two things, anytime during my week that I can fit them in.

For example, writing this blog post is a way I can just go on and on about anything I want. Sometimes I write a poem, a very random one which probably does not make sense, but oh well, I enjoy writing it so that's what counts.

To make time for reading, I usually do my best to get studying out of the way first so I can just relax with a book, and even spend half a day during the weekend dedicated to reading.

Reading and writing are my little things in life that make me smile.

All you need to do is find your little things in life!

They may range from sewing, sports, drawing, cooking, baking, watching crazy YouTube videos, spending time with family and siblings, photography, drama and many more. 

And it does not even have to be any of those things mentioned above, even smiling at strangers could be enough to make you happy.

Find the little things in life and hold onto them. 

And ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS remember to thank Allah throughout all moments in life. Sometimes we can forget Allah in our happy moments but just work to change that. I am working to change that too.

I hope this post is helpful in some way or another, it's a bit all over the place but as long as it makes sense, all is good! This tip might not be easy for everyone but giving it a go would be awesome.

Till then, we shall all continue to strive. 

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To read the other posts in this series of sorts, just click on the label at the end of the post that says 'Chasing Away The Heavy Heart'.

Not The Key To My Happiness

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Once upon a time, a person walked into my life.

I cared about them, and I still do care about them to an extent. I can't really place a finger on the emotion that they made/make me feel.

At some points this person made me very happy, and at other points they made my world come crushing down.

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When you give another person the key to your emotions, you are bound to get yourself hurt. And I know this because, I did exactly that. I gave the key away without thinking twice.

I did it unintentionally. But I still did it.

I became dependent at that moment.

I handed over the controls of my happiness to another person, and in the process I ended up being degraded. Frankly, I came to a point where I felt both emotionally and physically degraded.

I depended on this person to help me decide how I was feeling.

And that was my downfall.

The person themselves may not have realised what they were putting me through, the way in which they could pull the strings to my emotions so easily. A better way to explain is that I was much like an on and off switch. When I was 'on', I was overly positive and happy. When I was 'off', I poured negativity.

After a long time of going through with this, I knew it was time to stop. It was time to take back the key which I had unintentionally handed over to another person.

So that is what I did.

Long story short - I got back what was rightfully mine: The key. I was not going to let someone mess around with my emotions anymore.

Moral of the story - The person was NOT THE KEY TO MY HAPPINESS. Simply put, a person cannot truly be the key to my happiness, and in the future I was not going to make the same mistake again. That person who had walked into my life had come as a test, it was my time to realise Whom to turn to for real happiness.

There is only One that can ever truly be trusted with that key and that is Allah. I understood that looking for my happiness on the path to Allah would bring me a peace that worldly things could never. In the times when I was hurting, I would pray that the person in my life would be removed, and each time I would feel relieved after supplicating.

Relieved in the sense that I could turn to Allah and let everything out.

During that time, I had beautiful and amazing friends to help me through. In a way they came as answers to my prayer. They helped me walk through with my solution and made me realise I could get through the worst of it.

Do not ever expect others to make you happy, do what makes YOU happy - and do it without depending on others. It sounds slightly cheesy but it is true.

You are a traveller in this world, a stranger. Just like everyone else. The people around you are there to walk along with you in this journey - but do not expect them to hold you up all the way to your destination.

I wanted to share part of my story because, honestly, I learnt so much - this post is only part of what this person taught me. They taught me things they probably never realised they even did.

I hope to someday walk past them in the streets, and maybe I will smile at them just as a sign of gratitude for what I have learnt from them.

Funny thing is, I have no idea if they would smile back. Maybe, just maybe they will. Maybe I taught them something too.

Allahu A'alam.

Till then, we shall all continue to strive.