Do you take life too seriously?

Do you ever feel like you’re just going through the motions of life and wonder: am I taking life too seriously, shouldn’t I be enjoying myself more, isn’t there more to this life?

Of course, we all have hectic lives, brimming full of responsibilities. However, lately, I’ve been thinking about the quality of my life and wondering and praying about how to do what I need to do, but to simplify my life and make it a joyful one?

As you could probably see from a few of my previous posts, I’m a fairly earnest person. I don’t know if it was because I was raised in a disciplined family, which may have influenced my outlook on life or if I am naturally hardwired like this. I have not yet talked about my childhood in detail, although I have alluded to its complicated nature. There are some people, like my husband, that remember intricate details of his childhood and have fond memories of it. However, for me, I don’t remember much of it, other than the strife between my parents. I know that there were good times, but for some reason, the conflicts are what comes to mind when I think about growing up. 

Ever since I can remember, I was driven. In high school, I was super goal oriented. In fact, I used to love to study on the weekends - a bookworm at heart. I know, pretty nerdy, huh? I don’t necessarily think that it was because I loved school, but that I wanted more for my life. In college, and even later in my adult life, I have continued to be earnest. I was also quite a perfectionist and thought that I had to control the outcome of most things in my life and in my own power, to feel peaceful and happy; however, the need to control has tapered off significantly as my trust in God has increased.

Following are a few things that I am learning to implement to enjoy my life to the fullest, at least as much as possible:

• I try to be positive. I don’t know if any of you have experienced this, but I find myself complaining and acting judgy. When I realize this, I have to remind myself to be positive. Joyce Meyer, a Christian author and speaker, mentioned in a devotional that as soon as she would become negative and start complaining and judging, she would tell herself that it was none of her business. Quite often I tell myself “It’s none of your business Tracy.”

• I remind myself to lighten up and enjoy life. I have heard that this is a learned skill. One of the ways I am trying to implement it is to surrender control to God and incorporate a little spontaneity in my life.

• I try to incorporate a little humor and laughter throughout my day, which not only lifts my spirits, but can also benefit my health. I have realized that this has reduced my stress level and has caused me to not be so tightly wound. I have heard that laughter has shown to reduce the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. In the Bible, Proverbs chapter 17, verse 22 says “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.”

• When possible, I try to focus more on others and less on me, by praying for someone, thanking God for the many blessings I have, looking to see who I might encourage with a positive word, be an active listener (lend an ear) to someone who needs it, etc. I don’t believe that we were put on this earth to live our lives just for ourselves. I truly believe in the phrase that “it’s better to give them receive,” although, I could always use a daily reminder of this as I can be selfish.

• Where possible, I try to “be” and not always “do.” This can sometimes be a challenge for me as I like lists and relish checking off the tasks. I like what this article on “How to stop taking life too seriously" by PsychCentral (9 Ways to Stop Taking Life Too Seriously I Psych Central) said about this subject - “When we become focused on doing, we can sometimes lose sight of being. It also goes on to say that “When you take life too seriously, you can develop an unclear view of what’s worth your time and energy. You might find that you spend less time laughing and more time being busy."
  

If you are someone who has a difficulty in unearthing moments of joy or find that you are too serious, the PsychCentral article offers a few strategies on how to incorporate more joy in your life.

  We all need a healthy dose of laughter, each and every day!

"Big Laugh"