In case you haven't found true happiness yet

Dear friend,

I wish I could tell you to stop worrying and stop comparing yourself with others. Stop worrying about chasing the picture perfect life you have imagined in your head. I hate to break it to you, but if you keep waiting to be happy until you find your soul mate, buy a house, pay off the car, have a child, find your dream job, etc., you'll never be happy! Whatever that goal is in your mind that you are trying to reach isn't what will make you happy.

Stop feeling like you aren't good enough just because you don't have the same things as your friends. If you have friends that appear so happy because they have things that you don't, be happy for them but don't hate them for it. Odds are, they probably feel like their life is missing something too.

If you live your life waiting for that one piece of the puzzle to complete your life and ultimately make you happy, it's not going to happen. Because life isn't that simple. There's always more to being in love, owning a house, having a child, and having a job than we think there is. If you build something up in your head to be so amazing that there is no way you could be unhappy with that thing in your life, it's probably going to let you down.

Let me share with you a story.

I was in grade 10 when Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire became a movie. I was so excited to see it because it was my favourite book of the series and so I expected it to be the best Potter movie ever. When I got the chance to see the movie, I went with friends to the theatre and was ready to have my life made. Except - ugh, Harry, Ron, get a haircut! What happened to the Quidditch World Cup? I was so excited for that bit! Wait wait wait, why'd they leave this part out? Why didn't they show this? What happened to that? The movie had left out so many of my favourite bits from the book that I left the theatre disappointed. It wasn't what I expected at all.

This past summer I saw Ironman 3. I didn't really want to go, but Joe really wanted me to go with him so I went. And you know what? It was better than I expected because I wasn't expecting anything from it! 

It's a true talent to be able to enjoy the journey of life rather than wait for the joy to come at the destination, but I promise you that you can learn to enjoy your life where it is right now - despite the fact that you are still single or you don't yet have the keys to the beautiful house you've imagined, or you don't yet have the child you've been yearning for. Find things about your life today that make you happy. You don't know how much time you have left, so allow yourself to be happy now before it's too late!