WHAT IF NOTHING GETS BETTER?

I was thinking recently about an extraordinary moment in a Jack Nicholson movie of the same name, where he walks into his psychiatrist's waiting room, turns to the waiting patients and says:

"What if this is as good as it gets?"

Their blank, stunned expressions are something I'll always remember.

But WHAT a bloody good question. What if nothing gets better?

What if there isn't some nebulous, happier life on its way, if only you can wait a few weeks/months/years?

What if you never get your 'big break'? What if you never lose that last 10lb? What if you don't meet the love of your life? What if you don't win the lottery?

Will you keep postponing your happiness and peace of mind? Will you keep telling yourself, 'I've just got to get through this, and I'll be happy once it's done'?

Will you say to yourself, 'I'm getting there' - or will you recognise you are there?

If you keep saying 'I'll be happy then', your happiness will always remain in the future, just out of reach. That finish line will keep disappearing off into the distance like a mirage.

But this isn't a practice run - this is your life now. This is the part of your life where you get to be happy. Today. This moment.

And I can hear you saying, 'That's easy to say, but I can't be happy until____'.

And for the moment, you're right. Because you're focusing on the wrong thing - the thing you want, but don't have. Or the thing you have that feels bad.

And that's a good way to be miserable. 

It's also a very easy trap to fall into, and if it makes you feel any better, I find myself in there regularly. It's a habit, and tough to break.

But hopefully, with a bit of practice and a decent reminder (this is it), you can shift your focus to things that bring you happiness and contentment in the now.

You can do this without needing your external circumstances to change. You can do it right now, in fact, by thinking of the last time you paid someone a compliment and lit up their face with a smile.

Or the time you thought you might pee yourself laughing.

Or the cosy way your favourite sweater feels when you get a chill and slip it on.

Or the amazing feeling of getting into a bed made with fresh sheets - that's a favourite of mine.

Even better - you can pay a compliment, have a laugh, get cosy and get into bed right now - and feel wonderful! 

There are endless ways to bring comfort, pleasure, joy and satisfaction into your life, by appreciating the fuck out of the things you already have.

Or by focusing on all the things, big and small, trivial and important, that are already working for you - already bringing you little moments of joy throughout your day.

You don't need things to change to be happy. You need to be happy for things to change.

Could you choose to be happy even though you might be broke, for example? Happy and fat? Happy and unknown? Happy and single?

Happy right now, today, even though things are not perfect? Far from it?

I'm not saying things won't get better for you - they almost certainly will, they usually do, right? 

And wouldn't it be more fun to be happy anyway, while you're waiting?

Big love,

Sophie x

P.S. I have space from next month to train new Reiki students.

This is one of the QUICKEST AND BEST ways to bring some joy and peace into your life - so if you're curious to know more, get in touch!

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