A Fitting Quote
“The key to happiness is letting every moment be what it is, and not what you expect it to be.”
I stumbled across this quote close to ten years ago, likely while scrolling on my phone. It was one of those lightning bolt moments when things just suddenly click in your brain. I all of a sudden knew what my biggest obstacle in life was, as well as an incredibly simple but monumental way to overcome it. I wrote the quote on a little chalkboard frame that I had sitting next to the entryway at my apartment at the time. I hoped it would serve as a reminder every time I left the house. A reminder to… Let. Go.
After several moves in the last decade I’ve lost the little framed chalkboard, though I have carried this quote with me, and it’s time to write it out again in plain sight! I have used this idea to carry me through entire days, and I’ve also let it fly completely out the window the moment I leave the house. However, I can’t expect to have it work at all if it’s not in the forefront of my thoughts. So, up on the wall it goes!
The words here speak for themselves, and I love how simple the idea is laid out. The key to happiness- that’s a big promise for the start of a sentence! Then it follows with a very, seemingly easy, notion. Every moment, every situation you find yourself in, should be exactly as it is. Cut and dry. As soon as your expectations are not being met, you realign. Instead of becoming frustrated with a situation that isn’t playing out to your liking, let it be what it is and watch how your mood and your emotions take it in stride. This doesn’t mean some quick fix to the issue at hand, it just means not letting it affect your peace.
Another quote I throw around quite a bit is, “hope for the best, expect the worst.” This oldie goes hand in hand with the original quote because it’s all about expectations. I think in life, you should always be prepared for things to not go your way. This doesn’t mean pessimism, it means preparing yourself mentally and emotionally for things to go awry. Preparation is another linkable word for the motif. Being prepared is one of the best ways to ensure things DO go your way! Prepare for the best outcome, and hope that everything aligns in a suitable manner, but expect that what can go wrong could go wrong. This process helps my brain accept all of the different outcomes that are possible, and then my reaction to those outcomes is a part of my expectation.
This is how I let every situation be what it is. I can’t be perfect every time, for certain. I let things get the best of me from time to time, particularly when the situation is a negative outcome due to a failure on my part. I’ve found it’s easier to forgive the strangers out in the world for their random discretions that affect my day, than to forgive myself for any completely understandable mess up. I’m getting better though, and as a kick start reminder to treat myself more gently in every situation, I’m putting the quote up.
Jumping into a new business where I only *kind of* know what I’m doing, is so scary. Every little hiccup makes you want to throw in the towel. This quote helps me to remember that these hiccups are actually lessons. I will take lessons, because that means I’m learning! Learning is the only way to get better. So I’ll keep getting better.
