Happiness depends upon OURSELVES -Aristotle
When I started in the spa industry, I didn’t know how much it would influence the rest of my life and how I would love it so much and devote my career to being in the service and well-being of others. After over 20 years of learning, growing and being a student to all the facets of both personal and my professional development I have learned that happiness truly depends upon ourselves. The first time I read this quote it resonated with me to my core, I was going through challenges in both my personal and professional life and felt a deep sadness and I couldn’t find my way to embrace the negativity that was thick in the air of my everyday life. I wanted to be happy, and I felt so weighed down because so many things were out of my control and when I read this, it was a lightning bold that electrified my heart and it was a simple answer I needed to see. Thank you, Aristotle! It is so true that despite what I could not control, the distractions of things-people-circumstances and the energy around me… I could choose happiness still and allow myself the gift of embracing the difficulty along with joy. Sounds crazy, but not impossible.
The world is not your best-friend, it isn’t there to soothe your hardest days or give you love… you are your best friend, and, in this world, you must choose how to arrive at each day knowing that whatever happens it is who you see in the mirror and the love and support you feel within yourself. And when the hard days make it impossible to look in the mirror, be patient, give yourself grace and own your emotions, your thoughts, your actions, and your happiness. If you don’t love what you do, go find something else to do that you love, and you’ll probably be more successful, not happy in your relationship, talk with your partner and have healthy conversations to decide what happens next, feeling lonely? Ask yourself what makes you feel less alone and fill up your cup of love. Tired of life and where your standing… go somewhere new and experience a whole new world, new culture, new flavors, and new people.
Everything is not everything it seems to be, I have learned this in my travels, and I have felt the energy of life rejuvenate the fire in my blood and my cup of love runs over and over again with the discovery of each new destination, new delicious meal I have never tasted and each new person that I connect with and share a smile and a conversation. The world is not my best friend, but I am the best friend I can be to the world by arriving with hope, optimism, grace, kindness, compassion, empathy, open energy to give and receive. Seeing the world outside of my comfort zone has connected me to life and my goodness I am so grateful and so lucky to know that Happiness depends upon ourselves. This industry has opened my eyes and given me the opportunity to explore the world within myself, to know more about so many beautiful places, incredible cultures and taste the most sensational flavors.
My wish for you as we begin to go into our cocoon for the winter is to give yourself the permission to unwind and let go of this past year, create space in your heart and mind to wander somewhere new in the year ahead, to try new experiences whether they are local or far away, give yourself the gift of self-love through adventure and discovery.
There is endless beauty in our differences as humans, we only need to remember to close our eyes and feel that our hearts beat the same and our blood flows like rivers in our veins.
Let’s be kind to one another, have hope for humanity and compassion for this world.
With Gratitude,
Kristy
