I'll be happy if...

I was driving home tonight and heard the song Be Like That from 3 Doors Down. When I was singing along (because that's what I do in the car, at the top of my lungs...), I was struck by these lyrics:

If I could be like that
I'd give anything
Just to live one day
In those shoes.
If I could be like that, what would I do?
What would I do?

The lyrics and song made me think -- and for once they didn't instantly conjure to mind the pivotal scene in American Pie. Instead, it made me think about how happier the person singing/thinking these lyrics could be if they just stopped wanting to be like someone else.

We all know people who say:
"I'll be happy if I get that dream job."
"I'll be happy if it's vacation time."
"I'll be happy if I win the lottery."
"I'll be happy if I go a day without eating chocolate."

It seems we're all out there looking for/waiting for the next big thing and something or anything that's different from what we have now. But, why do we do that? I say it's time to get rid of the "if" and just "be happy".

Along those lines, when I was thinking about this song, I was also thinking about the movie, "Yes Man". If you haven't seen it, rent it. It's about a man who's tired of just sitting around, doing nothing, and not really living. So, he challenges himself to say "yes" to everything for an entire year.

Try a new class? Yes
Go out and see a band? Yes
Take a motorcycle ride when your car breaks down? Yes

Live your life? YES!

By saying "yes" when instead you might say "nah" or "next time" (and of course don't say "yes" to anything that would be oh, life-threatening or bad for you overall please -- Eat nothing but pizza at every meal for a year is a "no" :)), you open up to trying new things; finding out what you like and growing.

Be happy. Live your life.