Follow Your Bliss

Those are the words of mythologist and author Joseph Campbell, and my motto for life.  Bliss is the theme this month over at Creative Every Day.  So while it's a subject I ponder often, or rather always is hovering in my mind, today I am considering the idea with a bit more focus.

Pardon me if I fool around with my camera while I think on this.

At some point I realized that life is short; the days fly by, and if you are not focused on what makes you happy, then before you know it, those days will be irretrievable and most likely wasted.  By keeping in mind what brings me bliss, I am able to live my fullest life and not spin in circles.

Campbell's quote says, "...follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be."  Part of finding and following that bliss is being aware, present, and mindful of yourself, those around you, and what the Universe (or God, or Higher Power - however you interpret this) is trying to tell you and offer to you.

I've had to learn to whittle things down to the very basics of what makes me happy in life, let go of what others or media say I should want and discover what I really want.  I want my happy home, my husband, my garden; I want to have time, space, and freedom to create.  I want to read books and pet my cat.  I want to have coffee on the porch and good times with friends.

I believe the idea of bliss may walk hand in hand with the idea of faith.  Again, it's up to you to decide in what to have faith, maybe just faith that good will happen.  This idea of faith has been coming up for me a lot lately, too.  I just finally got around to reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.  There is a theme through the book that whatever your heart should desire, the Universe will go out of its way to make that happen for you.  This was something I knew in my heart, but I sure needed the reminder.  And it's just like Campbell's assertion that when you follow your bliss, doors will open for you.  When you open yourself up to receive what the Universe has to offer, and you go after that which brings you bliss, wonderful things can happen.  They will happen.

And bliss is such a wonderful feeling.  What brings you bliss?