Find these people. Be this person.
I love the sentiment behind this image my friend Pete posted to Facebook last week (and I am so happy I stopped to read it – I usually skim by the pretty pictures with words on top images, ha!):
This image spoke to me because I consider being able to be happy for others (and also, sad, mad, and so on, for them) a very important personality trait – I distance myself from those people who can’t appreciate someone else’s joy or be empathetic. Life’s too short to deal with that!
Someone’s happiness shouldn’t make you miserable, just as their misfortune shouldn’t make you happy. Think about it this way – being happy for others means MORE happiness in your life. It’s a win/win situation! (And, er, being really close with your friends and family mean their pains are your pains too, but it all evens out, I swear!!!).
We all know people who can’t seem to be happy for anyone, so I won’t get in to examples (though, wouldn’t that be fun?!). I’m lucky enough to have a core group of friends and family who have my best interests (and happiness!) in mind. I hope you do too. Find those people, if not. And be that person!!!
Themocracy
yeeesssssssssssssssssssss
This. ALL. OF. THIS. It’s so rare to find folks who don’t get jealous when others have something good happen in their lives. That’s why I love you so much 🙂
And it’s sad, right? I’ve had people with so much tell me they were jealous of someone else, for the one thing they have, that they don’t. Sigh.
Back at ya! :-*
Haha, wouldn’t that be fun? 🙂
I wasn’t always the best at being that person, and sometimes it’s easy to compare yourself to others (and be envious), rather than just be happy for them. But I genuinely want the best for my friends and family, and have tried to surround myself with people like that too!
Hee hee 🙂
I hope it happens less and less for you now (the comparison and envy!). Although, I was going to bring this up, but didn’t want to get in to it – there is so much humble bragging (and outright bragging) on social media, that it makes it hard to be happy for people, when they are being so smug. Anyway. HA!
Oh yeah, I’ve definitely stopped feeling that way over the years. Part of it is maturity, and part is being more and more sure of myself.
Ugh… the humble bragging… sometimes it gets pretty excessive!
I started trying to compose this long, philosophical comment and ultimately decided to just go with “I agree with you.” 🙂
Buah ha ha!!!! I bet we all have stories to share on this, right? But it just comes back to – yes, be this way. Ha.
totally with you on this!
I love this! I don’t get it when other people complain about people talking/posting about how happy they are. Those are the types of things I love to hear!
Me too! Please send them my way when you have them to share! 🙂
I love this! I love the quote “Life is a journey, not a competition”. Sometimes it’s like you are in my head because you always seem to post this stuff just when I really need to hear it. Part of my own journey has been learning to put my own ego aside and take more of an interest in others’ journeys instead of just being in my own head all the time. I think I’ve made a lot of progress. I’m not perfect at it yet, and I’ll still have slip ups and moments of weakness here and there, but I’m still always trying.
Aww, I am happy that this post (and others) have had good timing for you! 🙂 It’s so good to get out of our own heads, whether it’s with our training, or just our internal thoughts! I just gotta get it out, sometimes, ha!
I’ve written training plans for people before (and a friend is following one now) and it’s so fun to cheer someone else on and ask about their progress… it gets me pumped up, too! 🙂 And we have a chance to learn from everyone we encounter… about so many things!
Okay, enough cheesiness! Keep working on it! 🙂
Sigh, that’s such a good thing to remember, but I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t really do a good job of being happy for people, and I’m very competitive. Definitely something for me to work on!
Yes! And just knowing that you are like that, and want to change a bit is the first step. 🙂