I want to make room for more happiness in my life.

Why?

Because I tend to overthink things.

I often overlook the little acts of delight that take place in front of me due to my desire to be everywhere.

I am learning that my life does not have to be so complicated and complex.

I make it that way.

What made me halt and have this deliberation with myself?

Two little babes in Bhutan.

Their presence and playfulness altered my way of thinking.

As I walked out of a local paper factory on a recent trip to the Thimphu Valley in Bhutan, I noticed them in the doorway of a gift shop grinning.  A local man standing nearby mentioned they wanted to play hide and seek with me.

Without saying a word, they urged me to discover my younger self again.   I felt a sudden craving for inner and outer contentment.

It was easy to participate in a childhood game with these two toddlers.  There was no need for verbal communication; the simple recognition of mutual openness was enough.  We enjoyed a few fleeting minutes of carefree play.

I was completely smitten with our short-lived encounter.  These babes lit up my world with a twofold message: life is here for me to appreciate each moment, and I must stop and relish these moments.

This brief experience showed me how I have allowed my responsibilities and routines to take over my inner mischievousness.  My inner mischievousness has been latent and wishes to join with my free spirit to run and roam again.

These two little rays of sunshine reinforced my feelings of redundancy.  I must learn to locate my pause button and incorporate some childlike behaviors back in my life.

When do I begin?

Immediately.

Their giggles, innocence, and spirited behavior forced me to reexamine the importance of observing and participating in the pure joy moments each day of my life.

How do I begin?

My first inclination is to stop being so deeply engrossed with the need to be efficient and exact.  I am constantly forcing myself to keep routine and order in my life.  This overdoing, both mentally and physically, has precluded me from noticing the little acts of delight that regularly take place in front of me.

From this moment, I have decided to change my priorities and perspectives.  I am finished with overdoing, overthinking, and overlooking. Enter self-reflection and self-forgiveness.  My inner questioning will always exist.  However, I will quiet the mental noise that I create when trying to perfect my life.  This counterproductive behavior has distracted me from many valuable moments.

I will no longer miss magical moments. The framed image of the two babes in Bhutan on my desk will help me to remember this.  I have learned these prized occurrences will happen at any time, with anyone, and anywhere. I will be mindful to not let them fall between the cracks.

I smile in anticipation of what lies ahead.  I am on the lookout for glimmers of bliss, such as the twinkling of a child’s eye, a flower standing erect among the weeds, the fluffy cloud formation that resembles a dinosaur, the leaves swaying in the wind, or an embrace from my loved ones–these moments matter.

My goal is to be fully present in this chaotic and ever-changing world.   I look forward to my next game of hide and seek.

First Published at Sivana Spirit on May 20th, 2015

http://blog.sivanaspirit.com/two-babes-bhutan/

Also Published at Life As A Human on May 23, 2015

http://lifeasahuman.com/2015/our-human-experience/bhutan-babes/

Also Published at Breathe Travel on May 29th, 2016

http://breathetravel.com/lessons-learned-from-kids-bhutan/

© Shannon Hogan Cohen 2015