Maintaining Happiness: Three Tips That Help Me Protect My Peace

Oooh! It feels so good to be back!

Yes, yes y’all… I took a brief hiatus from posting. I just wasn’t inspired. And, I didn’t want my blog to turn into a total rant session. So, alas, my break was much needed. Throughout my stint of silence, I focused on one key aspect: happiness.

Happiness is personal. It’s not the type of thing you can just go and pick up for your local bodega. Happiness is rooted deeper in acknowledging who you are and what you stand for for. Happiness can also be robbed in a myriad of ways, but the overall goal is that you maintain your little bit of peace. And that, my friend, is the ongoing struggle.

For me, happiness is measured in how I feel, how I maintain my outlook on life and my faith. When one starts to waver, I recognize that I need to make a detour to improve the foundation for what propels me to face each passing day. Here’s how I maintain my happiness:

1) Disconnect.

I disconnect from social media, I disconnect from people who drain me emotionally and I find a way to counter life stressors creatively. Controlling what I consume has played a pivotal role in deading the negative habit I have of steadily comparing myself to others around me. Instead of inhaling all my “friends” international trips as I scroll down Instagram’s timeline, I simply log off (completely) and end all push notifications. My alternative route has been to emphasize my personal fitness – I’ve increased my frequency of working out from twice a week to damn near everyday. I’m toning up and re-visiting my relationship with food. I’m stronger physically than I’ve ever been and it feels amazing. This has been my happiness.

Rather than focusing on what outside people have, I have turned the magnifying glass onto myself and how I can continue to evolve.

2) Indulge in your guilty pleasures.

This one is simple enough.. Pinpoint those little moments that bring you pure joy and embrace them. Celebrate them. Make them part of your daily routine. The euphoric feeling I garner when I shop is unmatched. It’s like I’m in another world, piecing together the puzzle that will add a bit of zest to my sartorial arsenal. Shopping is therapeutic for me – the act helps me to decompress and it even allows to use a palate that I fail to utilize on an everyday basis.

My other guilty pleasures include exploring and traveling different parts of my city, cuddling with my dog, spending time with my family/loved ones and self-caring it up and binging on my favorite classic 90’s flicks.

3) Organize your life.

Quick fact: I’m a Capricorn and that makes me an avid planner. I plan for fun. That’s my life’s journey. Organization is a tool that helps me to maintain a sense of structure and control. Maintaining a sense of order assists in furthering my happiness. Although you may not feel the same way, I can guarantee that taking a step back and planning your next move will be more than beneficial. Being able to re-direct yourself while setting aside a blueprint will introduce ideas and reflections that you never thought existed. It’s a beautiful thing.

All in all, these are the three points that have led me back to EsmeshaCampbell.com. These are the actions that have blessed me with the opportunity to continue to create content for my readers. My prayer is that these tips have influenced you to fight for your own happiness. Make yourself a priority and steer your life in the direction you feel is best. Happiness restored.

Photography Credit: Bi Be. Follow her on Instagram @Gau2708. She is a Houston-based photographer. Contact her via Direct Message (DM) for potential collabs. She is a visionary.

“Don’t wait for everything to be perfect before you decide to enjoy your life.”

-Joyce Meyer