How to be happy: 'Removing the pebble from your shoe'

The top image is a 'Canna'.
Its flower language is 'lively'.

When it catches your eye,
it's a flower that somehow makes you feel energized.
Rather than forcing yourself to be cheerful,
it gives the impression of naturally feeling lighter.

There are days when you feel a bit heavy.

It's not that you have any specific worries.
But you just don't feel quite right.

Thinking, 'Maybe things will change if I try a little harder,'
I sometimes try to get motivated.

But it doesn't change much.
If anything, it just makes me a little tired.

At times like that,
you don't have to look for a major cause.

It might just be that
'there is a pebble in your shoe'.

Small discomforts gradually take their toll

When there is a pebble in your shoe,
it's not like you can't walk.

But you notice it with every step.

Even if you think 'it's fine' at first,
your consciousness is gradually drawn to it.

Before long,
walking itself starts to feel a bit troublesome.

I feel like my mood is similar to this.

The cause is often smaller than you think

When you are feeling down,
you tend to look for a big reason.

Is it work?
Is it relationships?
Is it anxiety about the future?

Of course, those things can be the cause.

But in reality, it's often just that something smaller
is bothering you.

- You were a little sleep-deprived
- You are bothered by something someone said
- You are putting off things you need to do
- Your room is a little messy

None of these are a big deal, but
they become 'pebbles' that
steal your peace of mind.

You can usually find the pebble

At times like this,
instead of trying to force your mood to change,
stop for a moment,

'What is bothering me right now?'

If you think about it calmly,
you might find it surprisingly easily.

And once you find it,
try removing just one thing.

You don't have to remove everything.

Removing just one thing makes you feel a little better

Take off your shoe and remove the pebble.

Just by doing that, the discomfort you felt until now
disappears as if it were a lie.

Even though you are walking the same path,
it feels a little lighter.

Your heart is the same;
by removing just one small thing that is bothering you,
you will definitely feel better.

Happiness isn't just about adding more

I used to think that happiness
was about adding something.

If only things were better,
if only I were more fulfilled.

But thinking about it this way,
I think 'subtracting' is also important.

A state without pebbles
isn't special, but it is very comfortable.

Within that comfort,
there is true ease.

Summary

When you feel heavy,
you don't have to force yourself to work hard.

You don't have to try to solve the big causes.

First, try to be calm.

Is there a pebble in your shoe?

By removing just one of those,
I think how you feel today will change a little.

And that lightness,
like the flower language of the 'Canna',
will naturally brighten your daily life
before you know it.

Books that influenced me in writing this article

I have also summarized other 'ways to be happy' flowers in the link below.
Please take as much as you need 🍀

Thank you for reading until the end.
I hope to see you in another article.
🍀 May you be happy 🍀