Approach Life with Levity
Issue #28 · Society has probably told you otherwise, but I pinky promise — life is not that serious.
April 19, 2024: Greetings from beautiful Antigua Guatemala! The initial excitement of arriving to any new place is always SO real. I can’t count how many times I’ve blurted out “I could totally live here!!!” on my first lap around a new city, and I’m especially feeling the travel enthusiasm here after staying put in Mexico for the past six months.
Now, while I won’t actually be making plans to permanently relocate here anytime soon, this charmingly colorful UNESCO World Heritage City that sits at the foot of several towering volcanoes has already won me over (the reeeally good Guatemalan coffee also helps). I’m settling in for my five-week stay, which I can already tell won’t be long enough.
In classic Emily fashion, I’m doing fifteen things at once so in addition to exploring this new country, I’m also two weeks into Write of Passage, my online writing bootcamp. We are already knee-deep into our third writing assignment, but I wanted to share the short piece I wrote for our first assignment which came out better than I expected — afterwards, I realized it’s the crux of many topics that I write about.
The first prompt was: What is a rule you live by, and why?
Here’s mine, which felt pretty timely to share given the good vibes Guatemala is providing so far — even if there was not much “levity” in my suitcase that I somehow managed to pack as a carry-on only the other day. I hope you enjoy reading and more importantly find a reason to belly laugh this weekend!
Approach Life with Levity
Society has probably told you otherwise, but I pinky promise — life is not that serious.
When was the last time you belly laughed so hard that you ended up on the floor? If it’s been a while, or worse — you can’t even remember — it might be time to readjust some priorities. I offer this unsolicited advice because I believe that laughter (and specifically it’s frequency) is not only the best medicine, but also the best gauge for happiness.
It may come as a surprise, but adults are allowed to have fun, too. The secret? Approaching life’s challenges and choices with levity, understanding that most things aren’t as serious as they may initially appear.
You’ll need to embrace change, make a few bold decisions and blindly trust that things will work out for the best. But life is happening as we speak, right now, right here in front of you — what good is there in spending all of your days racing towards the finish line if, upon arrival, you realize that you’ve been unhappy the entire time?
Ditch the career that leaves you unfulfilled. Book that bucket list trip you can’t stop daydreaming about. Find the courage to trade-in that toxic relationship for one that leaves you warm and fuzzy inside. Find a new hobby that sets your soul on fire. Roll the dice on that project you’ve been mentally scheming up for years.
Success comes in many forms, with happiness being one metric that is often overlooked. But if you ask me, actively designing a life that brings you joy, laughter and levity — that’s the most successful thing you can do.
Recommended related posts:
Celestial Enlightenment — Encouragement to do more things that make us feel a zest for life.
Finding My “Next Thing” — One very specific new hobby that’s provided me tons of fun as an adult.
PS: I’d love to hear what you thought about this issue. Email me directly at hello@emilyannhill.com and I pinky promise I’ll reply back.