Think about those times in your day or week when time just whips by. It happens when you are doing something you absolutely love, and it causes your mind to lose all track of time. What seems like just minutes may have actually been hours. There’s a word that is used to describe this sensation… bliss. Dictionary.com defines bliss as “supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment.”
Think about those words… supreme happiness… utter joy… contentment. Sound like something you long for, crave, and deep down wish you had more of? Of course! But before you roll your eyes, sigh, and slough it off as something only some people are lucky enough to experience, know that you can actively create more bliss in your life. Not only can you increase the bliss in your life, you must increase the bliss in your life if you are to live fully.
Bliss is something that fills your heart, brings you great joy, and creates real happiness.
Literature professor and mythology expert, Joseph Campbell, coined the phrase, “follow your bliss.” The best lives, and therefore the best stories, revolve around the continuous pursuit of bliss. Wouldn’t your story be so much greater if it involved more of your bliss?
So… what’s your bliss? A great way to start is to dig a little bit to find out what lights you up. What gets your blood flowing, your heart pumping, and your mind racing? One way to help ensure you find your bliss is to set aside some quiet time, slow down, and listen to your heart. We get so caught up in the day-to-day whirlwind and doing what everyone else expects of us that our lives slip by in a mundane and routine way.
By now, you could probably tell me what your bliss is, as it usually only takes a few moments to acknowledge it. So, my next question would be… when did you stop chasing your bliss? Why did you stop chasing your bliss? And how can you get more bliss in your life right now?
First, let’s clear up a few misconceptions that might surround seeking bliss. Seeking bliss does not require quitting your day job (although in some cases it may). Your bliss may come in the form of hobbies or activities outside your daily work. While I am not a big fan of keeping a job you absolutely hate, you may be able to draw out certain parts of your job that do bring you bliss and focus on those.
Every moment in your life will not be bliss, so set realistic expectations. I believe the bigness of bliss comes when contrasted against non-bliss. The reason bliss lights us up so much is because that feeling comes in spurts, usually surrounded by really non-blissful times. We wouldn’t appreciate bliss, or even recognize it as such, if it were present all day every day.
Don’t get stuck on the notion that there is only one thing that brings you bliss. Imagine having several things that put you in that state, giving you so many more opportunities to get that feeling of joy and contentment. And know that what brings you bliss can, and likely will, evolve and change over time. Be open to that so what once brought you bliss doesn’t become bliss-less.
And don’t try too hard seeking that bliss. The beauty of bliss is that it is effortless. It should require little pushing and not feel like work. We humans try so hard to figure it all out. We use our heads way more than we use our hearts.
Take a moment and daydream about what really brings you bliss. Commit to having more of that in your life. Imagine that feeling of bliss happening more often. Doesn’t more happiness, joy, and contentment sound good right now? Try it! Follow your bliss!