A manifesto for enjoying life to the fullest.

Talk about your passions—even if you suspect that the people around you aren’t as invested in them as you are.

Get excited, jump up and down and scream, speak in a high-pitched, squeaky voice, and don’t worry about the possibility that you might be annoying other people.

Love things. Love things deeply. Love material things and non-material things. Enjoy the feeling of sun on your face, or the way that ink spills easily out of a new pen. Enjoy wasting hours away on the internet. Enjoy every bite you take, whether that bite be out of an apple or a doughnut.

Read books that you want to read, rather than the books that you think make you look or sound most intelligent. Play video games on easy—because you don’t have to be good at them to enjoy them.

Shave your head because you’ve always wanted to know what you might look like with it, or dye your hair a funky colour because you have the opportunity to.

Dress up a bit more than the occasion demands, for no other reason than because you enjoy looking good.

Look good for yourself, rather than anybody else. Try out that new make-up look or wear that outfit, even if you think people won’t like it.

We don’t need to justify ourselves.

Because, here’s the thing: life can suck. In fact, at one point or another, life will suck. It’s unavoidable. We all deal with hardships, we all struggle with traumas from our past, and we all have moments where everything just feels pointless and difficult.

Many of us, in fact, will even feel like giving up every now and again.

So, all of that considered, it seems silly to deny ourselves pleasures, even seemingly small, insignificant ones, just because we’re worried about what other people might think.

I’ve been enjoying the small things for some time now. It’s a rule that I live by and believe in—and I have repeatedly been approached by people envying my bravery, and my ability to do things that make me happy. Except, it isn’t bravery. It isn’t even particularly difficult. All we need to do is decide for ourselves that our happiness is important to us, and that we deserve to have it in every aspect of our lives.

And once we decide that, once we stop worrying so much about the possibility that someone might laugh at us, then we’re free. We can do whatever we want, so long as it isn’t hurting anyone.

Life is hard, and we all need those things that will get us through the day.

Some of us are fortunate enough to have a network of supportive and loving friends and family to pull us out of our dark times, while some of us have little more to look forward to than the sun on our faces. But we all have something. If we just allow ourselves the chance to search for it, we will find what brings us even the smallest amount of joy in the most bitter times. And sometimes, all we need to pull ourselves through are those small, fleeting moments of happiness.

And nobody should ever feel silly or insignificant for the things that bring a smile to their face.

So, please, the next time that you see someone thoroughly enjoying something, even if you don’t understand it yourself, allow them enjoy it. And the next time that you are enjoying something that other people might not understand, allow yourself to enjoy it. We all deserve our happiness, no matter what form it takes. All happiness is valid, and all happiness is necessary. Because you are valid, and you are necessary, and nobody should ever make you feel otherwise.

~

Author: Ciara Hall
Image: digitalpimp/Flickr; Helen Alfvegren/Flickr 
Editor: Catherine Monkman
Copy Editor: Lieselle Davidson
Social Editor: Waylon Lewis