Are you happy or are you suffering? If you’re enjoying your dream or suffering your dream, it’s because you’re creating it that way. Yes, your parents, your religion, the schools, the government, the entire society helped you to create your dream, and it’s true that you never had a choice. But now you have a choice. You can create heaven, or you can create hell. Remember, both are states of mind that exist within you.

Do you like to be happy? Then be happy and enjoy your happiness. Do you like to suffer? Great; then why not enjoy your suffering? If you choose to create hell, good for you. Cry, have pain, make a masterpiece of art with your pain. But if you have awareness, there is no way you are going to choose hell; you are going to choose heaven. And the way to choose heaven is by being impeccable with your word.

Don Miguel Ruiz & Don Jose Ruiz — The Fifth Agreement (pp. 141-142)

It can really feel like a slap in the face to hear I’m creating my own hell all by myself. It’s so much easier to blame (what I think is) my hell on my parents, my religion, the schools, the government, the entire society. But if I quit distracting myself with escapes for just long enough, I will come to the realization that it is me—and me alone—who creates hell for myself. Honest reflection and introspection is one of the most difficult things to do some days. However, if I simply look in the mirror and face the truth of what I see there, I’m already halfway to choosing heaven.

Many years ago when I was walking away from my religion I found myself suffering more than I was happy. I sank into a deep depression and chose to create hell for several years. Those were some dark days for sure. But, thankfully, I started to take an honest look at myself and where I was placing the blame for my hell. Once I saw my present hell was created by none other than myself, I was able to make changes that proved to be life-altering.

Currently, I like to be happy and enjoy my happiness. I have even taken drastic measures to ensure that I am solely responsible for my own happiness. It hasn’t been easy some days. Once I learned that I am the one creating my heaven or my hell I got to work and started to create the best masterpiece I could with the tools I’ve been given.

I’m hoping you’ll consider creating heaven for yourself today as well.

Have a blessed day.

Peace and Love,

~Travis