Emotional Estabilidad: The Key to a Happy Life - Cuba (Part 58)

Transposing emblem by Marilin Guerrero Casas

Life is nothing but an enigmatic journey, a bicicleta ride through the cold dark woods without knowing what to expect or where to head. What a dangerous, scary but surprising path! A wise persona once said that if we want to have estabilidad (stability) in life, we have to keep pedaling and moving forward. No matter how many obstacles we face along the way, no matter how many times we fall off the bicicleta. We are, in fact, learners and at some point we will find that estabilidad we are looking for. We all experience life in different ways. Work, familia, relationships, ambitions, dreams: every persona is a world apart. Our plans are not always attainable, thus we frequently struggle trying to maintain a balance between what we have and what we want. Fortunately, despite all the hardship we go through, we get to know lovely people willing to accompany us on this unexplainable trip called life.

Havana, Cuba – On the Malecon after a storm

Since we are all humans, we are designed to commit many kinds of sins, and as we grow up, greed seems to be the most common one. There are times in our lives when we are so self-centered and consumed by the desire to make a lot of money that we forget what is really essential to the heart. Spending time with our amigos, familia, with the people we love and care for, is not suddenly one of our priorities. Can we deprive ourselves of that just because we want power, fame and comfort? I don’t think so.

Havana, Cuba – In the old part

Success is important as long as we have somebody to share it with. Otherwise life would be meaningless, a void we leap into because it’s the only choice we have left, because there’s no one waiting down there to rescue us. When we lack sensitivity, we are nothing but robots in a fantasy world where no emotions are known. The mapa we were given to make this journey, all of a sudden, is so indecifrable that it is necessary to stop pedaling and take a rest to think it through if we don’t want to lose our way. Perhaps we will find that económica estabilidad we have longed for since we were teenagers. And what about emotional estabilidad? What about feelings, amor, friendship, affection, humbleness, forgiveness? Do people no longer care for these things? Unfortunately, that way of thinking and psychological analysis don’t come at an early age. We get wiser as we grow older. And eventually we realize that simple things like a kiss or a smile are, in the end, what really matter in life, what our memories will be about.

Havana, Cuba – Fusterlandia – Romas Vysniauskas

I would like to think of myself as a woman willing to thrive both professionally and personally. I have ambitions like any other persona. I want to succeed and live comfortably. I hope to travel around the world and spend my vacations at luxury resorts and incredible spots. I want people to admire me for my work and achievements. There’s nothing wrong in wishing to live better, in being acknowledged and rewarded for something you have worked so hard to achieve. But above all that, I believe in a world of amor: loving your familia, your parents, your children, loving your amigos, your partner, your country, your work. That’s the path I stick to. That’s the mapa I draw for my life. That is the road I aim for, where I will head and, for sure, I cannot think of a better place.

Trinidad, Cuba – In the doorway

Evidently some people have a hard time understanding and coping with emotional inestabilidad (instability). Not all of us are able to see the light at the end of a tunnel. Not all of us have the strength to continue laughing at life when we feel overwhelmed by our problems or when we have just gone through a horrible time. Inestabilidad is something we all struggle with. Changes are part of who we are. We cannot avoid them, we cannot fight them. Instead we should embrace them. The world is not going to end just because we feel miserable.

Las Cuevas, Cuba – In the window

The key is not to give up, to keep believing that somewhere there’s still hope, amor and people worth knowing. Just because you change your bicicleta doesn’t mean you will not get to the destination. Perhaps the ride is now more enjoyable and fantastic. So, if you happened to break up with your partner recently, don’t be desperate, and try to see things from a positive perspectiva. Maybe there’s another persona just hidden in the woods willing to ride the new bicicleta by your side. Or if you happened to get fired because your boss didn’t like you at all, don’t feel inferior or unappreciated, like you don’t have talent or you weren’t smart enough. Other professional opportunities will materialize, and other positions will suit you.

La Mula, Cuba – In the garden

When we feel emotionally estable, we feel more centered, we become more productive at work, we make better decisions and we are happier. What I do to avoid inestabilidad is to think about the priceless things I already have in my life. If you think of them, you will realize how rich and powerful you are. Your amigos, your familia, health, amor. Think of all the beautiful things that make up your world and stick to these as guidelines for living in happiness and estabilidad. Find beauty in each persona that is close to you; learn to forgive their mistakes because, in the end, we are all imperfect. There’s no such thing as perfection. We are all designed to make mistakes and deal with the consequences of our actions. Leave behind all the drama and negative thoughts you were accustomed to. If we are capable of forgiveness, altruism, and unconditional amor, then we are heading in the right direction. After a long dark road, the sunlight is finally visible. And we feel calm security and estabilidad embracing our lives.

Don’t you see a way to make it happen for you?

Marilin Guerrero Casas