Happiness is relevant every day of our lives and it’s our nature to want to be happy and seek happiness in all sorts of ways.
However, if your experiencing of happiness is elusive or short-lived the reason, more often than not, is you!
We usually are the ones that get in the way of enjoying the happiness that we so much desire.
How is that? By searching for happiness instead of just choosing to be happy.
There is a big difference between searching for happiness and choosing happiness. Understanding that difference can turn the way you experience life around.
Chasing happiness is going about life the hard way because you view it not only as something that comes from outside yourself but as something that you don’t have (this is the vibration you send out: lack of happiness and joy, and this is what the universe responds to).
Whatever outside source makes you happy: money, relationships, jobs, physical appearance, people, etc., drains your energy, attention and peace because there is always the potential for any of that to be lost or taken away from you and when that happens, your level of happiness is adversely affected.
However, choosing happiness is easier and simpler to do because it comes from within; you can control how happy you want to be, you can take your happiness with you wherever you go, and no-one or anything can take it away without your permission.
Of course, the conditions of your life can greatly help or hinder your approach to happiness; however, the power to choose how happy you want to be is still within you. The choice doesn’t depend on anything except you, and that makes you empowered and in control of the state of your being.
When we chase happiness we see it as being external to us. When we choose to be happy, we see it as being part of our lives in whatever shape and form it shows up.
Let me show you with an example:
There are two children playing. One of them is entertained with a new toy. After a while, the toy is taken away from him to give a turn to the other child, so he begins to cry because he doesn’t have his new toy anymore. The other child, seeing how upset his playmate is, gives the toy back to him. As soon as this happens, the tears disappear and the child is happy and smiling again. The other child grabs the box where the new toy came in and plays happily with it instead.
You can choose to respond to life like the first child who needs external input to feel good, happy and fulfilled and is reliant on it not being taken away; or you can elect to be like the second child who chooses to feel good, happy and fulfilled regardless of the outside circumstances. The second child is contempt in whatever way happiness presents itself in his life.
Don’t get me wrong, wanting things that make you happy is fine; after all, we live in an abundant and beautiful physical world, but don’t make those things the object of your happiness. Eventually, that outer world that makes you happy now will change and potentially will make you unhappy in the future.
Life is always offering you an abundance of opportunities to experience the feeling of happiness. Even during challenging times, you can always find a helping hand, a warm hug, or a kind word to bring peace and comfort to your heart, to feel better, if you take notice of them.
Notice your attitude to happiness and decide to shift to ‘being happy’ your aim, and soon you will see and experience a positive difference in your life. There is always something, even one tiny thing that you can start doing to start shifting directions. Let me give you some suggestions:
- Be appreciative of you: your body, your talents, even your quirks
- Bask in the amazing world you live in by being more present and mindful
- Don’t be a cranky super-doer and ask for help more often
- Be grateful
- Express your creativity in whichever way it wants to show up. After all, you are a creator
- Do some de-cluttering to make room for what makes you feel good and happy
- Spend time outdoors and in nature to revitalize your vibrations
- Spend time with people that uplift, support and make you laugh
- Meditate to commune with your inner self
- Move your body, your cells will be thrilled
I am sure you can find many other ways to be happy, make them part of your everyday life.
This post has been inspired by chapter 8 – ‘What’s my Destination?’ in Freedom of the Soul. If you’d like to own your copy of my book, please click here to buy it now.