Happiness

What does happiness mean to you?  Take a few minutes to really think about this.  Close your eyes, put a smile on your face, and envision yourself being happy.  Take some deep breaths as you see this in your mind or feel it in your body.  There is no right or wrong for this vision.  There is no judgement.  Each of you will have your own definition and vision of happiness based on your life views, your needs, your environment, and your conditioning. 

It is important for you to come up with your own personal definition of what this means for you because this will then become your vision or goal.  Happiness in life doesn’t just happen.  You need to become consciously aware of what actions, thoughts, and feelings promote long-term happiness as well as what detracts from it.

And remember, this is not about what makes others happy!  Many of us tend to devote our energy toward making others happy.  Although this is well and good, over time, this depletes us and leaves us feeling “empty” inside.  Likewise, others cannot make you happy.  People will come and go out of your life.  They may share happiness with you but they cannot take on the responsibility to make you happy.  Only you have the power to create your own happiness.  The key is to be conscious of creating it in your life.

Over this next month, start becoming more conscious of what brings you joy, happiness, and satisfaction.  Once you become clearer on this, begin looking back on your life.  What brought you joy, happiness, and satisfaction in the past? Often, what brings happiness changes depending on what stage of life you are going through. What may have brought you joy when you were younger is no longer applicable today.  The key to life is adaptability.   Too often, people tend to get stuck in past memories of happiness instead of creating new experiences today.

Happiness is a conscious decision that you have to make every day.  Some days it will be easy.  Other days it will be much more difficult!  If you like to journal, start a “Happiness Journal” and write in it every day.  If you are more of a “talker” rather than a writer, find a friend to share this with.  Together, make a goal to focus on happiness every day.

Remember, what you focus on grows!  Catch yourself being happy. Practice smiling.  Exercise those cheek muscles!  You deserve to be happy.  Allow yourself to receive this positive energy.  Sit and bask in it. 

Let’s all start “growing more happiness”!