“There is no path to happiness - happiness is the path.”
HAPPINESS
At the core of 99% of human beings, happiness is what we all want, the rest is simply what we believe it will take to bring us to happiness.
Why can't we just be happy, and the rest is just an add on perk?
More than often we set these massively grand expectations of happiness. We create this version of the perfect world in our heads and accept nothing less to achieve happiness.
Why? Why do we do this? Why do set ourselves up for happy failure more often than not? Why do we create these enormous expectations that are not even remotely achievable? Why can't we just "be happy"?
It's because we don't understand happiness and what it truly means to us. We are sold this fairy tale explanation of happiness as children, and then marketers continue drilling into us throughout our lives that happiness is this or that, just buy it here. If it were only that simple. Happiness is not a thing or an object, it is not money nor wealth, it is a state of mind created in our heads by us. Our failure in the happiness game begins in childhood, hones itself in our teens and becomes the reality of unhappiness as we hit adulthood and realize life's not fun and games anymore. And by now we've built this grossly unrealistic picture of what our happiness has to be while creating an unachievable, unsolvable equation that Stephen Hawking couldn't even understand.
So what does all this mean? It means simply, we have to become much more realistic about our happiness. It means we must begin to understand what happiness truly is and why we all deserve it. It means we all need to take action and create the happiness in our lives we have all longed for. It means finally standing up and challenging all of our fears. It means being present in the moment, in the day, in the hour, every second. It means letting go, yes Disney Princess, letting go of many of our "victim - you owe me" mentalities, knocking that chip off the old shoulder and taking responsibility for our own actions. It means being accountable, acceptable and actionable to ourselves. It means taking control of your life. It means being yourself. It means shelving our old friend ego and keeping it locked away. It means taking control of all the negative influences in your life and not allowing them to continue to destroy your happiness. It means finding the positive in everything, because it is there, no matter how bad or negative it seems.
Happiness is not necessarily simplifying your life as a whole, it is more simplifying your "self" as a starting point. Happiness is not what we are taught or sold. Happiness is belief in ourselves, self-worth, self-love, self-realization, self-understanding, self-positivity and self-knowledge. Happiness is not a thing. Happiness is not what happens in your life. Happiness is what you create in your mind and allow to manifest into your life. Happiness is control over yourself and your thoughts, because if you're not in control then someone else is, and that someone is probably negativity.
YOU MAKE YOU HAPPY... It's that simple.
What we tend to always misunderstand is that happiness is not the end result, happiness is part of the journey. It takes happiness to be fruitful and achieve constant growth in life through self and through relationships with others. Happiness is one of the major key components in the equation to freedom in life. Happiness is yours alone to create or destroy.
4 Tips for Daily Happiness:
- Reality of Happiness - it is near impossible in today's world to just be happy at all times. With the hustle and bustle, stress and pressure, and of course the near constant negativity of our societies it's no wonder the majority of people say they aren't happy. But happiness is a choice, so no matter what the world and of course you, throw at you it is your choice to allow or deny that negativity access to your positivity and happiness. It is unrealistic to believe you can be bubbly and happy every second of the day, it's also unneeded. The key to daily happiness is remaining positive and optimistic through it all. No matter what happens, you face the day head on, head high, eyes wide open, smile glaring and remembering that you are in control of your positive attitude and happiness. Your goal for each day is to realistically be positive and happy; make that your main focus and allow everything else to be secondary. Then watch as your life changes for the better.
- BREATHE - sounds simple enough right...? Not exactly. When we breathe automatically it is our brain and body doing its job. It's not until we focus on our breath that it becomes calming, soothing and therapeutic. When the stress creeps in, when the anxiety sneaks around the corner, when the doubt kicks you in the stomach, when the worry gives you a pounding headache... Breathe. Close your eyes, focus on your breathing, from your mouth and nose, to your lungs, stomach and chest movement, focus on your breathing. Breathe in deeply with your eyes closed, feeling every ounce of oxygen flowing from your nose and mouth down into your lungs as they fill and grow expanding your chest. Then exhale, eyes closed, take another big breath, focus on the process, focus on the breath. Repeat until you fill refreshed and able to focus on the moment and clear your head. Back to positivity, back to now. Repeat as many times as needed.
- SMILE - yes just Smile. When you do some research on a smile you find out that the simple act is an amazingly influential tool for self and others. A simple smile can change your mood and the mood of others who witness the smile. A smile is quite contagious, in fact it can be an epidemic if utilized properly. When the day throws you that curve ball you weren't expecting... SMILE. Then share that smile with anyone who will accept, and even smile at those who don't look so happy because they surely need it the most. That simple smile can even affect your health and well-being. So smile often, smile a lot, smile a bunch, smile in abundance and share it with all.
- STOP - yes STOP. Life, society, the world, all run at an amazingly blistering pace. Sometimes no matter where you are and what you are doing, the best course of action is to just stop. If only even for a moment. Take this halt and use it to refocus on #1 your main focus. Use #2 to solidify this cease and affix you back in this moment. Then finalize with #3 and get back to your day re-aimed and re-aligned with the purpose. This may mean pulling over on the side of the road if you driving, safely of course. This may mean stepping to the side on a busy sidewalk. It may require you to put your head down on your desk at work. Or even sit down somewhere and go through the steps. Whatever it requires, use this step and go through each step as often as needed.
These are very simple easy tips that anyone can use. The best part is they actually don't take long and usually nobody will even notice, until your smile is back on board.
“You’ll find that life is still worthwhile, if you just smile.”