Happiness is …
“Happiness is a way of travel, not a destination.” – Roy Goodman
Happiness is not something you hope to get some of in the future. Rather, it is a choice, a way of life that you mindfully decide to follow everyday. That’s not to say we will be happy every moment of every day. Life will give us challenges and adversity, but we can choose to accept what comes our way with a positive attitude, knowing that this too shall pass. Happiness is living with gratitude and having an appreciation for all the beauty in the world. It is knowing that happiness doesn’t come from material things, it comes from giving and sharing love. Happiness comes from living the life we have chosen for ourselves and being the authentic person we are meant to be. Happiness is not attained, it is a continuous engagement.
Love, No Matter What
“The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.” – Victor Hugo
Our lives are so much richer when we feel we are loved, especially when we are loved despite all of our imperfections. Unconditional love is very powerful. We feel we are free to be ourselves when we know we will be loved no matter what. This is especially true with children. Children who feel their parent’s love for them is not conditional on how they perform in school or on the athletic field or in any endeavor, are more likely to grow up to become secure and happy adults. Parents will get unhappy with their child’s behavior from time to time but should always let the child know they are loved, no matter what. A child who feels he/she is loved will grow up to be a loving adult and we all can benefit from that.
photo: flickr/fotologic
Happiness and the Authentic Self
You are happiest when your public persona and your authentic self are one and the same. What is an authentic self? It is all the qualities that make you uniquely you. Do you show these qualities in your everyday public life? Some people have a separate fictional self that they display in the public domain but once they get home they relax and become their true selves. This can be exhausting day in and day out. Live a life that is authentic to who you are on a full-time basis and you’ll experience greater life satisfaction.
photo: flickr/*S A N D E E P*
Pursuing Your Passion
What is it that you love doing? What is your passion? Some people don’t know what their passion is and so they need to ask themselves “What interests me, what can I do for hours at a time, happily, and I don’t even know that time has gone by so quickly?” Others know their passions but don’t pursue them with all their heart. What is holding them back? Fear. Fear about what others will think of them or fear that they won’t get it right, that they’ll make mistakes. We often will do anything to avoid negative judgement by others, even giving up our dreams. That’s a mistake. There will always be negative people – tune them out. Surround yourself with people who will cheer you on and be supportive. Negative people are often negative because they were afraid to live the life they dreamed of and now the ugly green monster called envy is rearing its head. And yes, you’ll make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes but you learn from them and become stronger. It is much better to go for your dreams – if you fail, then at least you know you had the courage to go for it. If you succeed, then you’ll never have to say “I wish I had ……. (name your passion).”
We love the following quote by Wayne Gretzky:
“I miss 100% of the shots I don’t take.”
Well-said.
photo: flickr/metin.gul
World Happy Day
Today is World Happy Day! (2/11/12) Everyone in the world deserves to be happy. It is our number one wish. What makes one person happy is different from what makes another person happy but we are all in the pursuit of happiness. Happiness comes from within. It comes from a place of gratitude, generosity, compassion, and love. It comes from a sense of having purpose and a life of meaning. In honor of World Happy Day, make a commitment to yourself to be happy today and everyday.
A few of our favorite happiness quotes:
“Happiness is not a matter of good fortune or worldly possessions. It’s a mental attitude. It comes from appreciating what we have, instead of being miserable about what we don’t have. It’s so simple?yet so hard for the human mind to comprehend.” Bits and Pieces
“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”
Siddhartha Guatama Buddha
“It is not by accident that the happiest people are those who make a conscious effort to live useful lives. Their happiness, of course, is not a shallow exhilaration where life is one continuos intoxicating party. Rather, their happiness is a deep sense of inner peace that comes when they believe their lives have meaning and that they are making a difference for good in the world.” Ernest A. Fitzgerald
photo: flickr/fabi_k
Loyal friends
Poem by Mattie J.T. Stepanek, a beautiful little boy who had a wisdom far beyond his young years
(1990-2004)
It is good to have a friend…
Someone to comfort, and someone to be comforted by.
Someone to trust, and someone to be trusted by.
Someone to play with, and someone who will play with you.
It is good to have a friend…
A true friend offers respect and honesty.
A true friend shows consideration and trust.
A true friend cares and supports gently.
True friends work together as a team.
It is good to have a friend…
Friendship is a very special gift.
Friendship is a very special bond.
Friendship is a very special relationship between and among people.
It is good to have a friend…
When one has a friend, one can feel loved for being oneself.
When one has a friend, one can believe and rejoice in the moment.
When one has a friend, one can travel through life in contentment.
It is good to have a friend…
Hand-to-hand, heart-to-heart, spirit-to-spirit,
Friendship is the key that opens the door to harmony,
The river of peace, and the hope of the future.
It is good to have, and to be, a friend.
photo: Thinkstock/istockphotos/kitten with dog
The Life You Create
Life is made up of choices. One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is to realize our lives are we what make of it. Take ownership of it. If you want to be happy then do whatever it takes to get yourself there. That could mean accepting your current situation and seeing it as a blessing or making changes toward the life you really desire for yourself. Your life is the sum of all of your choices so mindfully choose the life you seek.
photo: Thinkstock/istockphotos/sunrise meditation
Definition of Love
We cannot love another without wanting that person to be happy, and when that person is not happy it is very difficult to feel happiness ourselves. You may have heard the saying “A mother is only as happy as her least happy child.” Often this is the case. When a child is struggling with a problem that affects their well-being in some way, the mother often feels these same feelings herself. This is love’s intensity. When we love another we have a vested interest in making them happy because we’ll be happier ourselves if they are happy. Happiness really does have that contagious effect.
photo: Thinkstock/Hemera Collection/red poppies on white
Happiness is Embracing the Moment
Having spent the better part of my life trying either to relive the past or experience the future before it arrives, I have come to believe that in between these two extremes is peace. ~Author Unknown
We are often so concerned about tomorrow that we forget to live fully today. Today is a gift, spend it wisely.
photo: Thinkstock/Digital Vision
Happiness Power
We are all more powerful than we know. We all have the power to make others happy. For those closest to us, we have tremendous power to bring happiness into their lives. Make sure they know you love them, support their ambitions, care about their worries, and are there for them in good times and bad. For others we know less well, if at all, we also have the power to add to their happiness, even if that means just coaxing a little smile from them. Say a kind word to the stranger who is holding the door for you or to that waitress who has been on her feet all day. If everyone exercised this power to spread happiness, the world would be a much happier place.
photo: Thinkstock/istockphoto
