Have you ever thought about what makes you happy?
For years, I was taught or led to believe that happiness could be attained through external factors. “If only I had the right job, the right group of friends, the right partner, then I would be happy.”
There’s no denying that these things will give us a certain level of happiness, but constantly chasing achievement and recognition can be exhausting. And the reality is the things we thought would make us happy usually do not end up making us any happier.
True happiness is deeper than just getting what you want in any given moment. True happiness comes from a knowing that everything you need to feel happy is already inside of you….all you have to do is tap into it. And I will be the first to admit this is not always an easy thing to do.
We have so many emotions stored up inside of us and allowing yourself the time to sift through them and uncover your joy can feel overwhelming. But, it can also be the greatest gift you can give yourself.
Currently, I am reading a book called Happy Days by Gabrielle Bernstein. In this book, Gabby explores how our past experiences can keep us stuck in limiting beliefs and unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Ultimately, it is our coping mechanisms, which usually present as addictive behaviors, that keep us in a state of perpetual fear and eventually rob us of our ability to feel happy.
Being brave enough to face those fears and see the ways we have been running from the past, is often the first step in finding what makes you happy.
Through Gabby’s book, (which I highly recommend) I have been able to shine a light on my own limiting beliefs and unhealthy coping mechanisms. It’s been challenging and a little scary going to those dark places but staying stuck in fear feels even scarier to me. Perhaps you can relate to this in your own life.
Life has so much to offer us but ultimately we are the master of our own happiness. When our attention is no longer focused externally, and we allow ourselves to feel the emotions, our perspective changes, our quality of life improves and our well-being becomes our top priority.
And that, my friend, is how you will stay on the path to finding your happiness, your joy and your bliss. 🙂
