Happiness Is More Than Thinking Positive Thoughts

How would you define happiness...one person told me it’s “the state of being happy” which gives you very little information about the idea or feeling of, or state of happiness. President Lincoln once said that folks are as happy as they choose to be...happiness is a state of being that comes from within. Let’s look at some different things that happiness can be, but realize that in truth, happiness is in the mind of the beholder.

• Your Needs are Met – When a person is happy, most of their needs are being met and they are grateful for what they have. It doesn’t mean that someone is not having a hard time; it’s all about how you make what you have fill your needs.

• You Feel Satisfied – When you are happy, you tend to feel simply satisfied with your life. You think about your life and feel good about it. You feel very satisfied when you look around your life and see all the fortune you have whether it’s where you live, who you live with, or the things you do.

• You Feel Content – A happy people tend to feel really content about the things in their life. They feel content about their job, their home, their things, their health – nothing is nagging at their mind about anything that causes stress. But remember, happy people do have stress, they’re just better at feeling content even when things aren’t perfect.

• You Are at Peace – Happy people often feel a lot of peace surrounding their life and family. They tend to know that everything will turn out okay and are good at turning negativity around to positivity.

• Your Definition – The truth is, happiness is how you define it personally for you. It’s not about getting tons of stuff unless you want that. It’s not about finding a spouse unless you want that. It’s not about having kids unless you want that. It’s all up to you and how you define happiness. It's how you want to live your Intentional Life. 

• It’s a Journey – Happiness is not a destination that you get to one day and stay at. It’s a lifelong journey that will have many ups and downs and struggles. However, overall the ups and downs of life, you manage to feel good about it. In the 1989 movie, “Parenthood” one of the main characters, a mother, who is struggling states that she loves “the rollercoaster” of life while her husband is struggling and not as happy because he focuses on the downs instead of the ups.

• It’s How You Act – When you are happy you tend to act in more positive ways overall. When happy, you eat better, you move more, you think differently. you don’t spend time stressing or worrying. You have it in your power to be happy where you are in your life right now in each moment.

 Happiness is more than thinking positive thoughts. Happiness is having your needs met, but it’s not about having everything, or even the best, it’s about being satisfied with what you have while also being able to work for the things you want. While you do have to do more than think positively to really and truly feel happy, it does start with your thoughts, and it will manifest with your actions.

Until next time...

Lisa

P.S. Happiness really is an inside job, but for many women, they can’t seem to connect with it in their everyday lives because they are feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and confused. Imagine living each day like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day...same old same old...every single day. Now imagine taking your ordinary to the extraordinary by developing tried and true practices that elevate your senses, bring about calm, and strengthen your ability to connect to your personal powers of love, faith, understanding, wisdom, happiness, and zeal. With A Pilgrimage to Self, my clients do the inner work needed to level up their lives...they discover purpose...find meaning...experience self-love, confidence, and grace. Working together, we identify and capitalize on one’s strengths, set realistic goals, and do more than just think positive thoughts and wish for transformation. Many of my private 1:1 clients work with me in a 6-week intensive to accelerate their personal journeys to discover, design, and develop an Intentional Life...a life celebrated. If you’d like to uncover your purpose, claim your happiness, and live intentionally, reach out to me at [email protected]...we can have a quick chat to see if we both agree if my program is a fit for you.