Want to know the secret to happiness? It is not as difficult to find as you may think. Unbeknownst to many of us, we carry the secret with us all the time. We only need the key to unlock it to make it a reality.
Longing for happiness
Ask anyone on earth If they wish to be happy, and 99.99 percent of the time, they will answer in the affirmative. Why would anyone wish to have anything other than a happy life? To be unhappy can mean anything from being negative to outright pain and suffering, and who wants that? So yes, most of us long to be happy throughout our lives.
Before divulging the secret to happiness, think about how we often attempt to seek it. While it is no secret that many of us try to find happiness in money, you won't find it there. Sure, money can make life easier, but it can never give you lasting happiness. Just ask any wealthy person, and they will confirm this fact.
You will not find happiness in "things" or anywhere "out there." Many have tried to find happiness in everything from food to homes, land, cars, jets, private islands, and a thousand other things, but you will not find happiness in any of them. Sure, they can bring you temporary elation, but none of them contain lasting happiness.
Did you know that the pursuit of happiness is a right in the United States? The American Declaration of Independence contains the statement:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
The original intent of the statement "pursuit of Happiness" did not mean to chase or seek happiness. Instead, correctly interpreted, it is "practicing happiness and experiencing it." Herein lies the secret.
The secret to happiness
It is no secret that you will not find lasting happiness in anything in this material world. There is only one place you can find happiness, and that is the place where you experience and practice it. That place, the only place where you will find true, enduring happiness, is inside yourself!
"Happiness is a state of mind, a choice, a way of living; it is not something to be achieved, it is something to be experienced." Dr. Steve Maraboli (1975-present)
Yes, you possess everything you need to have happiness for the remainder of your life. But it is up to you to choose it, practice it, and experience it!
How do you choose it? By making a conscious, heartfelt decision to commit to being happy. This is something no one else can do for you. It is up to you to let go of those things that hold you back and embrace happiness wholeheartedly.
"The key to being happy is knowing you have the power to choose what to accept and what to let go." Dodinsky (1971-present)
How do you practice it? By renewing your commitment to be happy every day. Take control and limit the amount of negativity you allow in your life. The more you restrict things like the news, radio talk shows, and other negative influences, including some people, the more you will experience peace. The more you experience peace, the more time you have to practice happiness.
"Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate. So practice happy thinking every day. Cultivate the merry heart, develop the happiness habit, and life will become a continual feast." Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993)
How do you experience it? Accept and embrace happiness with open arms. You do not have to strive for it. Make your mind up to live a life full of joy. Appreciate your life and the lives of others. Be content with what you have and remain free from owning too much "stuff." Possessing too many things steals precious time and energy, leading to unhappiness.
"Happiness is not an acquisition - it is a skill. We do not experience happiness because of what we get. We experience happiness because of how we live each moment." Barbara De Angelis (1951 – present)
Inspiration to be and remain happy
Let the following quotes from some extremely wise people inspire you and permeate your very being:
"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
"Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life." Omar Khayyam (1048-1131)
"Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier." —Mother Theresa (1910-1997)
Final thoughts
Why not spend some time working on better understanding happiness and how to add more of it to your life? Do it with someone you care about so each of you can benefit from the work. Become accountability partners to strengthen the experience further. Heed the advice of this wise man:
"Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present." Jim Rohn (1930-2009)
Don't put future happiness off any longer. Do it now! Design your approach to living a life of happiness and enjoy it always!
This article is not complete without the following postscript.
There is only one place where true happiness exists in something outside ourselves. It is the one thing that can permanently impact the happiness we carry inside us. The source of this happiness is in a person known as Jesus Christ. He gives us joy in the ultimate form of happiness, peace.
Scripture calls Christ:
"Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isiah 9:6b NIV
It also says he gives us peace.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid." John 14:17 NIV
Lastly, Scripture also states He will give us the desires of our hearts. What could be more important than being filled with peace and happiness?
"Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4 NIV
May you experience the happiness only He can bring to you now and forevermore!