Over the next 12 weeks, I will be presenting an aspect of positivity or mindfulness for us to focus on. These are all topics that I am working on myself and focusing on myself to achieve a happier mindset and calmer state of being. I’ll have a blog post each week and then quotes on my social media networks to support that week’s theme. For more support, join my Positivity Facebook Community. The 12 weeks will all be on my Positive Thinking Page.
Welcome to week 8’s positivity focus. Last week we embraced the idea that what other people think about us, is none of our business! And this, in fairness, is quite liberating! Living our lives without trying to shape ourselves into who we think we need to be to gain approval is truly freeing!
A close friend to this concept is the idea that happiness comes from within you, not from other people. Last week I shared this quote…
So last week we focused on ourselves and positivity rather than on what others think about us and letting what others think dictate what we do and how we feel.
This week I want us to keep focusing on the idea that your happiness is an inside job, it comes from within you and that no person or possession can make you happy or take away from your happiness.
Happiness is a Personal Thing
Happiness is a personal thing – it has everything to do with you and nothing to do with others. The media likes to sell us the idea of the perfect couple, the ideal partners who make each other happy. And that we gain happiness from external things like a fab new car or jewelry or something shiny.
Well, that’s not true. It’s a way of selling to us. Sure a person or new toy might make us feel good or excited but this feeling is short-lived. And it’s not happiness. This is excitement or joy. Which is nice don’t get me wrong but a relationship or material items aren’t going to bring us happiness.
Happiness comes from within us, from a contentment with yourself. Happiness comes from how we feel within.
Forget about Pursuing Happiness
The concept of “the pursuit of happiness” tells us that happiness is out there somewhere to be found. So we need to look for it, and when we find it, then we will be happy.
Under this idea, happiness is something we can find outside of ourselves – if we search hard enough. This puts a lot of pressure on ourselves to find this elusive happiness. And it might make people feel like they are failing at finding happiness because they don’t have something that they want like a house, ideal job or partner.
The pursuit of happiness concept feeds the idea that if something happens, then we will be happy.
But do you know what? It never works – we might find some excitement or joy from achieving what we think will bring us happiness but it doesn’t last, it’s not true happiness.
So forget about pursuing happiness – it is not out there to be found. Happiness can come from within you so that’s where we need to focus – inside yourself.
Your Happiness is Your Responsibility
We shouldn’t blame others for not making us happy. Happiness is your responsibility, alone. We each have to figure out how to take things that happen in life and make the best out of the situation. To look to the positive and to be happy.
To me, happiness is inner peace. It’s being content in each moment. It’s in embracing the moment we are in. Happiness is staying in the positive. Happiness like positivity is there moment by moment. Make the choice to look to the positive, stay in the present and to embrace that moment like you chose it.
Sometimes things happen that aren’t nice things. We have to process them, learn and move on. Release, forgive and carry on with our lives.
It’s in this kind of living that we feel happiness. By being grateful for each moment that we have, we find happiness within. It’s not by being happy that we are grateful but it’s the other way around. When we are grateful for each moment and for what we have right now, that’s when we find happiness!
Happiness Lives in The Present Moment
If we are in the pursuit of happiness and searching for it, then we are skipping the moment we are in right now. This feeling robs us of enjoying the moment we are in because we are constantly on the lookout for something better, something that is going to make us happy. And we miss what’s happening now, we miss the opportunity to be happy, now!
By being grateful for what we have – right now and by staying present in the moment we are in, and loving ourselves for who we are, we find happiness within ourselves.
So for this week let’s focus on that happiness that comes from within. Recognize that we won’t find happiness floating around somewhere. Let that idea go. Feel gratitude and be present in each moment and feel that happiness within.
I have quotes focusing on this weeks theme, so follow Cuddle Fairy below for your daily dose of positivity. x
