I know it may sound slightly strange coming from one with 60 years experience on earth but the other day, as I was drying myself after a lovely warm shower, it struck me that happiness is something which needs to be created each and every day! Duh……….
Now obviously I knew that already, but I guess what I realised is that many people actually expect to achieve happiness, at a certain point in life and perhaps think it then stays there – forever. Oh wouldn’t that be a hoot! Do the work, achieve the goal – happy forever more! Wow!
Ah, but happiness can be an elusive acquirement. No sooner do we feel happy than something comes along to challenge us, or perhaps even knock the stuffing out of us, and happy is the last thing we feel.
So how do we maintain happiness in the face of all adversities?
Well the short answer is – we don’t.
The longer answer is we need to continually take stock of our thoughts, feelings and actions on a regular basis and note the results. It is said that (a) our thoughts create our feelings and (b) our feelings then determine what actions we will take in any given situation. If we are buying into negative and self destructing thoughts, we will most likely feel low and even maybe depressed and in despair if the negativity goes on long enough and it pays to think carefully about what actions (or lack thereof) we may take as a result of this type of thinking.
However, if the thinking is more positively inclined and towards constructive creativity, it follows that we may feel inspired, motivated and our actions will then be more in line with what we want and not what we don’t want any more of.
- THINK
- FEEL
- ACT
So is it fair to say that happiness comes about because of our thinking?
Well that’s still being debated around the Globe by the World’s experts in the sciences of the mind and human behaviour but I know, home here, in my little corner of the world, I do far, far better in my days when I choose to think of all the good surrounding me, what I’m capable of and how fortunate I am, than if I mope around thinking of what hasn’t come to pass according to my plans for my life – yet.
Yes there are times such as facing the loss of loved ones and other greatly challenging situations of change, that happiness is harder to achieve. Still, having felt the pain of loss many, many times, I believe those times are of great benefit although they certainly do not appear that way as we experience them first hand. And realistically speaking, in most situations, who can be filled with joy and happiness when someone we love has passed away or left us? For a time, we mostly just feel deeply sad and we miss them terribly no matter how many beautiful memories we may attempt to remember.
But with mindful contemplation all situations can transpire to bring great growth and an abundance of new skills and attributes which, in turn, can bring even more happiness.
May you find some happiness in each and every day and if happiness is sometimes too hard for you to embrace, may you find a little peace to take it’s place.
Wendy xx
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