Happiness from within

Happiness from within comes easily to those, who are capable of accepting life as it is, no matter what the circumstances. Life is precious. Life is beautiful. All that happens to us is a unique story. One in billions. It is important to remember that -- no matter what.

The acceptance from the inside needs to come first: despite the circumstances, the state of our finances, physical health or anything that seems to stand in the way of one's satisfaction with life, or themselves.

We are all unique and beautiful. We are here to experience ourselves and share our experience. Each experience is equally important. Each experience is invaluable. We are all in it, together.

Learning happiness -- equals learning how to trust, deep in the heart, that all is well -- just the way it is. Just as it is today, tomorrow, and every day.  What we live through is simply an experience. An experience, that helps us grow. And when we grow, we learn the value of that experience. Once we value each experience – we know happiness. I wish you all a very happy day J J

Even when we are feeling down, we can remain happy.

Our emotions can be compared to the clouds in the sky. They can flow, coalesce, or quietly pass by. We can identify with the clouds, being dependent on their status. Or - we can identify with the sky, which remains calm, not matter what kind of clouds (emotions) are passing through it. That means that we can sometimes be in an emotional hole, and still not suffer from it.

Even when we are feeling down, we can remain happy. Happiness is not the thrill we experience, fun, or pleasure. Happiness is a state in which we are always comfortable in our own skin, enjoying life.  Regardless of any circumstances. Depression is just the lack of energy, tiredness, and perhaps lack of hope (for instance losing faith that we can get/achieving something we desire, or that we can be accepted by someone we love or respect).

However, there is a condition that determines whether we are ready to begin on our path to happiness: we need to distance ourselves from any opinions about us, take off, without any exceptions, all the “labels” given us by others, and ourselves.

When we were small children -- we were happy.  Until we learned from the environment that happiness must be conditional. We started to pay attention to such remarks as, for example, "if you behave yourself, I will like you" (meaning: “if you’ll be the way I want you to be, you’ll be accepted). We learned that we need to fulfill many requirements, just to feel good in our own skin. And so, a lot of different "labels" began to define our worth (or lack of it, in others’, and our opinion). We started to fully identify with those “labels”, for example: "pretty (I'm pretty), polite (I'm a good boy), talented (I'm talented) ...." etc. Or: "ugly, average, lazy, loser ... " etc. Each of us “earned” a lot of such “labels”, and we continue to believe that our happiness depends on them: “when I’ll be famous / rich / loved / smart / admired, etc., I’ll be really happy”.  

Covered by all those labels, we don’t even see anymore WHO really is behind them.

Small children, before they get programmed with "labels”, often talk of themselves in  third person: "Lucy is tired (not -- " I'm tired "). Rob is hungry (not -- "I'm hungry"). Barry has dirty hands. Sophie wants to sleep "... etc. Interesting, isn’t?
If we “remained as children” (before they get “programmed”), which are the natural sages and mystics, we probably, just like them, could think of ourselves in such manner – distancing ourselves from any “labels” and emotions. We then might think:   
"Lucy is laughing. Rob gets mad. Sophie is sad. " Or: “Lucy is experiencing pleasure. Rob is experiencing anger. Sophie is experiencing sadness, depression, etc."

In order to reach the state of happiness and joy, independent of any external circumstances, we don’t need to do any hard work. J  It is enough to take off the “labels”. Old and new. They make us live, as if we had our eyes and ears covered with a hood. We are bouncing off of people, objects, events – as if blind and deaf, reacting only to stimuli, temperature, shock. When we take off the hood made of the “labels”, we might finally see clearly the world, and ourselves. It’s worth it to try. J We wish all of us a bright, clear day! ☺☺

Joy of living is the easiest road to success

Scientific research shows that people who are able to enjoy life on daily basis – without having any special expectations as to how it should look like – easily achieve success in their personal lives and careers.

On the other hand those who think they can find happiness through their achievements, quickly find out that they can never be really happier, despite any achievements, any success. Joy of life – is the true key to success. Joy of living is the life’s purpose, and the most sought after reward. All of us are born naturally curious of life, and inherently joyful. Many of us however often lose our joy because of various conditions: personal experiences, social/economic predicaments, or imposed religious beliefs that deny humans joy of life (some belief systems recommend denying our own joyous nature, and implementing fear, or even suffering, instead).

There is a simple way to reprogram our way of thinking, allowing us to return to our innate natural joy of life:

-- every day find three small things for which you can be grateful ( thank for them the world, yourself, others, God, Universe - whomever you wish, depending on what’s your belief). You might be grateful, for instance, for a child's smile, a sunny day, good breakfast etc. However, every day you need to thank for something new! J  

-- start a notebook, in which you will record on daily basis these three things: "I am today rejoicing ..." (specify what, and why).

-- every day take a 5 minute break from your work/routine – to either joyfully dance, run, jump – or anything that will make you out of breath. J Such a brief, joyful physical movement raises the levels of serotonin in the brain (a chemical responsible for good feeling), helping us to deal with worries, depression etc. However, for that purpose – do not exceed the 5 required minutes of joyful movement. Any strenuous exercise will exhaust you instead of giving you joy.

-- each day take 20 minutes to relax: the best way is to either go to the garden, park, be in the nature, with your eyes closed -- or at home, with headphones on -- listening with your eyes closed to some recordings of ocean waves, a murmuring stream etc. While you are listening to the sounds of nature (with your eyes closed) – your brain switches to alpha waves. In such state, your brain can be easily programmed for another way of thinking – joyous, appreciative of life.

-- for six weeks, refrain from watching / listening / reading news about tragedies, natural disasters, wars, crime scene, etc.

After 6 weeks of using this method, your brain switches to another, joyful approach to life. And after six months, if you manage to persist with this method – joyous living becomes your lifestyle. We wish you a wonderfully joyous day! J J

The abundance of being and our evolution

All what we think, all what we do -- everything that we experience, and everything that we reject, constitutes for our life journey. Every single part of our existence contributes to our unique, the one and only life journey in the entire universe. The journey through which we get to know and realize (manifest) ourselves. Every life is unique. There are no two identical individuals, or identical lives. Even if some components are identical – the reactions, perceptions and experience will be different. Not only each human being is unique. But also every animal, every plant, stone, a grain of sand, a drop of water, or a snowflake.

Every single blade of grass, or a leaf on a tree - not only are different from the leaves on the same tree, or other blades of grass on the same lawn. But they are also different from all the other blades of grass and leaves in the world.

And now imagine this vast abundance of life, the magnitude of all life that surrounds us… and the magnificent richness within us.

All of this has a purpose: to make our experience unique. And that there would be infinite amount of experiences. Why? So that the consciousness that we are would constantly evolve. Because our evolution depends on our progress. We wish you all a wonderful day, filled with your own unique experience!

We get what we need to grow

Whatever is helpful and needed for our development comes to us, and it isn't always beautiful and pleasant. Sometimes, on our journey, we encounter various obstacles, problematic people that push our buttons, or situations that drive us nuts. All of it, however, can become an excellent opportunity: to peek inside what's buried in our subconscious, what kind of old stories are there, still alive, still affecting us in everyday life. What we experience is the expression of our growth. The next step is to realize that everything that we experience is a beautiful gift for which we can be grateful. Even the painful, or unpleasant -- is a gift. It isn't easy to thank for that, yet, over time, we might find it possible, if only we choose to do so. Then -- day after day, life becomes easier, and nicer... We wish you a beautiful day! :)