It’s an interesting word… Happiness!!
Being happy. This is something that is different for everyone. It is such an important word that it was included as a staple in the 2nd paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, defined as a God given right towards the “pursuit of happiness”. So the question is what makes you happy? How do you define happiness?
And further more, where do you place your source of happiness at?
I contend that there are two areas to look for happiness, one is the right place and one is the wrong place.
The right place to look for happiness is within ourselves and with God.
The wrong place is look for happiness is outside of ourselves or waiting for others to change in order for us to be happy.
When we look for things inside of US to change instead of outside of us, we retain the power to be happy. But when we wait for things outside of us or others to change in order to be happy, we give up that power to be happy to those things outside of us.
It’s a very hard thing to do, keeping the power within ourselves for our own happiness… It requires a lot of work, time and patience.
It is very easy to give up that power though and many people do.
It takes being responsible…
When we give up that power to sources outside of ourselves, it is very difficult to get it back.
We may be happy in the short term with giving this power up and having others force the things outside of us to change for our happiness but that same force will be turned against us at some point in the future and all of that happiness will be stripped from us when we are not living in the manner that those who have the power over our happiness want us to live. It always happens…
So how do we keep the power over our own happiness?
1. Set goals for ourselves – When we have clear, specific, time bound goals that require us to take action to achieve, we set ourselves on the path to control our own happiness. Without goals in our lives, we are forced to live our lives working on someone else’s goals. Our employers, our parents, the government… But when we are set in motion to work on goals that we have set for ourselves and resolve to reach these goals, no matter what, we break free from the goals of others.
2. Make sure that some of our goals involve serving others profitably – This is important… When we start to look for ways to positively effect others profitably with the service or product that we provide, we open ourselves up to even more opportunities to be happy and we add another level of freedom to our lives.
3. Remember… When this life is all said and done, there will be an accounting and the only person who will be responsible for you, will be… YOU!! – At the end of the day, the only person who is accountable for where you are with your life is the person staring back at you in the mirror. This is the person who is responsible the happiness you have in your life.
Start today to make this a habitual way of thinking in your life!!
Make sure to get over to http://www.habitbustingsystem.com and take control of the habits that are working in your life today. Change the habits that are not serving you and add some habits that will add a level of happiness to your life today!
As Always, Here’s to Your LifetoSuccess,
John Clark