“Be happy with what you have and are, be generous with both and you won’t have to hunt for happiness.” William E Gladstone.

To be happy is a great aspiration for many people and I believe to be happy is a simple important goal to have in life.

I accept that it isn’t always easy or possible to be happy when we suffer adversity. This particularly applies when we have to deal with sad situations such as the bereavement of a loved one or serious health issues. However, having a happy disposition and mindset may allow us to recover and bounce back from difficult and challenging experiences faster.

Having a foundation of happiness within us helps us to get things into perspective more quickly when difficult people and situations push our buttons. It allows us to move on if we temporarily feel angry, downhearted, frustrated or disappointed.

The good news is that being happy is within our control. The attitude we adopt in our life is our choice. This is validated by an Abraham Lincoln quotation. He said “Most people are about as happy as they make their mind up to be.”

I believe that one rule of happiness is to allow ourselves to be happy in our own skin. This means that we feel at peace and at ease with ourselves, relaxed and grounded with a mindset that we can cope with whatever life throws at us.

This will also involve having a belief and attitude that when the going gets tough that – “This too will pass.” As a result of this philosophy we can choose not to dwell too long in situations and proactively take action to change things.

In order to be happy we must:

  • Feel that we deserve to be and give ourselves permission to be so
  • Let go of the need to ensure everyone else is happy before we focus on our own happiness
  • Give up a belief that we must be perfect before we can experience true happiness
  • Accept that we are human and will make mistakes.
  • Not put the key to our happiness in someone else’s pocket
  • Release the thought that we have to earn the right to be happy
  • Trust that it’s ok for us to be happy and that we don’t need the approval of others

Happiness can be a fuzzy concept. It means different things to different people. We all have our own unique happiness recipe. It’s important to spend time figuring out what makes up our personal and individual definition.

We get one life, it’s short. Everyone has the right to be happy and we can all do our best to not delay or defer our happiness. Choose to be happy starting right now!

This week why not take a few moments out to reflect and decide what your personal definition of happiness is. Then consider if you are dedicating enough time doing the things that make you happy.

If that isn’t the case decide what steps you are going to take to address this.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk