The Art of Happiness

Some people say poetry is the greatest form of art. Others say it is music. I disagree. I believe living a happy life is the greatest of all arts. It takes a true master to live a happy life.

Many people feel that there is something missing in their lives, that happiness is something that you achieve in the future when the circumstances are just right.

We spend so much time pursuing happiness, that we have no time to enjoy the present moment.

You don’t have to change anything about yourself. You will change when the time is right. In the meantime, just be who you are and enjoy yourself the way you are.

So, what if you are having a nervous breakdown and your life is a mess? That does not change who you are. Do you think the enlightened ones’ lives were perfect? No. The only thing that sets them apart from everyone else was their total love and acceptance for themselves just the way they were. And you can do the same!

Take notice of those bright, shining moments as they arise. Maybe you are taking a luxurious bath, or getting ready to turn into bed after a long, productive day. These moments will remind you that true contentment is to be found in the small moments, that we often overlook, rather than the major life events where we would expect to find it.

The joy of existence

If you are dependent on circumstances to be just right, you will never be happy. Happiness is something that you have to generate within you. You must continually well up all the love and happiness that you need; otherwise, you will never find it.

What most people consider to be Happiness is temporary and comes and goes like the clouds. It is mainly dependent on life’s circumstances. True happiness, on the other hand, is always there, it’s already in you, and it’s available to you at any time.

The Joy of existence, the joy of being alive, is permanent like the wide-open sky. This joy runs much deeper than ordinary happiness. It is part of who you are and it is always available to you. It runs deeper than all your criticism and self-doubt. You can learn to be aware of this ever-present presence so that even when you are feeling unhappy, you feel a sense of joy. This is a foundation that you can build your life on.

Practice being aware of the underlying current of joy during the small disturbances and you will be able to experience it when the major events occur. Be aware of the joy of existence all the time and you will remain forever joyful, even though you may have bouts of unhappiness from time to time.

You don’t need anything to be happy. At your innermost core, divine bliss is who you are; it’s just been covered over with layers of false-beliefs that obscure the truth.

You are already One with God, although you may have forgotten it. Since God is love and joy and God is who you are, if you desire love, well up the love and if you desire joy, well up the joy. It’s all very simple, just remember your true identity and bring it back into your awareness.

“Happiness No Matter What!” That is my motto. I know that this may be challenging at times, but I refuse to succumb to the darkness and despair that pervades this world. I am here to lift people up, not drag people down, and the best way to do this is to live by example.

There is a subtle joy that flows beneath the endless ups and downs of our everyday life. Learn to tune into it.

Nothing in this world will bring you the lasting happiness that you are looking for. Only the loving presence of God will bring the everlasting contentment that you so much desire.

Take a moment to rest in God’s loving presence and see how blissful life can be.

Love is the answer

Lean into all of your emotions, even the ones that bring you unhappiness. God has given you a wonderful mosaic of emotions, not to be resisted, but embraced and enjoyed,

Happiness and love cannot be separated. You cannot have one without the other. If you want happiness, you must have love. The more you love, the happier you will be. Love is the key to happiness. There are many types of love, but the greatest love of all is unconditional love, because it is not dependent on any conditions and is always available.

We may become distracted from our loving essence, but it is always patiently waiting for us to come back to it.

You must become so firmly anchored in the ocean of love that your stormy thoughts cannot sweep you up on the rocks. Be aware of the thoughts that arise in your mind but don’t allow yourself to be dragged away by them.

This is not a skill many of us have been taught. Like anything else, we have to practice it to become good at it. Practice welling up your love. Practice being aware of the presence of love and happiness.

Sailors of old used to say, “Keep one hand for the ship and one hand for yourself.” Metaphorically speaking, that is so true. How can you be of use to yourself or anyone else if you have a lapse of awareness and fall into a sea of despair?

Never lose your perspective. You are here for a limited time to love and enjoy life. Everything else is irrelevant.

You have been carrying that heavy load for so long. Put down that load and feel how good it feels.

There were problems in this world before you were born and there will be problems long after you are gone. This is of no concern to yours. You don’t need anything or anyone to make you happy and content. You only thing you need to be aware of the joy that is already flowing within you right now.

Moments of happiness are fleeting and can arise and disappear without us even being aware of them. Practice being aware of the moments of joy as they arise and hold on to them as long as possible. This helps bring more happiness into your life. It also helps you stay attuned to the many little things that expand your happiness and helps you identify the things that are stealing your happiness.

Remember, nothing in this world can bring you lasting happiness. True happiness can only come from another world, the world of love. And you access this world by reconnecting to the love in your heart.

Don’t let this world get you down. Take frequent breaks throughout the day and pump up your love. With every deep breath, pump up more loving-goodness from your heart. This only takes a few moments and makes a world of difference.

Where are you on your happiness meter?

Visualize before you a happiness meter. When the needle is pointing all the way to the right, you are experiencing ultimate bliss. If it is pointing to the left you are experiencing varying levels of unhappiness.

Where do you stand on your happiness meter right now? Is your needle pointing towards wholeness and abundance or is it pointing towards isolation and suffering?

Know this: You are perfect and whole just the way you are. Separation is just a dream that soon evaporates in the light of God.

Everyone intuitively knows where they stand on the scale of happiness. If your needle is pointing to the left, take pause to consider what beliefs and expectations are causing your unhappiness.

You have the power to move the needle back to joy; simply by focusing your attention on it makes the needle move.

Check in on your happiness meter throughout the day so you can respond appropriately if it starts falling into the negative range.

Happiness is a choice

If there is not one distraction, there will is another. Living the good life requires a voracious determination to live a happy, contented life no matter what your circumstances are.

Happiness is a tenacity to refuse to let things keep you down.  Things will never be quite right until you make them right. It’s a realization that life is short and you don’t have time for self-defeating thoughts that keep you from realizing your inner state of blissfulness.

Be adamant about maintaining your positivity. Things are not falling apart; they are falling in place. If other people choose to see things differently, that’s their problem.

To be happy or not to be happy?
That is the question.

To live a contented life, you must choose happiness over and over again. You cannot let your guard down, not even for one moment, otherwise, the affairs of this world will overwhelm you. You must stay strong in your conviction that there is a benevolent force within you, and all around you, that is guiding you, protecting you, lifting you up and looking out for your best interests.

There are people who seek happiness and there are people who make their own happiness and carry it with them. Choose to create your own happiness wherever you go. Refuse to let life wear you down.

Focus on the good

Much of the unhappiness in this world is due to people losing their perspective. Ninety nine percent of our life can be going just fine, but somehow we will find a way to focus on the one percent of things that annoy us. This is of no small concern. The number days are dwindling, all the while, we are predominantly focused on the frivolous. What can we do about this? We need to drag ourselves, by our feet, if necessary, back to the realization that, for the most part, everything is going just fine; that we need to start focusing on all the good things in our lives before it’s too late. The best place to start is to slow down, relax, take a deep breath and feel all the goodness within. We need to continuously make these attitude adjustments to ensure we are on the right path.

We have been conditioned to expect things to be the way we want them to be, but many things are beyond our control. It’s no wonder why so many people are unhappy. Can you, just for today, make the choice to accept things the way they are, without everything having to be your way? This may include accepting the fact that you are not feeling as good as you would like right now. In acceptance there is transcendence.

Enjoy all of the blessings that most people overlook. Resolve yourself to be contented no matter how messy your life becomes. Let nothing come between you and your happiness.

In this world, there are so many lessons to be learned, and one of the most important lessons is to learn your lessons with an open and joyous heart.

So, when people say upsetting things to you and you say upsetting things to yourself, just smile, because you know it is just a game, the game of life. And know that they have no control over you, because you know the answer to life, and that is to stay connected to your love and never let go of it.

Happy thoughts create a happy life

The most important requirement for a happy life is not a good memory, but the ability to overlook those things that that drain you of your happiness.

Your mind is on the surface. Dig deeper and you will find the nectar of divine bliss that you have been looking for.

We cover our happiness with layers of thoughts. Let go of your thinking and allow happiness to shine through.

Oh, how easy it is be dragged away by our thoughts, and most of the time we are carried away to places that we don’t want to go.

We need to constantly remind ourselves that there are many more good things happening in our lives than our mental chatter wants us to believe.

The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.
– Marcus Antonius (121 – 180)

13 ways to bring more happiness into your life

1. Get out in the sunlight. Sunshine produces vitamin D which boosts your mood.
   
2. Get some exercise. Walking is a great way to re-invigorate yourself and lift you up.
   
3. Plant a smile on your face and happiness will become your reality – Fake it till you make it.
   
4. Think yourself up. Just a few simple words of affirmation, such as “I feel so good”, repeated
   throughout the day, can significantly raise you level of happiness.
   
5. Listening to music, singing and dancing are other great ways of lifting you up. My favorite song for lifting my spirits is “So Happy Together” by the turtles.
   
6. Focus on the good things that are happening in your day.
   
7. Be grateful for the abundance in your life: family, friends, job, and health. There is always something to be celebrate.
   
8. Celebrate the little victories; completing your shopping; a ray of sunshine; the weekend; your health; your breath; there is always something to celebrate. These little victories are no small matters; they have to power to lift you up, if you are attentive.
   
9. Engage in something that you feel passionate about – Time will fly, and so will your worries.
   
10. Reading, especially inspirational books, helps lift your spirits and put things in the right perspective.
    
11. Writing, journaling, and blogging help you process your thoughts so you can view life through the lens of abundance. Sharing your insights with others provides you with an even bigger boost you even higher.
    
12. Meditation helps you tune into the divine essence of love, peace, and joy.
    
13. Maintain your awareness of the loving presence of God, your best friend, and joy will be your constant companion.

The following quotes will help inspire you to be happy, regardless of life’s circumstances

“There is no way to happiness –
happiness is the way.”
– Buddha (563-483 B.C.)

“Live by yes and no –
yes to everything good,
no to everything bad.”
– William James (1842 – 1910)

Spirit lives within the body.
Forgetting it invariably brings about suffering,
As surely as remembering it brings about joy.
– Inspired by Guanzi (7th century BC)

“The world is so full of a number of things,
I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings.”
– Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 – 1894)

“Always act like you’re wearing an invisible crown.”
– Anonymous

“With freedom, books, flowers, and the moon,
who could not be happy?”
– Oscar Wild (1854 – 1900)

“When desires go,
joy comes.”
– Buddha (563-480 B.C.)

“Chin up.
Smile on.”
– Anonymous

Life is a celebration only to the wise.
– Inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882)

“To be content with what one has is the greatest and truest of riches.”
– Cicero (106 B.C. – 43 B.C.)

“Nothing will content those who are not content with a little.”
– Greek Proverb

“The mere sense of living is joy enough.“
– Emily Dickenson (1830 – 1886)

“Some pursue happiness –
others create it.”
– Anonymous

“Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold,
happiness dwells in the soul.“
– Democritus (400 B.C. – 370 B.C.)

A wise man is content with what he has,
without wishing for more.
– Inspired by Seneca (4 B.C – 65 A.D)








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