Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness
Contrary to what we have come to believe, happiness is not measured by the ‘things’ we accumulate or even by circumstances always been perfect and calm. That kind of happiness is fleeting and superficial. The magic of experiencing durable happiness is fulfilled when we realize that it comes with a shift of our perception and can exist in even the most unlikely and challenging circumstances. Even amidst the challenges of life, it becomes a relief when we realize that happiness resides there, too, and often at a deeper and more memorable way that sticks to your heart and soul.
Although ‘things’ can bring great joy, abundance comes in many forms, and is a welcomed form of enjoyment, it is not what we take to our grave. Abundance of ‘things’ without an abundance of love for self and other leaves us alone at the time of our passing with little sense of meaning and fulfillment.
I would much rather know that I lived boldly, laughter until I peed my pants on occasion, and left a meaningful legacy based on love, whether or not I had accumulated things are checked everything off of my TO DO list.
Deep and active connection, a willingness to benefit from heartache, self-love, and acceptance of others in all their uniqueness can be easily absorbed as the lasting energy carried with us at our final passing as well as the legacy we leave behind. This is infinite abundance!
Although as a nation I know the United States has become hyper-vigilant. We live in a free-floating anxiety as a result of being inundated with all that is wrong in the world as skewed by our media in a way that we absorb the distortion of these events as true and lose sight of all that IS working. When we get trapped in reacting to life, we often prefer to be ‘right’ rather than ‘happy.’ Fear causes us to use force with a trigger finger and react to the choices we have as a helpless victim.
But, there are far more good people in the world than devious ones, and we are far safer and healthier than at any other time throughout our time here on Earth. Although dark is powerful and bad things happen, light outshines dark. Fear misguides us to do incredible things that are contrary to generate happiness. The truth is that what we focus on we create more of, and worry and attack are only illusions that we are doing something helpful. Instead, they disguise the love that we are.
“For those who would joyously march in rank and file, they have already earned my contempt, for they were given a large brain by accident when a spinal cord would have sufficed.”
— Albert Einstein
The most interesting and complicated journey is only 16 inches, the journey from our head to our heart. An essential key to a more fulfilling journey here is to learn the value in responding, rather than reacting. Lead with love. It serves us all far more to take a stand for peace that to fight against anything… war, drugs, terrorism, injustice or poverty. It’s more than semantics. It is a key to the miracle we need.
Like Victor Frankl, Gandhi, Anne Frank, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, my grand-nephew through his experience with cancer and my grandson with autism, I make it my practice to re-focus on finding happiness in unlikely places. I choose to see the truth that people are kind and good at heart despite our differences. I learn to surrender and be patient, and notice all the good that does exist even amidst horrible situations. I practice, and forgive myself over and over when I forget and wander from the truth. I need only get up one more time than I fall.
So today I recommit to life, liberty and happiness right now. I do believe that love is truly the answer to every question, and with 7 billion people on the planet, if I ask and am willing to receive, I will discover that I am not alone.
I am not perfect, but love is. I may mess up, but love heals all. I am not ‘Polly Anna,’ I have no rose-colored glasses, nor am I naive to how complex life is. However, I am committed to fostering our greater good by linking arms and creating an energy force field with those understand the power of love and are equally committed to celebrating freedom and forgiveness by taking full responsibility for our own joy and dedicated to seeing and being grateful for the wonders that do exist, even when life sucks.
I have daughters, nieces, grandchildren and grand-nephews. I am invested in their well-being from the top of my ear to the tips of my toes, inside and out. I also and many dear women friends, colleagues and clients, and through knowing them, I have the evidence I need to believe that when women truly take a stand for their own happiness and well-being through self-love, no child will starve, and peace will prevail.
Joyfully,
If you feel this newsletter would make the road of life a bit easier for another, please pass along. Invite all your family and friends to sign up for my newsletter by visiting http://www.centerofhappiness.com. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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