You Have Everything You Need

“Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts

 and happenings.  It consists mainly of the storm of thought

 that is forever flowing through one’s head.” 

~ Mark Twain

Is happiness something that you believe will come attached to some future event or special person? Are you postponing happiness until you have the ideal job, live in your dream home, find the perfect mate, retire, or have some other future situation? If you find yourself caught up in these thoughts, you will always be waiting for happiness to arrive, which never will, because those types of events will bring only temporary fulfillment. 

Don’t fall into the trap of delayed happiness! By repeating these types of thoughts, you convince yourself that some outside circumstance or future event will bring happiness. This is one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves. Be happy now, because that’s really all we ever experience—the present moment. The root of happiness is not connected to the circumstances in your life. 

Benjamin Franklin described it like this: “Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances.” If you’re not happy now, then you won’t be happy no matter what happens in the future unless you change yourself. You hold the key to your own happiness.

The only constant in life is change. Instinctively we know this, so it is only natural to dream of a future aligned with our deepest desires. There will be hopes and dreams along your journey, each one eagerly anticipated as you walk through life. Focusing on these dreams and goals is a healthier mind-set than focusing on the past, yet do not forget to also stay present as much as possible. Enjoy today. These are the good old times that you will talk about someday. Life is what’s happening while you’re waiting for the future. Experience the journey with joy and awareness, because in the end most destinations are just stepping-stones to bigger dreams.

Not only are life situations not connected to happiness, but neither are people. Other people can’t make you happy anymore than we can make other people happy. Happiness is not something that can be given to someone. Happiness is something that we can only give to ourselves.

Many people have fallen into the habit of trying to fill the emptiness, loneliness, and sadness they feel in their lives by thinking they can buy happiness. They become mindless shoppers filling the boredom of their existence with new gadgets, toys, clothes, pocketbooks, shoes, jewelry, or any other thing that fancies them at the time. They look to the excitement of attaining new things to drown the pain of unhappiness in an attempt to bring passion back into their lives. And it seems to actually work, temporarily. The high of the new purchase soon subsides, and the hollowness that they feel inside still remains, so they begin looking for the next new thing to distract them from the real issue. But in reality all they need to do is to activate the happiness within themselves that has been suppressed.

Lesson: 

You hold the key to your happiness,

 not special people, new things, 

or ideal life circumstances.

Exercise: 

Is there something that you’ve been waiting for before you will allow yourself to be happy? Contemplate what those thoughts do to you. Thoughts like that convince yourself that you can’t be happy until something happens. Begin to believe that you can be happy regardless of what the future holds. Begin to believe that you have the power be happy now. Begin to believe that you hold the key to your own happiness.

This exercise is meant to raise the awareness of your beliefs about what causes happiness. Once you can see that some of your beliefs may be based on false criteria, you will begin to believe that you have everything you need to be happy.

Laura Barrette Shannon

author of Be Happy Now book

A Buddhist Good Friday

Whether you are a Christian, some other faith, or even an atheist, you can use the spirit of Good Friday, one of the holiest Christian holidays, as a springboard to spiritual and/or personal transformation.  Good Friday is the day Jesus died on the cross.  At the heart of the event, it symbolizes an end of suffering which precipitates an extraordinary rise of a new beginning of life.

 Every year on Good Friday I take a hard look at myself. I take a personal inventory of any suffering that I need to release.  Some of the ways people suffer are:

*  Emotional pain that you are clinging to

*  Feelings of resentment 

*  Habits that are self destructive

*  Patterns of behavior that are not in alignment with who you are

*  Focusing too much on physical ailments

By taking a hard look at myself, I can bring awareness to the variety of ways I cause my own suffering.  With awareness, I can then let the emotions flow, and then I let them go, releasing the suffering in my heart. The Christian faith is founded upon the principle that Jesus died to release mankind of their "original" sin so that they may enjoy eternal life.  If you are plagued with internal guilt, resentment, or self destructive behavior you will suffer at your own hands.  This is a sin against yourself.  Let this day be one of reflection, moving past the darkness in your soul and moving toward a new resurrection of who you are.   

Many Blessings,

Laura Barrette Shannon

Seeds of Discontent

When we cultivate acceptance, it will begin to strangle the weeds of discontent. When we can begin to accept that certain things in life are beyond our control, then we can understand the uselessness of complaining about them. When we complain, we are planting seeds of misery in our minds and spreading those seeds to other people.

Complaining will amplify your fixation on negative circumstances. If you can change what you are wishing to change, then have the courage to do it. If you choose not to, then stop complaining. If it is something beyond your control, then the complaining serves only one purpose: to aggravate yourself and others around you.

Not only is complaining a waste of time and energy, but it is detrimental to peace of mind. Whenever you complain, you are planting weeds of misery instead of seeds of happiness. You are reinforcing negative thinking with every complaint you utter. Begin to notice how you feel irritated when you complain about things. This irritation is one of the root causes of stress in your life. Stress is caused when the mind refuses to accept what is. When we are constantly dwelling on things that are out of our control, we plant seeds of discontent and anger. The events in our life do not create stress; our thoughts about these events are the seeds of discontent.

Mom was right: “If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.” Become aware of how your words affect your emotions and those who hear them. It’s not just gossip that hurts; it is any complaint or negative comments about life in general. Become aware of the power of your words. Words are powerful. They can bring people together or drive them apart. Watch your words and those around you. Begin to see the power behind them. Practice being positive and you will not only feel better yourself, you will be a light to those around you.

Lesson:

Become aware that complaining is

 a seed of discontent and unhappiness.

Exercise:

Begin to be aware of what you say. Your words are a mirror of your mind. See if you can notice how much you complain and how others will complain about the littlest things. Become aware of what type of conversations you have with people. Are most of your conversations positive and uplifting, or are they mostly complaining about people or life in general? Begin to notice how you feel when you complain about things. How do you feel when others are complaining? All that is required is for you to become aware of how complaining is contributing to your level of stress.

This is an awareness exercise. Raising your awareness is the first step to complaining less. Awareness is the key to getting your emotions under control. Don’t judge yourself. Be grateful that you are becoming aware of how stress originates and that you have the power to begin living peacefully.

Using Prayer to Release Resentment

"Pray for those who despitefully use you." ~Mathew 5:44

The advice given here is the key to releasing any resentment in your heart that you may be holding on to. When we become attached to our emotional pain, we resist letting go of it. When we repeat thoughts of resentment, anger, or hatred in our minds we are reinforcing our attachment to the pain by justifying it to ourselves.  This causes suffering. 

By praying for those who act in unawareness, we are not only helping them with our prayers, we are helping to heal our own hearts. Remember that people do the best they can with the knowledge, beliefs, and psychological state of mind that they have at the time.  There is no need to take offense from anyone.  What people do is never personal.  It is not about you.  There is no need to carry this pain and resentment any more. You are only hurting yourself.  

Pray for those who have hurt you. Stop justifying your resentment and you won't be attached to it. Prayer will heal your heart.

Be happy my friends-

Laura Barrette Shannon

Do You Victimize Yourself?

“What poison is to food, self pity is to life.”~ Oliver C. Wilson

“Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in this world.” ~ Helen Keller

What does it mean to victimize yourself? And why would anyone in his or her right mind do such a thing? Unfortunately, people do it all the time and don’t even know they are doing it.

When you experience a negative event in your life, it can be very tempting to dwell on it in your thoughts or tell the story over and over days, months, and even many years later. Each time you do this, you are emotionally right back in the situation. Maybe it was someone who physically hurt you, a tragedy, or emotional pain from the past that you tend to revisit time and again. When you rehash old wounds by telling the story over and over, you reopen them, causing emotional pain. Humans are the only animals on earth that allow themselves to repetitively suffer over and over by the same event. By focusing on when you felt victimized, you are playing the role of the victim once again. This is emotional abuse that you inflict on yourself.

The first time you may be a victim, but the second time you are a volunteer. This is often said about physical abuse when referring to the people who return to harmful situations again and again. When we play the victim, by repeating stories of our perceived victimization we are reinforcing a victim attitude in ourselves. Being a victim will convince you that you are powerless, that life is beyond your control. This is not true. You are only a victim if you believe that you are. You cannot always choose what happens to you in life, but you can choose how to respond to life. Do not play a victim. Take your power back.

If you find yourself caught up in self-pity, immediately bring your awareness back to the present moment. Focus your attention on your physical sensations. Take a deep breath. Actively switch your attention away from thoughts of the past. If you have been in a habit of dwelling on past negative situations, you have not made peace with those situations or the people involved. Until you resolve the issues, they will continue to haunt you. The first step is to stop repetitively verbalizing your past pain to other people.

How do you make peace with your past? It all starts with intent. Begin with the intent that you can and will be able to live a happy life even though some things happened in the past that you wish did not happen. There are many processes for accepting the past and letting the emotions finally flow through you and leave. One of the best I’ve used is journaling. You can get it all out on paper. Write the things that you might never say to anyone else. Then burn it.

Another method is to tell it to God. Pray for peace of mind and the strength to let it go. Or tell it to your dog, cat, plant, or a candle. Get it all out one final time. Allow yourself to feel the emotions, cry, yell, jump up and down, and release the anger, pain, and sadness. Allow the emotions to fully emerge and to finally release themselves from your mind and body.

Then, let it go. Repeat it no more. If it comes across your mind, immediately switch your train of thought and don’t ride that train. Eventually the train will come by less and less, and eventually it won’t even pass by. By focusing less on the past pain, you will be taking its emotional fuel away. This will allow you to recover enough personal power to work on acceptance and forgiveness as time goes on.

Watch what you say about yourself. When you repeat stories of being a victim, express self-pity, or talk down about yourself, you are giving away your personal power and playing the role of the unworthy victim again and again. Remember lesson #12: You are the narrator of your life story.

Be aware of how you talk about yourself. Words can either be empowering or victimizing.

Exercise:

Become aware of how you feel when you repeat stories of victimization. Avoid retelling any story that makes you feel upset or weak. Also, avoid encouraging others to tell their stories of victimization. Avoid saying self-effacing comments, such as, “I’m not good enough, smart enough, or attractive enough.” Don’t victimize yourself!

If there are issues that are emotionally unresolved, please take whatever action is necessary to release the resentment and anger. Don’t be afraid to seek professional help, such as a counselor, a psychologist, group counseling, or spiritual guidance. It is time to resolve any issues that make you feel like a victim so you can move forward into a life of joy and peace.

Seeing with New Eyes

(Image eclecticcommons.telldat.net)

Do you feel like you are living a dull drum or meaningless life? Are you looking to get back that spark of passion and joy? Start by looking at your day with new eyes. Look for the beauty in all things.  If you are looking for what's wrong with the world, that is all you will see. If you are looking for the beauty of the world, you will find it in everything.

 Look for the lessons in all experiences and they are evident. No experience is a waste when you can see the life lessons that you are offered by going through it.  Even tragic experiences are opportunities to learn more about yourself and life.  If you suffer through a traumatic experience and never learn anything, then that is a real tragedy.  Be grateful that you have the ability to raise your awareness to the level of seeing life as a learning experience.  Those who never come to this awareness are condemned to a life of suffering in their own mind.  

 Look for things to be grateful for, and they are endless. There are so many privileges that we are able to enjoy in this day and age.  Be grateful for indoor plumbing, electricity, a warm bed, and enough food to eat.   Focusing on what you are grateful for will eliminate the minor complaints of everyday life, by readjusting your vision.  You will begin to see that what most people complain about are minor inconveniences, not real problems.  

When you begin to focus on these positive aspects of vision, you will begin the spark of your inner happiness, igniting the fire of passion and joy for life. Once this happens, life will never be dull again! 

Are You Lonely?

(image zoomcatch.com)

ARE YOU LONELY? You can be in a crowded room or in multiple close relationships and still feel lonely. Don't confuse being alone with being lonely. It is when we have learned to be our own best friend that we banish thoughts of loneliness. Recognize loneliness as a reminder that we have to reclaim our innate wholeness, not to look for completion in another. No one can complete you, or take away your feelings of loneliness. The void you may feel in your heart is because you haven't embraced your own perfection. When you embrace all that you are, loving yourself with all of your heart, it is an act of personal healing and a step toward feeling whole.
Begin to take steps to reclaim yourself. It takes time and effort, as it did to lose yourself in the first place. It starts with self awareness, getting to really know who you are and what might be being suppressed within yourself. Everyone's journey of self awareness is as individual as they are. For me, daily affirmations helped remind me of my innate self worth. Also, being true to myself and following my dreams helped. Redrawing boundaries with others or eliminating some unhealthy relationships was also a part of it. Basically, it is embracing who you are, and gaining the feeling of self worth and self love. In reality, it is as easy or as challenging as you believe it to be. Set the intent to reclaim your wholeness, and then do the work to find yourself. Self awareness is the key.
 Reclaim your wholeness and never be lonely again!

~Laura Barrette Shannon
Be Happy, my Friends! :)

Are You Compassionate?

(image drugfreehomes.org)

Do you have compassion? Compassion is when we open our hearts to empathize and extend love to others. It may be easy to have compassion on those who you see as suffering from life events or forces outside of themselves, but can you offer compassion for those who are victims of their own choices. Can you have compassion for the homeless crack addict as well as the baby born with health issues? Can you come to a place of compassion for those who are stuck in unawareness, suffering in a living hell of their own doing? If you can have compassion on all who suffer, regardless of the cause of suffering, then this is unconditional compassion. Practice feeling compassion towards those you normally judge as “losers”. The reality is they are suffering because they have lost themselves. Thoughts of judgment only serve to irritate us and reinforce feelings of being better than others. Praying for those who suffer will not only help them, it will enhance your own feelings of serenity.

Be compassionate, and be happy, my Friends-

Laura Barrette Shannon

Tell Me about Yourself

WHO would you be without your story? When you define yourself by your life story you are limiting yourself. You are more than your past, no matter how delightful, painful, exciting, or dramatic it has been, you are just a character in the story, not the story itself. It can be tempting, when people ask who you are, to start telling your life story. The next time someone asks you to share about yourself, tell them your dreams, your values, what sparks your passion. It's not who you were yesterday that matters, it's who you choose to be now and tomorrow.

Be Happy My Friends-
Laura Barrette Shannon

 

Self Love Is Not Selfish!

SELF LOVE is not selfish- When you embrace all that you are, loving yourself with all of your heart, it is an act of personal healing and a step toward feeling whole. This is not an act of selfishness, for selfishness is an act of holding onto that which you fear to lose, or acting without regard for other people. True self love is recognizing your self worth, and when you feel your own self wor...th, you will naturally see the worth in others. How you feel about yourself is mirrored onto others. Having self love allows you to forgive not only your own mistakes, but everyone else's too. Love yourself first, then you will have a healthy and whole heart ready to love the world!
Believe that you are perfect just as you are today, even if you decide on a new definition of perfection tomorrow.
Be Happy, my Friends-
Laura barrette Shannon

(photo from holisticyogini.com)

Do You Need Help?

HELP! ~ If you are unsure of something or need help, whether it be advice on where to get something fixed, insight to solve a problem, or just directions when you are lost, JUST ASK someone!! People are generally helpful and like to share their knowledge and experiences with others.  Giving people a chance to help us is a great way to foster your relationships.  It makes others feel useful when they can make a difference in your life.  That's one of the most important parts of a relationship- feeling needed or acknowledging that you make a difference.


Sometimes people think it is best to handle everything themselves.  They believe that being independent is the ultimate goal of life. Being independent is great, but being interdependent is even better. No man is an island.  We are all interconnected and as such have great ability to aid and influence the lives around us.  Allow yourself to be a part of this, by allowing yourself to receive help when needed.  The synergistic relationships we can build by reaching out to others is an invaluable part of life. You will be amazed at what you can learn by just asking questions! ♥
Be Happy, my Friends-
Laura Barrette Shannon

Are You Limiting Yourself?

 Our limitations all begin with what we believe. Believe you can't do something and you are never wrong. Question yourself when you find you have a limiting belief. Last night I realized I've been telling myself for years that I am a morning person, and as the day goes on I'm less mentally creative and therefore I never write at night. This belief limits my abilities, so I'm changing it. I now believe that I can get myself into a creative state of mind anytime of day. I'll begin practicing tonight and after a while it will be my new truth. All change starts with belief.
 Are you aware of any limiting beliefs that are holding you back from your full potential?
As you become aware of your various beliefs, ask yourself if they serve you or work against you.  Some beliefs work well for a time and then lose their usefulness, but because we never question them, we just keep acting on them.  For example, I used to believe that I couldn't sing well at all and that I couldn't ever learn to carry a tune.  So I never sang.  Then one day I decided to challenge the belief, to practice singing at home and then to sing karaoke to a crowd of people.  I did it.  I'm not afraid to sing in public now.  The old belief was limiting my self expression and served no purpose other than to back up my fear of singing in public.  
Take a careful look at why you avoid certain activities and you may discover that it is an old limiting belief that has been holding you back.  
Be Happy, my Friends-
Laura Barrette Shannon

Do You Know What You Want?

WHAT DO YOU INTEND to do, to experience, to express, to be like in this moment, next week, next year? This is the most important question you will ever answer. The answer will change over time as we continually evaluate our innermost desires. Once you know what you want you can evaluate what is working in your life to achieve the goal. Evaluate what is in alignment with your dream of self expression:

Do you believe and think you are on the path to actively live out your sense of self?

Do your words and actions work for or against you? Your words and actions must be in agreement with your desired expression or it will never happen.

Keep doing what works, stop doing what doesn't.

Find a way to act and speak in alignment with who you are and what you want to experience.
For example, Susan decides she wants to be healthy and fit.  She evaluates that her lifestyle habits are not completely in alignment with her desire to be healthy and fit.  So she looks at what good habits she may have, like walking her dog every day, and taking vitamins.  She keeps those habits in alignment and begins to incorporate more actions that are supportive of her sense of being healthy and fit. She decides to eliminate watching so much TV and to take a second walk in the evening instead.  She then watches herself to make sure her words are self supportive in nature, such as "I am on a path of health and fitness and I enjoy it!" And avoiding negative self talk- "It's so hard to be on a diet and I hate exercise."

Realize your dreams of self expression by realizing what they are, believing you can reach them,and then following the path of action in alignment that leads to them.
Be true to yourself and be happy my friends-
Laura Barrette Shannon

You Are the Narrator of Your Life

YOU are the narrator of your life. Begin watching how you talk about yourself. Your every word defines who you want the world to see, and reinforces how you think of yourself. If you keep the narration focused on unlimited potential for the future, lessons from past adversity, appreciation for the people who come and go, and gratitude for life itself, you will not only enjoy life more, you will be a joy to be around. Be a light in your own life, be your own best cheerleader, and watch your life be transformed! The choice in how you see and tell your story will affect your self image and how others see you. Don't play the victim in your life story and you won't feel like a victim. Today ask yourself, "What's my story?" If you don't like the story, then change it. Don't fabricate lies, just re-frame how you describe past events and who you are.  If you had past adversity or tragedy, begin to speak only of the lessons you have learned.  Don't focus on the pain, focus on how you used the experience to grow as a person, or how you learned more about yourself and life.  If you can't quite tell it in a positive fashion yet, then do not tell it at all!  You write your own story. Make it a happy one.

Watch how you talk about yourself and what you say about your life story. Story lines to AVOID are:
"I can't do that."

"I'm not good at____"

"I'm not good enough."

"I feel like victim of life circumstances."

“I feel like a victim of past events.”

"Life is difficult."

"I'll never be happy because____"

"I'll be happy when______."

You get the idea. Watch what you say about yourself and your life. Argue for your limitations and you will always be right. Tell stories of victimization and you play the part of victim. You are the narrator, the director, and can cast yourself as any part you wish in your life story.

Life is a story.  What's your story?

Be Happy, my Friends-

Laura Barrette Shannon

Lighten Up!

LIGHTEN UP! Would you rather be right or happy? Do you take yourself so serious that when you meet people with a difference of opinion you feel the need to set them straight?  Do you feel irritated or even threatened by listening to opposing points of view? Is it your job to teach everyone to think like you do? Ponder how these tendencies make you feel. 
Today, practice being an observer or a listener without getting into debates. Make an effort to hold your tongue without putting in your two cent point of view- even if you think they are totally wrong.  This is a valuable skill which will provide much less drama in your life.

Confidence is being able to share your opinions; Wisdom is not being attached to them.

Be Happy, my Friends,
Laura Barrette Shannon

The Wild Boar

Two men from different villages were out hunting for food. They both had hungry families at home waiting for some small bit of meat to cook into a stew. They didn't see each other in the dense forest, so when they both aimed and shot at a wild boar each man thought it was he who had hit it. As they approached the wounded boar, who was just lying there, they began to argue about who shot it and who had the right to bring it home. As they argued, they didn't even notice that the boar wasn't dead and had run away.

Don't be so caught up in arguing your point of view and trying to be right that you miss the big picture. When we come from a place of selfishness and lack, we are operating out of fear. The fear in these two men blinded them to the fact that there was enough to feed both families. Be aware of the benefits of working together toward a common goal.  When you are too attached to your view point it will hinder seeing other view points, which might prohibit you from seeing win/win resolutions to problems. Otherwise, everybody loses. 


Many Blessings-
Laura Barrette Shannon

Is It Hard to Accept a Compliment?

 

DO YOU FIND IT HARD TO ACCEPT A COMPLIMENT? When we shy away from compliments, uttering something to diminish the praise, or even negate it, we are showing and reinforcing our lack of self worth.

See if you can catch yourself diminishing compliments and ponder why you do this.  How does it make you feel?  How do you feel when you give a compliment and someone doesn't receive it well?  Can you see the lack of confidence in others when they do this?  This is what you project to the world when you shirk off a compliment. 

Next time someone wants to praise you for your efforts or for just being you, practice responding with a self confident smile and replying with a genuine "Thank you." Remember, you are an amazing person! Let others acknowledge this when they experience your awesomeness! 

Feel your self worth and Be Happy my Friends!

~ Laura Barrette Shannon

Break Out of Your Box!

(photo from ambassadorscare.com)

BREAK OUT OF YOUR BOX- Conquer fear, do something new, something that pushes you outside of your comfort zone. When you break out of your box you push beyond self limitations, regaining personal power and freeing yourself in the process. 


When we avoid doing things that are new and different we remain inside our comfort zone.  This may feel safe, but it limits our experiences.  When you push yourself into doing something you normally would never do it is called a "Not Doing".  It doesn't have to be a big change to reap a big reward.  Even the smallest Not Doing will effectively decrease your self limitations and increase your personal freedom.


 The biggest Not Doing for me was overcoming my fear of the ocean.  I used to be afraid of sharks, so I would never go past my knees in the Gulf of Mexico near my home.  I had convinced myself that since there were indeed sharks in this area that it wasn't safe to swim over my head.  (Very rarely is anyone attacked here.) I decided to conquer this fear by swimming out to a buoy that was 30 yards out from shore.  I stood at the water's edge for a few minutes, pondering my fear, and my chances of swimming there and back without getting attacked.  Finally, I started walking into the water.  I was almost half way there, waist deep, when the most unexpected thing happened.  As I continued walking I was walking up hill!  By the time I reached the buoy, I was in two feet of water standing on top of a sand bar!  All these years, I never knew that my fear was unwarranted.  I realized that it was the fear itself that had paralyzed me.  I regained so much power from that experience that I can now swim without anxiety.  


You can start by Not Doing some little things.  One of my favorites is wearing silly hats. Change how you normally dress, or change your hair.  If you are an extrovert, try being quiet.  If you are an introvert, become the life of the party.  Challenge yourself to push beyond your self limitations.  What can you Not Do today?


Enjoy your journey~


Laura Barrette Shannon

Are You a Puppet?

Are You a Puppet?

ARE YOU A PUPPET? When we blame other people for our problems and personal issues we become a puppet of life. To be completely free and at peace with yourself and the world you have to stop pointing the finger away from yourself for being who you are, and the way you act.  


Unhappy people tend to blame their parents, boss, past traumas, ex-spouse, or even God for their problems, preferring to play the victim with "Woe is me" stories, rather than look at their own actions and life choices.  Don't be a victim of life!

Reclaim your personal power by taking full responsibility for who you are and how you interact with the world. Take responsibility for your life- Cut those puppet strings!


Many Blessings~


Laura Barrette Shannon

Warning: Don't Postpone Happiness!

“Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts and happenings. It consists mainly of the storm of thought that is forever flowing through one's head.” ~Mark Twain

Is happiness something that you believe will come attached to some future event, or some special person? Are you postponing happiness until you have the ideal job, live in your dream home, find the perfect mate, retire, or some other future situation?  If you find yourself caught up in these thoughts you will always be waiting for happiness to arrive, which it never will, because those types of events will bring only temporary fulfillment.  

Don’t fall in the trap of delayed happiness! By repeating these type of thoughts, you convince yourself that some outside circumstance or future event will bring happiness. This is one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves. Be happy NOW, because that's really all we ever experience; the present moment.  The root of happiness is not connected to the circumstances in our life. Benjamin Franklin described it like this, “Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances.”  If your not happy now, then you won’t be happy no matter what happens in the future unless you change yourself.  You hold the key to your own happiness. 

The only constant in life is change.  Instinctively we know this, so it is only natural to dream of a future aligned with our deepest desires.  There will be hopes and dreams along the path of your life, each one eagerly anticipated as you walk through life. Focusing on these dreams and goals is a healthier mind set than focusing on the past, yet do not forget to also stay present as much as possible. Enjoy today.  These are the good ol’ times that you will talk about someday. Life is what’s happening while your waiting for the future.  Experience the journey with joy and awareness, because in the end, most destinations are just stepping stones to bigger dreams.

Not only are life situations not connected to happiness, but neither are people. Other people can’t make you happy, any more than we can make other people happy.  Happiness isn’t something that can be given to someone.  Happiness is something that we can only give to ourselves.

 There are many seeds of happiness, but none of them are attached to future events or people.  

Exercise:

Is there something that you’ve been waiting for before you’ll allow yourself to be happy?  Contemplate what those thoughts do to you.  Thoughts like that convince yourself that you can’t be happy until something happens.  Begin to believe that you can be happy regardless of what the future holds. Begin to believe that you have the power be happy now.  Begin to believe that you hold the key to your own happiness.

many blessings~

Laura Barrette Shannon