Find Happiness by Looking Inside

If I could only figure this out, I think I could find happiness” my friend said during a recent conversation. This is not the first time, nor will it be the last that I hear this statement.

Too often people believe that finding happiness is as simple as finding something else they want. In my experience, no one has ever found long term happiness by achieving another goal. Ultimately, to find happiness is to invest in the effort look within yourself.

In other words, happiness is completely an inside job. The most important piece to finding happiness is to comprehend happiness is a choice and not the result of an experience. If all happiness could be found as the result of an acquisition, meeting a goal, or having anything, then a person’s happiness would always be subject to something else.

How often do you hear… “I’ll be happy when”? When I get that job, I’ll be happy. I’ll be happy when I find a life partner. I’d be happy if I had more money.

“If I had” scenarios all follow the same flawed reasoning; that is happiness is based on external circumstances.

If you base your happiness on external circumstances, you will continuously fail to find happiness. There will always, always be another external circumstance. There will always be another dollar, another job, another house, or another partner. Better, more, else. You will always believe you must find your happiness somewhere else.

Find happiness within yourself. We have been given everything we need to be happy.

When we can accept our lives and appreciate the good that we have right now and that our lives are the sum total of everything that has happened to this instant, only then can we accept the joy and happiness we deserve.

This concept is very difficult for some to accept. But the alternative to being happy now is to spend the rest of our lives seeking happiness as if happiness was an item to be bought or found. Choose to enjoy today. Choose to enjoy the journey as you pursue your dreams.