Happiness Today

Throughout my years of coaching and one on one counseling with friends and family, one of the most often mentioned issues is a lack of happiness.

There are so many people that focus on their pasts or that are too worried about their future. The truth is, that those who focus on the past will be depressed, and those who fear the future will have anxiety.

In order to find happiness in this life, there are several factors that have to be considered. And if you are not happy right now, then it is time for you to reflect on these things and determine where you can and are willing to make changes.

• Live in the Present
• Do What You Love
• Forgive Those Who Caused You Pain in the Past
• Leave the Future in God's Hands
• Focus on What you Can Accomplish Today
• Improve Your Spiritual, Emotional, Mental and Physical Health
• Get Enough Sleep
• Learn to Relax
• Turn Daily Stresses over to God
• Express Gratitude/Count Your Blessings

Living in the Present

One of the best ways to live your life is to realize that you only have this moment right now in time. Your past is over and done with. It is gone. Your future is not guaranteed, so live today as if it is the only day that you have.

Having this mindset changes how you will interact with others. It helps you prioritize much faster. Those things that fall off your priority list, should stay off of it. 

Do What You Love

Our God is an awesome God! He has created us with all the tools that we need within us, we just have to find them and nourish them. When we waste our life and energy by investing it into the things that we hate, we become unhappy. This emotion is our body's way of letting us know that what we are doing is not in harmony with the way that God created us to be. 

There are things that can bring people temporary pleasure in this life, and that is not what I am talking about. I am talking about those things that don't have negative side effects, that have long-lasting value and happiness to us. Whether you love art, music, science, technology, math, movies, or whatever, all those drives are there for a reason! Create something with them. Use them to help others, and use it in your career choices or in creating your own business. Love what you do so much, that you have no problem spending hours doing it! That is hwo you know that you are doing the right work for you!

Forgive Those Who Caused You Pain

Many people struggle with this one because they harbor resentment and feel that the person who hurt them does not deserve to be forgiven. Forgiveness is not for the person who hurt you, it is for you. By choosing to release those negative feelings and no longer hold on to them, you will be happier. You must kick out those feelings of pain, anger, bitterness, resentment and so forth to make room for happiness. As we begin to heal, our perspective on the situation and our life changes.

Focus on What You Can Accomplish Today

In today's world, it is easy to become overwhlemed with all that we need to get done for work and home life alone, let alone anything that our church, extended family or friends may ask of us. It is a good idea to focus on what can be done today. 

No one should over burden themselves with tasks. They should be willing to say no when they honestly do not have the time or energy to full y invest in what is being requested of them. That said, it will bring happiness to do something each day to help someone else. And these things can be simple. A word of encouragement, a smile, a hug or something much more meaningful to them. When we help others, we feel happier. And many times we realize that we are not alone in struggling in life, and that there are people going through things that make us grateful for our trials.

Improve Your Health

The number one complaint I hear is how much people want to change who they are. They want to lose weight, they want to be thinner, taller, more built whatever. And it is fine to want those things, however, no one should lose love for themselves in the process.

By taking the time to increase your whole body health, you will be happier. Taking care of yourself, let's you know that you love you. That you are awesome just the way you are, right in this moment. God loves you as you are right now. Even with all of your percieved weaknesses and your struggles, his love your you has no conditions, limits or bounds. You should not have any limits on your love for yourself either.

By taking the time to love yourself, you will be better equipped to love and serve others, and focus on the work that you have chosen to do. Whether in the office, at home or in the community. When you love yourself, you have an abundance to give to others.

Express Gratitude Daily

This *IS* the fastest way that you can improve your level of happiness. When you take the time each day to think about your blessings and all that you are grateful for your mood changes within a few minutes. When something happens that just sets you off, try to turn it on its head. Look for the silver lining, or the good in it. 

Some examples are when you are standing in a long line at the post office, see it as a time to just take a break from your daily to do list. Use it as a time to think about what you are grateful for, and it can start with something as simple as being glad that you do not have to have yur mail delivered by the Pony Express! Sometimes being grateful in a way that makes you smile or laugh to yourself during a time that you would normal be stressed really helps!

We all have the same opportunity for happiness in this life. It does not matter where we live, what family we were born into, or even what happened to us in the past, we can create our own joy. Once you get going, it gets easier to do. And that joy naturally spreads to others. When you lift yourself, others are automatically lifted right along with you. You can be happy today, if you choose to be.