be happy now

What is true happiness? Does happiness really come from within? Is personal happiness independent of outer circumstances and other people?

When we look at the premise of happiness we can assume that when we say we are happy it is likely because things that make us happy are going on in our lives. What about if things are going on in our lives that are stressful, negative, difficult, unloving? Then are we automatically unhappy? Most of us live what I call ”conditional happiness.” As long as our expectations are met we feel happy, centered, glad to be alive…but if one or more of the conditions change for the worse – our happiness diminishes proportionately. This is pretty basic stuff…but we fight it every day. The more we fight it the unhappier we are..it’s a universal principle…nothing outside ourselves can ever really satisfy long term.

One way to free ourselves from this never ending yo-yo ride is to stop saying, you – spouse – hurt me, you – daughter – disappoint me, you – friend – make me sad, or you – bad driver – make me angry. Or, the weather depresses me, the economy scares me, our politics enrage me, or my career is unsatisfactory. What are you – spouse, daughter, friend, bad driver, God, economist, politician, or corporate executive – going to do about that? What and how are you going to change so that I will be pleased?

How about trying something different? To all the people who are driving you crazy, hurting you or whatever your story is…

Let them off the hook…. Let’s not hold them or outer events responsible for the way we feel. Let’s hold ourselves responsible for the way we feel and let’s say instead: I am sad, disappointed, hurt, mad, depressed, afraid, enraged, or unsatisfied. And I am going to do something about that. I am making a decision now and I am setting new goals for my own personal happiness.

The only true and lasting freedom exists in the knowing that we create our own reality. If we were taught that our emotions are choices… “our” choices… then there would be no need to blame others for our suffering. For the first time in our life we would be utterly free. No need any longer to try to control other people or circumstances and events (which is a fruitless undertaking anyway). No matter what happens, we can learn to bring ourselves back into vibrational alignment with who we really are at the core of our being. We can take steps at any moment and anywhere to open up to the source energy of well-being that is creating and maintaining worlds. And when we do that, our life will be filled with joy.

When we feel good…. really good…. we are creative, we are clear minded, we are intuitive, we are inspired, we are enthusiastic, we are affectionate, we laugh often, we appreciate ourselves and others, we are strong, and we have fun. We are in love with ourselves and with life. Our joy is contagious. We radiate vivaciousness wherever we go. Anyone we meet benefits from our joy.

We all remember having had such experiences of living life in the flow. Wouldn’t it be magical to do it more often? Is there anything more valuable that we can give to ourselves, our fellow-humans, and to the world than to radiate inner-derived or unconditional happiness?!

What do you think about this?

Peace,

Yoga Jane