It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere. ~ AGNES REPPLIER
How do you feel about that quote?
While we (the staff at BrainSpeak) believe it is true that happiness comes from within you, not from outside, is it really difficult to find there?
Or perhaps it isn’t easy only when we BELIEVE it isn’t easy – and we are the ones that get in the way of our own happiness.
Here are a few tips in how to find happiness inside:
1. You can decide to find happiness in everyday things. You can wake up and lay there for a few minutes, being grateful for the people that you love, pets, your health, the sunrise – the possibilities are endless! Looking deliberately for things that you are grateful for, that you can feel happy about, is one of the best ways to find happiness. How can you find something that you do not seek?
[box type=”success” align=”aligncenter” width=”650″ ]In the words of Abraham Lincoln:
“Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”[/box]
A very smart man, Mr. Lincoln!
2. Helping others is also a way to feel happiness. Even just little things make you feel good! A couple of years ago we were at a Panda getting some Chinese take-away, and there was a young boy ahead of us in line.
When he got to the checkout, he discovered that he didn’t have enough money to pay for his meal, so my husband just told the cashier to add it to our bill.
She looked shocked, as did the teen, who thanked us over and over.
Such a small thing, but we felt really good about it for the rest of the evening.
That’s what I’m talking about! It doesn’t have to be something huge.
3. Another simple way to find happiness is to spend time in nature, practicing some mindfulness, just being in the moment. Feel the breeze, notice the beauty, stop the self-talk in your head.
Many of us have a negative loop running through our heads that makes it difficult to look for the positive. Taking a break from that habitual chatter can make all the difference in your state of mind!
According to clinical psychologist Robert Puff, Ph.D., suffering comes from our thoughts and happiness can be found by getting out of your head and focusing on the beauty around you. Read more about Dr. Puff’s advice to finding happiness on Psychology Today:
Two Key Steps To Finding Happiness
Pick one of these tips today to start amping up your happiness, you won’t regret it!