What brings you happiness?
What does happiness mean to you? Does it mean peace, loving and accepting yourself, stepping into your worth or something else? Stop and really think about the question. Figuring this out can be extremely powerful and life changing.
Is happiness about achievements, stuff, money, beauty, or how many likes you have on your Facebook status updates? Maybe it is about helping others, growing, learning, giving back, living out your purpose, feeling good about who you are, making a contribution and difference in the world by showing up and being you, or living with intention.
We live in a society that encourages us to buy into materialism, beauty, wealth, fame, moving to the top, and how many friends you have on Facebook. We think this is the way to happiness. We think this will bring us happiness, worth, and importance. Ultimately, we end up in a black hole because it never is enough. We end up not feeling important, good enough, or adequate. There are many people that have what appears to be it all yet they are miserable.
Here are a few suggestions when reflecting on the topic of happiness.
- Explore your vision for happiness. What would happiness look like? Would it be more about self-acceptance, forgiveness, letting go, and having more inner peace? Would it be living out your purpose?
- Surround yourself with people that are encouraging. It is important that we have some cheerleaders in our lives that mirror back to us our worth for simply being who we are. When we look at a baby, they are pure souls with no layers. We are all inherently worthy. We just may not believe it based on our past.
- Get vulnerable with safe people. It is essential to be able to stand in our power and speak our truth with love and grace. Connection comes from opening up and really sharing who we are with others. It is the heartbeat to joy.
- Be a giver, not a taker. There are people that give from their heart and there are people that suck energy out of a room. Show up and give. It is a life changer!
Change your thoughts. If you feel like you are unworthy, notice what you are telling yourself. It probably comes from the past. When we work on changing how we see ourselves, we gain more self-acceptance and greater peace.
-Kristen D Boice M.A., LMFT, EMDR Trained
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