My happiness.

Somewhere I feel I’ve written about this before. I can’t find anything in my collection, maybe it’s just been a thought I’ve had and felt unqualified to write about or even felt it pretentious of me. Who am I to tell anyone how to find happiness, let alone discuss my own happiness?

It’s not like this is a how to message, but at the same time, if it works for me, why shouldn’t I say how I feel I do it? To be sure though, I have my blue days, we all do, but those days do not consume my life. I get angry on occasion, but again, I get over it. Everyday though, I feel happiness is the song in my life.

Here are 10 keys that help me to find happiness:

1. Reading “The Celestine Prophecy” – It was not that long ago, maybe 11 or 12 years ago, but this book changed my life and helped me start my path to happiness. I highly recommend it to anyone.
2. Forgiveness – I’ve always heard it, but took years to practice it. Learning to forgive the worst and the smallest of offenses has quieted my soul. The most important step to finding happiness in my opinion.
3. Prayer/Meditation – I was afraid to speak my thoughts and take time to contemplate my life in the quiet and dark. Once I did, the rewards were understanding, knowledge and answers to the many questions we all ask.
4. Accepting my self, flaws and all - No one and I mean no one is perfect. I do not compare myself to others for any thing. I am my own ideal, I am what I am. I can accept this.
5. There is a difference between being alone and being lonely – This is one of the hardest keys to accept. Learning to live with myself first, I eventually found my days surrounded by joy and never lonely even alone.
6. Make time for joy – I don’t mean going out with my buddies on a Friday night. I believe true joy is in the world around me. Through children’s laughter, the scent of spring flowers, lying in the park with the sun on your face, or walking barefoot in the rain.
7. The grass is not always greener on the other side – I don’t even know what to say except, it isn’t. Always changing jobs, boyfriends, cities, clothes, hair, weight, didn’t fix the real problem. Figuring out what it is and working on that one thing helps settle me.
8. Holding on to my dreams – I have one dream, and everyday I get closer and closer to it. It fills my heart with joy to know that one day I will be in Egypt in front of the pyramids. It keeps me going through the hard days.
9. Making a difference in the world – Whether it be recycling, volunteering my time, raising my children well, donating money to charity, I’m making an impact. All it takes is one person, then another, and another…...
10. I have one life, live it well - Only I can make it a happy one. From the choices I make to the people I love, it’s mine to do with what I will. It’s never someone else’s fault or responsibility if my life is not filled with happiness. I know this to be true.

Well that’s it, I feel good I have put this down in writing. Thanks for reading.

If you have your own path of happiness, let me know what you’re doing or have done to get there.

~Tet~