Happiness; the concept seems simple enough, but how is it that it's so difficult to grasp? Is it even possible? What does it take to successfully acquire it?
You'd be surprised how difficult this is for the common public. The most successful men in the world could give you key instructions on how to run a thriving business, but when it comes to the question of achieving happiness, suddenly the facts become educated guesses.
So what does it really take to acquire consistent happiness? Is it really all that difficult? You probably already know the answer to both of these questions. I'm not writing to inform you of something new, but rather remind you of how important these very basic steps really are.
Key Step 1: Gratefulness
You'd be surprised how difficult this is for the common public. The most successful men in the world could give you key instructions on how to run a thriving business, but when it comes to the question of achieving happiness, suddenly the facts become educated guesses.
So what does it really take to acquire consistent happiness? Is it really all that difficult? You probably already know the answer to both of these questions. I'm not writing to inform you of something new, but rather remind you of how important these very basic steps really are.
Key Step 1: Gratefulness
Do you remember how cool it was to get that new toy you always wanted when you were young? Do you remember how excited you were from getting it? If you were anything like me, then you were utterly ecstatic! You thought it was the coolest thing in the world and couldn't imagine anything better! You felt like you were the luckiest boy or girl in the world for having that toy!
Gifts like that were rare back in that age, but today as adults, most of us can afford to buy as many quantities of products as we want. It seems like we should be twice as happy then; we have the ability to buy anything, and as much of it as we want but we're not! Why is that?
It is because of course that we take everything for granted, big time. However, as aware as most of us already are with this fact, none of us do anything about it! Stop right now and ask yourself...how many times have you stopped what you were doing today to express how grateful you are for all the wonderful things you have in your life? Now ask yourself this question...how many times have you stopped today to complain about what's gone wrong?
After you have asked yourself these two questions, compare the lists. Which one is higher? Your answer will reflect the level of your happiness.
Happiness is a choice. Happiness is the choice to see the world in a brighter way, and what better way to train our minds to see that brighter view than to constantly express how grateful we are to have everything we currently own?
It's perfectly normal to always want more. As human beings, we will always crave more, but if we're not thankful for what we currently have, then how will we ever be happy with acquiring more of it?
Key Step 2: Self-love and Fulfillment
Gifts like that were rare back in that age, but today as adults, most of us can afford to buy as many quantities of products as we want. It seems like we should be twice as happy then; we have the ability to buy anything, and as much of it as we want but we're not! Why is that?
It is because of course that we take everything for granted, big time. However, as aware as most of us already are with this fact, none of us do anything about it! Stop right now and ask yourself...how many times have you stopped what you were doing today to express how grateful you are for all the wonderful things you have in your life? Now ask yourself this question...how many times have you stopped today to complain about what's gone wrong?
After you have asked yourself these two questions, compare the lists. Which one is higher? Your answer will reflect the level of your happiness.
Happiness is a choice. Happiness is the choice to see the world in a brighter way, and what better way to train our minds to see that brighter view than to constantly express how grateful we are to have everything we currently own?
It's perfectly normal to always want more. As human beings, we will always crave more, but if we're not thankful for what we currently have, then how will we ever be happy with acquiring more of it?
Key Step 2: Self-love and Fulfillment
Some people may regard self-love as conceit but that's not the case at all. There's a huge difference between confidence and arrogance. Confidence is when you believe in yourself, while arrogance is when you think you're better than everyone else. Believing in yourself is a great thing, so long as you're not comparing yourself to anyone else.
It's very important to love yourself. You need to appreciate who are so you can recognize all the beauty that's hidden inside you, the beauty that's hidden within us all. How can you recognize that beauty when you're too busy calling yourself hideous or mentally challenged?
This again ties back to my point I made earlier on having the choice to have better perspective. In order to be happy, we have to make the choice of seeing ourselves as beautiful and incredible people. We have to choose to see the value in ourselves instead of constantly tearing our bodies down with negative words and mindsets.
A good way to test your level of confidence is by seeing if you're able to look at yourself in the mirror and declare out loud that you're an incredibly beautiful, powerful, and talented person without laughing, muttering, or looking away. Can you do this? How well can you do it?
Self-confidence is very important to acquiring happiness because not only does it leave you satisfied with yourself, but it leads you to the next step, fulfillment.
Happiness is not only about satisfaction, but it's about excitement as well. Everyone needs excitement in their lives, otherwise they will get bored, which will eventually lead to dissatisfaction.
What am I saying, exactly? I'm saying that we need to do what we love! Doing what we love will exercise everything that excites us. This excitement will make us very good at what we do which will in turn, lead us to self-accomplishment and grant us greater self-confidence.
Key Step 3: Giving more than Getting
It's very important to love yourself. You need to appreciate who are so you can recognize all the beauty that's hidden inside you, the beauty that's hidden within us all. How can you recognize that beauty when you're too busy calling yourself hideous or mentally challenged?
This again ties back to my point I made earlier on having the choice to have better perspective. In order to be happy, we have to make the choice of seeing ourselves as beautiful and incredible people. We have to choose to see the value in ourselves instead of constantly tearing our bodies down with negative words and mindsets.
A good way to test your level of confidence is by seeing if you're able to look at yourself in the mirror and declare out loud that you're an incredibly beautiful, powerful, and talented person without laughing, muttering, or looking away. Can you do this? How well can you do it?
Self-confidence is very important to acquiring happiness because not only does it leave you satisfied with yourself, but it leads you to the next step, fulfillment.
Happiness is not only about satisfaction, but it's about excitement as well. Everyone needs excitement in their lives, otherwise they will get bored, which will eventually lead to dissatisfaction.
What am I saying, exactly? I'm saying that we need to do what we love! Doing what we love will exercise everything that excites us. This excitement will make us very good at what we do which will in turn, lead us to self-accomplishment and grant us greater self-confidence.
Key Step 3: Giving more than Getting
The number one reason why most hard working people aren't happy is because they constantly fear about losing everything they've worked so hard for; they fear they will again return to the poverty of their early lives. It's because of this fear that drives them to take from others so that others will not have the chance to take from them.
The world around us is constantly teaching us that in order to rise to the top, one must make sure everyone else is below him or her. We do not do this because we are evil selfish beings, of course. We do this because we are terrified to lose our state of security. And so, it's every man and woman for him or herself...or is it?
There are two ways to rise to success. Scheme your way to the top, allowing the rest to fall wherever the world has left for them, or build your career and help build other's career along the way.
Many of us are reluctant to share our secrets to success for two reasons. One of those reasons is because we don't want to have any competition. Therefore, the less they know, and the more you know, the better. After all, with less competition, you have a much higher chance at success, right? Not necessarily. The second reason is we don't want to share years and years of our hard work with someone who's just come up to simply ask.
But is it really all your hard work? Could you have learned what you learned without the teachings of past men and women? Could you have learned what you learned if mothers hadn't given birth to the men who offered you your opportunities to success?
The point I'm trying to make here is that everything you have was given to you. Yes, you sought after everything that was given to you, but there are others seeking for it too! Who's to say you're not the man or woman meant to give what this person is seeking?
The truth is, life is not actually regulated by towering over others and taking everything for yourself, it's regulated by giving. Everything is given to someone so then that someone can give more to others. This is how we all succeed to make life better for all of us.
Our bodies aren't built to reserve everything for ourselves. They are meant to share. They are meant to contribute. They are meant to love. As ironic as it sounds, the more we give away, the happier we will be.
So for the sake of the world's happiness as well as your own, give, give, and give again. The more you give away, the more you will have coming back to you.
The world around us is constantly teaching us that in order to rise to the top, one must make sure everyone else is below him or her. We do not do this because we are evil selfish beings, of course. We do this because we are terrified to lose our state of security. And so, it's every man and woman for him or herself...or is it?
There are two ways to rise to success. Scheme your way to the top, allowing the rest to fall wherever the world has left for them, or build your career and help build other's career along the way.
Many of us are reluctant to share our secrets to success for two reasons. One of those reasons is because we don't want to have any competition. Therefore, the less they know, and the more you know, the better. After all, with less competition, you have a much higher chance at success, right? Not necessarily. The second reason is we don't want to share years and years of our hard work with someone who's just come up to simply ask.
But is it really all your hard work? Could you have learned what you learned without the teachings of past men and women? Could you have learned what you learned if mothers hadn't given birth to the men who offered you your opportunities to success?
The point I'm trying to make here is that everything you have was given to you. Yes, you sought after everything that was given to you, but there are others seeking for it too! Who's to say you're not the man or woman meant to give what this person is seeking?
The truth is, life is not actually regulated by towering over others and taking everything for yourself, it's regulated by giving. Everything is given to someone so then that someone can give more to others. This is how we all succeed to make life better for all of us.
Our bodies aren't built to reserve everything for ourselves. They are meant to share. They are meant to contribute. They are meant to love. As ironic as it sounds, the more we give away, the happier we will be.
So for the sake of the world's happiness as well as your own, give, give, and give again. The more you give away, the more you will have coming back to you.