Skip to content

Here are a few of the best lessons I can happily share:

1. Life is tough

Agreed, life is filled with trials and tribulations. To say one is happy all the time is a lie. To know happiness is available at any time is a truth. Happiness will not wait for us. Happiness will not invite us to the party. We must invite ourselves to say, “yes”, diving deeply and happily into life… all of it… the ups, downs, twists and turns of our miraculous journey.

Happiness exists in tandem with adversity. Happiness waits in all the nooks and crannies to be embraced and celebrated …ready at any moment. True and lasting joy emanates from thoughts, feelings, perceptions, actions and choices supported by positive self-esteem that oozes worthiness.

2. Nobody can tell us what makes us happy

Society often dictates what we falsely believe creates happiness. Financial success, material wealth, finding the right partner and being part of the right group/club are some examples of external momentary happiness and amusement. Funny how mass media marketing attempts to tell and sell us that happiness can be found in a particular brand of meal, soda, car, etc…if they could only drive home the point of where the joy truly resides, most of us would have more money and less aggravation in pursuing it.

3. Getting hung up on what others do and say really impedes our happiness

Consider turning the screws of your mind a quarter of an inch to change your perspective on a few vital things. Then head out into the world keeping your eyes open looking for the joy in the ordinary moments. Holy cow! You will find some… everywhere you look. It is inescapable. It is not always easy to see.

Firstly, set aside judgment. Secondly, avoid expectation. Lastly, completely relinquish any anger for the things you cannot control locally and globally. After all that said and done; voila there it is, happiness…like a beacon of light waiting to be embraced.

4. Creating happiness requires a little focus

I may not always be happy. Yet, I strive with every step I take and every move I make to approach life with positive intention, grace and an abundance of humor. I am not reliant on the outcome; just the moment. Being in the moment gives me full control of my thoughts, feelings and actions…hence my happiness. Yesterday is history, tomorrow a dream but the present is a precious gift.

This is not a 100% foolproof system. It is a goal to which I wholeheartedly aspire. Life is filled with bad days, sadness and adversity. Living now as if it were the only certain commodity creates mindful awareness and a deeper understanding of my power (both positive and negative).

5. Happiness is an inside job

Happiness resides inside on a deeply soulful level. It cannot be bought, sold or traded. It is a choice we each must make consciously or unconsciously when we awaken each day. How are we going to be with our self? How are we going to show up in the world?

Avatar photo

Lisa Cypers Kamen is a filmmaker, positive psychology coach, author, host of Harvesting Happiness Talk Radio, professor and lecturer specializing in the field of sustainable happiness. She is widely recognized as an expert on the subject. Lisa’s acclaimed documentary film co-produced with her now fifteen year-old daughter, Kayla, “H-Factor…Where is your heart?” explores how people in varied circumstances find, generate and share happiness. In addition to her film on happiness, Lisa has also published a number of articles and books entitled, Got Happiness Now?, Are We Happy Yet?, Leadership: Helping Others to Succeed and Reintegration Strategies, about combat trauma and using positive psychology principles to create wellness in a post-war new normal. Lisa’s written work is featured on blogs for the Huffington Post, PositivelyPositive.com and InspireMeToday.com and she is a TEDx community event speaker. In addition, she is the Happiness Expert for the Florida Department of Citrus/ Florida Orange Juice in its Take on the Day campaign.

Harvesting Happiness for Heroes™ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that delivers stigma-free integrated combat trauma recovery services to warriors and their loved ones. Modalities include scientifically proven strengths based Positive Psychology coaching and interdisciplinary tools such as film, yoga, meditation, art and creative writing designed to mindfully empower the client to achieve increased self-mastery, self-esteem and reclaim her/his life. HH4Heroes focuses on the balance of mind, body and emotion resulting in greater overall wellbeing and the transformation of Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) into Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG). HH4Heroes offers retreat workshops, one-on-one coaching, Battle Buddy programs, as well as our new R.E.B.O.O.T Online virtual community coaching classrooms designed to reach underserved areas. In addition, HH4Heroes deploys Return to Duty™ civilian and corporate training to help welcome a warrior home and into the community and workplace.

Lisa is committed to teaching Happiness is an inside job™ and helping others end their needless suffering through intentionally cultivating greater joy.

For more information, please visit HH4Heroes.orgHarvestingHappiness.com, and HarvestingHappinessTalkRadio.com

This Post Has 4 Comments

  1. Reminders such as above about how to be happy truly helps with all the daily trials and tribulations…thank you for sharing your wisdom

  2. The following sentence from your article Lisa promotes such a good outlook. “I strive with every step I take and every move I make to approach life with positive intention, grace and an abundance of humor. I am not reliant on the outcome; just the moment.” Thanks for these reminders on the state of happiness.

  3. The following sentence from your article Lisa promotes such a good outlook. “I strive with every step I take and every move I make to approach life with positive intention, grace and an abundance of humor. I am not reliant on the outcome; just the moment.” Thanks for these reminders on the state of happiness.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *